Digital Manipulation Articles
We see ourselves at an age where digital image and instructional technology application are a matter of serious social debate. For the last ten or so years digital images and computer/internet technology have been a part of children’s lives. Recently, however the national debate has complicated by several factors which include ease of use, access, and manipulation, as well as application. These particular factors have prompted educators to cautiously tread the instructional technology waters, joining the rest of society who have already integrated technology.
For the scope of this exercise, the two articles raise two larger issues. The ISTE article focuses largely on the collaborative forum established by the national community of educators, and the framework for usage and strategies they are formulating. Along different grounds, the Salon article raises the serious implications that digital images pose with regard to image manipulation. Both are of particular importance, especially when working with educators and reconceptualizing a curriculum.
My preferences lean toward Glen Bull & Ann Thompson’s ISTE article. I applaud all those who have taken the courageous step forward to create A Framework for Use of Images. Simply, this is a prime example of good leadership. Through dialogue, they managed to identify a viable initial approach and formulated a viable solution to their past and present education challenges.
As the ISTE authors indicated, this is not to be viewed as a panacea to this issue. However, this is just one approach to integrate digital images into the curriculum as a means to add value to the educational experience. This implementation is timely. With the evolution of special education program and other initiatives to provide for the special needs of students with learning disabilities, English as a Second Language students, etc. digital images offer a cost effective solution.
The Salon article does raise important issues such as validation, documentation, and tangible resource—the negative or film. However, document credibility issues have always been a concern. This issues dates as far back to the first scribes. A Harvard Business Review article stated that the ancient Babylonians whose written language is represented by pictographs safeguarded their inventory from unscrupulous scribes who altered original lists, or prepared fraudulent ones. Defacement is another example of image manipulation. The term defacement arose from the ancient practice of defacement of monuments. Such monuments were the collective historical records of earlier civilizations. Interestingly, vandals were not the perpetrators. Rather, reigning monarchs who wanted to rewrite history erased the names of those who fell from favor. These are two of many other examples of images being manipulated.
The example of the L.Cpl. Boudreaux image illustrates the serious consequence, as well as implications of image manipulation. However, as I have attempted to articulate, history has an example of image manipulation for every form of image creation. Still, the reader should still heed the Salon article.
Educators need to accept the fact that digital images enrich the learning experience. It allows for approaches to education that were financially or due to access, were prohibitive. More so, educators must continue to emphasize the importance of original work, and reinforce respect for other people’s work as well as the student’s own work. Finally, regardless of technology or image, students must continue to be taught the important values of critical and analytical thinking, question convention, and examine what they are being fed academically and socially.
For the scope of this exercise, the two articles raise two larger issues. The ISTE article focuses largely on the collaborative forum established by the national community of educators, and the framework for usage and strategies they are formulating. Along different grounds, the Salon article raises the serious implications that digital images pose with regard to image manipulation. Both are of particular importance, especially when working with educators and reconceptualizing a curriculum.
My preferences lean toward Glen Bull & Ann Thompson’s ISTE article. I applaud all those who have taken the courageous step forward to create A Framework for Use of Images. Simply, this is a prime example of good leadership. Through dialogue, they managed to identify a viable initial approach and formulated a viable solution to their past and present education challenges.
As the ISTE authors indicated, this is not to be viewed as a panacea to this issue. However, this is just one approach to integrate digital images into the curriculum as a means to add value to the educational experience. This implementation is timely. With the evolution of special education program and other initiatives to provide for the special needs of students with learning disabilities, English as a Second Language students, etc. digital images offer a cost effective solution.
The Salon article does raise important issues such as validation, documentation, and tangible resource—the negative or film. However, document credibility issues have always been a concern. This issues dates as far back to the first scribes. A Harvard Business Review article stated that the ancient Babylonians whose written language is represented by pictographs safeguarded their inventory from unscrupulous scribes who altered original lists, or prepared fraudulent ones. Defacement is another example of image manipulation. The term defacement arose from the ancient practice of defacement of monuments. Such monuments were the collective historical records of earlier civilizations. Interestingly, vandals were not the perpetrators. Rather, reigning monarchs who wanted to rewrite history erased the names of those who fell from favor. These are two of many other examples of images being manipulated.
The example of the L.Cpl. Boudreaux image illustrates the serious consequence, as well as implications of image manipulation. However, as I have attempted to articulate, history has an example of image manipulation for every form of image creation. Still, the reader should still heed the Salon article.
Educators need to accept the fact that digital images enrich the learning experience. It allows for approaches to education that were financially or due to access, were prohibitive. More so, educators must continue to emphasize the importance of original work, and reinforce respect for other people’s work as well as the student’s own work. Finally, regardless of technology or image, students must continue to be taught the important values of critical and analytical thinking, question convention, and examine what they are being fed academically and socially.
posted by Raymond Kram at 10:50 AM
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