Virtualizing The Word: Expanding Walter Ong's Theory Of Orality And Literacy Through A Culture Of Virtuality

This dissertation seeks to create a vision for virtuality culture through a theoretical expansion of Walter Ong's literacy and orality culture model. It investigates the ubiquitous and multimodal nature of the virtuality cultural phenomenon that is mediated by contemporary technology and not explained by pre-existing cultural conventions. Through examining the theoretical underpinnings of orality and literacy culture, the dissertation explores the cultural shift that is just beginning to restructure human consciousness through the ways that society is connecting, exploring and communicating. Further, this dissertation examines the contrasts between virtuality culture features and those related to traditional literacy and orality types, including the gap between the theory of secondary orality and virtuality culture. This dissertation also proposes three ways that contemporary technology creates human presence related to virtuality culture. Finally, this dissertation describes the broad implications for the evolution of virtuality culture in areas such as education, technology, literacy, philosophy, politics, linguistics, ethics, history, the arts and cultural studies.

Name thesis:degree_name

EdD

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Instructional Technology (EdDIT)

Year dc:date.available

2014

Author dc:creator

• Dempsey, Jennifer Camille

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gary Shank
• David D. Carbonara
• Marie Martin

• communication
• literacy
• orality
• technology
• virtuality
• Walter Ong

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/478

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-1491