Technology and Education

Advancements in technology in the education sector can be seen as an achievement or in fact a remedy for disaster, this outlook differs depending on the institution. Educators consider that the operational use of technology (methods for research/communication) effective in the learning environment. However they also think that the use of social media and digital gaming (to name the few) are futile and time consuming. The main concern for institutions is how to get students to make constructive use of technology. I have conducted research to show that technology can be positive or negative depending on how it is used. In this blog I will be analysing the effect of technology on the educational systems how and how technology can be used to enrich learning.

It seems that in modern times educational institutions are concerned with the increasing amount of social media and digital communication, educators want to stress the importance of text books and interactive learning. It is also a general view that digital gaming is non-constructive, senseless and maybe even a form of social escapism. However, through conducted research I can prove that this is not entirely true. I will also be showing how digital gaming can be used as an effective learning mechanism.

The well-known game CIVILIZATION has been highly touted by people working in the educational sector, Kurt Squire and folks at the games, learning and Society group have extensively written about this game and its powerful educational uses. They opposed that playing a game like CIVILISATION can aid in advancements in terminology, geographical awareness and historical understanding. The main goal of the game is for players to become the dominant surviving civilization; this is done by successfully building an empire by building their own civilisation around societal development and diplomacy. Games like this can increase the ability to process information through imagery and text simultaneously. It also aids in processing the information that is relevant to them whilst disregarding what is not. All of these skills can be used in everyday working life – for example, reading an email where minor detail can be extracted without having to read the whole thing.

Digital gaming usually involves creating a world in which players actively participate in; this enables people to create their own domain in which they use strategic thinking to make choices and solve complex problems- All in which can be used in everyday life. In my opinion, a game like CIVILISATION can be used to educate people in an engaging and entertaining context; young people are much more inclined to learn if they are guaranteed fun during the process – and let’s be honest, who doesn’t’ like to have fun? The society we live in seems to replace fun with endless conventions and tedious task. Why not get rid of boring factual text books and instead use digital games, practical engagement and social interactions to service the learning process.

Technology is opening up opportunities whereby educators can improve their teaching facilities and students may enrich their learning skills. Technology has released another realm where interaction is made possible regardless of our physical location; it has made information accessible to everyone. I think the educational systems should focus more on fun and less on compliance. There is this general view that young people should be conformed, however evidently this completely backfires on the system. Young people have a natural desire to explore and yet educational systems persistently attempt to regulate and monitor this aspiration by imposing rules and regulation. I think educational systems should learn respect and accommodate this desire for exploration by allowing new and more exciting methods of learning.  We all know that people work better in different environments, educational systems s should stop simplifying people for convenience sake, but rather learn to understand and cultivate this concept in order to ensure that everyone is equal and working to their full potential. 

Available at: http://www.civilization.com/ Accessed on 16.01.12
Images Available at:http://images.itreviews.com/www.itreviews.co.uk%2Fphotos%2FStrategyCivilization-5.jpg Accessed on 12.01.12

The Media

The Media Industry

The South African voice, culture and history are shown to us through the eyes of the media, but surely culture and history are the property of the each citizen? I believe that for the nation to be free, they must take ownership of their stories and share them themselves instead of allowing the media to take hold and manipulate these stories. If this were to happen, people would be active agents in how their image and history is represented.

The Media has generally been very critical of South Africa undoubtedly because of their historical past- it was simply a feast for the media. However, the media also has the power to shift the global view of South Africa into a more positive stance.

 History & Media, Available at: http://www.africanholocaust.net/ah_about.htm#media [Accessed on 27/11/11]

The events and media industry toil together, events get put on and the media speculates and broadcasts its happening. This is a win-win ordeal – the media gets news and the events gain publicity.  When looking at South Africa from a cultural perspective we can see how these industries have had a significant effect on how the world interprets South Africa, I am not only talking about sporting and leisure events but also the momentous political events. I am going to analyse and discuss how businesses in South Africa used the media industry  to change the worlds perceptions of South Africa by displaying the ‘’rainbowness’’ and apparent multiculturalism of the ‘new South Africa’ particularly during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

The media happens to be a manipulative and powerful industry, sometimes its construal is not entirely correct and yet people tend to believe it solely without inquisition. This example shows how the media has used advertisements to expose a somewhat altered ‘reality’. The famous Castle Larger displayed an advert showing South Africans of different races enjoying the beer together, the tag line was ‘’One Beer One Nation’’ I think the underlying implication of this quote was that in the New South Africa, there was dual citizenship and people were now equal - hence the repetition of One, implying cohesion. Although this scenario was constitutionally true, I think it was culturally and realistically very different. Another example is the slogan for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) ‘Simunya – We are one’’ which also implies the same message of a united nation.

Political Event

June the 16^th marked a significant time in South African History – it was the day Sowetan schools protested against being taught in the Afrikaans language. It is now known as National Youth Day.

This photo of Hector Pieterson became an iconic of the 1976 Soweto uprising, the image became a symbol of struggle and confrontation towards the apartheid government; it was universally recognised and displayed a state of affairs that could not have been portrayed using words alone. This image shook the whole world. I am using this example to indicate how the media used one image to expose how corrupt the South African state was -this clearly demonstrates how effective the media industry can be.

Sporting Event

I was in South Africa during the build-up towards the 2010 FIFA World Cup; I noticed that the advertising industry had transformed its motives. They were now focusing on amplifying and representing the countries concord, I suppose this was their way of showcasing the transformation South Africa was undergoing and essentially inviting the world to witness. This example shows the media in a positive spectrum because it is in the media’s interest to set out a positive image of South Africa to the world, the industry wants to entice the potential FIFA World Cup spectators.

 In my view, the media should stop attempting to project this view of a rainbow nation whereby all cultures and races interact and live in harmony because it is not entirely correct. Yes we have seen a huge conversion in South Africa but this’ rainbowness’ is merely an illusion. I think people should embrace in their cultural differences and accept that race is a part of it. We should celebrate the countries liberation and the autonomy of individuals and their cultures. We should also come to terms with South Africa’s past in order to move forward and anticipate the future of South Africa.

 

Available at: Google books: Health communication in Southern Africa: engaging with social and cultural diversity. Edited by L. Lagerwerf, H. Boer, H. Wasserman, Chapter 6 [Accessed on 27/11/11]4

How the Media & Events industry can alter our perceptions

The 2010 FIFA World Cup was a significant time for South Africa; it was a time for the nation to showcase their ability to host such a largely domineering event, an event that the majority of the world will be watching. In this blog I will be discussing the use of the media industry in relation to this event. I will also be looking into how an event can have a significant impact on the cultural, social and economic factors.

How did a country with one of the highest crime rates in the world be elected to host the 2010 FIFA world cup? Surely they should have chosen a well-structured first world country? South Africa Averages 50 murder’s a day in a nation of 47 million. www.africanholocaust.net [Accessed on 17/11/11] It has also been ranked first in rapes and has a notorious record for car hijacking.

‘’We want, on behalf of our continent, to stage an event that will send ripples of confidence from the Cape to Cairo– an event that will create social and economic opportunities throughout Africa. We want to ensure that one day, historians will reflect upon the 2010 World Cup as a moment when Africa stood tall and resolutely turned the tide on centuries of poverty and conflict. We want to show that Africa’s time has come.’ Thabo Mbeki

This is a very bold statement made by Thabo Mbeki – South Africa’s former president, although his hopes did come true, the main question is – did they last?

This statistic shows the Local perspective on the 2010 FIFA World Cup

Research has shown that people have high expectations of the 2010 FIFA World

Cup™ (Pillay, 2006):

•           85% optimistic about job creation and economic growth;

•           33% expect to gain personally from 2010 FIFA World Cup;

•           78% expect black economic empowerment to improve;

•           75% believe that rundown parts of the locality in which they live will be upgraded

Many reports have stated that the FIFA World cup was a honeymoon period for South Africa, unsustainable and extremely fabricated. I have to agree and disagree with this assumption because although there has been a significant improvement in terms of economy and infrastructure I think the most important aspect is the shift in the global perception of South Africa.

‘’We have witnessed the explosion of national pride across all races and cultures," South African - President Jacob Zuma

This statement entails some true and false implications, there was certainly a burst of pride across the nation but how long did it last? I was in South Africa during the build up towards the event and I must say - the sense of euphoria was definitely in the atmosphere. I think the ‘explosion of pride’ happened between the subdivisions but not as a unifying whole.

Doesn’t he mean to say..

‘’We have witnessed an explosion of pride across races and cultures independently’’

What I am trying to imply here is that yes, the nation was filled with pride and enthusiasm but this did not fundamentally change the state of the nation. The economical, racial and cultural divide was still very much present and visitors would eventually come to acknowledge this.

The media projected a constant state of unification during the build-up period in order to entice the visitors. I was in South Africa during the time and I remember how the adverts had changed significantly and noticeably – showing a people of different cultures enjoying a product together. There was a constant reminder of ‘oneness’ which was so clearly exaggerated and only accurate in an idealistic reality.

South Africa is still undergoing amendment, as mentioned in previous blogs a political revolution is not enough to change a cultural discernment.The media’s forced attempt to re kindle the cultural fragments that were left behind is proving ineffective, in my opinion the solution is primarily acceptance in order to allow the moving forward process

This video was taken on the 18th of December 2010 in Cape Town, South Africa.
The comments made in this video are all personal opinions
The following people have been interviewed: Jasmin Mieny, Natalie Mamela and Caitlin Smith
It was edited by myself on the 15th of January 2012

Many people undoubtedly questioned South Africa’s ability to host such a major event, being a third world country with a high crime rate and a toxic historical past. However the final success of this event proved nations wrong.

South Africa, Gateway to the Nation. Available at: http://www.southafrica.info/2010/hearts.htm [Accessed on 01/12/11]