15 Studien und Berichte der Arbeitsstelle Fernstudienforschung der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg Band 15 Otto Peters is one of the most prominent writers on distance Otto Peters education theory. His work spans from the late sixties when he developed his theory of distance education as ‘most industrial form of education’ to this decade when he explored the ‘new learning spaces’ afforded by digital technology. Against the Tide In this book Peters changed his vantage point: He introduces 21 authors critical of digitalization who examine the collateral damage done by the digital technology on which the new forms Critics of Digitalisation of learning at a distance, of which Peters was one of the most prominent theoreticians, depend. According to the motto he Warners, Sceptics, Scaremongers, Apocalypticists choose for this volume that “nothing is true anymore without its 20 Portraits opposite” he wants distance education enthusiasts to brave the ambiguities and trade-offs. Only then the distance educator is able to recognize the profound impact and breadth of digitalization without being naïve about it. Critics of Digitalisation ide Against the T Otto Peters: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universität ISBN 978-3-8142-2285-1 Oldenburg Umschlag-ASF-Bd15.indd 1 27.06.2013 09:26:42 Studien und Berichte der Arbeitsstelle Fernstudienforschung der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg Volume 15 Otto Peters Against the Tide Critics of Digitalisation Warners, Sceptics, Scaremongers, Apocalypticists 20 Portraits BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg Studien und Berichte der Arbeitsstelle Fernstudienforschung der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg Herausgeber: Dr. Ulrich Bernath Prof. Dr. Detlef Garz Prof. Dr. Anke Hanft Dr. Thomas Hülsmann Prof. Dr. Barbara Moschner Dr. Olaf Zawacki-Richter This volume has been made possible with substantial support of the Ulrich Bernath Foundation for Open and Distance Learning (FRODL) http://www.frodl.org/ Original title: Kritiker der Digitalisierung. Warner, Bedenkenträger, Angstmacher, Apokalyptiker. Frankfurt am Main: Peter Lang, 2012. Translated from the German by Peter McKenna Juni 2013 © Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Center for Lifelong Learning (C3L) Publisher: BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg Tel.: + 049 441 798-2261 Telefax: + 049 441 798-4040 e-mail: [email protected] ISBN 978-3-8142-2285-1 Contents Editors’ Forewor ............................................................................................................... 5 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 7 1 The heretic: Joseph Weizenbaum ....................................................................... 15 Against the dominance of instrumental reason 2 The concerned critic: Juan Luis Cebrián Lighting "the tiny flame of critical doubt" ............................................................. 27 3 The nonconformist: Jaron Lanier The focus is always on people ................................................................................ 33 4 The individualist: Bill Joy On the ethical responsibility of Internet technicians .............................................. 41 5 The activist: Don Tapscott Virtual space – "a place of confusion, uncertainty, catastrophes and threats" ........ 49 6 The traditionalist: David Franklin Noble A struggle against the "automation of higher education" ....................................... 59 7 The polemicist: Aric Sigman Social Networking Harms Your Health! ................................................................ 67 8 The alarmist: Andrew Keen Web 2.0 is destroying our culture! ......................................................................... 73 9 The dystopist: Susan Greenfield Dire Visions ........................................................................................................... 83 10 Reformers: John Palfrey and Urs Gasser How we can master the difficulties of digital change together............................... 95 11 The humanist: Hartmut von Hentig Digitalization leans to a "creeping perversion of our life" ................................... 107 12 The satirist: Philip Bethge "Give us this day our daily Web" ......................................................................... 119 13 The admonisher: Susanne Gaschke The Deeper Meaning of Reading ......................................................................... 123 14 The man of letters: Nicholas G. Carr Are we sacrificing our ability to read thoroughly and think deeply? ................... 135 15 The debate instigator: Frank Schirrmacher Help! "We are losing control over our thoughts" ................................................. 147 16 The dramatist: Botho Strauß Digitalization in the world of dreams and mirages ............................................... 161 17 The hesitant sceptic: Sherry Turkle "It’s time to put technology in its place!" ............................................................. 173 18 The cultural pessimist: Jean Baudrillard The end of humanity ............................................................................................ 187 19 The apocalypticist: Paul Virilio The slow Agony of planet earth ........................................................................... 195 20 The intellectual gamester: Miriam Meckel From the corporeal world to the system world ..................................................... 204 21 Advice from the experts Withstanding cognitive dissonances and emotional ambivalences ...................... 219 Afterword -Social change ............................................................................................ 225 Index ..................................................................................................................... 231 Editors’ Foreword „Technology reveals the active relation of man to nature, the direct process of production of his life, and thereby it also lays bare the process of production of the social relations of his life, and the mental conceptions that flow from those relations.” (Marx, Capital, Vol. I, Chapter 5, Footnote 4) The ASF-Series was meant as a platform for the faculty involved in the Master of Distance Education (MDE) program jointly launched by the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) and Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg to reflect their experiences with the new format of online distance education. Otto Peters was part of that team from the outset (2000) and even a contributor to the “Virtual Seminar for Professional Development in Distance Education“ (1998), a fully online seminar which served as a testing ground for the MDE1. He certainly experienced some of the excitement of the pioneers of the new digital era who in fact had to try unchartered waters. The depth and productivity of his reflections are summarized in “Distance Education in Transition - New Trends and Challenges” (4th edition) which included his explorations of the “New Learning Spaces”, culminating in his “Visions of Autonomous Learning“. (Peters, 20102) Now, in 2013, digitalization has become ubiquitous and online learning mainstream. Time has come for re-visiting what has happened, confronting also the possible collateral damage done, since according to the motto Peters chose for his introduction “nothing is true anymore without its opposite.” The complete contradictory picture of what has happened (and is happening) requires giving the critics of digitilization a voice to be heard especially among distance educators so hooked to the affordances of digitization. For this purpose he is taking us on this journey “Against the Tide“. Otto Peters selected 20 critical voices3 who address a range of dangers connected with digitalization. The authors are chosen among prominent personalities who attracted considerable media attention. Each chapter opens with a short biographical note about the author and ends with a summative assessment by Peters himself. In between, the main motivation of the author is discussed, his/her most influential publications are listed and the most salient critical points are discussed. There is no obvious order of the chapters, since the book is not meant as developing a specific line of argument; rather it is meant as a resource book where chapters can be read independently and hence allow a modular arrangement. The themes are widespread and, not surprisingly, often overlapping. However, most authors have their specific vantage point and focus, due to their own professional background. To comment on a few themes: • The tool-user uses tools to change his/her environment: this again shapes the user. Using tools engenders division of labor and forms of social organization with which come 1 Bernath, U., Rubin, E. (Ed.). (1999). Final report and documentation of the Virtual Seminar for Professional Development in Distance Education Oldenburg. BIS-Verlag der Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg. 2 Peters, O. (2010). Distance education in transition (5th ed. Vol. 5). Oldenburg: BIS-Verlag der Carl con Ossietzky Universität.- The first edition was published in 2002.) 3 One of the 20 chapters (Ch.10) refers to two authors who published jointly. 5 Editors‘ Forword status and power. This applies to technological tools in general, and that bundle of information and communication technologies (ICT) referred to as digitalization makes no exception. The exteriorization of various functions