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EDUC 5199

Virtual Reality as a Mirror of Who We REALLY Are?

11/12/2016

2 Comments

 

     The decided lack of accountability for one's virtual self is something that gets talked about a lot...when something happens that sparks the discussion.  For example, when teens commit suicide because of cyber bullying (see https://nobullying.com/six-unforgettable-cyber-bullying-cases/ for some examples).  In those moments, communities come together and parents speak out about how open the internet is for situations like these to continue.  Sometimes laws are passed or people are charged.  And then it all goes away again until the next time something happens. 

            At the end of the day, we live in a very "sound-bite" or "click-bite" culture that uses the Internet to cycle from one story to the next without time for deep thought or at least consideration.  In her article, "Mirror Images," Suzanne de Castell points out that "if this were a real frontier, would anyone send his or her children into it without taking the time to build a habitable, humane world?" (deCastell, 2015, p. 219).  When these tragedies happen, there is a lot of talk about making things better and how to combat cyber-bullying, but there is no talk about changing the "virtual world" itself.  deCastell points out, I think rightly, that "there is no money to be made by doing it [creating a humane and habitable cyberspace]" (deCastell, 2015, p. 220). 
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            So where does that leave educators?  We are heavily encouraged, and I would argue invested, in utilizing virtual tools in the today's classroom.  We are given access to wi-fi and iPads/tablets/laptops/projectors/Apple TV to push more and more technology into our lessons and activities.  I myself have my students using the online journal "SeeSaw" to post their work in class, mostly so parents can see what is happening at school.  How are we going to make a safer, "habitable" virtual world if no one is invested in doing so?  Educators are required to teach about cyber-bullying and proper online conduct and other specific topics to help students navigate the online world, but at the end of the day nothing is really going to change unless a large demand is made that cannot be ignored.  deCastell puts forth a call for action, in my opinion, and gives us a lot of food for thought as we move forward in these two, increasingly undivided, worlds.

References:
de Castell, S. (2015). Mirror Images: Avatar Aesthetics and Self-Representation in Digital Games. In M. Ratto, & M. Boler (Eds.), DIY Citizenship (pp. 213-222). Cambridge: The MIT Press.
2 Comments
Jennifer Pandelidis
11/16/2016 09:09:31 am

Great post!

You quote de Castell, who says there is no money in changing the internet to not allow this cyber bullying. I have to wonder though who gets to make that decision on how to change it? The internet, the online world belongs to no one and to everyone at the same time. Sure people own forums, websites, blogs, but if history of the online world has taught us anything it is that when something becomes too guarded, something new pops up and replaces it. People find a way to be aggressive online. What causes the aggression in the first place, I wonder?

Thanks for sharing!

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Rachel Redman
11/19/2016 02:22:22 pm

This is a great point, Jennifer. Why so much aggression? Is it just simply because it's easy and you can hide behind the computer screen? Or does it point to a deeper societal problem whereby people are holding so many feelings inside that they boil over when faced with the freedom of anonymous posts? For sure it is an issue that will continue to be examined as the internet grows and changes over time. Thanks for your comment!

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    I am Rachel Redman.  I am an elementary school teacher who is currently working towards my Master's of Education.

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