Navigating the Third Space as Learning Space

Image: L'Epis Dore Patisserie and Cafe by mtcleroux

I love the idea of "the third space". According to a quick online search, the term originated in the writings of Homi K. Bhabha, who used it to describe an encounter between two cultures that requires both to explore a mode that is not native to either of them. The first use of the term I encountered, though, was architectural, as a place that is neither home nor work, but something different entirely (also known as the "third place"). Third spaces like parks, libraries, clubs and especially coffee shops provide refuge and play a big part  in the lives of city dwellers. 

When it comes to learning that is lifelong and life wide, third spaces are often the place where the action happens - increasingly on mobile devices. Thanks to today's mobile information technologies, killing time in a third space is no longer limited to reading the newspaper, either. An increasing percentage of mobile phones, and of course tablets, offer internet connectivity and even offline applications that can deliver an array of learning opportunities. From reading applications to news, converters, tutorials, quizzes, games and many more, mobile users really are spoiled for choice - if they choose to use their in-between moments and in-between spaces for learning, of course. Mobile learning - or m-learning, as it is affectionately known - has tremendous potential, but this depends very much on how (and whether) it is used. The relaxed atmosphere of our third spaces can be conducive to learning, but also to distraction. 

The real question here is whether mobile learning can follow the example of the third space. If it can become a mode that is neither work nor play, but something different entirely - and something we love as much as our geographical third spaces - mobile learning has inestimable potential across society. As for me, I am quite contented lounging in my third space of the moment, exchanging mobile learning and immobile languor as the mood suits. 

The image is of my third space of the moment, L'Epis Dore Patisserie and Cafe in Menlo Park, Pretoria. The Provencale garden, lined with lavender, and staff who have my order ready by the time I am seated, win my heart every time. 

Black Tuesday: The Media as Educator

Education, in an ideal world, should not be tainted by politics. Unfortunately reality is not an ideal world, and even the noble cause of learning is often swept along by political undercurrents. Yet, after completing formal education, a significant part of our education continues through the media. This is why I cannot pass up the opportunity to comment, as an educator, on South Africa's Black Tuesday. 

Black Tuesday Resistance. Image: Gulfnews.com

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 marked the passing in South African Parliament of the Protection of Information Bill. In a nutshell, the Bill claims to restrict publication of sensitive state information that could damage  national security. So far so good. However, it has been formulated in such a way that this "sensitive information" includes governmental corruption, which is a national pastime barely rivalled by soccer, rugby and blowing the notorious vuvuzela (see image). The free press has been a hallmark of this fledgling democracy, and has been instrumental in exposing corruption in government and business. (The two are more entangled than instant noodles - occupy that.) Corruption, meanwhile, fills - and sells - newspapers. The present Bill will make such reporting a criminal offence. 

Politiking aside, my concern is that this impacts educational function of the media in society. The news media enable ongoing civil education, specifically in emerging economies where access to formal education remains limited. Transparent reporting provides information that citizens need to make informed decisions about their future - not least when it comes to who deserves to represent their interests in government. Moreover, a steady diet of investigative reporting has been the lifeblood of newspaper sales. Without sales, newspaper budgets would plunge (further - the intelligent publications are suffering as is), reducing the budget for broader educational functions of the press. The bottom line, educationally, is that Black Tuesday threatens to make you stupid. On so many levels. 

One silver lining to the dark cloud is that this crossroads in my country's history has provoked unprecedented unity among South Africans. Traditional and social media shone in spreading the word, raising awareness and galvanizing civil action. Locally and internationally, the deafening cry for justice went unopposed. And that is the seething irony that leads us back to the vital role of education. How did an outrageous proposition pass parliamentary muster if the only audible voice is that of its opposition? Very simply, this "secrecy act" protects the corrupt majority of South Africa's current parliament, who were voted into power by the miseducated, ignorant citizens they are exploiting. If ever there was an argument for education, this is it. 

Night of Hunters: Tori Amos Live in Johannesburg

Prelude
This is a study of expertise, not fandom. Fan culture has never been my thing. Even when I was a teenager, the artist who spoke to me most was completely unknown to anyone in my circle except for the friend who introduced me. And that was how I started following Tori Amos. Rather fanatically. That was twenty years ago, and things have changed. Not only has her popularity soared internationally (considering how unusual her work is), she has also become an icon within a South African demographic many mainstream artists envy - the type that pays for music. I find it mildly disconcerting that she has been discovered, but her following is clearly devout. When her Night of Hunters tour was confirmed in South Africa, it sold out within hours.

Image: toriamos.com

Whatever my misgivings about fan culture, Tori Amos takes her devotees as seriously as they take her. The nature of her music provokes a flood of mail, and she has famously gone to great lengths to support those who approach her with their own traumas. No apathetic rock star arrogance here. Her set lists include multiple encores, live performances incorporate requests and every new CD released includes a little surprise that wins hearts and minds.

Amos is profiled thoroughly for the current tour in an article for NPR by Ann Powers, co-author of her 2005 book Piece by Piece, so I won't go into too much background here. Suffice it to say that the Night of Hunters album is a departure from her previous work in that it draws heavily on her classical training. Not exactly what comes to mind when she straddles a stool to hammer on a prepared piano. Yet the technical precision of her technique and composition cannot be obscured. And so it came that I anticipated her first performance in South Africa with zeal that was, admittedly, fanatical.

Fugue
What stunned me about Tori Amos in live performance was her stage presence, virtuosity, range and forthrightness. Despite this, I also discovered that, more than ever, I am not fan material. Let's do this in style and consider each point in turn.

Of all the instruments, none is as potentially isolating as a piano. But in stead of playing the piano, Amos plays the audience. The almighty Bösendorfer (she is perhaps its most popular advocate) is positioned at a right angle with the audience. She faces the audience for the overwhelming majority of the performance, conspirationally involving them with shockingly intimate eye contact, contextualization of the lyrics and what feels like everyday conversation. Parallell to the piano is an electronic keyboard, and that brings us to her virtuosity.

If you ever listen to radio hits and think, ha, I can do that and better, Tori Amos puts you in your place. In her recordings the sound structure (pun unintended) coupled with cheeky innovation is clear. Under the pressures of live performance she does the basis of each piece absolute justice, but doesn't stop there. The live rendition is not a straightforward recitation but a living, breathing entity all of its own. Her level of comfort playing the piano and keyboard simultaneously, spread over the piano stool while facing the audience (or, eyes wide shut, the ceiling) is staggering and utterly humbling. Vocally and instrumentally she doesn't miss a single beat - or if she does, it simply becomes part of the organic whole of the live and living song. In Night of Hunters, she pulls all this off solo - a testament to her mastery.

Her range - stylistically, vocally, emotionally - may explain the growing following of music that is so far from easy listening. Although a few idiosyncrasies can become predictable, they could be put down as iconography and are easily forgiven. In the modern deluge of flawless machine music and edit-perfect vocals, the sounds Amos is willing to produce - from delightful to harrowing - is enlightening. Her vocals span frequencies from contralto to descant, always precise, but offset with growls and yelps and moans for which no musical notation exists. Emotionally, this provides an abundant palette to paint from. Add to that the opacity of so many of the lyrics, and it's no wonder that they take on a life of their own in each listener's mind. From the agonizing (think Me and a Gun, even more distressing live under a lone spotlight) to the light and frothy (Mr. Zebra), it's all there. How can one not be intrigued?

Finally, Tori Amos displays a stark naked forthrightness about things that rarely get airtime. The process of healing her own most traumatic experiences has been material for songs that have become public property and been widely embraced by minorities. (Notably the audience were predominantly, for all their White middle classness, misfits of every imaginable stripe and yes, I do count myself in.) She has been outspoken on issues that are often too taboo or just too sensitive to discuss, and many among her following claim this has affected them deeply. (During her encore she emphasized that the songs in a set "come" to speak to someone in the audience.) Despite a lot of fluffy love, lightness and sweetness, she makes no bones about her dislikes. The word "hate" makes a frequent guest appearance.

The evening's set consisted mostly of older songs (Little Earthquakes was the opener, with several tracks from Under the Pink and Scarlet's Walk). In the encore I was surprised to hear Blood Roses had been requested - the harpsichord (synthesized on stage) always gets me. It was the only song that set off my goosebumpometer. I was somewhat disappointed that the new album was so under-represented. Considering audience preference, though, the selection was perfect.  Either way, merchandise was flying off the shelves. And the devoted couldn't have been more pleased.

Intellectually and musically the performance stunned me far more than I expected. I was warned that Tori Amos live would be more than I could possibly have imagined. It was true. Yet on a personal level I was not touched in the way I had anticipated. My respect for the artist hasn't changed, but my relationship with her has. Admittedly, I feel disillusioned that those opaque lyrics that were once so central to my young adult identity have been claimed by so many. Worse, I am vaguely horrified at being grouped with the local fan base of pseudo-intellectual lower-upper-middle-class undercover Afrikaner misfits who came out to play, and more horrified still that the shoe fits. Nonetheless, it was a remarkable performance I feel thrilled to have been a part of. 

Coda
The opening act deserves special mention. Yoav is a South African-born acoustic guitarist. The term, though, doesn't nearly do him justice. He plays masterfully, but also uses the guitar as a percussion instrument and echo chamber, deploying an artillery of acoustic tricks. The result is as mesmerising to watch as it is to hear, and he is definitely poised for something Big.  His current album is entitled A Foolproof Escape Plan and well worth a listen. The playlist is embedded below.

A Little Sonnet

Image: Sony Pictures

Yesterday I went to see the thought-provoking film Anonymous, which confronts the controversial identity of William Shakespeare. In a thrilling intrigue of historical politics, the film explores the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare's authorship. According to Oxfordians (whose numbers include highly credible literati), the true author of the works published under the name of Shakespeare was Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. 

The theory is controversial, and it is worth noting that the film itself portrays some historical inconsistencies. In fact, it appears that some Oxfordians consider the film a discredit to their theory. Whatever the historical truth, Anonymous makes for good viewing, and has interesting implications for authorship and identity in the 21st Century. 

Meanwhile, Sony Pictures promoted the film with a promising social media campaign which included a "Shakespeare-ience Quiz" and a challenge to create a sonnet or a coat of arms for Shakespeare on the official Facebook Page. Unfortunately the page, though "liked" by many, did not show much wall interaction. The Sonnet challenge simply displays a preview of the movie, and I couldn't find any evidence of answers to the call. Yet the challenge was irresistible, and I posted mine to the Wall. It seems to have been moderated, but I still think it is a challenge worth meeting. My humble offering, built on a slew of Shakespearian expressions and arguing that the true authorship is not as important as the contribution of the works, is below. The film also raises some interesting questions on the nature of authorship, identity, plagiarism and anonymity in our times. 

Sonnet

On the Author of the Works by the Man they Call Shakespeare

We dare to ask, again, what's in a name?

His words would either way be just as sweet

If they were not by him who snatched the fame

But master of the wild-goose chase we've yet to meet.

Perhaps the sceptics do protest too much

When they insist the wielder of this quill

Could know the classics, royal ways and such,

Transcending humble roots with iron will.

The fact remains the author of these Works

For sure was anything but fortune's fool

What he left us, regardless of his quirks,

Has stood the test of time, the stage to rule.

It matters not if ever you are king.

To reign beyond your years, the play's the thing.