| I |
I was following until I could see her no longer. I strove to see her, to see ahead or where she was going -- where I was going. For those few moments, I felt my whole being strain to see. When I concluded that I would not again see her, I felt a strange out-of-placeness -- which was not a bad feeling at all -- like being lost, but not at all anxious or worried about it. I was no longer sure I wanted to follow her, nor which direction I wanted to take. From the corner of my eye I caught only a glimpse of the man who had retreated earlier. I could barely see in the darkness, I couldn't recognize him specifically, but I knew that it was him. I felt it -- his presence. Who was he? Where was he going? I wanted to know. Maybe he would lead me to her. I decided the course to take, and groped my way in the dark.
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| II |
What exactly do we mean when we speak of media literacy? Of course, we are aware of the denotation of each of the words, their literal meanings. Media is the plural of medium and essentially dervived from the Latin 'medius' (middle). Literacy refers to l'être literate, the ability to read and write and also, knowledge or competence. It is derived from the Latin 'littera' (letter), originally meaning 'to stamp'. In effect, then, what we are speaking of is a reading-between and writing-between -- not only acts of authorial interpretation, but the synergistic assignment and interactive application of sense and non-sense.
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| III |
The literate reads: deciphering, divining. His position is reflected in the reference to him as monad -- the power-of-will as Magician's wand. Indivisible and immutable is this streaming source of intellect, a solid and trusted link. He covers representation as basis, surrounds inquiry, centered, bound, by molten fire within.
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| IV |
Of course, to speak of media literacy -- etymologically, literally and/or metaphorically -- is to assume and necessarily imply that there is a media language: a formal system of communicating ideas, feelings and suggestions inherent in each medium-specific collection of signs and syntax. This also implies a fluency, recognition and articulation (reading and writing) with knowledge of inter-meanings, inter-associations, inter-relationships -- a psychology of psycho-logy: Lacan's dit-mension, Derrida's betweenness. Both meanings here are equally significant and cannot be overlooked in
developing successful strategies for mediated learning. A medium-specific syntax may be acquired only with actual, direct, hands-on involvement with the design and production of educational media. Each medium has its own production technology, and as a result, is subject to unique advantages and disadvantages, whereby opportunities emerge from challenges. Instructional and aesthetic design techniques generally fail when lazily replicated or forced from one medium upon another. This is not only barring the full techno-pedagogical potential of the particular medum, but it may also prove quite disturbing from learners' points-of-view. Understanding media language from the prespective of reading-/writing-between encourages hands-on experience with media design and production, in a general way; but it is, in fact, a different mode of discourse. It cannot be obtained nor mastered in any way other than exposure to itself. That is, the more exposure one gains to media language, the intangible communicative intellect in addition to the tangible transmission of information, the greater the likelihood of becoming media literate. It is hypercyclical: literacy begets literacy. There is no one authoritative source nor academic discipline to which media literacy and the study thereof, belongs. Media literacy is an example of inherently interdisciplinary research and discourse: no information is not applicable, as exposure to all information in some way alters the learner's present scope of intellect and vision. The development of a mediated learning environment requires a heightened awareness of all factors concerning media literacy, as the subject is, too, subject to enframing.
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| V |
Having an independent set of priorities, such
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Energy is that of action, purpose and will.
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Returning in darkness and leading astray --
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Messenger, master and teacher --
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Each choice of element, function or sphere
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Starts with the link to guidance.
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