Thursday 17 October 2013

Making Sense of my Disertation

I am really confused with what we are expected to produce, and the direction in which my COP is going. I orginonally wanted to focus on how the Gutenberg created a path for modernity but realized this was a really big topic. Since then I have narrowed it down to the scientific revolution. But I feel this is limiting my research as the major effects of the revolution happened in the past and this is information I can find from books. I am having a harder time thinking of ways I could investigate the subject using primary research. I am now thinking that maybe I shouldn't limit myself as much and also concentrate on the effects we can see today with the progression of print and the way that we now communicate information.

The same revolution has pretty much happened again but with a different method of delivery. The digital age has made it possible for us to pretty much access information on just about anything. This means that has become ever more easy to educate oneself. This is a extremely valuable research and communication method and has bridged the gap between countries. It has opened up so many possibilities, now everything can be bought online, because of this new revelation in communication we don't even need to leave our homes and we can have a car, food and what ever else we desire delivered in just a few days. This technology was absolutely groundbreaking when it came about, and now a days it is just a part of everyday life that the majority of us take for granted.

On top of what I have done already, I will look at how the shift from print to digital has affected modern society and compare it to the shift from scribal culture to print. In terms of the practical element I need to show how it is becoming ever more easy to access information and learn new and exciting things, this has lots of affects on the public, both good and bad. Not all information on the internet is valid, there is allot of dodgy inaccurate information still on the web. Because there are even less limitations when posting stuff online than there is publishing a book, it means that the internet is filling up with a lot of rubbish making researching and learning online a bit of a risk as most of the information is not from a credible source. Information sites like Wikipedia are essentially digital versions of books. Just like back in the day people were able to contact the publishers and let them know about amendments, now a days anyone has the power to change important information online. This means that information online can not be 100% trustworthy. In order to make sure what you are learning is correct it needs to be from a reliable viable source with accurate information as otherwise we run the risk of learning incorrect information.

I want to try and think of how I can still include all of my research on the scientific revolution but try and incorporate some modern aspects as well as I am finding it really difficult to think of practical research. I could maybe look at how the communication revolution has progressed and how we now learn and disseminate information nowadays and what are the affects this has on society. How has it changed? Is this a good thing? What are the negatives and positives.

Possible Essay Plan

Introduction

3 main things the press influenced:

- The Protesetant Reformation
- Renaissance
- Scientific Revolution

Initial Shift from scribal culture to print:

- Dissemination of information - what affect this had, why, how, who this affected
- Standardization of information and measurements
- Reorganization of Data
- Data Collecting
- Preservation
- Reinforcing & Application

Science - Book of Nature - how we viewed the world changed - seperation of religeon & science

- Problems with periodization & standardization - don't believe everything you read
- Maps, astrology, botany
- Mass of information sped up revolution but in some cases held it back.
- Humanism, empiricism data came about / School master data - Both types of research and data influenced progression. Both experience and cross referencing was the key
 
- There were new trends in scientific research and writings
- The press brought together the rich and poor and bridged the gap taking education to the streets, as time went by there was little difference or seperation


How has this communication method progressed - postal service, telephone, web.

- What new technologies stem from print.
- Basis for most of modern knowledge stemmed from ability to share and progress ideas through print which accelerated communication methods.
- What are the positives and negatives of the internet? - mass sharing of information - scams, incorrect information, anyone has access to the web, comunicate with all countries at any time of day.
- What are the social and moral factors
- How has learning and teaching methods changed?

What is the future of communication?

- Moral implications involved with increased data access. - less privacy
- How communication has changed - what it is used for now in comparison to the past
- Advertising, capitalism, promotion, retail - all sorts - not just for learning but for fun.
- How has the communication revolution changed people in general - less confidence, kids stuck behind screen, less talking more texting.
- Modern day education - lectures, reading online, online tests, documentaries, videos, vocal




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