Emerging Minds...

Here's the third part of the Introduction for the forthcoming book 'Connected Minds, Emerging Cultures', to be published later in the year:

Part 3, entitled Cyber Perspectives, opens up the debate about cyberculture through a number of contrasting views and philosophical positions.

In Chapter 10, entitled ‘Emerging Online Practices’ Viv Tucker draws upon her experience as an online tutor, to take a post-structural philosophical feminist position as she describes her approach to online postgraduate initial teacher training. She introduces a model that critically resists the limitations of the instrumental approach and argues instead for a teaching and learning model where contemporary post-structural theory can radically inform emerging online practices.

Ken Gale takes a post structural perspective as he examines cyberculture in the context of online learning. Gale’s chapter draws on postmodern philosophies in order to secure a deeper understanding of cybercultures through their use of various deconstructive strategies. He argues that nomadic inquiry can nurture ever changing structures of multiplicity and interconnectedness in online environments. His chapter explores a number of possible ‘folds and intersections’ between post-structural philosophies and digital learning practices. Gale proposes that new technologies can create many new learning opportunities that bridge the space between the institution and enquiring mind.

Vasi van Deventer’s chapter is entitled ‘Cyborg Theory and Learning’. In this pivotal chapter, he describes the evolution of the human cyborg. He draws on the history, theory and philosophy to argue that theorists are correct when they assert that we are a lot further down the road to becoming cyborgs than we may think. Van Deventer discusses the implications for education and concludes that human minds have an adaptability and plasticity, enabling students to interface with any technology that is useful to their purpose. He also argues that these students actually become ‘learning cyborgs’, developing a symbiotic relationship with technology that blurs traditional distinctions.

Chapter thirteen concludes Part 3 with a narrative entitled ‘Transfer through Learning Flexibility and Hypertextuality’. Written by Gorg Mallia, this chapter argues that hypertext and hypermedia are causing transformations that reach a long way beyond the well-researched and largely accepted social interaction types. Malia suggests that technological immersion is causing social and cultural change, and fears that this may contribute toward diminishing personal user participation in society.