[PN] Information Society (5 Dec. 2003)

[Steve McCarty]

*********************************************************************
This message was distributed by Papyrus News.  Feel free to forward
this message to others, preferably with this introduction. For info on
Papyrus News, including how to (un)subscribe or access archives, see
<https://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/listinfo/papyrus-news>.
*********************************************************************

* Calls for Conference Papers

Temple University Japan Applied Linguistics Colloquium
Tokyo, February 15, 2004
Sent by Megumi Kawate-Mierzejewska
"Reports on completed research or Works in progress (including completed
research design and/or data collection). Presentations will be 30
minutes in length (including 10 minutes for questions and answers).
Please send a 50-word summary for the colloquium program, a 150-word
abstract, and personal information to the following e-mail address with
an attached file (Word or Rich Text) by December 10th." For details see:
http://www.tuj.ac.jp/newsite/main/news/specialevents/20040215_linguistics.html

20th Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning
University of Wisconsin-Madison, August 4-6, 2004
Deadline for proposals: January 31, 2004
"The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching & Learning is recognized
as one of the premier events on distance education. The conference
gathers educators, trainers, managers, and designers from throughout
the world who are involved in the application of technology to the
teaching and learning process and in the planning, administration,
and management of distance education programs. For complete details
for online submission of proposals, see:
at http://www.uwex.edu/disted/conference/

* Reference Websites

Journal of Educational Technology & Society print version now available
The journal is published by the International Forum of Educational
Technology & Society and the IEEE Learning Technology Task Force.
[For libraries or individual subscriptions, see the order form at:]
http://ifets.massey.ac.nz/periodical/ets_order_form.pdf
Sent by Associate Professor Kinshuk, Massey Univ., New Zealand
Chair, IEEE Learning Technology Task Force: http://lttf.ieee.org/
Editor, Journal of Educational Technology & Society [which is
also available on the Web at:] http://ifets.ieee.org/periodical/

World Summit on the Information Society
"The first phase of WSIS takes place in Geneva from 10-12 December 2003.
It will address the broad range of themes concerning the Information
Society and adopt a Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action. The
second phase will take place in Tunis from  16-18 November 2005.":
http://www.itu.int/wsis/

There will be WSIS Webcasts and indirect forms of participation such as:

Information Society: Voices from the South
Discussion forum run by Digital Opportunity Channel of OneWorld
South Asia and BytesforAll, a South Asian voluntary network:
http://www.dgroups.org/groups/is/index.cfm

* Periodical articles

UN Summit to Focus on Internet
By David McGuire, The Washington Post, December 5, 2003
"Leaders from almost 200 countries will convene next week in Geneva
to discuss whether an international body such as the United Nations
should be in charge of running the Internet."

EXPRESSION IN THE INFORMATION AGE
Andrew Lam, AlterNet, December 3, 2003
"In a world where we are constantly chatting, very little is
actually being said. We email -- but are we really in touch?"
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17182

[Lam argues that communication has become superficial
now that people do not write letters and literacy seems
to be declining in the U.S. But with so much to read and
write about now online, what is it about information
and communication technologies that works against
literacy and profound expression? Perhaps the lack of
time amid the plethora of information, so quality loses
out to quantity. But regarding the renewed dominance
of oral communication with mobile phones and so forth,
try commuting to work by train and writing a diary as
I do. Since my daily communication has been nearly all
in Japanese for about 20 years, writing with a pen and
keyboard as well as reading has probably maintained
my English fluency here in the countryside with a
Japanese family. I suspect that it is just a widespread
fad to tinker with the new media and place form over
substance. Deeper communication has probably never
been much of a fad. But that does not prevent educated
people from maintaining high quality communication.
Despite the theme of the World Association for Online
Education, for example, communication by educators
all over the world at our annual members' meetings
has been very philosophical. That's just the culture
we prefer. What do you think about this issue? - Ed.]

Collegially, Steve McCarty, Professor, Kagawa Junior College, Japan
World Association for Online Education: http://waoe.org/president/
Home Page: http://www.kagawa-jc.ac.jp/~steve_mc/presence.html
E-mail (including items for Papyrus News): steve_mc@kagawa-jc.ac.jp