Combining Art and Science through IT

M/SET 99,San Antonio, March 1999

Combining Art andScience through IT

Johan Groth <johan.groth@gogab.se>The Interactive Instituteand Groth & Groth Ltd.

Division of knowledge I

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 2

Historically no clear distinction between subjects Mathematics and music Philosophy and physics Politics and theology

“How” and “why”

Division of knowledge II

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 3

Today a clear distinction between subjects Natural science Technology Social sciences Humanities Art

Division of knowledge and school

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 4

Different subjects and coursersDifferent teaching methodsDifferent forms of evaluationDifferent “values”

Effects of the division

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 5

“Narrow-mindedness”Limitation in methodsProblems in seeing consequencesProblems in seeing all aspects of a question

The Advent of Internet

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 6

A network of computer networksA set of communication protocolsThe one and only IT infrastructureWill expose the limitations of the division

of knowledge

Why will Internet be The network?

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 7

Based on open standardsScaleableGlobally accepted and growing rapidlyAvailable without major investmentsCost efficientExperienced as a transparent platform

What will we do on Internet?

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 8

Everything! Distribute texts, show pictures Telephone, TV and radio Etc., etc.

“All” information exchange and communication will use Internet

“Everything” will be connected to Internet

Possible limitations

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 9

None!Moore’s law will continue to holdComputer networks will develop even fasterAddresses will never run outEtc., etc.

What does this mean?

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 10

New ways to communicate New ways to exchange informationNew types of knowledgeNew types of co-operationChanges in how we live, learn and work

Changes –Information will be digital

Easy to storeEasy to copy without loss of qualityEasy to distributeEasy to change format

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 11

Changes –All information formats are equal

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 12

Primacy of text is removedAll formats equally easy to handleA return to ”pre-printing press times”The “best” format can be chosen

Changes –“Everything” will be connected

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 13

Share resourcesShare informationWork togetherThe network is more important than the

“computer”

Changes –“Everyone” will take part

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 14

Interests more important than ”closeness”

Changes –Information consumer and producer

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 15

Handle all information types with one toolEasy and cheap to create information in any

formatPossible to reach a world wide audienceNo more broadcastingInitiative will come from the receiver

Changes –Information will be concurrent

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 16

Printed = permanentPossible to change with timePossible to change with userPossible to change with user’s needs

Changes –An invisible development

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 17

Material flows and information are separatedServices become more importantProducts become ”invisible”Companies become ”invisible””Hard to explain what you are doing”

The changes and the division of knowledge

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 18

All information formats available for allLess “number crunching”, more imaginationGlobal “meetings”, wider perspectivesAttract the audiencePersonal services and products

Effects on the educational sector I

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 19

New ”doors” will openNew contacts will be possibleNew information sources will become

availableNo common teaching materialSubjects change and merge

Effects on the educational sector II

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 20

Competition between schoolsDeeper contacts with parents Central role for school librariesParallel changes (buildings, pedagogy etc.)School will depend on a “critical system”

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 21

Interactive multimedia toolAims at “supporting the conceptualisation

and exploration” of various phenomenaE.g. symmetry in mathematics, physics and

musichttp://www.nada.kth.se/cid/

Example: The Garden of Knowledge

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 22

National research instituteMedia, art and ITCross-disciplinary research settingDistributed organisationBetween academy and commercial sectorInterest in different competencies

Example: The Interactive Institute

Dr. Johan Groth 1910/04/23E-mail johan.groth@gogab.se WWW http://www,pi.se/gogab Page 23

There exists a division of knowledgeUnnecessary constraints in research and

educationInternet offers new ways to handle I & CInternet appears to diminish the division of

knowledge

Conclusions