Tag: Uncategorized

extradition for crimes against commerciality

Michael ChalkLeave a commentUncategorized

This is astonishing; i had no idea that the Australian Federal Government had handed over an Australian citizen to be tried in the USA. A member of the software-cracking group ‘drink or die’ which delighted in redistributing illegal working copies of US softwares, faces ten years in US prison plus fines of half a million US dollars. Stephen told me, and he read it in The Age. Ouch! This is after the same disturbingly reactionary government leaves David Hicks in Guantanamo Bay for Five Fears Without Charge. Has the Island Read More …

"Offensive racist comment"?

Michael ChalkLeave a commentUncategorized

Looking back at all the feedback we’ve had from the Beach site, one of my least favourite comments was this one: “There are some very good points in this website but as a teacher I have been told that I cannot use terms such as ‘Christian name’ and ‘Surname’ because it is offensive to some. Therefore I would like to see the offensive racist comment ‘When Europeans first invaded Australia’ removed from your web site. I am sure your point could be made just as simply by stating ‘When Europenas Read More …

Technology part of 'the humanities'?

Michael ChalkLeave a commentUncategorized

“Technology education is not a technical subject. it is a branch of the humanities.” – Neil Postman, from “The End of Education: redefining the value of school”. Neil is quoted on page one of Stuart Selber’s “Multiliteracies for a digital age”, whose first chapter is entitled “Reimagining Computer Literacy”. i had to include the quote, because it’s such a refreshing idea. Stuart begins his work by emphasising that the consequences and contexts of technology are the most important foci of ‘a worthwhile education’, rather than the technology itself. Yes!! Thank Read More …

Context shapes impact of technology

Michael ChalkLeave a commentUncategorized

Currently enjoying Mark Warschauer’s “Electronic Literacies”: in chapter one he makes the strong point that the Gutenberg era took hold only through the massive social and economic changes of the industrial revolution. The printing press technology had been ready for some time. Mark reckons that the current acceleration of technological change in the fields of literacy and communication is deeply connected with the current industrial revolution, “based on the harnessing of information, knowledge and networks”. He adds that this current information-based revolution is not only industrial, but also social and Read More …