Lecture 9 - The Ecology of Media

The term ecology is something I had previously only associated with biology and the physical environment. The term media ecology, however, is defined as:

'... the matter of how media of communication affect human perception, understanding, feeling, and value; and how our interaction with media facilitates or impedes our chances of survival. The word ecology implies the study of environments: their structure, content, and impact on people' (Media Ecology Association, 2009).

This new term has yet again opened my mind to unexplored concepts and theories associated with media and technology. Once familiar with the term and its meaning, it makes perfect sense to study the ecology of media in an effort to understand more about human interaction and our world. Over the course of studying New Communication Technology I have often asked myself, 'Why have I never considered the various content raised in lectures prior to studying the course?' Afterall technological advances are occurring every second of every day, our lives are intermeshed with technology and its uses. A valid point raised in today's lecture discussed the difference between the physical environment and the invisible environment, which includes the internet, social media, television, radio, magazines, signs, culture and language. The discussion concluded with the realisation that the invisible environment is only invisible until its structure, capability and underlying messages are exposed through questioning. The reason that I had never considered many of the points raised in the lectures is that I had never thought critically about technology. That is, until, I was prompted to throughout my lecture and tutorial classes.

Media Ecology Association. (2009). What is Media Ecology? (Neil Postman). Retrieved January 29, 2011, from http://www.media-ecology.org/media_ecology/index.html