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Day: February 23, 2017

Connectivism at its best

Connectivism at its best

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I had the pleasure of spending Thursday evening with Eli, Chenée and Stuart. We got to know each other without the pressure of Google Hangout where at times I feel restricted. The meeting covered  a range of topics from our introduction, occupation, readings, course reflections and our mini ethnography. I was intrigued by how different we are as individuals. The use of video helped build a layer to our online profile, an honest real time conversation where our body language matched our opinions.  Our use of personal and academic profiles online give an indication of how private we are; we control what we wish to project to the world.  However, on Skype, we get to see someone for who they are and despite our status, gender, race, or academic background our human instinct is to connect with others.

When a Cyber ‘Community’ can take a life.

When a Cyber ‘Community’ can take a life.

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Cyber bullies led my daughter to take her own life

Megan Evans took her own life, aged just 14, after a secret battle against cyber-bullies that she kept hidden from her parents. Her mum Nicola only found out about Megan's torment when cruel messages were discovered on her phone after her death. Nicola choose to speak to us just days after her daughter's funeral, in a desperate bid to raise awareness of cyber bullying and spare other families such heartbreak.

Posted by This Morning on Thursday, 23 February 2017

http://ift.tt/2kRKHg5

Megan Evans took her own life, aged just 14, after a secret battle against cyber-bullies that she kept hidden from her parents. Her mum Nicola only found out about Megan’s torment when cruel messages were discovered on her phone after her death. Nicola choose to speak to us just days after her daughter’s funeral, in a desperate bid to raise awareness of cyber bullying and spare other families such heartbreak.

Heartbreaking – when a cyber ‘community’ can take a life #mscedc

 

The article attached really struck a cord with me. I have a 10 year old daughter and understand the hardship friendships can bring within and out with the classroom. I work with teenagers and everyday try to eliminate any isolation or persecution in my studio. How would I facilitate social connections or manage challenging behaviour online?  Digital Education online excites me at the  possibilities but at the same time worries me as a facilitator. Young people are less resilient to the aggression behind a keyboard. Will online safety become part of my role as an educator ? Is the word ‘cyber’ a peripheral distraction from the more pressing ‘real’ issues of education and the health and well-being of young people. Kozinet speaks of the online culture as a way for people to interact and communicate with others within an online communal experience. This can include newbies, lurkers and regulars that create an online identity and social life in the virtual community. They may use this as a way to escape isolation from their real life social situations. However, we can not guarantee that there will not be ‘bashers’ set out to harass individuals online.

 

References:

Kozinets, R. V. (2010) Chapter 2 ‘Understanding Culture Online’, Netnography: doing ethnographic research online. London: Sage. pp. 21-40.

When technology can build a community through the change of behaviour and influence choice.

When technology can build a community through the change of behaviour and influence choice.

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These ‘Piano Stairs’ have made me excited for years, as I remember when I first came across the video and I thought that it looked so much fun. My daughter was only a toddler at the time but I thought it was a great way for her to explore the stairs in a public place. I wanted to explore everything with my child and still do. However, the video shows that whether you are a child, with a child or merely a child at heart anyone can join in and let go of their inhibitions. The ‘Piano Stairs’ is known as choice architecture which helps encourage behaviour change. Rather than the individuals walk up the stairs in a particular manner or even take the escalators, we see the individuals change their choice in their steps, their physical presence and their exploration of rhythm. Their movement and expression is enhanced and personalised as they create their own musical movement moment.