Written by: Thomas Apperely & Christopher S. Walsh

The second issue of Digital Culture & Education introduces a dynamic collection of articles that demonstrate the diverse interests and common concerns of media and education scholars, researchers and practitioners working with, and in digital media. The second issue covers diverse topics: a model of ICT innovations in education, teaching geometric design principles, videogames and otaku (おたく/オタク) culture in Japan, and a critique of a broad generational demographic analysis of Internet use

Written by: Sheila Zimic

Abstract: It is often argued that young people growing up in the presence of the Internet and new media are ‘techno savvy’. They are often distinguished as a new generation because of their relationship with new media, which is assumed to be considerably different, in comparison, to older generations. This new generation has also been characterized as the ‘Net generation’ (Tapscott, 1998). However the stereotypical images of ‘net geners’—being technologically savvy—have rarely been questioned. This article aims at nuancing these images with the objective of exploring the stereotypical images, rather than proving if the images are true or false. By using a statistical representative study of Swedish people’s Internet behaviour and linking the results to an analytical frame of Internet skills, the question, “what is it young people know when it comes to the Internet use and how is it related to the stereotypical image of the ´Net generation’?” is explored. The main findings suggest that various Internet activities differ by age and few activities could be ascribed solely to the so-called ‘Net generation’.

Keywords: Net generation, stereotypical images, Internet skills, self-efficacy, techno-savvy

Written by: Fabian Schäfer

Abstract: Time, the irrevocability of choice and commitment as well as the finality of death are central premises in modern moral and political thinking. This irreversibility is understood to reflect something about the organism, and something about the world. As culture comes to be mediated more and more by digital architectures in which time can be skipped, reversed, and begun again, it becomes important to revisit these premises. This paper seeks to bring together thinkers across nations and across disciplines to organize the question of time in the digital age. In particular the relationship between human beings and the virtual/digital world of knowledge databases and online video games.

Keywords: Animalization, Azuma Hiroki, Walter Benjamin, databases, digital games, digital media, Martin Heidegger, the Internet, otaku, subjectivity, video games

Written by: Loe Feijs & Christoph Bartneck

Abstract: We propose a new method of teaching the principles of geometry to design students. The students focus on a field of design in which geometry is the design: tessellation. We review different approaches to geometry and the field of tessellation before we discuss the setup of the course. Instead of employing 2D drawing tools, such as Adobe Illustrator, the students define their tessellation in mathematical formulas, using the Mathematica software. This procedure enables them to understand the mathematical principles on which graphical tools, such as Illustrator are built upon. But we do not stop at a digital representation of their tessellation design we continue to cut their tessellations in Perspex. It moves the abstract concepts of math into the real world, so that the students can experience them directly, which provides a tremendous reward to the students.

Keywords: Design, math, tessellation, Escher, geometry

Written by: Castulus Kolo and Andreas Breiter

Abstract: Empirical evidence underlines the importance of ICT-based innovations in education for at least two reasons: They prepare for a future workplace in a knowledge society increasingly dependent on ICT and furthermore, they support student-centred learning processes. However, adoption of ICT in educational organizations in general as well as of specific ICT-based innovations varies broadly across nations, as there are many different influencing factors with strong interdependencies. In order to better understand the dynamics of innovations in education, in this article we expose to discussion an integrative model based on a combination of models of individual and organizational adoption processes and their interplay with a socio-economic environment. The authors propose this concept of an “educational innovation system” to analyse differences in the diffusion of ICT-based innovations across countries and to better understand educational policies and their impact on classroom practice.

Keywords: Education policy, innovation research, educational technology

Written by: Gurmit Singh

In June 2009, I attended the International Association for Development of the Information Society (IADIS) e-Learning conference, held as a part of the IADIS Multi Conference on Computer Science and Information Systems 2009 in Algarve, Portugal. The IADIS Multi Conference is an important annual event bringing together researchers and practitioners in computer science and information systems under 15 different conference themes. The IADIS e-learning conference is a platform to address the technical and non-technical aspects of e-learning, and the implications for reconsidering pedagogy and curriculum in the 21st century.