Preventative Architecture in Course Design
I read Eli Pariser's "The Filter Bubble" last week and I thoroughly enjoyed it. After watching his TED talk, I was fascinated and simultaneously horrified at what goes on behind the algorithmic veil.
One of the images in Pariser's book that stuck out for me, as someone who enjoys the application of the concept of architecture, is his anecdote about Jones Beach and Robert Moses's bridges. Moses's desire to keep Jones Beach as a bus-free zone (which has overtly racialized implications) led to the design and construction of low bridges to prevent buses along that stretch of road. It was Moses's way of creating an enclave through what I would term "preventative architecture."
The concept of preventative architecture is one that all educators who teach online should be aware of, especially those involved in the course design process. The way we design our courses should not necessarily exclude students from participating by the nature of the design. All design should maximize inclusivity and, as I have said in previous posts, collaboration.
Designers are not always aware how even the LMS itself can function as a preventive architectural feature of a course. Though we often do not have a choice or a say in the LMS that our institutions use, we can actively work to tear down some of the barriers that are innate in these systems so that we can open our courses to discussion and to sharing amongst the students and the instructor.
These are preliminary thoughts only, a space to start debate and discussion, but I would be curious to hear if any of you have thought about the larger repercussions of preventative architecture built into the LMS or other course tools that you use on a daily basis? I am particularly interested in hearing your thoughts about preventative architecture in the context of Blackboard's newest acquisition? Can you see some walls already coming up around courses you have crafted with such ethical awareness now that "open-washing" seems to be a new trend?
PS. I highly recommend Audrey Watters post on the evolution of the LMS as it relates to this topic.
One of the images in Pariser's book that stuck out for me, as someone who enjoys the application of the concept of architecture, is his anecdote about Jones Beach and Robert Moses's bridges. Moses's desire to keep Jones Beach as a bus-free zone (which has overtly racialized implications) led to the design and construction of low bridges to prevent buses along that stretch of road. It was Moses's way of creating an enclave through what I would term "preventative architecture."
The concept of preventative architecture is one that all educators who teach online should be aware of, especially those involved in the course design process. The way we design our courses should not necessarily exclude students from participating by the nature of the design. All design should maximize inclusivity and, as I have said in previous posts, collaboration.
Designers are not always aware how even the LMS itself can function as a preventive architectural feature of a course. Though we often do not have a choice or a say in the LMS that our institutions use, we can actively work to tear down some of the barriers that are innate in these systems so that we can open our courses to discussion and to sharing amongst the students and the instructor.
These are preliminary thoughts only, a space to start debate and discussion, but I would be curious to hear if any of you have thought about the larger repercussions of preventative architecture built into the LMS or other course tools that you use on a daily basis? I am particularly interested in hearing your thoughts about preventative architecture in the context of Blackboard's newest acquisition? Can you see some walls already coming up around courses you have crafted with such ethical awareness now that "open-washing" seems to be a new trend?
PS. I highly recommend Audrey Watters post on the evolution of the LMS as it relates to this topic.
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