7
Learning Technologies 2008 Conference
Thursday 6th November
Twittering at the Speed of Light
Howard Effey’s workshop
This is a mind-bending session that explores ideas that link technology with psychology.
In his workshop, Howard asks:
How does technology intersect with polarity or opposite ways of thinking/being?
He mentions some possible polarities to illustrate his point:
- Masculine and feminine
- Introversion and extraversion
I think he is suggesting that technology can shift our way of thinking and being, and can alter previous ideas about ourselves and our personas, enabling us to interact and develop knowledge about ourselves in new ways.
He seems to be saying that technology allows us to exchange information to reduce the distance between ‘opposite’ ideas of ourselves and others.
Perhaps he is referring to the ways in which we use technology to explore aspects of ourselves in ways we may not have previously been able to. For example, when we create avatars online, we can choose to reinvent ourselves and experience opposite ways of being, acting and interacting with others, in virtual worlds closely aligned with reality.
As a counsellor he recognizes that young people often interface online in a more extraverted manner.
Howard refers to Twitter and its potential to develop an exchange of information that furthers our sense of knowing and connectedness. He sees a significance in these new ways of ‘knowing’ and relates them to very traditional ways of knowing - ie intuitive knowing. Twitter has the potential to carry information faster than most other ways. He likens it to being a passenger on an ‘indian train’! During the US election, Twitter was used to exchange information and forecast news.
Twitterers can break news to the world faster than traditional media sources can. I remember when China was devastated by an earthquake in May 2008. Twitter was recorded as beating the media in breaking the news to the world. The following article points out however, that whilst speed is the issue here, quality of journalism isnt.
article: Twitter didnt beat the media: it was quicker
I think that perhaps the point of all this, is that networks like Twitter enable instant connectivity to cyber spaces where our identity and persona can be stretched to the point of our imagination. Exchange of information is potentially lightning-fast, personal and instant. Our fellow twitterers are at our fingertips.
