Definition of Key Terms
Symbols.
Symbols refer to "processes of representation" situated within the context of social acts, interactions and relationships (Couch, 1996, p. xiv). Symbols are interpretations as shared understandings or emerge as interpretations of shared understandings within social contexts. Evocative symbols refer to traditional forms of communication such as orality and spoken language preferences, and referential symbols refer to the printing and writing forms of literacy (Couch, 1996).
Culturally rooted.
Navajo culture remains culturally rooted within the oral tradition, Navajo cosmology and epistemology. The oral tradition--its symbols and metaphors--are valued and respected as knowledge relevant to living in the contemporary world.
Interfaces.
In the theory of information transfer, individuals and society dynamically shape the processes in the creation, dissemination, organization, diffusion, and use of information (Achleitner & Grover, 1988; Greer, 1987). The focus is on the role and activity of the individual within an environmental or cultural context, considering culture, language, and technology as essential dynamics of the communicative process.
Dine' culture.
Dine' have experienced many changes, culturally, economically, politically , and technologically. The significance in adapting external innovations from the Spanish, Spanish American, Ute, Zuni, Pueblo, Apache, Comanche, Mexican, Mexican American, EuroAmerican, and AngloAmerican cultures remained in the freedom to choose or reject such innovations into their lifestyles. Whatever the borrowed innovations and technologies, dine' creatively rendered them uniquely Navajo (Acrey, 1988; Bailey & Bailey, 1986). The historical legacy of dine' also includes the lack of choice in forced assimilation and tolerance of foreign ways, innovations, education, and lifestyles, resulting in resilient cultural survival.
Web culture.
Web culture refers to the Net, the Internet, and the WWW, as twentieth century technologies that provides a rich panoply of nonlinear communications offers audio, video, print, animation, graphics, real-time, and virtual reality (McLellan, 1996). The web culture, as a technological system, represents a diverse, interconnected, integrative, dynamic, and evolving medium.
Orality & Literacy.
Ong explains that in primarily oral cultures, knowledge is revered and respected. Those who have it or "specialize" (1982, p. 41) in conserving it are the ones who can tell the stories of the past. Conversely, writing and printing, remain external to storing knowledge traditionally, thereby deflating the status and power of the knowledge conserver as storyteller (Ong, 1982).
Navajo culture, according to Ong, would be considered a culture of secondary orality (1982). Contrasting a primary oral culture where there is no knowledge of writing or print, Navajo culture is mediated with the technologies of radio, television, telephone and computers which are dependent upon writing and print (Ong, 1982).
A Navajo analogy may describe the relationship between orality and literacy: all are born "into" orality and born "for" literacy. In the Navajo culture one is born into the mother's clan but born for the father's clan. Traditionally, the mother-child relationship represents a stronger bond than that of father-child. However, both dynamics of relational kinship are considered fundamental to the Navajo system of solidarity (Witherspoon, 1975). The same complementarity exists between orality and literacy. Such a symbiotic relationship is mutually causal in that literacy can enhance orality in restoring, preserving, and extending cultural memory and consciousness within technologizing cultures (Ong, 1982).
Greco-Western.
Our modern thought, rooted in the Greek style of thinking--alphabetical, logical, sequential, and analytical--is embodied in reading, writing and literature. This pattern of thinking has served as a "standard system" (Burke & Ornstein, 1995, p. 71) for the creation, dissemination, organization, transmission, and use of information within the dominant society. The literate word has represented power, authority and status in dominating our thinking. However, the complementarity of thinking involves an analytical, critical, and fragmentary perspective parsing information into parts, and the synthesizing and unifying perspective of relating to information as a whole (Burke & Ornstein, 1995).
Research.
From dine' perspective, learning is internalized and lived. The concept of research is viewed as a learning process whereby one learns about themselves and the environment around them. Within a research context, any research includes: understanding yourself; the need to look at your positionality; reasons for undertaking the research on the Navajo Nation; and an understanding of the environment, inclusive of people, traditions and technology (Jasperse, 1998).
Technology definition.
Information technology describes the information handling systems as both product and process. The socially created conventions are symbol systems for communication associated with representing, collecting and storing of information (Finnegan, 1988). The information technologies of speaking, writing, printing, computers, WWW, and satellite dishes are designs for communicative action that have the potential to transform the people and situations in the process (Couch, 1996). Cultures are not passive systems and nor are the environments in which technology is used for the intended purposes of sharing, communicating and celebrating meaning, cultural values, and beliefs.
The information technologies of computer and telecommunications are based upon the U.S. National Information Infrastructure (NII) description as "a seamless web of communications networks, computers, databases, and consumer electronics that will put vast amounts of information at user's fingertips" (Griffith, 1994).
The technologies of the computer information technologies offer four services: (a) voice communication or telephony, being the most common; (b) digitized communication requiring a modem connected to a computer that allows for the sending and receiving of mail through the network as a mail system; (c) transfer of images and hypertext as hypermedia referred to the World Wide Web, or simply the web; and (d) research institutions and the Department of Defense engaged in superior information processing capabilities excelling the services above (Braman, 1995).
Voluntary Learning Exchange Form
Attempts will be made to provide the Voluntary Learning Exchange Agreement on the Internet with text and audio capabilities.
I understand that my participation in learning about and working on the computer at Lake Valley Chapter House is for me to pursue my own educational and recreational needs.
_______I give Frances Vitali permission to include me in her dissertation research. _______I give Frances permission to use my name in her dissertation research. _______I do not give Frances permission to use my name in her dissertation research. Name____________________________Signature______________________date Thank you, Frances
Lake Valley Chapter House Letter of Support
Frances Vitali
P.O. Box 3528
Farmington, NM 87499
Etta Tso, Coordinator Lake Valley Chapter House P.O. Box 190 Crownpoint, NM 87313
Dear Lake Valley Chapter Members:
I would like to congratulate the Lake Valley Chapter staff and community members in securing the new computer technology available at the chapter house. The chapter members are also making plans to bring additional computers to the chapter house for community members' use. I have been very interested in computer technology at Lake Valley while I was working as a teacher and librarian at Lake Valley Navajo School. The reason why I left was to go on for my doctorate degree so I would be able to better serve the community. I return to Lake Valley with my continued interest in the new computer technology and seeing ways which can benefit the community and community members. The only thing left to do before receiving my degree is a research project. For my research project, I have chosen to learn more about how community members at Lake Valley Chapter House (children, adults and elders) are using this new computer technology for their needs. Because of this, I am asking permission to do my dissertation research at the chapter house to document and show how adults, elders, and children are using the technology. I would be able to be at the chapter house throughout the day and in the evenings, if needed, to assist community members with learning about what is available on the computers and how to access information of interest to them. Participation in the research will involve a voluntary learning exchange. While community members learn more about how they can use computers for their needs, they will be contributing to the research project. I would be very pleased to help our community and at the same time finish this last part of my doctoral program. My plan after the research is completed is to return to the area and to continue to assist the community in any way that I can. Baa aheeh nisin. Frances Vitali Doctoral Candidate Emporia State University
All Rights Reserved. Frances Vitali
Last updated November 23, 1999