Influence of Computers on Culture

1. Influence of Computers on Culture Denise Hunter COMP 3851 November 25, 2009

2. Let Them Eat Data: How Computers Affect Education, Cultural Diversity, and the Prospects of Ecological Sustainability • By C.A. Bowers • 2000

3. Most Dominate Characteristic of a Computer? • “It is a cultural mediating and thus transforming technology” (Bowers p. vii) • Computers are a medium of influence on culture.

4. Culture • In what context are we using culture? • “The culture concept...denotes an historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in symbol systems of inherited conceptions expressed in symbolic forms by which men [and women] communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life” (Geertz, p.89) • Channelled through language. • Root metaphors. • Metacommunication.

5. Root Metaphors • Deeply embedded into the language and culture of a particular group and are often not realized. • Foundation of thoughts and actions of a cultural group. • Some examples we encounter: • “information highway” • “electronic communities” • “chat rooms”

6. Metacommunication • Involves indirect forms of communication. • Personal and cultural insight and expression found in patterns of communication. • Developed through face-to-face communication, does not apply to communication through a computer.

7. Culturally Mediating Characteristics of Computers • Computers often viewed as culturally neutral. • Bias in technology based on the cultural assumptions of the designer. • Sometimes hard to distinguish if that cultural assumption is shared by the user. • Generally a solitary activity. • Helps develop individualistic and anthropocentric ways of thinking.

8. Culturally Mediating Characteristics of Computers • Computer mediated learning → degraded form of symbolic interaction. • Data → degraded form of knowledge.

9. Local Knowledge • Relates to the habits, traditions, and beliefs people have about the world around them. • “this form of knowledge is contextualized, embedded in a community of memory and enhanced through mentoring relationships - all aspects of face-to-face communication that cannot be digitized and computerized without being fundamentally distorted” (Bowers p.69).

10. Technologically Mediated Data • Much of data and information used no longer holds its historical and cultural context. • Changes brought on by technologically mediated data: • Increased status. • Weaken local knowledge. • Replace local knowledge while supporting consumer lifestyle that harms the environment.

11. Ecological Implications • World population about 6.7 billion. • Challenge placed on humanity is to supply the necessary means to support this population. • Average “ecological footprint” (global hectares per capita): • Canada: 7.1 • India: 0.9 • Worldwide: 2.7 (Global Footprint Network 2008)

12. Technological Development on Developing Countries • Half the world population found in India, China, and Southeast Asia. • Freshwater, agricultural lands, local fisheries all stressed, rising levels of pollution • Loss of local traditions involving production and exchange of goods. • Developing modern economies and consumerist attitudes.

13. Consumer Lifestyle • Pressures placed on everyone to keep up with consumer lifestyle. • Even those who are financially repressed. • Social pressure to have computers in the classroom. • Teacher and administrator lay off at the same time as acquiring means to computerize the school.

14. Educational Implications • Education system does not acknowledge relationship between technology and culture. • General concerns with computer-mediated learning: • Limit imagination, connection between data and thinking, superficial understanding, dependence, computer maintenance, accessibility, physical side effects. • fail to include cultural/ecological perspectives.

15. Cultural Content in Educational Software • Computers and educational software contain cultural assumptions and biases. • However, biases are found in other areas of the classroom/education. • Teachers choose software that reinforces their own assumptions. • Mental relationship between the mind of the student using the program and the mind of the designer of the program.

16. Educational Software • Storybook Weaver (1994) • Create stories on the computer, uses imagination. • Individual assumptions. • DinoPark Tycoon (1994) • Create/maintain a dinosaur themed park. • Focus on new products, nature a consumed resource. • The Oregon Trail II • Simulate pioneers move along the Oregon Trail. • Reinforces Western biases of emigrants. • SimLife • Create new environments. • Anthropocentric point of view.

17. Ways to address cultural assumptions and biases • Discuss/ examine cultural assumptions, historical perspectives, decisions made by designers. • Storybook Weaver • Incorporate traditional folk tales. • DinoPark Tycoon • Environmental impact. • The Oregon Trail II • Indigenous cultures view on the arrival of emigrants. • Sim • Relate to a similar incident in history involving the introduction of a foreign species.

18. Aspects of technology that all citizens should be aware of: • Differences between technologies developed in Western cultures and traditional cultures. • Alternative ways to think of technology. • Examination of how modern technology contributes to the culturally transforming process of commodifying knowledge and relationships. • Modern technology requires a more complex view of tradition.

19. Aspects of technology that all citizens should be aware of: • Technology has an impact on language and patterns of thinking. • Influence of modern technology on the nature of work. • Acquire knowledge about how the cultural mediating characteristics of computers impacts cultural diversity and ecological sustainability.

20. Questions?