My Space: Is Channel 4 going to space out 14-19 year olds?
Distance is a funny thing. Somthing that is 'near' or 'close' to you can be geographically 'distant' and yet someone who is on the other side of the planet might be the 'closest' person to you in the world. The internet has the capacity to both shorten distances to the price of a Skype call, but also for users/learners to develop factually wrong opinions. Just think about wikipedia and how it is now going to use editors for much of its work.
The reality is that in a post Thatcher country people in society are arguably more independent and society is more fragmented. People often talk about the under-developed nature of community compared to some 'under-developed' nations.
So Channel 4 - I propose this. Let's educate students about the web and platforms such as 'My Space' by bring the virtual into reality. Myspace.com is based on networks that exist in reality just as they do online. What My Space does is remove space (along with a range of other psychological barriers) to bring people together. In addition to creating platforms for learners to collaborate it is important that they have the understanding and literacy to deal with online spaces. What I suggest is that C4 makes a programme that transforms the virtual to the reality by linking up people who are otherwise distant from each other (both physically or psychologically) and reflects the locations of 'physical communities'...
Of course.. this is solid sexy Geography.
-------
Over the next two weeks Give Geography its Place is launching an online petition. Spead the word and sign up now at www.passion4geography.co.uk
Online and physical communities
I think this sounds like an outstanding idea. At present the online video sites such as You Tube do not have much focus. There is so much it is easy to get lost. Having a place which is about learning could be an outstanding place not just for students learners but adult ones (including teachers) too.
I am also interested in the media making explicit links between places witin online communities and finding there opposite in the real world. Are people who use online communities aware of their physical communities... are real world communities as easy to identify... in what ways can the web be more inclusive or exclusive than physical communities.
Site by
Student Experts across the country
Could this kind of initiation also be used to stimulate students to work collaboratively on topics/projects with peers in other colleges/schools? My students would greatly benefit from sharing ideas with others outside of their own educational experience. They already form friendship collaborations to share music and media creation. If a forum could be provided that enables them to do this kind of networking for learning purposes, a new sense of relevance could be encouraged, i.e. learning brings people together otherwise separated by distance.