Module 2 – Ciberculture Prof. Leonel Tractenberg E-mai: leoneltractenberg@gmail

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Module 2 – Ciberculture

Prof. Leonel TractenbergE-mai: [email protected]

EBAPE/FGV and LTC/NUTES/UFRJRio de Janeiro, Brazil

Visiting scholar at University of Barcelona and

University of Coimbra

March, 2008

mailto:[email protected]

WOP Psychology in cybercultureLeonel Tractenberg – LTC/NUTES/UFRJ

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Intelligence Technologies

Phoenician writing 2.000 a.C


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• Modern technologies ...


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• Carved wood and rocks…

• Drawings in caves…

• Ancient drums…

• Ancient masks…

• Alphabets…

• Words…

• … are “technologies”?


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• Technology is a broad concept that deals with a species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment.

• Technologies amplify our motor, sensorial, intellectual capabilities.

• Intelligence technologies amplify:

– Our memory;

– Our symbolic and reasoning capability;

– Our imagination;

– Our capability of expression and communication.


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• The distinction human x technology is a mistake:

– “el mundo humano es, al mismo tiempo, tecnológico” (Lévy, 1993);

– “es imposible separar lo humano de su ambiente material, así como de sus signos e imágenes por medio de los cuales el atribuye significado a su vida y a su mundo” (Lévy, 1993).

• Man creates technologies that create man. Society is a product and a production of man and his tools.

• Vygotsky and Piaget: shows how the manipulation of tools are important for developing our thinking structures and capabilities.


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Intelligence technologies and the cultures of speech

The origins of Man and Language

Imagens: Wikimedia Commons

Around 15.000 BC Speach: 10.000 BC?

http://www.putlearningfirst.com/language/01origin/prehist.html












http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b0/Fang_mask_Louvre_MH65-104-1.jpg


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Intelligence technologies and the cultures of speech

Societies Pre-historical tribes, most indian, hunters and collectors tribes (till present)

Time Cyclic, a-historical (in the sense of a linear History)

Space Local, geographically restricted

Colective memory

Important knowledge is registered mostly in art pieces and artifacts. It is also in the minds of the elder. It needs to be repeated, recited now and then.

Communication Synchronous: narratives, rituals, drama, story-telling as the basis for transmitting important knowledge.

Intelligence technologies

Words, chants, dances, rituals, masks, musical instruments, pupets and other artifacts.

Cognitive dynamics

Mythical and magical thinking. Animism. Concrete thinking. Short-term thinking.


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Intelligence technologies and the cultures of writing

2000 a.C. 500 a.C. 1000 1500


Writing Timeline & Ancient Scripts

http://www.mesopotamia.co.uk/time/explore/frame_wri.html




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Intelligence technologies and the cultures of writing

Societies Ancient, agrarian, medieval societies

Time Both linear (e.g.. Dynasties) and cyclic (natural seasons).

Space Territorial (geographically restricted), but much more expansive (conquers, expeditions etc.). Technology of writing allows to transcend spaces.

Colective memory Registered in big monuments, sculptures, wood, clay, papirus, arts and artifacts. Also encompasses speech cultures.

Communication Synchorouns and Asynchronous: Linearity of written texts. Distance between author and reader raises the “reading-interpretation” problem: only some are capable and authorized to “read-interpret” the scriptures.


Papirus, press, books, dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps. Libraries, etc.

Cognitive dynamics

Reading, interpretation, critique. Long-term thinking.


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Intelligence technologies and the digital cultures


1850 1900 1950 2000

ICT Timeline & History of Computing

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f7/Apple-iPhone-001.jpg


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What DIGITAL means

• Information:

– ANALOG: continuous signal

– DIGITAL: discrete signal

• Advantages of digitalization:

– Numeric codification of all kinds of information: visual, sound, textual etc.

– Fast registration, compression and mass processing of data with high precision.

– Copy, reproduction and transmission.


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• Early computers

– ENIAC, 1945


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• Developments in ICT:

– Faster processing

– More memory

– Lower costs of components

– More portability

– More connectivity

– Complexity, power and friendlyness of computer languages

– More usability of interfaces

– Open architectures

– Etc.


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• Computers today:


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• Networks today: (according to http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm)

– 1 billion web users: 71 % (EUA), 43% (Europe)

– Growth rate 2000-2007: 56 % (Asia) / 14% (Africa)


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Societies Networked society. Globalization.

Time Simultaneity. Precision and control of time. Accelerated times. Immediacy.

Space Shrinking of distances. Ubiquity, de-centering, virtual spaces.

Colective memory Plurality. Collective memory in digital form. Audiovisual culture. Mass-media culture. Individual memories registered and exposed (blogs, youtube etc.)

Communication Synchonous and assynchronous. Digital. Interactive. Fast. Compressed (SMS), parallel and multiple (chats)


Computers, networks, hypermedia. Cyberspace. Databases. Virtual Reality.

Cognitive dynamics

Simulation, modelization, hybridization. Short-term thinking over long-term thinking.


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Some key concepts

• Virtuality

• Hypertext / Hypermedia

• Conectivity / Interactivity

• Social Networks / Collaboration


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Virtuality

Definitions Examples

Popular meaning

Virtual = unreal, illusion, fantasy Virtual is not real!

Philosophical meaning

Virtual = something exist under, in potency, unreavealed.

A tree exist virtually in a seed.A cel carries virtually the information of a whole being.

Computational meaning

Digital hypermedia enviroments. Websites. Digital communications.

Virtual learning environments.Chatrooms.Forums.

Partial (Visual) immersion in a digital landscape through some equipment.

Simulators, 2D games, Second Life.

Almost total (Visual, auditory, tactile) immersion in a digital landscape.

Virtual reality 3D, using RV equipment: googles, gloves, suits etc.


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Hypertext / Hypermedia


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Interactivity

Communication

LITTLE FLEXIBILITY IN MESSAGE(selection)

MORE FLEXIBILITY IN MESSAGE(search, retrieval, selection, modification)

TOTAL FLEXIBILITY IN MESSAGE(immersion, high interactivity)

LINEARONE-WAYONE-TO-MANY

Most mass media (broadcast): press, radio, movies, TV.

Traditional class (Education). Lectures.

Databases, Youtube Conversations.Individual videogames.

TWO-WAYONE-ONE

Letters E-mail. Conversations.VR encounters.Chats.

TWO-WAYMANY-TO-MANY

News board. Discussion forum.Videoconferences.Wikis.

Multi-user RPG games in VR.

Immersive VR.


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Communication paradigm of industrial society:linear transmission of information

(Shannon y Weaver. The Mathematical Theory of Communication, 1949)


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Technologies and process of communication related to the “transmission” paradigm

• Books• Press• Photography• Radio• Televisión• Etc.

• “linear narratives”• Broadcasts• One-way communication

EMISOR

Receptor B

Receptor C

Receptor A

Mensaje


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Interactivity as communication paradigm

GossipsNorman Rockwell (1894-1978)

Mensaje

Emisor-Receptor

Emisor-Receptor


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Interactivity as communication paradigm


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Collaboration and “Open” movement

• Wikipedia• Linux• Youtube• Linked In• …


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Web 2.0


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Collaboration and “Open” movement

• OpenCommunities, • OpenLearning, • OpenEducation, • OpenContent, • OpenSource, • OpenEducationalResources, • OpenScience, • OpenProducts, • OpenDemocracy

• Some “provocative” videos: – http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/216 – http://www.elearnspace.org/media/worldwithoutcourses/player.html


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Technology alone does not change social practices!!

• Examples:– Tecnologia ou metodologia? – Conferencia Virtual da Petrobras


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Readings

BASIC READING:

• LÉVY, Pierre. Cibercultura. 2.ed. São Paulo: Ed.34, 2000. Chapters 1,2,3,4,5

COMPLEMENTARY READINGS:

• LÉVY, Pierre. As tecnologias da inteligência. Rio de Janeiro: Ed.34, 1993.

• LÉVY, Pierre. O que é o virtual. São Paulo: Ed.34, 1996.

• SILVA, M. Educación interactiva. Barcelona: Gedisa, 2005.

WEBLINKS:• http://opencontent.org/docs/oecd-report-wiley-fall-2006.pdf

Module 2 – Ciberculture Prof. Leonel Tractenberg E-mai: leoneltractenberg@gmail

Documents

Transcript of Module 2 – Ciberculture Prof. Leonel Tractenberg E-mai: leoneltractenberg@gmail