Module 5 Information ecologies

A definition of 'ecology'.

The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought defines human ecology as “ the attempt to link the structure and organization of a human community to interactions with its localized environment.” (1999, p.247).

The use of the metaphor of an ‘ecology’ impacts the way I think about, understand or use the Internet as it makes me regard an information ecology as developing, ever changing entity where even small, initial changes can have a radical impact on the entire. It gives a biological slant, and I think of this ecology as an existing, growing (and demising) entity.

The most intriguing “key elements of a biological ecology that can be applied to thinking about technologies [are that ]:

it contains a diversity of roles for the people and functions for the tools
there is a co-evolution over time -- new technologies arrive and are assimilated, and peoples roles develop and change;”(Nardi & O’Day, 1999)

A diversity of roles means that users are able (at different times) to perform a variety of roles (eg consumer, contributor, innovator, lurker, or a combination of these roles.

Tools may have many functions and users may develop new uses for existing tools (eg peer to peer and social media).

In terms of how this will affect how I use the internet; if I need to retain or capture information, this definition has prompted me to take pains to ensure that I remove the information from the environment into an environment that I can control (eg files, printouts or folders on my PC and backed up).

In its nature, an information ecology is more ephemeral than previously thought and it is dangerous to assume that information that is present today will necessarily be available tomorrow; information is being constantly changed -
“maintained and changed in the constant reshaping through the exposure to new information in everyday life”. (Stalder, 1997).

The concept ‘information’ within the framework of an ‘information ecology’ is understood as a resource or commodity by Capurro (1990) “information no longer has primarily the function of a public good,...but has also become a commodity with a corresponding exchange value”.(Capurro, 1990) and according to Stalder (1997), “basic element of the ecology”.

Information can change, adapt and become new information, “information flows can change their direction and quality instantaneously, a characteristic greatly accelerated by electronic media” (Stalder, 1997).

The concept ‘Communication’ within the framework of an ‘information ecology’ is understood as a component part of the information ecology - information seems to be the higher ranked entity and not as a resource like information is - “Information...is only a resource as long as it is timely”. (Stalder, 1997).

Capurro (1990) states that “Modern information technology plays a major role in the process of shaping not only the ways we communicate but also all aspects of our individual and social life”, so the way we communicate (information) is influenced by technology.

We don’t talk of a ‘communication ecology’ because in the context of information ecology, information is a larger concept than communication – we communication information , so communication is operative in this sense.

Stalder,(1997) speaks of information being the basic element of the information ecology and communication as a process of this ecology. As more emphasis is placed on information, rather than communication (as per the above) the term information ecology has come into practise. Communicating is too specific a term this is why we speak of an information rather than a communication ecology.
Information is seen as something to “communicate among people” (Stalder, 1997).


References

Bullock, A and Trombley, S (Eds.).1999. The New Fontana Dictionary of Modern Thought (3rd ed). London: HarperCollinsPublishers.

Capurro, R. (1989, 23-25 August).Towards an Information Ecology. Contribution to the NORDINFO International seminar "Information and Quality", Royal School of Librarianship, Copenhagen, Proceedings: I. Wormell ed.: Information Quality. Definitions and Dimensions. London, Taylor Graham 1990, p. 122-139.

Nardi, B. & O’Day, V. (1999). Information Ecologies: Using Technology with Heart USA. MIT Press.

Stalder, F. (1997). Information Ecology A position paper (version 1.0) McLuhan Program in Culture and Technology, FIS, UofT, 1997.