Hall, S. (1974) The television discourse: Encoding and decoding. Education and Culture 25, 8-14. Halliday, M.A.K. (1978). Language as Social Semiotic. London: Edward Arnold. Havey, D. & Puccio, D. (2016). Sex, Likes and Social Media. London: Vermilion. Illich, I. (1973) Tools for Conviviality. New York: Harper & Row. Innis, H.A. (1949). Empire and Communications. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Innis, H.A. (1951) The Bias of Communications. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Isin, E., & Ruppert, E. (2015). Being Digital Citizens. London: Rowman & Littlefield. Jenkins, H., Shresthova, S., & Gamber-Thompson, L. (2016). By Any Media Necessary: The new youth activism. New York: New York University Press. Kellner, D. (1978). Ideology, Marxism and advanced capitalism. Socialist Review 42, 37-65. Kellner, D. (2012) Media Spectacle and Insurrection, 2011: From the Arab uprising to Occupy Everywhere. New York: Continuum/ Bloomsbury. Klein, N. (2015) This Changes Everything: Capitalism and the climate. New York: Simon and Schuster. Livingston, S. & Sefton-Green, J. (2016) The Class. New York: New York University Press. Luke, A. (2018) Critical Literacy, Schooling and Social Justice. New York: Routledge. Luke, C. (1990) Constructing the Child Viewer. New York: Praeger Press. The New London Group. (1996). A pedagogy of multiliteracies: Designing social futures. Harvard educational review, 66 (1), 60-93. Pasquale, F. (2015). The Black Box Society: The secret algorithms that control money and information: Harvard University Press. Picciano. A. & Spring, J. (2012) The Great American EducationIndustrial Complex. New York: Routledge. Quan-Haase, A. (2016) Technology and Society: Social networks, power, and inequality, 2nd ed. Toronto: Oxford University Press. Share, J. (2009) Media Literacy is Elementary. 2nd Ed. New York: Peter Lang. Viner, Katherine (2016) How technology disrupted the truth. The Guardian June 16, 2016. Retrieved from: https://www. theguardian.com/media/2016/jul/12/how-technologydisrupted-the-truth Allan Luke’s books include: Critical Literacy, Schooling and Social Justice (Routledge, 2018), Educational Policy, Narrative and Discourse (Routledge, 2019) and Bourdieu and Chinese Education (Routledge, 2019). His current work is available at https://www.reverbnation. com/allanluke Julian Sefton-Green’s books include: The Class: living and learning in the digital age (New York University Press, 2016), Learning Identities, Education and Community: young lives in the cosmopolitan city (Cambridge University Press 2016) and Learning beyond the School: international perspectives on the schooled society (Routledge, 2018) 13 Gender and human rights in the digital age José Peralta Is it possible to translate human rights into code? Joana Varon and her NGO Coding Rights intend to do so. Through innovative solutions, they hope to build bridges between gender, technology and human rights. I nformation is power. This oft-repeated phrase is true, even if the way we share information changes over time. It is this very concept that inspired a group of women to use their intelligence, passion and knowledge in the service of ‘translating human rights to code.’ This is the leitmotif of Coding Rights, an organisation created in 2015 that describes itself as a ‘think and do’ tank. It focuses on strengthening human rights in the digital realm. How can human rights be strengthened online? For Coding Rights, it can be done by considering the use and understanding of technology when shaping public policy. It can also be achieved by denouncing companies who use technology to violate digital privacy. While this may sound like a mishmash of ideas, one thing is clear: Coding Rights walks the walk, and their work extends beyond far publishing statements. ‘We create apps, produce content, and break down complex ideas so that they are accessible to everyone,’ Joana Varon, founding director of Coding Rights, told IFEX. Varon is a Brazilian researcher and activist, focused on technology, digital rights, and privacy. She’s also a lawyer, and holds a degree in International Relations. In 2017, she was selected, amongst 15 others, for a fellowship dedicated to ‘building a more humane digital world’ by the Mozilla Foundation. Media Development 4/2018 Varon seeks to ‘reach people through accessible, easy-to-understand mediums’ and to discuss ‘topics like surveillance and digital security.’ For Varon, this presents ‘a constant challenge.’ ‘We take a three-pronged approach to our work: The first is to research the state of technology, its implementation, and the effects it has on fundamental human rights. The other is to translate the findings of our research so that more people and other movements can understand it. We want them to know that digital issues are cross-cutting and relate to almost all existing social movements (environmental, gender equality, etc.). The third aspect of our work occurs after we’ve conducted our analysis, and after we’ve informed and mobilised people. At this point, we think of the type of code we’d like to create that encompasses alternate values to the ones we currently see reflected in technology,’ said the researcher and activist. It’s a significant challenge, raising awareness about human rights in the digital age. ‘It’s a complicated issue. From the moment we created Coding Rights, we chose not to use the typical images of eyes and cameras to represent digital security. We wanted to make something that created more of a personal connection with people, and we continue to do so,’ says Varon. She believes that things have changed ‘for the better’ in Latin America over the past year; that people are more aware of issues related to personal data, privacy, and the internet. The Cambridge Analytica case – in addition to other potential influences on the electoral results in countries like the United States – allowed people to ‘understand that their data is valuable’ and to ‘pay more attention’ to their online presence. Translating to create understanding The key concept that Varon works with is that of ‘translating’ the complex mechanisms of digital security and surveillance into ‘concrete actions, where people can feel an impact.’ ‘People often think that human rights and digital rights don’t affect them directly, so we have to find innovative ways to discuss these topics,’ she said. 14 This is how Coding Rights was born – based on the aim to ‘translate human rights into code.’ Right from the start, Coding Rights’ work stood out as original and controversial. ‘SaferNudes’, for example, is an initiative that informs people about how they can take all the nude photographs they like, while still safeguarding their anonymity (if that’s what they want). The project offers a guide – complete with concrete examples on how to take safe nude photographs. ‘We would dare to say the vast majority of us yearns to send and receive nudes all day long, every day. We believe the privacy of your communications is a right, and that the decision to have them published or not should be exclusively yours,’ the project states. This is the perspective that Coding Rights takes with each new project. Another example of their work is a newsletter on surveillance and digital security. The project started in 2015, and it continues to run today. Its primary focus? How the use of big data can affect elections. Chupadatos -The data sucker Something sinister moves through the shadows of the darkest nights – a being that terrorizes even the most remote towns of Latin America. It’s a macabre, mythological being who sucks the blood out of farm animals. Known as the Chupa Cabras, it’s been the worst nightmare of children and adults alike for decades. Using this name as inspiration, Varon and her team created Chupadatos, a virtual being who -instead of sucking blood -sucks data from all of its victims (in other words: us). ‘Chupadatos is yet another initiative that allows us to tell stories and share them on a large scale. It’s a very effective way to make the link between gender and technology. It translates the problem and tells it in a way that people can understand. In this way, we’re using technology as a tool to defend human rights,’ Varon says. The link between gender and privacy is also made in ‘Menstruapps’, a project that researched fertility and menstruation apps. The initiative uncovered that an enormous amount of data is collected from app users. Media Development 4/2018 ‘It’s detailed information about our bodies, sexual activity, and feelings. In most cases, the apps also use very traditional language that conveys a pro-fertility, traditional family model. These are all issues that we sought to raise awareness about and change,’ she said. Other topics discussed by Chupadatos include: public transport in Rio de Janeiro, dating apps, apps for taking care of children, and marketing that targets mothers. ‘We hope that people become aware of this business model, and understand the risks that come with it. These risks can include leaked data, or the inappropriate use of data by the company that collects it,’ the researcher explains. Currently, Coding Rights is working on ‘Safer Sisters’, a feminist digital campaign that shares advice, via GIFs, on how women can stay safe online. ‘We love it when people read an entire guide on digital security and become well-versed in the risks. But we understand that not everyone will read an entire guide. So, we like to share concrete steps, and tips that only require one click for people to take action.’ Coding Rights’ vision is clear. It sets out to approach pre-existing issues – such as surveillance, extortion, personal data misuse, and human rights violations – from new angles, using unique communication platforms. This is why Coding Rights is made up of a small team. There are only six full-time employees. Depending on the projects they’re developing, they ‘may look for the ideal candidate to see the project to fruition.’ ‘We try to build bridges – to simplify the discourse of privacy and surveillance and apply it to everyday scenarios,’ Varon said. The future: Creating codes to guarantee human rights For Varon, the future of Coding Rights lies in honouring its name, and creating codes to develop technology based on ‘a different set of values.’ Values that ‘defend human rights’ and that are rooted in ‘feminist and egalitarian’ thought. ‘I visualize this as the possibility to guaran15 tee rights by conceptualizing technology that is different from the paradigm we currently live in,’ Varon said. ‘The technology that we use nowadays, even the internet itself, was developed under the principle of connectivity. While this is an important value, we realized that we can’t conceptualize it without relating it to other values, such as the right to privacy and data protection,’ she added. Coding Rights has developed projects related to these issues. One example is radar legislativo (legislative radar). Allyship, courage, and inspiration Coding Rights also likes to work with other organisations who are strategic partners on the continent, and with whom they can develop innovative ideas. ‘We are always looking for partners to develop ideas, and who can help share them with more people,’ said Varon. ‘We like to work on hot button issues, such as fake news, or the use of personal data in elections, but with a regional approach, and in a way that applies to our geographic area,’ Varon explains. Several IFEX members have worked with Coding Rights, including Asociación de Derechos Civiles (ADC), from Argentina, Fundación Karisma, from Colombia, and Derechos Digitales, from Chile. We asked representatives of these organisations about what it’s like to work with Coding Rights: ‘We’ve worked with Coding Rights on multiple occasions. I think the best way to describe the work of Joana and Coding Rights is ‘courageous.’ They aren’t afraid to explore new perspectives or ways in which to discuss human rights and technology. And that, I think – in a community that is often far too self-referential – is very important and inspiring,’ said Vladimir Garay, Advocacy Director at Derechos Digitales. ‘Coding Rights is one of the most interesting projects in the region when it comes to activism and digital rights. They take a fresh approach on how to communicate complex issues. Their communication style is straightforward and sprightly. Media Development 4/2018 They offer an interesting perspective on gender. We worked together on Chupadatos, and another project that analysed government websites,’ said Carolina Botero, of Fundación Karisma. Working with Varon and Coding Rights is ‘stimulating,’ Botero added, noting that the organisation ‘acts very quickly’ and has ‘very fast’ reaction times. To Eduardo Ferreyra, public policy analyst for ADC, Coding Rights ‘does very good work regarding the use of personal data. They are very professional, but what makes them stand out the most is how they disseminate information in original ways. They often use art as a means of sharing their findings.’ Both ADC and Coding Rights are researching how personal data is used by political parties during elections. Coding Rights’ projects have gone viral, and their impact continues to grow in the region and on the continent. It’s in the energy and dedication of groups like Coding Rights that we can find hope for a freer, egalitarian and more tolerant Latin America. n José Peralta is a Regional Editor for IFEX, a network of organisations connected by a shared commitment to defend and promote freedom of expression as a fundamental human right. Article reprinted with permission. 16 ‘Vulnerability’ as the key concept of a communicative ethics for the 21st century Hugo Aznar and Marcia Castillo-Martín At a recent IAMCR Conference (Eugene, Oregon),1 the authors presented a paper proposing that vulnerability could -or should -be the key concept of what they call the second generation of media or communicative ethics. This second generation began to appear during the last decade of the past century, but they propose that its development and dissemination are just now one of the most crucial tasks for the ethics of communication. B efore presenting this new generation, we will go briefly over the past generation. This can help us to understand better the task that we now have to confront. Setting precedents aside, this first generation was born during the beginning of the 20th century as a consequence of a series of events which occurred during its three first decades. These events are well known and we can look back on them in a schematic way. The first was political democratization: a process which took place during the 19th century, and was completed in the first decades of the new century with universal suffrage, including the vote for women. This gave unprecedented relevance to electoral processes, and to mass parties and their leaders, competing for people’s votes. Because of all this, public opinion, and political communication and advertising became a matter of huge interest. The second was the First World War and, closely related, the Soviet Revolution. Both Media Development 4/2018 Copyright of Media Development is the property of World Association for Christian Communication and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder’s express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. Purchase answer to see full attachment

Mastering the Art of Online Learning: Your Guide to Acing Online Courses

Introduction

In recent years, the popularity of online courses has skyrocketed, offering learners the flexibility to acquire new skills and knowledge from the comfort of their homes. However, succeeding in online courses requires a different approach compared to traditional classroom settings. To help you make the most of your online learning experience, this article presents essential strategies and tips to ace your online courses.

1. Set Clear Goals and Plan Ahead

Before embarking on an online course, establish clear goals and objectives. Determine what you hope to achieve by the end of the course and break down your goals into manageable milestones. Create a study schedule that aligns with your other commitments, ensuring you allocate dedicated time for coursework, assignments, and revision.

2. Create a Productive Study Environment

Establishing a conducive study environment is crucial for online learning success. Find a quiet, well-lit space where you can concentrate without distractions. Remove any potential interruptions, such as notifications from social media or email. Organize your study materials and have a reliable internet connection to ensure seamless access to course materials.

3. Actively Engage in the Course

Active participation is key to mastering online courses. Engage with course materials, including videos, readings, and interactive components. Take comprehensive notes, highlighting key concepts and ideas. Participate in discussion boards, forums, and virtual meetings to interact with instructors and peers, fostering a sense of community and enhancing your understanding of the subject matter.

4. Manage Your Time Effectively

Online courses offer flexibility, but it’s essential to manage your time wisely to avoid falling behind. Create a detailed schedule, allocating specific time slots for coursework, assignments, and studying. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable segments to prevent procrastination. Prioritize tasks based on deadlines and dedicate focused time to each one, ensuring consistent progress throughout the course.

5. Develop Effective Communication Skills

Online courses often rely on written communication, making it crucial to hone your skills in this area. Be concise and clear in your written responses, paying attention to grammar and spelling. Actively participate in discussions, asking thoughtful questions and providing constructive feedback to your peers. Regularly check your course emails and notifications, ensuring you stay updated with any important announcements or changes.

6. Utilize Available Resources

Take full advantage of the resources provided by your online course platform and instructors. Familiarize yourself with the learning management system (LMS) and explore its features. Access supplementary materials, such as textbooks, lecture slides, and external resources recommended by instructors. Utilize online libraries, research databases, and tutorial services to deepen your understanding of the subject matter.

7. Stay Motivated and Engaged

Maintaining motivation throughout an online course can be challenging, particularly when faced with competing priorities or a lack of face-to-face interaction. Set short-term goals and reward yourself upon their completion. Connect with fellow learners through virtual study groups or online forums to foster a sense of camaraderie. Regularly remind yourself of the benefits and personal growth associated with completing the course successfully.

8. Seek Support and Clarification

Don’t hesitate to seek support or clarification when needed. Reach out to your instructors for guidance or clarification on course material. Utilize online discussion forums to ask questions or engage in collaborative problem-solving. Leverage the support services provided by your course platform or institution, such as technical support or academic advising.

Conclusion

Online courses present unique opportunities for self-paced learning and personal growth. By setting clear goals, creating a productive study environment, actively engaging with course materials, and managing your time effectively, you can maximize your chances of acing online courses. Remember to stay motivated, seek support when needed, and make the most of the available resources. Embrace the flexibility and adaptability of online learning to achieve your educational goals.