#ecdmooc Fuller claims concept of 'Humanity' being bigger than it really is.

Is humanity really a matter of all we do as societies?

In other words, are all actions we take aimed at being more human? Or is it just that this is the way we function?

Doesn't the fact that we're thinking about the goal of our existance make us human? as opposed to animals?

Couldn't it be that simple...?

Just wondering...


Thoughts on Fuller TEDx speech.

#edcmooc Codifying human beings

Why don't we consider the course recommended tool for creating comics?

Studies of the last century has brought us closer to codifying human behavior than we've ever been, don't you think?

It struck me when I was trying out the Pixton comic creator. I thought how far tech has gone that I can make up a comic in minutes. It's just about choosing: face, pose, scenery and have a ready comic at once! Piece of cake! It's as if what human being is capable of was so 'easy' to codify. Haven't we, the Humans, claimed to be complex beings? 

 

(full size image on Flickr)

On the other hand, if I had an idea for a comic some years ago and I was unable to draw... I wouldn't even be able to tell my story!

Humanity decodified - artificial intelligence is ON!

I'm not at all up-to-date with the scientifical achievements of AI, but even I've heard of widespread business usage of AI elements, like computer bots, autoresponders or teacher bot. Every now and then, we read about breakthroughs in understanding how human brain works. Number of its applications in technology and business is growing exponentially!

But how far can we go? & should we go there?

Well, this is just to big of a question to give an answer "just like that". Let me just make a point here that we should take global social responsibility to measure the effects of implementations of technology we make. It's very gratifying to scientists when they discover something new, still it should be even more important to them to study it's long-term implications. 

Unless we care for the long-run, we'll not succeed. Just like in the Business. Let's call it Human Business.

#edcmooc The web, the net and the eWorld.

"Metaphor’s meanings and entailments vary by culture"

Having said that, the topic discussed by the article should probably be taken up by the English-speaking cultures only.
For example in polish the word 'web' is not used at all to talk about the Internet. The whole discourse on this kind of metaphor doesn't even make sense then.

Still it's interesting point the author is making in the article on how metaphors can influence our views of the Internet, both providing us with possibilities and limiting other possibilities.

Is Internet capable of doing anything at all?

It seems to me that the way some authors describe Internet, giving it malicious capacities, is exaggerated. Claiming that the Internet as such has any capabilities of performing things or having  intents it's too much humanizing for it! Isn't it rather that Internet is merely another tool of humans, which misused brings destruction?

On the contrary when we read about the positive metaphors refering to the Internet they seem to be relevant and endorse Internet with the advantages it does offer. And these are not only the possibilities a tool can offer. Internet is presented as the source of substantial change in the way contemporary world functions.

This change may be though of a disruptive type.

2008 studies vs 2014 reality 

Well, the study of 2008 editorials is interesting keeping in mind development and world wide popularity of Facebook or LinkedIn these days. Especially, in context of Internet as a space for communities to meet. Much has changed on this topic, I believe. It may be worth repeating the study of usage of metaphors refering to Internet. Now the results may be the reverse!

Reference article link.  

#edcmooc Digital future

Two movies presented envision what we struggle to achieve now. Ease of education enabled by tech.

Are we there yet?

The vision is to have whatever we want whenever we want (like a video conference with specialist) to learn by practice, constantly. Still it's not yet the reality, or not globally or across societies. In some private schools, maybe. In some R&D companies, maybe. But it's far from our minds to think of education in this way.

Do we think right?

How to address the challenge that our teachers are still not up-to-date with the market? How to diminish the gap between teaching theory and practice. How to make teachers practitioners? Or how to make practitioners available to teachers?
Is there anyone even thinking about addressing these challenges?
I hope so, for my would-be kids!

A discourse on threats

Well they are gonna be there. That's it and that's good. Man should not believe all can be managed themselves. Problems are chances to prove better and strive for the best. No challenges would mean no progress.

See it for yourself:

Opportunities

and threats: 

See the video

#edcmooc Utopias vs Dysopias

The course videos just created more questions and some thoughts for a start. Let me share them:

Do we lose some 'natural' mechanisms with the advancement of technology?

I feel not, but I've got no clue on how to develop on this question... do we? why?
Comments welcomed.

Are we becoming slaves of digital technology? is tech not natural? or incompliant with nature?

Seems it is not compliant with nature, at first sight. Technology is man-made. But...  it's created out of things that are made by our hands. Why would we deny it the rights that previous technologies had? We don't look for disastrous consequences of railway. Even though there may have been some jobs lost, lifestyle changes, etc.

We may need to learn more how to manage it and make best use of it, not to hurt ourselves, but the same has been happening with all new inventions or findings.

Technology treats everybody equally. Doesn't make distinctions.

This leaves space to improvements with regards to biases that people do. We usually do complex assumptions when communicating with one another. It is almost impossible to control it. On the other hand bots treat things more simply, thus equally.

Why shouldn't we find the right balance between technological advancement and process simplicity when going digital on education? I really like the idea of teacher bot!

Technology gives new perspectives.

Things we wouldn't even be dreaming about are now part of our daily lives. Chat with family across the world, video calls, digital books available from anywhere in the world. Education - interactive books! artificial intelligence applied to reading.... gosh! Awesome!

Nature seems surprisingly strong and bears more than we expect.

It's also far more creative than we imagine. Still, all this, efforts, studies, medicine is imitating...mother nature :-) It's sort of a loop, isn't it?