Class 16: Is Hypermedia a White-American-Male Enterprise?

Held Thursday, October 14, 1999

Summary

• Historical perspective: who's been involved in the development?
• Societal perspectives: what claims are there about how different peoples think?
• Is hypertext hierarchical?
  • Are hierarchical structures more predominant in some cultures?
• Assigned:
  • Thesis paragraph for research paper (Due Tuesday, October 26, 1999).

Handouts

Notes

• Goals during break:
  • Write a sample thesis paragraph for your essay.
  • Plan courses for next semester. At least one course in each division.
  • Start dividing up your chapter.
• You can find our Alice pages at http://www.math.grin.edu/~rebelsky/Courses/Tutorial/99F/Alice/.

Preparation: Convincing the Reader and Evaluating Texts

• Rebecca and I observed that there was less understanding about two fundamental concepts than we had expected:
  • The goal of most argumentative writing is to convince the reader of something. Although it might make Maso cringe, in this class, you will do so using formal techniques.
  • When you read any text, you naturally evaluate the credibility according to a number of factors.
• If we accept the first as a given, we need to consider how we might evaluate texts as we, as readers, are convinced or fail to be convinced. What makes an argument convincing?

New Discussion Format

• Rebecca and I have decided to try a new discussion format to help improve our discussions.
• For each discussion, we will select individuals to play particular roles.
  • The Moderator is responsible for ensuring that the discussion makes progress. Moderators may interrupt, call on people, ask pointed questions, etc. Moderators are also responsible for ensuring that everyone contributes.
  • The Fact Checker ensures that comments are based on the readings (for discussions that are based on the readings). The Fact Checker makes sure that comments are not simply ``I think'' or ``I believe''. Each fact checker can decide for himself/herself whether it is appropriate to permit ``facts'' or observations not directly related to the readings.
  • The Summarizer is responsible for summarizing past ideas to help the discussion progress. Anyone can ask the summarizer for a summary at any point in the discussion.
  • The Clarifier is responsible for ensuring that everyone understands the current status of the discussion. Clafiers and summarizers work hand-in-hand.
  • The Reporter is responsible for writing a short summary of the discussion after the discussion. This report should highlight the points raised and conclusions reached (if there are any).
  • The Observer does not talk. (S)he makes notes on each person's constibutions (helpful, distracting, amount of time, ...). The observer should also note how well each person is playing his or her role. We will summarize the contributions after the first few classes.
• Yes, we realize that all but the last two roles can be joined as a more general moderator. Nonetheless, we'd like to try this separation.
  • The roles may evolve, old roles disapper, and new roles emerge as our discussions progress.
• Observers will serve for a whole class. Other roles will rotate as we move from topic to topic.
  • Today's observer is Jake.
• Our first discussion: Will an artifact created by one culture be inherently confusing or off-putting to those from other cultures?
  • Moderator: John
  • Fact Checker: Matt
  • Summarizer: Isabel
  • Clarifier: Sean
  • Reporter: Marti
• Our second discussion: Is it appropriate to censor materials on the Internet if those materials actively discourage others from participating in the Internet?
  • Moderator: Ellen
  • Fact Checker: Marti
  • Summarizer: Adam
  • Clarifier: Yasir
  • Reporter: Matt
• Our third discussion: Selected by moderator.
  • Moderator: Kevin
  • Fact Checker: John
  • Summarizer: Sean
  • Clarifier: Marti
  • Reporter: Yasir

Questions

From Adam (redo), Jake, Kevin, Marti, Sean (redo)

New, Based on Readings

• Based on all the readings, what do you believe is the biggest reason African Americans are not using the Internet? (How's that for making sure that it's based on the readings?)
• What are the main factors contributing to the exclusion of African Americans and other minorities on the Internet? (How's that for a similar question?)

New, About the Readings

• I am intrigued by the Maso piece. I found the material in the article to be enlightening and especially enjoyed the poetic format she used. But which actually caused the piece to be more effective than the Spender article? Was it the content, the style, or a combination of the two? (I realize we mentioned this at least implicitly in class, but I never got a satisfying answer)
• Gingrich and Gore (I'm referring to Liberte, Egalite, Internete) claim the Internet and cyberspace are the "land of knowledge," and permit more achievement in democracy than the print media ever have. Does Davidson really say anything in this article? I read the last paragraph with basically the same amount of knowledge as I had when I read the first one. It seems to ask questions but never answers them to my satisfaction. In reference to our last discussion, can articles like this really illustrate anything useful, or do they merely articulate the issue at hand?

New, Not Based on Readings

• How can hypertext form a haven for women writers without "ghettoiz[ing] the writing"? How does Greco draw the line between the two?
• If the reason for under-representation of minorities on the Internet isn't financial, then what is it? Do they not sell computers and internet access to minorities?
• If they do sell to minorities, and minorities can afford them, is it a lack of interest or desire that keeps them off the Internet? If I were to say that women were incompetent, I would be strewn about campus in many small pieces, however, to say that women are just the same as men is quite a stretch, whether for the better or for the worse, women and men are different in far more than the physical sence, men have better spacial reckoning and can think three dimensionally better than women. Women can performe menial tasks far better than men. So who's the better off? computers are just a tool that can be used in many ways, if men tend too use thier speacialty skills more often while using a computer and women tend too use thiers then what is surprising that the two are not identical. Men and Women are different in how they utilize and learn computers.
• Could the reason for why more caucasian than any other race use computers be that since the most technologically advanced nation in the world is composed primarily of caucasians? I mean, if nigeria were the most technologically advanced nation and was the center of the technological revolution in the world then africans would make up the bulk of high-technology users. It seems as simple as who's where when.
• Should all interested persons have access to the Internet - Including free hardware, software, connection, training and support for underprivelaged individuals and families? Is it feasible?