About Me
- David Bennett
- Currently working my way through a M.Ed. in Educational Technology at Liberty University. I attend Canyonview Vineyard Church.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
My Online Presence....
My initial reaction to questions concerning my online presence was that I do not really have one. I used to be very active in several different gaming forums, as well as a member of a Call of Duty clan and an Everquest guild. School has truly cut into my recreational electronics use.....To be honest; I do not participate regularly in any forums or online communities outside of work and school. That is when it hit me.
I was filtering the term "online community" through a lens which is no longer adequate for my life, because I was considering only the purely voluntary recreational communities. I telecommute, however, and for work I participate in the massive online community created by AT&T employees. We communicate using diverse methods, from web meetings to a proprietary instant messaging service. Many of the coworkers I interact with the most, and in the most detailed ways, I have never met and would not recognize if I had.
I also participate in a community of online students at Liberty University, many of whom I have come to respect and look forward to our interactions. I have received instruction, guidance and compassion from classmates and professors, though we have never met. These things seem the quintessential ingredients of an authentic community, and it happens to be online.
Beyond these two areas of purposeful interaction there are, in fact, many other online communities through which I flit on a daily basis. For example, most of my large purchases, and the research which goes into those decisions, are all done online. Therefore I am a participant in a global online economy. I regularly access scholarly research on a variety of subjects. While this may be participation in the more passive role of a consumer, I believe I will still claim participation in that scholarly community. My Mom will want to hear about that.
The more I reflect on how I conduct the minutiae of life, the more I realize that, outside of Church, I have a larger online footprint than I do offline.
David Bennett
Rowlett, TX
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David, I can't believe I dind't think of Liberty in general, and this assignment in particular, as online community. It's so obvious and yet I think you're the only one who identified it.
ReplyDeleteGood insight on the online purchasing front as well. My purchases are almost entirely online also and I'm not even sure I could go back to the old method of shopping.
Kudos for recognizing that being part of a community doesn't always means there is two way communication simply through traditional talking or text.
ReplyDeleteIn the early days of developing communities, we used to refer to people who observed only as "lurkers." I haven't heard that term in a while, so not sure if that is in the current lexicon.
Part of teaching a fully online course is to bring the lurkers in from the cold, so to speak. They are on the edges, are thinking and reflecting, yet do not volunteer to become engaged in the conversation with their own posts. This is why each person is given direct instructions on when to post, and when to respond to others.
A great indication of the communities that people belong to is through examining a person's bookmark list. We can know what a person values, spends a lot of time with, as well as their personality. It is a fun exercise.
Communication tools such as Skype, iChat, FaceTime, and other media can also be implemented to enhance the "presence" of students in an online classroom as well. This bring s live interaction to the class. I use Adobe Connect with my students at my other university for live sessions for instruction. We find that it works well for the most part.
I really like your page's design. Easy on the eyes, and welcoming.
Thanks,
Joanne
What a wonderful perspective you have on online communities, I did not even consider the network of students that I interact with and get to know because of Liberty University. I, like you, don't have much time or inclination for casual social networking online after I finish up with school or work, but we certainly can't discount our academic (not to mention spiritual-based) pursuits. And I certainly must claim belonging to the online shopping world! Without it, in my small rural town, I would be lost. :)
ReplyDeleteVery well-written post...
Dyan