Reflections

As I think about the content genre of virtual cyberspace, the word detraditionalization, (Giddens, 1994) comes to mind as a correct all encompassing term. Information sought and acquired through means of communication with others expands the "old method" of being fed through one-sided communication, such as a physician to a patient. Extracting correct information is key to managing your footsteps in the muck and mire of those who advise without credential. For instance, my family trudged through cyberspace technology to acquire the desired information on a new procedure, advertised as breakthrough medicine for lung cancer and described as ablative extraction of inoperable tumors, in order to sustain hope. Each member displayed obvious disturbing differences on the information content and outcome measures, relaying almost opposite views on the same article! How bizarre! Could it be said that information is only as reliable as the understanding of the learner? Or are we like sheep, who follow the leader into a ravine to our death?
I have to smile satirically at the MMR debate. Just recently I delivered the theory class on preventable diseases through vaccinations and instructed the class to promote the "real affects/effects of vaccine benefits. Certainly, anyone with know how would research the subject and correlate valid sustenance and discard misguided data. Not so! The gospel truth is told by personal experience with flair. Cuddos to the Centers for Disease Control who issued "evidenced based" rebuttals for the continuation of vaccinations and supported the need to continue immunizations for the sake of humanity!
With all this in mind, our virtual "self help" society should continue to seek resources within the website itself, and urge the site to formulate user friendly, informitive guidance, instead of anxiety producing data from excessive information. Our society is at risk due to swift changes in thought and emotion-guidance is key to truly manage all information, afterall, visiting space was just an idea at one time until some, such as Neil Armstrong and John Glenn, accepted the challenge and walked on the moon. Nothing is impossible-refinement of cyberspace is at hand.
The steps offered in chapter 10 for building a virtual communities are thought provoking. It will assist in focusing the goals and providing a template for our key project, as well as, helping those involved to understand their roles. It will provide an enhanced educational background for the learning process, while intergrating a new concept in the learning cycle that was privy to face to face interjections in the past. Following the stages from idea to wrap-up will keep the project on task, while providing key examples for insight. Good idea!
Silly as it seems, John Seely Brown's article, "Learning, Working & Playing in the Digital Age," captured my thoughts exactly. Brown discusses the generation gap between the techno children of today compared to those advanced in age, who use a manual for technology, as profoundly different. Children never resort to manuals and just "figure it out" by trail and error. So what are we afraid of? Internet fires? Brown discusses how the net can solve some of the problems from past knowledge infirmities that inhibited a fluid base of learning. He provides support for the experts to share knowledge and mentor those seeking information and skill, much like this internet course, and describes the information data base as endless. The net, as Brown relates, has portability and can produce virtual communities where ever you live allowing for boundless relationships whether small town or big city. So, even those with age factors can, in fact, learn to conquer fear of the unknown and join those techno capable children in a virtual world of possibilites, perhaps bridging the societal age gap.