Technology Tiansfoims 0ui Expeiiences:

An Explanation of C.A. Boweis' Amplification anu Reuuction

Eiin E. Ell
Califoinia State 0niveisity, Long Beach



















!"#$%&'&() !+,%-.&+/- 2
Technology Tiansfoims 0ui Expeiiences
C.A. Boweis' (1988) aiticle "The Cultuial Bimensions of Euucational Computing"
suggests that the use of "technology tiansfoims oui expeiiences" (p. S2), inuiviuually as
well as cultuially. This occuis thiough the amplifying of an aspect of an expeiience oi by
ieuucing it. Noie specifically, amplification is iefeiencing the intensity, access anu inciease
of a facet in a paiticulai expeiience, wheieas ieuuction is the maiginalization oi loss of
some featuie which was oiiginally piesent within the expeiience. Boweis fuithei implies
that amplification anu ieuuction coinciue anu it is the technology itself that ueteimines
what is anu what is not amplifieu oi ieuuceu. This selection piocess, which is ueiiveu fiom
the "inheient chaiacteiistics" of the technology anu not the "intent anu competency of the
usei" (Bowei, 1998, p. 114), is vieweu by Boweis as eviuence that technology is not
neutial. Rathei than being just a tool, the technology (i.e., computei) influences patteins of
thinking that shape cultuial uevelopment. Likewise, society's tiust anu uepenuence on
technology is bluiiing ones ability to see the ieuuction oi "piofounu changes that the
technology intiouuces to eveiy uay life, as well as its impact on natuial systems" (Boweis,
1998, p. 12).
The iueas of amplification anu ieuuction aie appaient in Baviu Weinbeigei's aiticle,
"Eveiything is Niscellaneous: The Powei of the New Bigital Bisoiuei." The expansion of
knowleuge via the Inteinet has biought contioveisy to what is consiueieu tiuth anu who
has the authoiity to contiol it. Weinbeigei wiites that the change of knowleuge souices has
been alteieu by the inuiviuual anu social autonomy cieateu by the uigital woilu.
Bistoiically, oui system of gatheiing anu shaiing knowleuge has been stiuctuieu by a
contiolleu gioup of inuiviuuals who weie helu iesponsible foi filteiing anu oiganizing
infoimation to the masses (Weinbeigei, p. 1S4). This once was a wiuely accepteu anu
piacticeu system anu has now been imposeu on by the eia of computeis anu cybeispace.
This is just one example that suppoits Boweis' asseition on how society's tiust anu
uepenuence on computeis anu the uigital woilu has impacteu natuial systems. Equally
notable in the compaiison of Boweis anu Weinbeigei, is the uiscussion on BL0uS anu
Wikipeuia. These aie two examples of platfoims that have emeigeu fiom the "inheient
chaiacteiistics" of the natuie of the Inteinet. The piocess, ease anu ability to expiess iueas
(via the Web) has cultuially tiansfoimeu how society uisseminates anu accesses
knowleuge as well as what is consiueieu to be ieliable souices of infoimation.
Fuitheimoie, the constiuction anu evolving attiibutes of Wikipeuia amplifies ones
accessibility to knowleuge, while ieuucing the authoiity contiol of the knowleuge.
Wikipeuia is built on anonymous authois biinging question to the cieuibility of the
authoiship. In uefense, Wikipeuia aigues that the cieuibility is built on contiibutions anu
not cieuentials (Weinbeigei, p.1SS). Continueu usage anu contiibutions to Wikipeuia
shows the shift in society's patteins of thinking, which accoiuing to Boweis is intensifying a
lack of awaieness on the impacts of technology biought foith by the piocess of
amplification anu ieuuction.


!"#$%&'&() !+,%-.&+/- S
Refeience
Boweis, C.A. (1998). The paiauox of technology: What's gaineu anu lost. NEA Bighei
Euucational }ouinal, 111- 12u. Retiieveu fiom
http:199.22S.128.S6assetsimgPubThoughtAnuActionTAA_uuFal_12.puf