Information Science and connections to learning theory.

In a (frustrated) attempt to get an article together for The Journal, I started coming across references to Tom Stonier and Claude Shannon (also look at this and at this for ways that Shannon's work is still being used, if the math in his paper makes you feel like running away). Turns out they have viewpoints about the nature of information that are opposed in some ways, and related in others. Why is this important? Well, because both viewpoints impact on how people think about learning, and how people think about learning has a huge effect on how they approach teaching and instruction. Unfortunately, this is too much to get to the bottom of in time to make deadline, but it is definitely worth keeping around to look at some more. It looks like Kristina has been thinking about this as well (see below). Not a total deadend, as I thought it was going to be, more like suddenly discovering a huge city I knew nothing about. -- BB

Foundations of Information Science. Foundations of Information Science is the first Google result for a query on "Søren Brier," who I am possibly citing in my lit review. Looks like an interesting place to poke around for a while. I'm supposed to be working, so I don't have time to figure out what is going on there, but it's not what I expected to be going on there... when I say it's interesting, I mean it's interesting. Like, "information is understood as related to a widespread network of processes potentially involving the integration of cosmic (subatomic), molecular, cellular (neuronal), computational, human and social occurrences, demanding both a unifying and a multiperspectivistic approach" interesting... All cyberneticky and stuff. Far out. Looks very international, but I only recognize two of the names involved: Brier, and Tom Stonier. If I recall correctly, the latter was cited in something I was reading in a not very supportive way due to his theory of information as the basic "stuff" of the universe. "The first and most important fact is to understand that Information is a basic property of the universe, like energy, and like energy it has a reality of its own." Maybe too far out? Perhaps, but interesting to think about nonetheless... Unfortunately, there's no time for just-plain-interesting for me right now. Likewise, have a couple of definitions of information... whoa. Together with: Capurro, R. and Hjørland, B. (2002) The Concept of Information. ARIST 2002. it's enough to make one's head explode. In a good way, of course.... [Infomusings Blog]

12:17:59 PM