Reflective Post

Well, I guess this is it, huh. One last post before we all go our separate ways for the holidays - oh wait, we've got some sort of essay due before then, don't we... :)

So, the weblogs. How were they as a learning tool? Well, as a means of introducing people who had never before seen an online community such as this, it was probably a pretty good learning tool, an experience that they hadn't had before. From my perspective, however, from a person who is heavily involved in several online communities, I don't think it was a good example of the scope and involvement that 'true' online communities can offer. Participants (myself included) stuck pretty much to their required posts and comments, and there wasn't much use of the weblog beyond that. This could be because participants didn't see the weblog as a community, just as a place for assessed work to be posted. In any case, the weblog served its function adequately.

I don't regard myself to be a cyborg. Despite the theories put forward by various people in the readings we dicussed in tutorials, my idea of cyborgs hasn't changed: a man-machine hybrid, yes, but a human in which the machine parts are an integral and extensive part of the whole. I don't consider things like hearing aids or glasses to be integral or extensive parts of the humans who wear them, and unlike true cyborgs such things can be removed. Similarly, I don't believe things like mp3 players and computers make us cyborgs - they are merely new ways of interacting with our peers and the environment.

I came to the course with a heavy background in digital technology and online interaction. Approaching the readings with that perspective, I often found the authors made assumptions and conclusions that directly contradicted my personal experience of similar situations or statements, which was quite jarring. This was, I think, often due to the age of several of the readings. With the current advances in digital technology preceeding at a fast rate, such readings often become outdated very quickly. However moving past the readings, overall I enjoyed the course. So often the issues we discussed in the tutorial are marginalised by academics and critics and the general population, so it was a great experience to participate in a unit such as this where current issues can be discussed and debated.

I really enjoyed the tutorial discussions (and apologise if anyone thought I talked too much!). If anyone wants to keep in touch you can drop me an email: velithya AT hotmail DOT com. :)

~Jen