Blogs, Media and the Classroom Dr. Peter Cullen Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature University of Urbino Carlo Bo www.cl4englishlistening.wordpress.com www.ithg.wordpress.com Parliamo di Didattica University of Urbino 2008

Marshall McLuhan: Understanding Media Canadian media theorist “ Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man” (1964) Media are extensions of human senses Lectured via TV to more than 400 students in 1964 McLuhan: 1911-1980

Canadian media theorist

“ Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man” (1964)

Media are extensions of human senses

Lectured via TV to more than 400 students in 1964

Marshall McLuhan: Understanding Media The extension operates as a ratio between environmental input and human perception. The extension can become out of proportion to the perception, becoming itself the message. The media is the message Media may also amputate human perception.

The extension operates as a ratio between environmental input and human perception.

The extension can become out of proportion to the perception, becoming itself the message.

The media is the message

Media may also amputate human perception.

What is Communication? The language process uses a code to communicate a message from a producer to a receiver – but: Each variable depends on its relationship to the other variables for understanding to happen. Producer code message communication receiver understanding Feedback loop at each stage MEMORY

Understanding Media in Learning The multi-media classroom: Many forms of media, to facilitate communication of MESSAGE Multimedia classrooms became fundamental to North American teaching qualifications by 1996 History Language Sciences Math, etc., etc., etc.

The multi-media classroom:

Many forms of media, to facilitate communication of

MESSAGE

Multimedia classrooms became fundamental to North American teaching qualifications by 1996

History

Language

Sciences

Math, etc., etc., etc.

Understanding Media in Learning The multi-media classroom: Dual-code learning

The multi-media classroom:

Dual-code learning

Multi-media and the Message Classroom problems: learning styles time/schedule space/distance to message

Today Multi-Media = Digital Media Digital media changes our access to memory. Portable and easily transferrable memory Network structure is the key Goal: Many to many communication of message ACCESS TO INFORMATION

Digital media changes our access to memory.

Portable and easily transferrable memory

Network structure is the key

Goal: Many to many communication of message

Today Multi-Media = Digital Media Distance education Digital media allows much greater access But which formats work? These questions have practical and cultural answers.

Distance education

Digital media allows much greater access

But which formats work?

These questions have practical and cultural answers.

Today Multi-Media = Digital Media Many to Many communication drives wiki-learning Wikipedia Wikimedia Youtube Slideshare Facebook Myspace Blogger Wordpress Skype

Many to Many communication drives wiki-learning

Wikipedia

Wikimedia

Youtube

Slideshare

Facebook

Myspace

Blogger

Wordpress Skype

Understanding Media in Teaching Jukka Korpela (U Helsinki Network IT spec.  2001) Language differences. On the Internet, for example, the lingua franca is badly written and poorly understood English . Some people use it as their native language; other learned some of it from various sources. In any case, whatever you say will be interpreted in a myriad of ways, whether you use idiomatic English or not.

Understanding Media in Teaching Cultural differences. Whatever you assume about the recipients of your message - the wider the audience, the more of them will fail to meet your assumptions. On the Internet, this virtually guarantees you will be misunderstood. What you intend to say as a neutral matter of fact will be interpreted (by different people) as a detestable political opinion, a horrendous blasphemy, and a lovely piece of poetry.

Cultural differences.

Whatever you assume about the recipients of your message - the wider the audience, the more of them will fail to meet your assumptions.

On the Internet, this virtually guarantees you will be misunderstood. What you intend to say as a neutral matter of fact will be interpreted (by different people) as a detestable political opinion, a horrendous blasphemy, and a lovely piece of poetry.

Understanding Media in Teaching Intercultural communication is about learning to understand message across cultural histories. Assumption Belief Participation

Understanding Media in Teaching Personal differences. Any assumption about the prior knowledge on the subject matter fails for any reasonably large audience. Problems of time energy learning background/culture priority equipment

Personal differences.

Any assumption about the prior knowledge on the subject matter fails for any reasonably large audience.

Problems of

time

energy

learning background/culture

priority

equipment

Understanding Media in Teaching Blogging: Managed many to many communication. Functions: Posting Specific resource or topic pages Media upload Links to other web-sites or blog www.cl4englishlistening.wordpress.com

Blogging:

Managed many to many communication.

Functions:

Posting

Specific resource or topic pages

Media upload

Links to other web-sites or blog

www.cl4englishlistening.wordpress.com

Media and Learning: Food for Thought Blogs, online, multimedia: permit relative and selective participation learning on demand requires greater organisational skills on the part of the student accentuate the personal consumption of message: culture language

Blogs, online, multimedia:

permit relative and selective participation

learning on demand requires greater

organisational skills on the part of the student

accentuate the personal consumption of message:

culture

language