Course:Recurring Questions of Technology/Keywords/E F
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
E
Ecology
ecology is derived from German Ökologie or, Oekologie(1866) and prior to that ancient Greek, οἶκος meaning meaning house or dwelling. The branch of biology that deals with the relationships between living organisms and their environment. Also: the relationships themselves, esp. those of a specified organism. It was used in the 20th century as a means of describing the various structures and shapes of plants working together within a shared space (F.E. Clements, Plant Succession, 1916) and in 1931 H.G. Wells refers to economics as the ecology of humankind (H.G. Wells, Work, Wealth & Happiness (1932). Ecology used can also refer to the study of relationships among living organisms (people) and their surroundings and resources. (K.P. Wilkinson, Community in Rural Amer, 1991). It can also be the interrelationship between any system and its environment and may take on a modified form (C. Stoll, Cuckoo's Egg, 1989). Livermore usually has to write their own operating systems, forming a bizarre software ecology. Institutional ecology: Benkler uses the term institutional ecology when refering to individuals' ability to freely access, manage, and modify their digital environment in relation to corporate or institutional systems' interests or mandates. 'The battle over the relative salience of the proprietary, industrial models of information production and exchange and the emerging networked information economy is being carried out in the domain of the institutional ecology of the digital environment. -p. 15....The Digital Millennium Copyright Act and the assault on peer-to-peer technologies are the most obvious in this regard (Benkler, The Wealth of Networks, 2006). (Yvette Cassidy)
Empire
Empire is derived from the Latin word imperium, which means power and authority (OED). Traditionally, it is used to describe the supreme domination of territory by one authority with means of physical force and coercion (wikipedia/empire). Ancient Rome and 19th century British Empires are merely two examples of territorial domination through cruel and violent oppression. Empire may also refer to multi-national corporations, large companies that are marketing on a global level. IBM and Apple are examples of empires in the world of media technology. In Hardt and Negri book Empire (2001), they use the word empire to describe the dominant power, that exists in the twenty-first century, as not only powered by the government of one nation but a network of institutions and corporations. Specifically, they identify the United States, combined with its military, administrative, and economic systems of power as the leaders of this empire of networks; however, they also acknowledge that even as a dominant power, the United States could not operate its empire without the global contributions, which is what differentiates this form of empire from earlier imperialist use of the word. Using Hardt and Negri's theory of empire, Dyer-Witheford and De Peuter (2009) identify virtual games as the media of empire because they originated from the United Sates military, and were created for the new type of intellectual worker. Hence the word empire, implies the working together of many networks to enforce domination of capital and production in the global economy of media technology.(Janice Jasbinder Matharu). The concept of “empire” is the major theme of the Dyer-Wiltheford & De Peuter book, Games of Empire. The authors describe empire as being "governance by global capitalism.". They go on to describe games themselves as using the ideology of empire as a theme in the strategy genre that spans the history of digital game design (the authors give examples from Hamurabi in the 1970’s to the modern franchise, Age of Empires). They contrast this contemporary imperial theme with some historical examples of “empire,” including global dominations by Rome, Spain, and Great Britain. They cite the main difference between those empires and our digital empire concept is that the modern notion of empire is powered by the strength of capitalism, not the military might of a single state. The rise of the role of “empire” in digital play is also illustrated by the author’s claim of an “emergence of a new planetary regime” including a “system of power with no outside.” To make the empire flourish, the network must expand both physically (physical technology infrastructure), and socially (personal/public communication). This social expansion must be built upon the concept of immaterial labour, which produces the “affective element of the commodity.” Without immaterial labour, as in abundant public participation, the networks would be deemed valueless. It’s this labour, this collective attention, and this public proliferation that give these empires value and meaning, and ultimately results in capital gains for the manufacturers. (Jon Hamlin)
Empowerment
Em evolved from Old French and Latin (en: in, into), while power developed from various forms in Anglo-Norman (poer), and Old French (pooir). One of its earliest uses can be traced back to the mid-17th century, by historian Hamon L’Estrange in Reign King Charles, where he stated, “...letters from the Pope...empowering them to erect this Colledge.” In this context, empower originally meant to legally invest one with authority. Its meaning evolved - “to enable or permit”, in Milton’s (1667) Paradise Lost, where he wrote, “Thou us impow'rd To fortifie thus farr.” (OED). The modern use of empower, or empowerment began in the civil rights movement. In Women in the Civil Rights Movement, 1941-1965, Crawford, Rouse, & Woods (1990) wrote about the first co-ops who employed African-American women in rural Mississippi and how this “...fostered a sense of pride and self-empowerment among people who had worked for whites all of their lives...” Empowerment was clearly associated with freedom, as “...women were freed from the fear of losing their jobs and participating in voter registration....” The aim of the civil rights movement was to seek political empowerment for its followers who were denied their fundamental rights. Empowerment theory in education came from the work of educational theorist Paulo Freire. As summarized by Demmitt & Oldenski (1999, p. 234), Freire’s pedagogy was about “...empowering the oppressed by entering into the experience of oppression and assisting the oppressed in transforming oppressors through reflection and action...” Friere’s theory enabled educators to change the way they looked at marginalized students. Others built on Friere’s work by developing the concept of personal empowerment, where an individual is empowered to be valuable in his or her community action (Sue & Sue, 2003). In regards to social justice issues and education, Saleema Noon (2012) stressed the need to educate young girls about empowerment or self-respect, in light of the increased frequency of sexting. Noon set up iGirl, a camp designed to empower girls to be advocates for themselves as they navigate through decisions and changes in their lives. (Alexis Mauricio)
English
The etymology for the word “English” is ENGLE (n) + -ISH suffix compared later to ANGLISH adj. (Oxford English Dictionary). It was first used in Old English: “Ðu bæde me foroft Engliscra gewritena.” (Ælfric Let. to Sigeweard (De Veteri et Novo Test.) (Laud)). English has many different meanings but for this purpose, the English language relates to the West Germanic language spoken in England and many other countries. It can also refer to belonging to the English language. In Grant’s book, Time is History "[1]" (1969), English is discusses as being one of the world’s most commonly used languages and consequently, he illustrates the power of language.“English, however, is our destiny, and it is now also the destiny of others. In the events of the last 200 years, English has become the predominant language through which the culture of the Western world expresses itself throughout the globe – whether for good or ill.” This shows the deep connection between a language and a group of people and the true power that predominant languages have over others. The English language, in this case, holds power whether people like it or not. Nunan (2003) discusses the English language in relation to academia and how widespread it is in this field. “[2]” “In academic contexts, Swales (1987) estimated that more than 50% of the millions of academic papers published each year are written in English, and the percentage was growing year by year. English is currently the undisputed language of science and technology, and scientific journals in many countries are now switching from the vernacular to English. In specific disciplines, English appears to be the universal language of communication.” This shows the influence that the English language has had in the academic world. In addition, there are historical repercussions for a language, and subsequently, a group of people, having a power like this. Graddol (1997) discusses the notion that the English language, although powerful and widely-used, has competition in the future for being one of the top languages used in the world. “[3]” “Population statistics suggest that the populations of the rich countries are ageing and that in the coming decades young adults with disposable income will be found in Asia and Latin America rather than in the US and Europe. Educational trends in many countries suggest that languages other than English are already providing significant competition in school curricula.” (Katharine Cadman)
Enucleate
Enucleate is derived from the Latin word ēnucleāt and is defined as "...to extract the kernel from; to bring out from disguise; to lay open, clear, explain" (OED). In the nineteenth century, Walter Landor (1846) said "to enucleate and bring into light their abstruse wisdom" (OED). Landor eloquently defines enucleate in this early period as to bring out the wisdom behind whatever one is attempting to highlight. Similarly, in George Grant's book Time as History (1995), he attempts to enucleate the meaning of this concept of time as history. Grant states "to enucleate means to extract the kernel of a nut, the seed of a tree" (p.13). He indicates it is not his endeavour to just describe what time as history is but rather to bring forth the ideas and theory that have brought forward the concept of time as history, specifically bringing out from disguise humans relations with technology and how that as shaped it interactions in the social, political, capital, and historical realm. In the modern day world of technology, one can conclude this definition of enucleate can be applied to the notion that technological advances in our society are being used more and more to uncover or to expose the truth behind threats. These devices are being used amongst intelligence agencies to locate terrorists and suspected threats to nations. Local law enforcements also rely more and more on electronic and social media devices to uncover the trail behind suspects. However, most importantly, the public is using technology available to them to make clear or expose the corruption in power and political structures. The Egyptian up-rise unravelled and gained momentum through social media, and Wiki-leaks enucleated corruption in leaders of very powerful nations using the internet. (Janice Jasbinder Matharu)
F
Flexibility
Flexibility derived from the French flexibilité, and Latin flexibilitāt-em, was first recorded in 1616 by J.Bullokar to define that which is “quality of being flexible; [and] capability of being bent; pliancy” (OED). In association with how the term is used in the new BCED, flexibility can be associated with the OED's definition of “Susceptibility of modification or alteration; capacity for ready adaptation to various purposes or conditions; freedom from stiffness or rigidity”. That being defined, the BCED plan (2012) states “Boards of education will also have more flexibility to organize classes and other learning experiences”. Thus, demonstrating how the Boards of education will be able to make adaptations and will able to have the freedom when it comes to “supporting student learning”. Moreover, the BCED plan states that there will be flexibility and choice regarding “how, when and where students learn”. Consequently, this innovative and 21st Century action is creating a stir of emotions; while some see this flexibility as encouraging, motivational and future forwards, others, are worried that such changes will correlate to challenges in regards to the curriculum. As stated by Voogt, J. and Pareja Roblin, N. A comparative analysis of international frameworks(2012), in regards to changing the curriculum, “unfortunately, not many policy-makers seem to be prepared for this change”. Therefore, questions arise when looking both at the benefits and challenges of flexibility; as well as, when considering how educators will accommodate and foster student choice and flexibility. (Sydney Mitchell)
Folksonomy
A portmanteau of the words ‘folk’ (defined by the OED as both ‘a people, nation, race, or tribe’ and ‘individual persons’) and ‘taxonomy’ (OED: a classification of anything), a folksonomy is a taxonomy created by the people (Peters, 2009). The term is attributed to Thomas Vanderwal, who, in a presentation entitled Folksonomy, defines it as the ‘result of personal freetagging of information and objects…done in a social environment (shared and open to others)… by the person consuming the information’. The inclusion of the term ‘taxonomy’ can be confusing, as the hierarchical structure often implied in this word is generally absent in a folksonomy. In From Folksologies to Ontologies: How the Twain Meet, Spyns et all argue that other terms, such as ‘folksology’ or ‘folksabulary’ may more accurately describe how these collections are both created and used. The value of folksonomies are seen in several areas. Vanderwal describes how such tagging can add meaning to internet resources, where by using their own vocabulary, ‘people are not so much categorising as providing a means to connect items and to provide their meaning in their own understanding’ (Vanderwal, 2007). As these tags accrue, they produce an organic, self-organising system that can be used to make sense of larger amounts of digital material. Folksonomies can also be used to establish terms of import in collections of data through observing which tags are most frequently attached to certain artefacts. Applications that allow one to create word clouds (Wordle, Tagxedo) give folksonomies a visual presentation. Further, the addition of tags to web resources has potential for creating a semantic web, where embedded metadata allows content to be easily searched. Such metadata also leads to the ability for data to be more easily manipulated into visualisations, such as those presented by Teresea Dobson in our Perspectives on Knowledge session. (Ashley Shaw)
Framework
Around 1200 in Old English the noun “frame” meant “profit, benefit” and mid 13th century it also started meaning “composition, plan”. Frame used in terms of a building came in the early 15th century. Work appeared in Old English as worc, weorc. “something done, deed, action, proceeding, business, military action”. Framework is a term that started appearing in the 1640s and refers to a structure of different parts that come together to support, a skeleton. Ernest Savage and Leonard Sterry (A Conceptual Framework for Technology Education, 1990) examine how humans use technology to extend ‘human capability’ and define generic concepts including but not limited to designing, planning concepts, obtaining resources, packaging and distributing. They argue that it is through using these concepts as a framework “different technologies or systems can be outlined”. In A comparative analysis of international frameworks (2012), Joke Voogt and Natalie Pareja Roblin use a conceptual framework to better comprehend the integration of 21st century competences and curriculum. This framework includes means to address intended curriculum (what competences are required for the 21st century and what are goals to achieve these), implemented curriculum (how are these goals addressed in national and school curriculum) and attained curriculum (what practices are in place to appropriately assess the learning outcomes). Through synthesizing and analyzing similarities and differences of eight 21st century competency policy frameworks world-wide, Voogt and Roblin find that although information communication technology is at the core of each framework, development and implementation of 21st century curriculum is lacking (Voogt & Roblin, 2012, p. 10). The British Columbia Ministry of Education has developed Education for Tomorrow: 2012/2013 Transformation + Technology Update to share its educational plan for B.C. schools. Proposed is the creation of an Identity Information Management (IDIM) framework that identifies and considers changes in technology, makes information easily accessible to those who need it and protects those who don’t, and allows for common email systems and joint district initiatives. (Jen Erickson)
Freytag Pyramid
Represents a structure for the arc of a narrative. It is based on the work of German playwright and novelist Gustav Freytag, who laid out the five-act dramatic structure, which is known as “Freytag’s Pyramid.” In his text Die Technik des Dramas, he specifies that the five components of a story’s plot consist of: “exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and revelation/catastrophe, (denouement)” (Wikipedia). It is worth viewing the image, as it forms a pyramid. In the text, Interactive Visualizations of Plot in Fiction, the authors explain that "Freytag's Pyramid" has long been used to teach plot, and was originally used to describe traditional Shakespearean tragedy. They argue, however, that it is not useful for all stories, especially interactive narratives. With the innovation of plot lines in interactive games, Freytag’s Pyramid is less useful. Furthermore, many authors do not subscribe to the traditional plot structure. It is undeniable that “Freytag’s Pyramid,” along with other similar plot structures, such as the 3-act structure, is used most frequently in today’s narratives. Traditional literature and the Hollywood film industry have developed formulas based on this structure and have served to perpetuate it. However, with the development of new narrative vehicles, such as games and virtual worlds, other modes of narrative representation are being invoked. (Eva Ziemsen)
Future Shock
The term shock has a variety of meanings, but for the purpose of this entry the following definition is best: (a) culture (or cultural) shock : a state of distress or disorientation brought about by sudden subjection to an unfamiliar culture; (b) future shock: an analogous state brought about by too rapid a pace of social or technological change. First used in 1940 by J. B. HOLT in Amer. Sociol. Rev. Oct. 744 All these citations suggest the ‘culture shock’ arising from the precipitation of a rural person or group into an urban situation (OED). Dobson opened her lecture today with reference to Toffler’s term about the societal perception of “too much change in too short a period of time." Toffler’s argument is that the accelerated rate of technological and social change overwhelms people, leaving them disconnected, disoriented and stressed about the state of the world and their place in it. Within this frame of mind, people tend to subscribe to a fatalist rhetoric about the state of the world and what the future holds. As such, our concept of ‘the future’ no longer appears to be normal or natural (as Dobson touched upon in her discussion of cyborgs), but instead is seen as a consequence of (potentially failed) human actions – perhaps a consequence of ‘infobesity’. In ‘The Real World of Technology,’ Ursula Franklin lobbies for public gatherings/meetings where citizens come together to review, discuss and question technological practices. Her argument is that a process such as this can lead to a world that is designed for society, rather than for technological development (and the supposed freedom it affords societies to become more productive and profitable). While not directly referencing ‘future shock,’ Franklin’s discussion does offer those struggling with unfamiliar culture suggestions of how to navigate rapid societal and technological changes. (Alison Krahn)