Archive for September, 2009
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Worldviews II
Reflection
Unit: SSK12
Week: 4
Date: 23 September 2009I wrote the attached file in response to some discussion regarding worldviews, but decided not to post it thinking that it might seem pretentious. Besides it was a bit late to add anything of value to the discussion.
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Worldviews
Reflection (Do not use for the Learning Log)
Unit: SSK12
Week: 2 (in Week 3)
Date: 15 September 2009Like a few here I am lagging a little, I’ve only just listened to the Week2 lecture given by Julia Hobson (2007) in the last two days. During the second part of the lecture Hobson makes a distinction between her understanding of a worldview and what she refers to as personal belief systems. I don’t completely agree with Hobson’s definition of a worldview in this respect. I find this definition limited. I understand that the university lecturer may need to be careful not to stray too far into spirituality so as not to cross from philosophy into religious education, but my belief (as framed by my worldview) is that these two concepts are inseparable. I believe what Hobson defines as personal belief systems are a fundamental and integral part of one’s worldview.
As a side note, this is an important illustration of the necessity to contextualise the context or read/listen worldviewishly, for as Sire (2004, 121) says, “the very concept of a worldview is itself worldview dependent.” Each proponent of a given worldview will have their own understanding of what a worldview is. Clearly mine is different to Hobson’s.
James Sire is one of my favourite authors, author of such books as The Universe Next Door and Naming the Elephant. His definition of a worldview is my favourite, it is concise yet comprehensive, and I doubt I could define it any better. Sire (2004, 122) writes:
“A worldview is a commitment, a fundamental orientation of the heart, that can be expressed as a story or in a set of presuppositions (assumptions which may be true, partially true or entirely false) which we hold (consciously or subconsciously, consistently or inconsistently) about the basic constitution of reality, and that provides the foundation on which we live and move and have our being.”
For me the key to unlocking the concept of worldviews is the word presupposition. The foundation of any worldview is its presuppositions. So believing in a God, believing in many gods or not believing in god at all is fundamental to one’s worldview and by extension, one’s understanding of the self.
When Nietzsche (1882, 125) writes, “God is dead. God remains dead. And we have killed him.” This is a massive shift from previously held notions. Even those of a modern thinker such as John Locke who believed in “our ‘Inalienable Rights’, which are ordained by God.” (Osborne, 2007, 89) This is further demonstrated in that the Kamikaze pilot’s sense of self is very different to that of the Secular humanist’s, or that of a Jain, who values all life.
I think we can say with some confidence that today’s Christian worldview is a modern one, as I’m sure the Western Sunni Muslim worldview or the Reformed Jewish one is. I would go as far to say that many Christians worldwide manifest a syncretism between Christianity and postmodernism. My point is that there is a Modern Christian worldview, as much as there was a Mediæval Christian worldview, which are both distinct from secular modernism and each one will see the world and the concept of self differently through different lenses of understanding.
In my case, I am not a Christian, but I cannot deny the influence of Christianity on the Western worldview and mine in particular.
In conclusion, it is my belief that peoples’ belief systems have played a major role in philosophy throughout history, Christianity in particular plays a significant role in the evolution of western philosophy. I know Hobson doesn’t limit the definition of worldviews to Greek, Mediæval, Modern or mechanistic and Postmodern, but I think it is important to point out that there are many worldviews, held by many people and they are multifaceted. I hope I have satisfactorily argued a case for the inseparability of personal belief systems (as defined by Hobson) and one’s worldview.
References
Hobson, J. 2007. Lecture: Concepts of the Self. Audio Recording. Murdoch: Murdoch University. 06 August 2007.Sire, James W. 2004. Naming the Elephant: Worldview as a Concept. Downers Grove, U.S.A.: InterVarsity Press.
Nietzsche, F. 1882. “The Madman”, The Gay Science 125, in The Portable Nietzsche, trans. Walter Kaufmann, 1954. New York: Viking. Reprinted in The Universe Next Door: A Basic Worldview Catalog. 4th ed. p. 211. Downers Grove, U.S.A.: InterVarsity Press.
Osborne, R. 2007. Philosophy: For Beginners. New Delhi: Orient Longman.
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Modernity
Glossary (Do not use for learning log)
Unit: SSK12
Week: 2
Date: 13 September 2009Word: modernity n.
Context: Modernity appears in different parts of the unit reader both as a period of societal development and as a framework of understanding the world that surrounds us (i.e. a worldview).
Definition: Modernity in the context of philosophy is broadly considered to date back to the Enlightenment of 17th and 18th century Europe, and is typically understood to have begun with Descartes (of “I think therefore I am” fame). The main feature of modernity is its emphasis on rationality and as the excerpt from the Conceptual Dictionary in the Unit Reader says, the “privileging of science over traditional thought and action”. (Conceptual Dictionary, 1994) The modernist believes that through the supremacy afforded to rationality and science over traditional thought it is possible to improve upon and progress human society. There is some disagreement as to whether the period of modernity has ended or not, and whether we are still in it, particularly from proponents of postmodernism.
Word in Use: The objectives and hopes of modernity as purported by the philosophers of the Enlightenment was the continued improvement and ultimate perfection of human society.Bullock, A. and S. Trombley. eds. 2000. The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought. 3rd ed. London: Harper Collins.
Bunnin, N., and J. Yu. eds. 2009. The Blackwell Dictionary of Western Philosophy. West Sussex, U.K.: Wiley-Blackwell.
Craig, A.P. et al. 1994. Conceptual Dictionary. Kenwyn, South Africa: Juta, University of Natal.
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Goals
Assignment
Unit: SSK12
Week: 2
Date: 12 September 2009
Assignment: QSK Worksheet -
Metacognitive
Glossary
Unit: SSK12
Week: 2 (updated in Week 6)
Date: 07 October 2009 (Updated: 09 October 2009)Word: metacognitive adj.
Context: Metacognitive is mentioned by Lorraine Marshall in the ‘Read this first’ introduction of A Guide to learning independently.
Definition: The Australian Oxford Dictionary simply defines metacognition as “awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes”. This might be more simply put as thinking about your own thinking and recognising what factors might influence our thinking (Encarta, 2009). A Dictionary of Psychology informs us that “Writings on metacognition can be traced back at least as far as De Anima and the Parva Naturalia of the Greek philosopher Aristotle (384–322 BC), and the phenomenon was brought to prominence during the 1970s largely by the US psychologist John H(urley) Flavell (born 1928)…” In an influential article presented by psychologists, R.E. Nisbett and T.D. Wilson they “summarized a range of evidence suggesting that people are often unaware of the factors influencing their own choices, evaluations, and behaviour….” (A Dictionary of Psychology, 2009).
Word in Use: As she became more metacognitive in her approach to her choices, she became more aware of what was influencing her behaviour.Marshall, L., and F. Rowland. 2006. A Guide To Learning Independently. 4th ed. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia.
The Australian Oxford Dictionary. 2004. 2nd ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Encarta® World English Dictionary. 2009. Metacognition.
http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dictionary/DictionaryResults.aspx?search=metacognitive
(accessed September 07, 2009)“metacognition n.” A Dictionary of Psychology. Edited by Andrew M. Colman. Oxford University Press 2009. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Murdoch University. <http://0-www.oxfordreference.com.prospero.murdoch.edu.au/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t87.e5014>
(accessed September 07, 2009) -
Meta-
Reflection
Unit: SSK12
Week: 1
Date: 07 September 2009Lorraine Marshall references the text in the Unit Reader as follows:
Hobson, J. 1996. Concepts of the self: Different ways of knowing about the self. SSK12 lecture transcript. ed. Marshall, L. Perth: Murdoch UniversityAt the risk of looking silly, I’m wondering if the following full reference is also valid, if not more so:
Hobson, J. 1996. Concepts of the self: Different ways of knowing about the self. SSK12 lecture transcript. ed. Marshall, L. Reprinted in SSK12 Introduction to University Learning Reader 2008, 27-36. Perth: Murdoch UniversityWhen did we find the lovely word ‘metacognition’ and where is the Glossary thread? Have I missed something?
The Oxford Dictionary of English (2005) defines ‘meta-‘ a combining form (or prefix) 1. denoting a change of position or condition: metamorphosis, 2. denoting position behind, after, or beyond: metacarpus, 3. denoting something of a higher or second-order kind: metalanguage.
Upon cross-referencing ‘metalanguage’ from the definition above you find it is “a form of language or set of terms used for the description or analysis of another language” (Oxford Dictionary of English, 2005) and if you were to look up ‘metacognition’ you would find that it is an “awareness and understanding of one’s own thought processes” (Oxford Dictionary of English, 2005).
In both these cases (and many others pertaining to philosophy and psychology) when we apply the prefix ‘Meta-‘ to the original subject or word stem, the new word represents a subject or topic about the original subject. In other words, metalanguage is a language used to describe language and metacognition is thinking about thinking or in Hobson’s (1996) case, “contextualis[ing] the context”.
In summary, to answer Koral’s question, in this case I believe ‘meta’ to mean something above and beyond the subject we are applying it to in order to better understand that subject. (I hope that made sense) 🙂
More on the context that defines me and the questions that may raise after I’ve actually read the text. 🙂
References
“meta- combining form” The Oxford Dictionary of English (revised edition). Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Murdoch University. 6 September 2009 <http://0-www.oxfordreference.com.prospero.murdoch.edu.au/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t140.e47936>“metalanguage noun” The Oxford Dictionary of English (revised edition). Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Murdoch University. 6 September 2009 <http://0-www.oxfordreference.com.prospero.murdoch.edu.au/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t140.e47953>
“metacognition noun” The Oxford Dictionary of English (revised edition). Ed. Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson. Oxford University Press, 2005. Oxford Reference Online. Oxford University Press. Murdoch University. 6 September 2009 <http://0-www.oxfordreference.com.prospero.murdoch.edu.au/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t140.e47945>
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Previewing a book
Learning Skills Exercise
Unit: SSK12
Week: 1
Date: 06 September 2009
Exercise: Exercise 15 – Previewing a bookActivity 1: Finding out what books are about
A Guide to Learning Independently
This book is design to help the student adjust to university learning. It gives technique that the student can you to be a successful independent leaner. Skills such as: reading; writing, including essay writing, learning by evaluation; etc…. The authors claim that the book isn’t just a collection of techniques, but rather the book helps the student discover who they are as a learner and encourages the readers to learn how the techniques can work for them.Marshall, L. & F. Rowland. 2006. A Guide To Learning Independently. 4th ed. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia
A Learning Companion
A Learning Companion is a learning guide design to help the student develop effective and efficient learning skills. It is a collection of exercises that the student can complete in order to foster life long learning skills that can hopefully used for the duration of their studies. Exercises cover such topics as: Learning how to learn; reading; and writing essays, amongst others. The book’s hope is to be a learners’ companion.Marshall, L. 2006. A Learning Companion: Your Guide To Practising Independent Learning. 4th ed. Frenchs Forest, N.S.W.: Pearson Education Australia
In my attempt to get to know the two unit texts I read the back cover first, then I overviewed the table of contents, before quickly reading over the Preface or the Introduction. I found the back cover to summarise the book’s contents clearly and concisely. The table of contents also gives an excellent overall understanding of the information covered. If I had more time than 5 minutes to preview the books, the introduction would be the best part of the book to find the most information.
Activity 2: Previewing a book
No written entry required
Activity 3:
<Activity 3 summary goes here>
Activity 4: Reflection
It was good to do the quick preview exercise at the start of this exercise. It reinforced to me the importance of previewing text, especially in the context of tertiary study. Although it is not uncommon for me to preview my books by reading the back cover and index, I am reminded of the value of thoroughly reading the introduction in order to get a big picture understanding to the book.I never was a strong reader and even now, although I tend to read a lot of books, I don’t read them very fast. One of my biggest challenges is going to be whether I am able to improve my reading ability, especially in the area of reading rate variation. I may find it difficult to learn to read at any other rate than the snail’s pace I am used to.
<Write more…>
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Assonance
Glossary
Unit: General Knowledge
Week: 1 (SSK12)
Date: 06 September 2009Word: assonance n.
Context: <explain the context in which the word or concept appeared>
Definition: <provide an extended dictionary definition of the word or concept (we recommend you use an ‘academic’ dictionary such as the Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought.) You can not offer merely a simple ‘translation’ from a pocket or small dictionary.>
Word in Use: <write your own sentence using the word or concept.>The word was used incorrectly by Koral Ward with an Online Tutorial discussion thread. I believe Koral meant alliteration instead of assonance.
<References>
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Pedagogue
Glossary
Unit: SSK12
Week: 1
Date: 06 September 2009 (Updated: 06 October 2009)Word: pedagogy n. pedagogically adv. pedagogue n. archaic.
Context: Pedagogy and pedagogically appear on pages 10 and 11 of SSK12 Reader, within Krause’s (2005) essay, The changing face of the first year: Challenges for policy and practice in research led universities. Krause uses these two words in respect to building community within the research-led university.
Definition: The Australian Oxford Dictionary (2004) defines pedagogy as “the science of teaching” derived from pedagogue which is simply defined as teacher or schoolmaster. The Queensland Government (2006) provides a succinct expansion of the word pedagogy on their Department of Education and Training website. The site defines pedagogy as “the art of teaching” and goes on to explain that effective pedagogy, or in my words, artful teaching, employs many and varied teaching methods and strategies in order to connect with a wider student audience as there is no universal method that suits every student. Pedagogically is simply an adverb used for something relating to a pedagogue or pedagogy.
Word in Use: Through more productive pedagogy Australian governments hope to reach a broader range of students than can be achieved by a single method of teaching.Krause, Kerri-Lee. 2005. The changing face of the first year: Challenges for policy and practice in research led universities. First year experience workshop. Brisbane: University of Queensland.
The Australian Oxford Dictionary. 2004. 2nd ed. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.
Queensland. Department of Education and Training. 2006. Pedagogy. http://education.qld.gov.au/curriculum/learning/teaching/technology/pedagogy/index.html (accessed September 06, 2009).
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I have completed LITE!
Reflection
Unit: SSK12
Week: 1
Date: 05 September 2009Hooray!
I am delight to write this SLog entry, for I have just completed my first assessment. Not only am I please to have achieved this milestone (no matter how small), but I am also relieved because now there is one less thing to worry about for next week. Once the QSK Worksheet is complete I will truly relax ( that’s assuming of course I have got myself up to date and don’t allow myself to fall behind).
I genuinely believe that LITE was a great benefit to me. This was not just something that I completed for the sake of ticking boxes. I have learnt to cite and reference works from other people correctly. This is something I did not know how to do previously. Sure, I have seen plenty of it in the books I read, but I didn’t know the conventions to be followed, especially for referencing journals, newspapers and websites.
I think I can say with some confidence that I know how to search the web and by extension databases and catalogues, but the lessons for searching were an excellent refresher and I believe after having done them my searches will be much more effective and efficient. I had also learnt about boolean operators before, but it was useful to refresh that knowledge as well and admittedly I had never considered the power of boolean searches when the right combinations are used.
The LITE exercises refined my understanding of where I should be looking for information, such as books for thorough and systematic treatment of a topic, journals and newspapers for the latest and up to date information, and reference materials like dictionaries and encyclopedias for overviews, definitions, and background or introductory information.
For completing this assessment I have rewarded myself with a new Filofax to organise my life and my study.
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