regional conference

In a conference devoted to the wide and dazzling array of new media in relationship to intimate community life in New Orleans and elsewhere, much of what may be extended in the classroom, broadcast or global networks comes from original human forms of expression. The implications of which are: pre-modern forms of artistic communication still speak to us, old modern forms like radio offer time-tested models of extending oral tradition and traditional aesthetics, and new media at their best often aim to recreate and create anew community experiences that we may feel are lost when the market-drivenrush to new technology values form and efficiency over content.

Aaron Delwiche provided the opening keynote for the Fall 2006 NMC Regional Conference, hosted by Trinity College in San Antonio.

Many cyberspace residents feel that America's current body of law is incapable of dealing with the complexities of digital culture. This serious problem transcends traditional ideology. Our legislators have spent most of their lives seeking and maintaining political office, and many have had little exposure to new media.

Is there any validity to the claim that current regulations affecting digital media are endangering the vitality of our democracy and sapping the economic health of our nation? Do restrictive copyright laws inhibit scholarly debate while weakening teachers in the classroom? Is it true that these laws throw roadblocks in front of artists while doing very little to protect the rights of creators?

The long-honored traditional path of scholarship goes something like this: ask a question - do the research - see a pattern - summarize the evidence - tell a new story or add an original ending to a familiar one. Anyone with a doctorate degree has been well-trained in the variations, and the pathway is well-worn and clear.

This session will begin with a brief history of the use of online technologies for creating communities and learning environments, explain how people have embraced new communication mediums in the past and leveraged them. There will be an introduction to Second Life and how educators are currently using it as a platform for collaborative and innovative learning. Finally, the presenter will discuss the future of virtual worlds like Second Life, presenting ideas for supporting and better engaging a new generation of students who have grown up in an immersive networked world.