Do not miss this article from Henry Jenkins, outlining his thoughts on what media education of the future might look like.
Excellent stuff, lots to think about. In specific, Jenkins raises some great questions regarding media's role in society, the blurring of the lines between consumption and creation of media and the implications of fundemantal shifts in power within our culture.
I may be biased, but in my opinion, the relationship between commerce and culture, social organization and technology, hinges on media, and anything that contributes to improving our understanding of media today is sorely needed. (Few are better than Jenkins).
imagine what would happen if academic departments operated more like YouTube or Wikipedia, allowing for the rapid deployment of scattered expertise and the dynamic reconfiguration of fields. Let's call this new form of academic unit a "YouNiversity."
How might media studies, the field most committed to mapping these changes as they affect modern life, be taught in a YouNiversity?
One theme in his piece that comes through loud and clear, and why I want to share this here: old distinctions between technology and culture, or even public discourse and academic study are no longer as relevant. We're at a critical point in the reshaping of culture and society as a result of networked technologies, and it's high time that the ivory towers become part of the real world, in order to contribute to the public good.
Having switched only recently from the Ivory Tower to the world of social media, I cannot tell you how right you are.
But, knowing the system quite well, I predict that the ivory tower will be one of the last to engage in the wikiworld.
Jenkins is that rare bird that is so engaged in his field of interest (aca/fan is sheer brilliance a term) that he might be able to change a bit.
Bit then, looking at the amazing collaboration of the genome project - perhaps academics, in time, will learn how to loose control as well.
Posted by: Asi | February 19, 2007 at 07:11 AM
Hi again Asi.
My twin bro Terry tells me the same thing about the Physics Department, he's a PHD in theoretical physics and always talks about how conservative and insular it can be.
Posted by: Dino | February 19, 2007 at 09:10 AM
I couldn't agree more. there is an utterly unhelpful culture of compeitive individuality, there certainly was at Cambridge University in the UK when i was there.
the amount of people who must have slaved over the same problems and reached the same conclusions without collaborating simply because of arrogance and pride is almost scary to think of i think.
this attitude seems to lead people to hoard any great findings in the interests of outdoing their peers.
"In times of change, the learners will inherit the earth while the knowers will find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" - Erik Hoefer
Posted by: thunk | February 20, 2007 at 06:13 PM
forgot to say, really like your blog
thunk
Posted by: thunk | February 20, 2007 at 06:14 PM
should have mentioned this earlier: http://cnx.org/ online open university.
Posted by: thunk | February 20, 2007 at 06:40 PM
Thanks thunk!
And thanks for the lunk. I mean link.
Posted by: Dino | February 20, 2007 at 07:25 PM