Sociality today is far different from the way it was before the internet and the web. People used to communicate with one another in their communities, schools, and employments. Now people communicate and build relationships with people they've never actually met. They simply go on a website and create an account or join a site with different people. The whole idea of how we communicate and interact has changed. But has technology allowed this change in technology to be good or ill?
However, I don't think the web and internet used to socialize and create communities with others not local but at a far away place is a bad thing. I think the danger lies in not being careful or conscious of your online or web exploits. Because this leads to the danger of being exploited and used online. This could be an ill of socializing online with people you've never met. But I think similarly to Rheingold when it comes to the dangers of online socialization "because what you know, as always, can make the critical difference between being exploited by your use of social media and enriching your life and community by your use of the same media" (210.) People change along with the world and technology, we all change. But not all of us utilize care when going online and socializing with people online, or in chat rooms, twitter, Facebook, Instagram, blogs, etc. It is up to the people engaging in this new type of social life and community online to be aware of what they are exposing to others in an era in which almost everything is accessible online. Meaning, it is great to explore and create connections with different kinds of people online that people could never or do not have the opportunity to meet in person. But the responsible socializer remembers that the same media being enjoyed is also capable of causing great harm if their not careful with their information.
Conversely, even though people are now more than often creating new communities and making connections online. It does not mean they are not valuing their in-person communities or connections. But only expanding their reach of contact through the computer medium and the available communities which permit socialization. Hence, we as people should view this online based interaction positively because "with the help of the internet, people are able to maintain active contact with sizable social networks, even though many of the people in those networks do not live nearby" (210.) Therefore, with the use of the internet people are capable of creating strands of connectivity with others. Allowing people to grow as individuals because it permits them to experience others influence and own experiences without having to be nearby. Including the fact that communicating with others online allows for the growth of social skills. People are not introverted and they can speak with others about things in which they have similar interests. This encourages online interaction socialization. This is true because with the internet "people now find support, information, and a sense of belonging in a digital networks as well as physical communities" (209.) The internet gives people the chance and opportunity to socialize with other people who may like writing, drawing, photography, politics, business, and gaming. They may not find these same people in their physical communities. But they can create these types of online communities of socialization and communication online regarding their similar interests. The internet or web allows for this type of socialization. It does not mean that people won't interact with their physical environment. It simply means that they have the opportunity to socialize in person online. They get to grow both by proximity and distance, and this is possible because of the internet and web.
On another point, we discussed what our personal thoughts about what we want to learn from this course? I had to think about what I really want to take away from New Media Studies. I'm not going to lie. I really had no expectations when I first signed up for this course. I'm not too technology prone and I did not have a topic in mind during and for the conclusion of the course. If I have to think of something regarding this course. Personally, I've always been interested in the use of mass media on bilingual students and if it hinders or assists bilingual students in the learning and reinforcement of the English language. For example, if a bilingual student, Spanish/English is trying to understand a concept better. If an interaction with mass media, maybe mass collaboration with a group of peers and others would assist in the transmission of knowledge and learning or if it would lead to distraction and a failure in communication. Or if the bilingual student engages in a website that houses people of similar interests in writing and if that interaction allows them to engage more with the English language and results in a strengthening of the bilingual students writing and reading comprehension. Well, that covers some of my thoughts about what I would like to discuss regarding the impact of mass media on a group of students whose first language is not English and their learning processes.
No comments:
Post a Comment