My sparking thoughts for this reflection came from the above video regarding the introduction to youtube. I summarized the most impressive idea to one sentence which is talking to the camera, we are then all connected in the digital world.
Is it necessary for us to physically meet each other in the current society? It is not a simple question to get the answer. On one hand, we found that it is hard to physically connect each other in the real life as everyone is so busy with the job, study and family. Thus, digital world help us connect with each other in time. On the other hand, due to the digital world, we friends are just a screen-distance away online, it seems unnecessary for us to physically meet together, especially under the circumstances that are costly and time-consuming? I actually don’t know the answer. What I am well aware is that the sense of community changes, the way of social networking changes, so does the whole world.
Digital world is now dramatically changing our daily lives no matter whether you are willing to or not. Online connection is the quite often used means for me to contact with my family and friends who are currently in China. Take my mom for example, she is in her 50s, she once said she hated to change the life style even though internet became people’s everyday life. She had never touched PC, let alone internet, before I came to Canada. To her, PC seems like a decoration at home. For her generation, in general, it’s true that people don’t get used to online connection in my country. They cannot understand why digital society is so popular and attractive among teens and young adults. It is the cheapest way we found, however, to contact each other since I am here now. Therefore, my mom forced herself and my dad to learn how to use Skype and MSN to chat with me. The most convenient thing is that internet allows us to see each other although it is not physically meeting each other. My parents gradually like the way and are so glad with the convenience brought by the digital world. Right now, they not only chat with me online, but contact several friends who also have MSN accounts, they even use internet to check stock markets and watch TV series. PC is not a decoration any more, but becomes a part of my parents’ life.
As a digital native, I just experienced three awful days without internet. During the past three days, as something wrong with the internet in my house, I could not access to it until the technician came to fix it today. I felt I lost connection with the world, I kept thinking and concerning what if my friends email me; what if my parents wait for me online; what if I need to google some information; what if my online bills are not paid before the due date, so on and so forth. Thus, the first thing I did when the internet was fixed was to open the laptop immediately, replying emails checking online banking, leaving messages to my parents and friends. It seems I survive from it and get energy again. It also reminds me of the stories that lots of friends shared with me if they left their cell phones at home someday, they felt they got lost in the world and were not able to do anything for a whole day. I did have the same feelings, maybe much stronger, without the digital world.
When googling for more information about digital community, I came across a newly-published book, Digital community, digital citizen. It is written for teachers, school board members, parents, community members, anyone who are interested in our children growing up digitally in ways that are safe, informed and optimistic. I think it would be very helpful for us to get a better understanding on our kids in school settings. Also, another global survey digital world, digital life conducted by TNS (a global market information and insight group) in 16 countries in 2008 provided us with a useful snapshot of our online behaviour and perspectives around the world.
No comments:
Post a Comment