Martin's E-learning and Digital Cultures Blog

END OF WEEK 1

FIRST THOUGHTS

As the first week ends, I return to one of first posts to sum up my current feelings of Digital Culture.  GeogBlogs have suddenly taken over my inbox (and life) which was when it hit that my practice and the wholesale shift in the students engagement with the current themes has been transformed by the ‘Digital.’  Classroom boundaries are/have been brought down, and this as Hand (2008:23) in Hardware to everywhere: narratives of promise and threat suggests, is my way of formal structures shifting to networked individuals.

THE FLICKS

What an amazing opportunity to be told to ‘learn’ through watching films.  And what films they were!  Firstly, SynchTube is an amazing resource, one which could certainly be a ‘game-changer’ for some lessons.  Secondly, Bendito’s Machine was a fabulous opener.  Lots of symbolism, arguably the most important being the need for knowledge and understanding, rather than become a slave to the machines.  ’The Cathedral’ proved to be the perfect companion, users becoming assimilated by the system.

THE ‘STREAM

The process of the Lifestream has been a very enjoyable one to establish and monitor.  In truth, I have become quite paranoid that I must keep it going, like a digital pet (tamagotchi?!) that needs my constant care and attention.  Have I fed it enough? Too much?  The reality is that my feeling is I need more feeds, and need to subject myself more to those that I am currently using, perhaps it is like running a marathon – start gently and finish strongly (hope thats true on Nov 7th!).

Finally, I am aware there is still much to do, at least before I am content.  Read more, blog more, get more feeds.  I am happier with Twitter than ever before, which is just as well judging by this article from the BBC.  Onwards…