[iDC] Course: The Social Web (Web 2.0: What went wrong?)

Mon Sep 3 04:39:38 UTC 2007

Hello, I think I'll take this opportunity to join the discussion -- I'll
post an introduction to the list directly after.

I'm running Media Futures & New Technologies (2nd & 3rd year media, media
commerce and media law students primarily) at the University of Melbourne,
and while the subject matter is broader than Web 2.0 concerns and critiques,
there are some overlaps. While the syllabus is not currently online, I've
attached it in case anyone is interested. Also, we've been adding to the
delicious tag 'mfnt' - http://del.icio.us/tag/mfnt - which may have some
interesting bits and pieces regarding the concerns of this thread.

I think educational commons are an important trend and part of 'teaching 2.0'
which might also benefit from similar debates & discussions as those
directed towards Web 2.0 etc... Perhaps you have discussed them, but
consider, http://www.slideshare.net/ http://www.oercommons.org/
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/ and even
http://en.wikiversity.org/wiki/Wikiversity:Main_Page and probably many more.
Are these indicative of web 2.0 conceptions &/or p2p as they seem less
structured by corporate concerns and more driven by distributed (as opposed
to decentralised) networks? Perhaps this signals a new era of globalised
education - positive in its reach and collaborative potential, negative in
its homogenising of divers educational cultures?...

Hmm, perhaps that was worth a new thread.. anyway, happy to be
participating!
mark elliott

On 9/1/07, John Hopkins <jhopkins at neoscenes.net> wrote:
>
> >This is a great idea and as soon as my syllabus is complete (or I stop
>
> I'm doing several one- & two-week workshops floating under the
> working title "STREAMING LIFE: CREATIVE PRESENCE IN THE SPACE OF
> NETWORKS" in Germany, France, Belgium, and elsewhere during the fall,
> and I don't have a syllabus.
>
> I am invited in based on personal connection to faculty members who
> trust me, and the engagements include repeat and new connections.
>
> I make no plans until I meet the people who are in the course.  I
> enjoy the deep fear of walking into the unknown, meeting strangers,
> and seeing what can be facilitated and enjoyed together given the
> initial premise (title), and a short proposal framework.   I believe
> that development of the local voice & pursuant praxis/action is more
> important than listening to a host of other 'important published'
> voices and following practices that are 'out there.'   I do not rely
> on English texts (although most students can cope in second
> language), because it tends to suppress what are often VERY latent
> concerns (thanks to the 'normative' educational system) and to
> displace the local by a pseudo-authoritative unseen Other.
>
> I do carry extra white-board markers with me.
>
> At any rate, Bravo, Trebor, with that fresh syllabus -- I admire, as
> always, your skills and insights, and, in the end, your praxis is
> more socially sustainable than mine anyway  ;-))
>
> Cheers,
> John
>
>
>
> ***************************************************************************************************************************************
> Structurally, the workshop:
>
> - examines a wide range of issues beginning from a fundamental
> definition of technology through to absolutely contemporary
> technological developments that affect socio-political and cultural
> scenarios
>
> - presents a highly-developed model for comprehending the
> complexities of human presence and creative action in the
> contemporary world
>
> - facilitates deep dialogue on local social/cultural/technical issues
> along with other issues relevant to participants
>
> - establishes a broad-ranging, inspiring, and critical context for
> engaging a wide variety of technologies
>
> - provides a powerful context for self-development and development of
> collaborative activities by presenting and subsequently exercising
> fundamental skills and awarenesses
>
> - provides a comfortable discursive space to explore a wide range of
> historical and contemporary developments of art and science
>
> - maps out connections between creative processes and technological
> mediation
>
> - develops a deeper praxis-based starting-point for participants,
> helping them identify their own creative sources and tendencies
>
> - involves practice-based exercises to develop personal creative focus
>
> - provides a supportive atmosphere for rapid collective
> knowledge-building and collaborative sharing
>
>
> This workshop will also cover a wide variety of practical and
> conceptual topics that address the core issues of remote
> collaboration and will culminate in a live event with global
> participation (depending on collective decisions, available
> infrastructures, and individual knowledge-sets).
>
> PARTICIPANT PROFILE
> With an engaged and wholistic approach to facilitation, the workshop
> is ideal for students working in any discipline; it is designed to
> draw in a wide range of students, from those working with
> 'traditional' art materials all the way to programmers and engineers
> and to project managers and cultural producers working in the
> landscape of technological implementation.
>
> *** Specific technical knowledge is NOT necessary, as many of the
> topics touched upon are prerequsites to empowered and critical use of
> any technology. ***
>
> However, strong technical knowledge-bases are welcome as well as
> strong creative practices! MOST IMPORTANT is a willingness to engage
> with others in open and honest discussion and to share personal
> skill-sets. An ability to focus attention and concentration is also
> very necessary.
>
> The general student profile: engineering (CS & EE), media, art, and
> design; MA/MSc programs
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-- 
-----
Mark Elliott
PhD Candidate

The Centre for Ideas
Victorian College of the Arts
The University of Melbourne
234 St Kilda Rd
SOUTHBANK 3006
Victoria, Australia

Mob: 0421 978 501
http://mark-elliott.net/, http://metacollab.net/
me at mark-elliott.net
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