Comments on: Old Media Pain http://praxislanguage.com/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/ Learning on Your terms Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:42:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Hank Horkoff http://praxislanguage.com/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-8634 Hank Horkoff Fri, 13 Apr 2007 01:52:41 +0000 http://praxislanguage.com/blog/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/#comment-8634 @Michael I actually think good personalities will become more important as the limiting walls of the classroom are broken down by the distribution power of the Internet. My argument is more against arbitrary bundling of 'micro-chunked' content (e.g. songs into albums). Obviously, this has limitations when there is an over-arching narrative, but I would argue this only makes up a very small percentage of the overall media landscape. @Michael

I actually think good personalities will become more important as the limiting walls of the classroom are broken down by the distribution power of the Internet. My argument is more against arbitrary bundling of ‘micro-chunked’ content (e.g. songs into albums). Obviously, this has limitations when there is an over-arching narrative, but I would argue this only makes up a very small percentage of the overall media landscape.

]]> By: Ken Carroll http://praxislanguage.com/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-8633 Ken Carroll Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:55:27 +0000 http://praxislanguage.com/blog/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/#comment-8633 There's far too much information out there for anyone to manage. The proliferation will only get faster. Aggregating relevant content (which, I guess, is one of the things we do) has obvious benefits from the perspective of learners with a common purpose. The only way people will be able to cope with all that data in the future (and the future is now) is through trusted networks: networks of people and technology networks. My money quote from that article: "...much traditional media (even online) are still stuck in the mode of treating people as only consumers of content." I wrote a (hasty) post here on precisely that topic today. Ken Carroll There’s far too much information out there for anyone to manage. The proliferation will only get faster. Aggregating relevant content (which, I guess, is one of the things we do) has obvious benefits from the perspective of learners with a common purpose. The only way people will be able to cope with all that data in the future (and the future is now) is through trusted networks: networks of people and technology networks.

My money quote from that article:

“…much traditional media (even online) are still stuck in the mode of treating people as only consumers of content.”

I wrote a (hasty) post here on precisely that topic today.

Ken Carroll

]]> By: Michael Butler http://praxislanguage.com/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-8632 Michael Butler Thu, 12 Apr 2007 14:22:06 +0000 http://praxislanguage.com/blog/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/#comment-8632 Hank, Here comes the question. Isn't something lost when the listener isn't familiar with the wonderful personalities behind Chinesepod and some of the continuing stories? Part of your attraction is the personal appeal of the poddies which is built up over many listenings. Deconstructed, part of this appeal disappears. Hmmm, great tread. It has got me thinking. Hank,

Here comes the question. Isn’t something lost when the listener isn’t familiar with the wonderful personalities behind Chinesepod and some of the continuing stories? Part of your attraction is the personal appeal of the poddies which is built up over many listenings. Deconstructed, part of this appeal disappears. Hmmm, great tread. It has got me thinking.

]]> By: Hank Horkoff http://praxislanguage.com/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-8631 Hank Horkoff Thu, 12 Apr 2007 09:03:44 +0000 http://praxislanguage.com/blog/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/#comment-8631 I fully agree that pieces can't be sliced too small. For our Praxis products, we tend to see the smallest unit as a lesson (podcast, review materials, discussion) rather than an individual phase, word, etc. The importance of de-constructing into small units (such as a single, self-contained lesson) is that they can be re-combined by both human (e.g. teachers) and non-human (software) agents in a variety of ways - very much unlike a textbook. I fully agree that pieces can’t be sliced too small. For our Praxis products, we tend to see the smallest unit as a lesson (podcast, review materials, discussion) rather than an individual phase, word, etc. The importance of de-constructing into small units (such as a single, self-contained lesson) is that they can be re-combined by both human (e.g. teachers) and non-human (software) agents in a variety of ways - very much unlike a textbook.

]]> By: Michael Butler http://praxislanguage.com/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/comment-page-1/#comment-8630 Michael Butler Thu, 12 Apr 2007 08:54:46 +0000 http://praxislanguage.com/blog/2007/04/12/old-media-pain/#comment-8630 The problem is that if the pieces are sliced too small they become decontextualized. And at this point they make less and less "sense". Take a quote out of context or even use actual pieces of what someone said and you can twist their meaning into something that they wouldn't recognize. I think the key to education is not in decontextualizing information (or whatever you call it) but providing even richer contexts- moving away from syndication and towards the creation of more complete, more meaningful worlds. And while I agree there is a great deal of syndication going on I think the greater transformation in the media is that trusted people who know a great deal about a subject (and not writers most of whom are generalists) are able to attract and talk to millions of people now whereas they couldn't before. Large, centralized media can no longer control the conversation! The problem is that if the pieces are sliced too small they become decontextualized. And at this point they make less and less “sense”.

Take a quote out of context or even use actual pieces of what someone said and you can twist their meaning into something that they wouldn’t recognize. I think the key to education is not in decontextualizing information (or whatever you call it) but providing even richer contexts- moving away from syndication and towards the creation of more complete, more meaningful worlds.

And while I agree there is a great deal of syndication going on I think the greater transformation in the media is that trusted people who know a great deal about a subject (and not writers most of whom are generalists) are able to attract and talk to millions of people now whereas they couldn’t before. Large, centralized media can no longer control the conversation!

]]>