McLuhan observed that youth in the 50s & 60s were “suspending” their educations some 6-7 hours a day while they were in school. Among the first to recognize the power of the electronic media as educators (for better or worse), McLuhan articulated these ideas further in “Classroom Without Walls” first published in the 50s in the Ford Foundation supported journal Explorations he co-edited with anthropologist and fellow U of T professor, Edmund (Ted) Carpenter (key articles were later republished in Verbi-Voco-Visual Explorations, 1967). The theme, closely linked to the expressive power of advertising, had already emerged in his early “American Advertising,” which appeared in Horizon during the late 40s. The tension between the learning in the robust and vivid popular culture environment and that one offered in the schools and demanded by disciplines in the academe never left his thinking. In fact, the last book published in McLuhan’s lifetime, City as Classroom (1977), a Grade 11 media literacy textbook, makes explicit use of media technologies to “inoculate” students against their “adverse effects.” An aspect of that tension between the use of the expressive power of media for teaching, and the continuing cultivation of the intellectual tradition and culture of the book, pervades our current issue.

Sadly, with this issue, we’re also saying farewell to Amanda Leneve who has graduated and left for work in the communication field. Together with Suzanne MacCarthy (to whom we’re also saying farewell for the same reasons), Amanda took this inquiry to Dr. Linda Harasim. Dr. Harasim is a pioneer and an acknowledged leader in the e-learning field, as well as professor at the School of Communication. A different note is struck by Sara M. Grimes, PhD Candidate School of Communication, in her discussion drawing attention to the way the “synergy” between products (toys), programs (media content), merchandising, and children’s play are conditioning the culture of childhood. While recognizing the way media open informational horizons, she also draws attention to the enclosure of play in scenarios derived from media products rather than other imaginative sources. The provide a bit of historical grounding to these ideas, we’ve also prepared a synoptic time line of e-learning.

And, in this issue, we’d like to welcome Tina Sikka, our new managing editor. This issue was marshaled this issue to the Net, and will be at the helm over the next few publications. Tina, who has written for DIGEST in the past, finished her BA at SFU, Masters at Carleton, and is about to defend her PhD at York University (and under the supervision of Myles Ruggles, also an alumnus of the School of Communication, SFU.) Tina’s research interests are in theory, but having worked at the brave and failed experiment of the New Media Innovation Centre (NewMIC), she’s no stranger to the debate, issues, and interests of the new media field. We’re very much looking forward to where her efforts will take us next.

References:

McLuhan, Marshall, Kathryn Hutchon, and Eric McLuhan. City as Classroom: Understanding Language and Media. Agincourt, ON: The Book Society of Canada, 1977.

_______________ and Victor J. Papanek. Verbi-Voco-Visual Explorations. NY: Something Else Press, 1967.