Wrapping up the semester, removing artificial labels

On Tuesday, we ended our Honors 201 class with a salon-style discussion about the different types of knowledge we’ve examined over the course of the semester: folk, oral, written, and printed knowledge. I left the discussion with one overwhelming impression: you just can’t look at them that way. I understand that while none of these types of knowledge stands alone, they were separated this way by our professors in order to examine them as manageable units—it’s an artificial separation, but we needed to separate them somehow, and this works. However, what really struck me during our class discussions this week was that the artificiality of these separations makes it nearly impossibly to compare the effects or relative power and significance of one type of knowledge over another.

Knowledge Exclusivity: A Swinging Pendulum

According to one of my old professors, diagrams with
triangles and circles are a key part to any presentation.
So here is a triangle diagram that illustrates exclusivity
with respect to knowledge institutions across time. 

As we have studied various types of knowledge institutions during the semester, we have come across various different patterns that transcended each of the different types of knowledge.  In our “salon” activity yesterday and while studying the different blog posts in preparation for the activity, I realized that one of the important trends in the knowledge systems was exclusivity and complexity of knowledge.  From folk knowledge to written knowledge, exclusivity increased, but then it came back full circle and is once again widespread with digital media.  After the move from folk and oral knowledge to written knowledge, the increased exclusivity and problems that accompanied it were the cause for a drive to increasingly widespread forms of knowledge systems.

Final Post: Community and Communication

This morning we gathered in small groups to discuss each unit covered in the course (folk knowledge, oral knowledge, written knowledge, print knowledge). I enjoyed getting some new perspectives on my thoughts on the connection between the mode of communication and the type of community formed. The last rotation, focused on print knowledge with Brianne and Montana, was particularly helpful. In my notes for the final, I mentioned my impression that studying different mechanisms of communicating knowledge affected how our group interacted; discussing with my classmates helped my expand that idea to the cultures that we studied in the course. The broader the reach of the a type of knowledge, the larger but less intimate community it forms. 

Practice makes Perfect

        Ignoring the argument that really only PERFECT practice makes perfect, I would like to apply this title phrase to our civilization class.  While striving to teach a class about four different knowledge institutions, our professors have put into practice these variant types of knowledge and created a perfect class.  But maybe only in the Greek sense of the word, how Christ used it in Matthew, meaning to be complete, finished and fully developed.  We received a complete class, combining all the types of knowledge together to create the ideal environment.  By bringing in guest speakers and lecturers, sending us off on field trips, putting us in familial groups to learn together, and giving atypical assignments we experienced the different types of knowledge, instead of just learning about them.

Wrap It Up, or Maybe Just Leave it Open- Ended?

According to Webster, the first known usage of "wrap up" to refer to summarizing or completing something was in 1568.  But I couldn't find much more why about that phrase became synonymous to finishing and summarizing something.  I know why with a film reel, but that early....  Just thought I would end on a self-directed-learning note.  :-)  

I am going to organize my notes based on the unit, a paragraph for each one.  And Alicia and Mike, I love your posts.  If you don't mind I would love to use them tomorrow in addition to my own reflections.  

See my other post for credit of this amazing picture - Eva Timothy

Salon Notes

Here is a link to the GoogleDoc of my salon notes! Nothing special...
Salon Notes Google Doc

thought this sums up the semester rather nicely

Salon Notes

Ok so here they are.  My word vomit of notes for the salon tomorrow.  Feel free to take ideas or add to it if ya'll want.  I'm not going to repeat anything from Alicia's post since it's already written down, I'll just add my own personal thoughts on each of these categories.  HERE is the spreadsheet, just because it's fun to make, and

HERE --------------------------------------->

is a picture because posts are boring without them.

PS Just double click each box on the spreadsheet to read the whole text.