Zelma Soto-Rodriguez – Social Media and Digital Cultures

Connecting with Knowledge

Connectivism has a core proposition — knowledge is not acquired. What does that mean? If knowledge is not acquired, then what instead?

One of the most important propositions and that have shaped the basis of Connectivism, is that technology and, especially the internet, has changed the way people learn. Connectivism, according to its creators, Siemens and Downes, is a learning theory for the digital age. This theory states that knowledge and learning occur as we interconnect and interact with information and with each other.

Knowledge is not acquired, in the words of Downes (2007):

In connectivism, a phrase like ‘constructing meaning’ makes no sense. Connections form naturally, through a process of association, and are not ‘constructed’ through some sort of intentional action. […] In connectivism, there is no real concept of transferring knowledge, making knowledge, or building knowledge. Rather, the activities we undertake when we conduct practices in order to learn are more like growing or developing ourselves and our society in certain (connected) ways.

According to this modern theory, knowledge is dynamic. New information emerges and is shared every second through networks, thanks to technological advances. Knowledge, then, is not acquired; rather, people consume and create their knowledge through their connection to networks in a “Personal Learning Network” (PLN).

For example, a network is no longer made up of just one teacher and textbooks, but students can connect directly with a subject matter expert, they can have access to research, blogs, reviews, articles, documentaries, etc. that have been published about a specific topic, in addition, they can contribute with their research, opinions, and conclusions on that topic.

This process happens motivated by the learner’s curiosity, creativity, and freedom, and now, facilitated by technology. Networks allow students to learn anything, whenever and wherever. That is why knowledge and learning will be lifelong experiences.

According to Siemens (2004), “Our ability to learn what we need for tomorrow is more important than what we know today.” This statement is interesting, as it has a direct effect on the current education system and transcends into a reconstruction of what it is to be “a learner”.

At its heart, connectivism is the thesis that knowledge is distributed across a network of connections, and therefore that learning consists of the ability to construct and traverse those networks. (Downes, 2007)

This means that learning is not about being mere repeaters of information, but about having the ability to find, evaluate, share information at the time it is required. Students develop highly refined skills to discern between facts and opinions, to evaluate the relevance and reliability of the information they find and consume, and to interconnect this information across disciplines.

The ultimate goal of this practice is that education serves students to become successful, innovative, creative, responsible and participatory citizens in the service of their communities. In the words of Siemens (2010), “education has one vital task: to prepare individuals to be part of society, to contribute, to create, to share, to interact”.

References

Downes, S. (2007, February 03). What Connectivism is. Half an Hour. Retrieved from https://halfanhour.blogspot.com/2007/02/what-connectivism-is.html

Siemens, G. (2004). Connectivism: A learning theory for the digital age. Retrieved from www.itdl.org/journal/jan_05/article01.htm

Ted Talks. (2010, April 13). TEDxNYED – George Siemens. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BH-uLO6ovI&t=113s

Our Divided Attention

At the end of our lives, all we have is our attention and our time. What will be time well spent for ours? – Tristan Harris

Everything happened inadvertently in front of our eyes. Suddenly we had the possibility of connecting with people we had not seen in years. We could see each other, know what they were doing, share our stories through photos, videos, texts. What could be wrong about it?

I am still surprised to think that everything beautiful about social media has been transformed into danger, distrust, bullying, lack of ethics and a waste of our time … and everything has happened so quickly and so subtly that we did not even realize what was happening.

Harris’s talk is a wakeup call to become aware of what are we wasting our time, our attention and our effort on. On worthwhile things?

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In the last weeks, we have reflected on the dangers that have arisen along with the evolution of technology and especially social media. Harris argues that we must recognize the fact that we are being manipulated and persuaded; that new models of responsibility and transparency must be created for those who are doing that (or will do); and, finally, that we design a new renaissance.

This last argument drew my attention the most. The “renaissance” design that Harris speaks of would help us focus our attention on things that are worth the effort. If we don’t refocus on transcendentally important issues, in whose hands will we be?

Collectively, we must redefine our priorities and act accordingly. Problems such as poverty, hunger, quality of education, gender equity, climate action, peace, and justice, etc. will not fix themselves. They also require our attention and more importantly, our actions.

How should we start? Please, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below!

Empathy & Social Media

Social media can be a double-edged sword. They have advantages and disadvantages and the key to a healthy social media life is empathy, self-control, and moderation.

This week we have seen some of the frightful consequences of the misuse of social media. We saw how a tweet can destroy a life. Reference was made to “5 problems with social media”, we saw the results of disconnecting from the internet for a whole year, and finally, we laughed a bit and reflected on the trend of using #hashtagsforeverything in the video #Hashtag. Without a doubt, social networks have transformed our lives and society.

I think Paul Miller would say that it is not social media’s fault, but of how we use them and what our intentions are. When he disconnected, he thought his problems would end; he would modify his habits and be a productive member of society. However, this was not the result he obtained. He continued procrastinating, wasting his time and alienating himself even more from his friends and family. His conclusion: social media is not the problem. What happens in social media is only a reflection of who we are individually and collectively.

Also this week, in another class, we were reading about empathy. The concept of empathy is a bit problematic to define. It takes a little imagination and willingness to be empathetic and “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” or better yet, “become the other” to understand him/her. Although we read about empathy under the “Design Thinking” framework, I believe that for our holistic development it must also relate to our overall psyche and lifestyle.

Empathy leads us to make decisions with others in mind. Many of the problems that social media have generated are due to self-centeredness and lack of empathy.

Source: Six Habits of Highly Empathic People, By Roman Krznaric on Friday September 9th, 2016

How do you solve some of the problems generated by social media with empathy?

Problem One: Shaming, defamation, cyberbullying.

Before insulting and acting cruelly against someone with whom we disagree or who has offended us, one must act with caution. What consequences can a violent reaction bring to me and the other person? It is better to respond than to react. Reacting is an impulsive act; Responding requires thinking before acting.

Problem Two: Wasting time and being unproductive.

Instead of numbing the brain scrolling down forever through Facebook or Instagram, you can take advantage of time with others. Have a conversation with your partner, a friend or your mom. Take advantage of leisure time to be productive: bake a cake for your family, play with your children, volunteer at an NGO. Do something that helps others.

Problem Three: Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).

Be happy for the success of others. Envy produces nothing positive; it hurts you and your relationship with others. Rejoice because others are having great experiences and sharing them with you.

Problem Four: Privacy issues.

You don’t need to share every idea, thought, emotion in the cyberspace. As the saying goes: We are masters of our thoughts and slave to our words. There is no need to oversharing, especially when you can affect or offend others for your opinions.

In conclusion, I think the biggest lessons are first, to be empathic with others when it comes to social networks and other public forums and, second, to think before posting. Life is too short to not live in harmony with oneself and those around us, even in the cyberspace.

Online Safety and Privacy: Is Ignorance Bliss?

What are your thoughts about the issues of safety, security, and privacy? What are your concerns? What are your ideas for addressing them in ways that still allow you to take advantage of the value of social networking and media?

As I read the articles and watched the assigned videos on privacy and security this week, I threw myself in the fetal position, feeling the hopelessness that I no longer belong to myself.

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But seriously, according to WebHostingGeeks and Privacy International, we have very little knowledge and control about what personal information we share on the web and to whom. Apparently, we have been profiled, not only by the information we shared but by our online behavior. Should we panic?

I started worrying. So, out of curiosity, I googled myself and I found my personal information in pages where I have never participated or consented to share it, yet there it was. Mylife.com, zoominfo.com, voterrecords.com, to mention some. These pages had my full name, age, home address, working address, and they even offer a background check on me!

To access these records, you have to agree to the following: “I WILL NOT use this information to stalk anyone. If I see someone I know, I WILL NOT use this information for blackmail. I WILL NOT harass people whose criminal records appear on this site”. They even give you ideas!

As I stared at the screen, I wondered how they got my info –somehow, I must have given it to them. It took me a few seconds to decide to be proactive about it and found out how to request that my information is erased. I followed the recommended steps –with my fingers crossed that it wasn’t another trap. I am giving them a few days to see if it worked.

In case you are wondering, I did this:

So, all the reading and the googling made me aware of a problem I didn’t know I had. For me, it was just about being careful, and just thinking before posting. As one of the week’s readings said: “…privacy is the currency of our online lives, paying for petty conveniences with bits of personal information. But we are blissfully ignorant of what that means”. (Hess, 2017)

I haven’t decided yet if I liked it better when I didn’t know I had this problem. As I write this post, I still have more questions than answers. My stream of consciousness goes like this: What are my thoughts about the issues of safety, security, and privacy? Am I concerned about my safety? Is ignorance bliss? Who cares about my data? What do they use it for? Is it for selling me stuff? Can a cybercriminal use my information to steal my identity and buy a house in Timbuktu?

Lessons Learned

Whereas I don’t feel utterly unsafe for what I discovered with this assignment, I will be more careful the next time someone –or something– asks for my information. Here are some ideas on how to take advantage of the value of social networking and media while protecting my privacy and keep myself and my data safe.

Lesson 1: Take control!

Shape your digital footprint and make your online presence what you want it to be. This is not that difficult to achieve. Have “public” accounts for your professional online activities and let people find you. Be in charge of what the internet says about you. For example, it makes me happy that when I googled myself, I found my LinkedIn Page and some of my Prezi presentations, they make me look good!

Lesson 2: Just say no!

Do not give away your info. Next time you go shopping and the cashier interviews you to enter the rewards program, just say no! Don’t click on the “Accept cookies” button on random webpages. Don’t open suspicious e-mails. Don’t answer the phone if you don’t recognize the number (let them leave a message; if it’s important they will.) Personal information has a lot of value, keep it safe!

Lesson 3: Technical Precautions

Stop leakage of sensitive information by preventing the transmission of confidential data from your computer and mobile devices. How? Use the incognito browser, delete cookies frequently, check the privacy settings of the apps you use and the sites you visit. Disable your microphone in your phone and computer –someone or something may be listening. Likewise, disable the location services for mobile apps so they cannot collect that data. You can never be too cautious.

Lesson 4: Think before you post!

This one is obvious, but it’s worth remembering it. This is a classic: