Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
The Web Portfolio
as Postmodern Narrative Connection
In the topic, A Postmodern Condition: A Report on Knowledge, Lyotard
(1999) argues that all aspects of modern societies, including science as the
primary form of knowledge, depend on narratives to exploit and represent
knowledge. On the macro scale, “grand narratives”, stories a culture tells itself
about its practices and beliefs (Lyotard, 1999, pp.18-20), are rejected by
postmodernists as failures. These failures include examples such as Marxism,
communism, and fascism and are prime cases of socialist approaches to
defining a grand narrative which ultimately resulted in failure. The postmodern
viewpoint as expressed by Lyotard and expanded on by Webster is that
historical change and its “pretension to discern the truth has lost its credibility”,
meaning that what we are not destined to believe a truth as it is told to us by
society in what Lyotard's grand narrative scheme. More importantly, to the
case of the Web portfolio and its inevitable place in postmodern society as an
agent of change for knowledge workers, “Totality”, and the view that there is
one evident and defined truth, is highly rejected by postmodernists such as
Lyotard. The postmodernists believe that there can only be versions of the
truth, represented by what Lyotard called “mini-narratives”, stories that explain
small practices, local events, personal accomplishments, rather than large-
scale universal or global concepts (Lyotard, 1999). These mini-narratives are
being delivered through Web portfolios. People will want to be defined in the
postmodern age by creating their own identities rather than masking their skills,
abilities, talents, and creativity behind the identity of a company or organization.
Web portfolios are becoming required for educators in K-12 higher education.
And due to state education department requirements, Web portfolios can be
associated with the concept of the e-portfolio becoming a grand narrative of the
information society. As well, mini-narratives will serve as the content base for
the grand narrative evolved out of e-portfolios. People will update their Web
portfolios as their lives change and their accomplishments and identity grow.
Content on the Web portfolio will mirror the appearance that the knowledge
worker wants to display to the world.
When people started willingly working for others, the personal visit and
conversation were the first communication methods and strategies used in work
for hire situations. Meeting the business owner on personal recommendation,
briefly speaking with him about capabilities, discussing wages/arrangements,
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