Sunday, January 30, 2011
Greetings EIPT Class!
Hi Everyone, glad I'm kinda figuring this out now. It took me forever to figure out the photo thing!
Week 2 things to think about
1. What is a community? What is a virtual community? What is a virtual learning community (VLC)?
In our book by Renninger and Shumar the Introduction gives the original definition of community as defined by sociology as "gemeinschaft and gesellschaft" the first meaning the "coherent community in which culture and family are intact, and social life is whole because of this." (p. 3) and the later is where modernity replaces traditional community with "impersonal relationships and fragmented cultural values." (p. 3) A virtual community then is somewhere between these definitions as many internet connections like facebook and myspace do link people still with families and relations and can be on a very personal level and then other applications available on the web are impersonal and have no connection with a person physical community. So virtual communities are enterprises created on the web where individuals can interact with and become a part of a virtual community. A virtual community is one where individuals come together for various reasons to communicate thought.
2. How is the power of the virtual community illustrated through the TIME's articles? Please provide a couple of examples to demonstrate the power and the endless possibility of of virtual communities for learning.
This was a great article that pointed out the importance of the internet and virtual communities. In the past it was noted that only great men/women were our examples because they were who we read about and aspired to become. Now we have the ability to inspire others and create and re-create ourselves through the use of virtual communities. The article points out the communities like youtube, facebook, myspace, blogging. If you listen to the news you will here stories where people have become overnight sensations because of a video or something they posted on the internet through YouTube. People to not have to be well read or influential to become overnight sensations and become successful. They only have to know how to market themselves or their pets or their loved ones or their talents and millions will watch in amazement and wonder.
3. How can a virtual learning community (VLC) be designed and implemented to make it successful? What are the implications for sustaining an effective VLC? (Chs. 1-3, Building Virtual Communities)
In our book, Building Virtual Communities, it talks about how MOO became extinct because it accomplished what it set out to do which was to encourage and promote learning the web for teaching and instructing others. It seems once the individuals got good at what they were doing they moved on. It also pointed out that the personal interaction of the author of MOO decreased as time progressed and she got busy on other things. The book points out that the more successful websites usually have individuals either paid or otherwise appointed to continue the personal greeting of new individuals interested in using their site. So, with that said, it seems that in order for a VLC to be successful it has to be interesting and personal to some degree to keep participants engaged and feeling welcome and a part-of as well offer different degrees or areas of participation where individuals who are new can learn from those who already understand the site and applications and those who understand can still benefit and make connections they need with others that may benefit them.
4. What are your reflections upon this week's readings?
I am enjoying learning about this subject. I found it interesting that the girls in chapter 2 use and view the internet different than their male counterparts. I also thought is was encouraging to see the change of attitude the students had when given direction in learning and "relational learning" techniques. So it seems we understand how to enhance female participation in on-line learning but how do we increase male participation in on-line learning when it doesn't involve a game and it involves more intimate and personal sharing of thoughts? I wonder this because as we teach nursing to male students it seems based on this information it may be easier to teach to males the hands-on information but maybe more difficult for them to grasp the interpersonal part of nursing (caring).
In our book by Renninger and Shumar the Introduction gives the original definition of community as defined by sociology as "gemeinschaft and gesellschaft" the first meaning the "coherent community in which culture and family are intact, and social life is whole because of this." (p. 3) and the later is where modernity replaces traditional community with "impersonal relationships and fragmented cultural values." (p. 3) A virtual community then is somewhere between these definitions as many internet connections like facebook and myspace do link people still with families and relations and can be on a very personal level and then other applications available on the web are impersonal and have no connection with a person physical community. So virtual communities are enterprises created on the web where individuals can interact with and become a part of a virtual community. A virtual community is one where individuals come together for various reasons to communicate thought.
2. How is the power of the virtual community illustrated through the TIME's articles? Please provide a couple of examples to demonstrate the power and the endless possibility of of virtual communities for learning.
This was a great article that pointed out the importance of the internet and virtual communities. In the past it was noted that only great men/women were our examples because they were who we read about and aspired to become. Now we have the ability to inspire others and create and re-create ourselves through the use of virtual communities. The article points out the communities like youtube, facebook, myspace, blogging. If you listen to the news you will here stories where people have become overnight sensations because of a video or something they posted on the internet through YouTube. People to not have to be well read or influential to become overnight sensations and become successful. They only have to know how to market themselves or their pets or their loved ones or their talents and millions will watch in amazement and wonder.
3. How can a virtual learning community (VLC) be designed and implemented to make it successful? What are the implications for sustaining an effective VLC? (Chs. 1-3, Building Virtual Communities)
In our book, Building Virtual Communities, it talks about how MOO became extinct because it accomplished what it set out to do which was to encourage and promote learning the web for teaching and instructing others. It seems once the individuals got good at what they were doing they moved on. It also pointed out that the personal interaction of the author of MOO decreased as time progressed and she got busy on other things. The book points out that the more successful websites usually have individuals either paid or otherwise appointed to continue the personal greeting of new individuals interested in using their site. So, with that said, it seems that in order for a VLC to be successful it has to be interesting and personal to some degree to keep participants engaged and feeling welcome and a part-of as well offer different degrees or areas of participation where individuals who are new can learn from those who already understand the site and applications and those who understand can still benefit and make connections they need with others that may benefit them.
4. What are your reflections upon this week's readings?
I am enjoying learning about this subject. I found it interesting that the girls in chapter 2 use and view the internet different than their male counterparts. I also thought is was encouraging to see the change of attitude the students had when given direction in learning and "relational learning" techniques. So it seems we understand how to enhance female participation in on-line learning but how do we increase male participation in on-line learning when it doesn't involve a game and it involves more intimate and personal sharing of thoughts? I wonder this because as we teach nursing to male students it seems based on this information it may be easier to teach to males the hands-on information but maybe more difficult for them to grasp the interpersonal part of nursing (caring).
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