Data, Information, and Knowledge: An Information Panopticon

In Chapter 2, Jones and Hafner discuss data, information, and knowledge. The differences among these areas is the difference between what we know, how we know, and what we do with what we know—in other words, how is data and information constructed into meaningful knowledge.

This reading reminds me of another book, In the Age of the Smart Machine: The Future of Work and Power (1989), by Shoshana Zuboff. In a chapter called The Information Pantopicon, Zuboff describes the characteristics of today’s information and knowledge. First, panopticism, from Foucault, (Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison, (1995) is the design of a prison that induces to the inmate, a state of conscious and permanent visibility that assures the automatic functioning of power” (p. 201). In other words, the inmate is observed or seemingly observed at all times. The design of the prison and the tower are situated in such a way as to give the impression that inmates are under constant surveillance, which in turn provides the observer with the power to control them. They, in fact, Foucault indicates, police themselves because they are under the impression that they are constantly being observed (p. 201).

Second, Zuboff applies this concept to the information age, looking specifically at manufacturing. She describes an information panopticon as a digital environment designed to observe production. She tells the story of a manufacturing plant that installed a software program linked to the actual production on the plant floor, every activity. This software told the plant manager everything s/he needed to know about the amount of production without the manager needing to talk to anyone. This software removed the need for building a social relationship with the workers.

The information itself is not dangerous; it’s the knowledge that is constructed from the spreadsheet that demonstrates a different kind of power. It used to be that plant managers would walk the floor talking to the workers, getting updated on family information as well as productivity. Now the manager could sit in an office and simply pull up a spreadsheet to determine how things were going. The manager was still the one in charge, but workers previously felt a more personal relationship to her/him, connecting on a more human level. With only a spreadsheet, managers could now find it much easier to lay off workers, even fire unproductive ones, without knowing any more than the numbers. I wonder about the kind of meaning that is being constructed by the manager.

At UNO, faculty have a similar experience in that we must create an annual report of our activities (teaching evaluations, research, service activities) using Digital Measures. This software environment enables administrators to “see” what activities faculty are engaged in simply by running a report. Having been in an administrative position, I can see why this software makes everything easier and more efficient (as opposed to wading through stacks and stacks of papers), but like the managers, the power is concentrated in the administration with no need for building personal relationships with faculty. The system affords efficiency and constrain human relations. I think the data that is collected is constructed and productivity recorded, creating meaning infused with power. Is that power effective or not effective?

Affordances and Constraints and Social Practices

The five technologies listed in Activity 1 offer some interesting perspectives on affordances and constraints. Traffic signals, for example, allowed city engineers to regulate traffic while they also created circumstances in which drivers have to stop multiple times, making it take longer to get to a destination. I always envisioned someone watching a big screen somewhere thinking to herself, okay I’ll let these drivers go now. Physically, then, drivers have to follow specific rules (although in Omaha, running a red light is too common for comfort) if they want to drive a vehicle in the city. They also have to physically pass a driver’s exam (both on paper and behind the wheel). Although a student once told me that in Omaha, a behind the wheel exam is not required. If that’s true, it explains a lot about drivers in this town.

Drivers communicate meanings and establish relationships all the time while driving by stopping or going at a traffic light, by signaling a turn or driving into a left or right turn lanes, and by honking to get someone’s attention. Although I don’t do this very often, I always honk at drivers who don’t move right away on that weird turn from Dodge to Happy Hallow. Only four/five cars can fit in the north bound lane waiting for the light to change and I don’t want to miss my chance because I hate having to move over to the east bound lane to wait for the light because (as is common in Omaha) other drivers never allow you into a lane. I don’t understand that because if they simply used the zipper approach, we would all be able to make the light. What meaning are they communicating when they do that? Are they unaware, indifferent, or bullies when they prevent other drivers from entering their lane? When I lived in Phoenix, drivers automatically entered into a zipper approach if there was an obstruction (stalled car or construction).

Traffic signals are significantly important to how we think about driving, other drivers, and roadways. They organize the space of the roadways and indicate where drivers are allowed to go and how they are allowed to go about it (e.g., you can’t turn left on Dodge unless there is a designed left turn lane). They also organize time in that they are synchronized for optimal movement, especially during rush hours. This organization makes sure that the traffic flow is smooth and accommodates drivers.

In terms of social identities and traffic lights, drivers can take on a defensive identity where they are always on guard for problems or a road rage identity that makes it more difficult for other drivers. What identity, I wonder, is the person who consistently runs a red light? Do they do it because it’s too late to stop? Do they do it because they don’t want to wait 2 minutes for the next green light? Do they do it because they are inconsiderate? Almost every accident I’ve heard about happened because of someone running a read light. I wonder did traffic signals make these identities possible or did we already have these identities and traffic signals enhanced them. Something to ponder.

Traffic signals afford us a safe and consistent driving experience, but they also constrain us in how fast we want to go (speed limits), when we want to go (red/yellow/green lights), and how to maintain distance from other drivers (lane indications). The color system also constrains people who are color blind, which necessitated the spacing of the lights with red at the top and green at the bottom.

Functional and Critical Digital Literacies

I'm always a little skeptical when people talk about digital literacies. Of course, acquiring digital literacies is a matter of developing functional and critical skills as I say in the syllabus. They seem to talk about them as if one can teach (or learn) all aspects of digital literacies at the same time. For example, being functional and critical at the same time. I find this a little problematic because in my experience teaching web design, for example, students don't seem to get "design" until they know how to operate Dreamweaver. When trying to design a website, one has to learn the software. Once that functional skill is learned, students tend to be able to stand back and make critical statements.

Having said that, though, I do agree that we need to teach critical perspectives, which is why I ask students to read various theoretical viewpoints at the same time that they are learning the software. Part of that is the design of higher education. One semester (or in our case part of a semester) does not allow students the time it takes to develop all the skills needed to become a master designer. I don't think students expect to be become experts by the end of the semester, but they do want to feel comfortable with what they know. The thing about learning software, though, is that you must work with it every day until it feels natural.

I like how Lanshear & Knobel talk about digital literacies as a social practice. They say, "A way of reading a certain type of text is acquired only when it is acquired in a  'fluent' or 'native-like' way, by one's being embedded in (apprenticed as a member of) a social practice wherein people not only read texts of this type in these ways but also talk about such texts in certain ways" (p. 7). This is one of the reasons I ask students to engage with this reading. Everything happens within a context, nothing is outside something else. When learning software, for example, it'd be easy to think one could just sit down and learn the software. But it happens within a context--within the classroom, within the university, within the myriad other assignments students work on, and within the context of people who talk about digital literacies. No one can just learn the software; you have to also learn its use in practice. The software, from Lanshear & Knobel's perspective is read in a certain way (not just used). How does one understand InDesign, for example? It is a layout program that mimics old-time production of printed texts. In the last few years, more interactive features have been added such as the creation of e-books, but that skill is even beyond me at this point. I did make one once using a tutorial but I didn't (still haven't) gotten to the point of it feeling natural.

I expect that throughout the semester, we'll work together to learn what we need to learn. I'm looking forward to it.

Welcome to Digital Literacies

I'm excited for this semester and the work we'll be doing. I haven't taught this class for about five years, so it feels brand new. We'll be discussing various topics associated with technology and digital literacies, and I hope these discussions will prove to be useful to you as you read and respond to various readings. We're going to be doing a lot of work this semester, which I hope you'll find engaging and practical. The hybrid format is new to me, so I'll be learning right along with you. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.