Digital Media and Information in Society/Discussions/4-Early Literacy and the Manuscript Age

Early Literacy and the Manscript Age

Introduction

• Brief overview of the day's focus: Cognitive shifts, uses, and gratifications in the early literacy and manuscript age.
  • Why It Matters Today: Understanding cognitive and technological shifts informs how designers create and innovate.
  • Relevant Wikipedia Articles: Information Age, Cognitive revolution

Transition from Orality to Literacy

• Recap of oral traditions.
• Introduction of alphabetic literacy as a disruptive technology.
  • Why It Matters Today:
    • Narrative Structures: Insights into game narrative design. (Story structure)
    • Information Processing: Understanding different modes of information delivery. (Information processing)
  • Relevant Wikipedia Articles: Orality, Literacy

Birth of the Alphabet and Cognitive Shifts

• The move from pictographic to alphabetic systems.
• Cognitive implications: abstraction and symbolic thought.
  • Why It Matters Today:
    • Symbolic Literacy: Importance in UI/UX design. (Semiotics)
    • Cognitive Load: Designing intuitive user experiences. (Cognitive Load)
  • Relevant Wikipedia Articles: History of the Alphabet

Material Transition: Clay to Papyrus; Tablets to Scrolls to Codex

• Technological advancements in manuscript materials, from clay to papyrus and manuscript formats, from tablets to scrolls to codex
• Changes in accessibility and durability of knowledge.
  • Why It Matters Today:
    • Medium Impact: Different media offer varied user experiences. (Medium Theory)
    • Permanence and Ephemera: Considerations in digital asset creation and preservation. (Digital Preservation)
  • Relevant Wikipedia Articles: Writing Materials, History of Writing

Uses and Gratifications in the Manuscript Age

• Manuscripts for religious, legal, and educational purposes.
• Personal use: diaries, letters, etc.
  • Why It Matters Today:
    • Content Types: Varied types of content fulfill different user needs. (Uses and Gratifications Theory)
    • User Engagement: Knowing the end-use can enhance design strategies. (User Engagement)
  • Relevant Wikipedia Articles: Manuscript Culture

Preservation of Cognitive Techniques

• Importance of manuscripts in preserving knowledge.
  • Why It Matters Today:
    • Documentation: Importance in game and graphic design. (Software Documentation)
    • Knowledge Transfer: Relevance in collaborative projects. (Knowledge Transfer)
  • Relevant Wikipedia Articles: Preservation (library and archival science)

Conclusion

• Sum up the cognitive, material, and societal shifts caused by early forms of literacy and manuscript technology.
  • Why It Matters Today: Provides a foundational understanding that informs modern design and innovation.