New Year, (New) New Media

As we transition into a new decade, I am wondering what new sociocultural shifts will accompany technologies not yet on the horizon. In the past ten years, we have seen the rise of social media in the form of wikis, blogs, and MMORPG. The use of social media in everyday life has prompted many in academia to respond through augmented forms of writing, making, and teaching.

Perhaps the shifts are to be subtle, as seen in the recent announcement of the iPad: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/tag/ipad/

Perhaps they are to be socially oriented, as seen in the effectiveness of text message donations for Haiti relief: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN1517056920100115

Or, perhaps, they are beyond prediction, though I would hesitate to follow this line of thinking, as it removes the individual user from the equation. As social media has proven, digital technologies thrive when they are accessible, easily modified, and serve a basic use function.

But they have to be used.

Which brings me to this forum; it provides a potential locus for information, conversation, and interaction, but only if used. Dormant, it only has the sheen of the new. My personal goal in this new decade is to use, responsibly and actively, that which I am privileged to access. What are your goals for the new decade, the new year, the new new media?

Comments

[Mary Stokrocki]

Call of Authors: EXPLORATIONS IN VIRTUAL WORLDS: NEW LITERACY INVESTIGATIONS.

I invite proposed chapters for a new anthology regarding the theme of virtual world (3-DMUVE) explorations with emphasis on developing new literacy (ways of processing knowledge) proficiency in reading, writing, computers, and imaging, among others. Computerized learning platforms involve hardware architecture or software application frameworks. By end of 2011, Gartner Inc. (2007) predicted that 80% of active Internet users would have a presence in some virtual world. As young as six-years-old, children are dressing their avatars, decorating their rooms, and networking with friends on Club Penguin and the Pet Society. Even senior citizens are starting their own Geezer Brigades on Second Life. . Virtual world teaching requires ”pedagogy for uncertain times…open…daring…risky.” So how do we teach, read, learn, and assess learning in these new worlds?

Please send a 300-word proposal, working chapter title, short bio and contact information electronically to [email protected] by June 31, 2010. Both short articles (3-5 pages) and longer (12-15 pages) will be considered. Articles will follow APA 6th edition format. Thank you. Dr. Mary Stokrocki, Arizona State University.

[Mary Stokrocki]

Children as young as 6-years-old are participating on Facebook in summer camp classes, bounded by Security walls, showing their artwork from Paint, Photoshop, Club Penguin, Pet Society, and showing Machinima on YouTube.