Reflections on the weeks reading

I found a disconnect in the writing for both of our weekly readings (Addressing Diversity in Design of Online Courses and Identity in Online Education). Both articles started out strong, one with a discussion of diversity and it's definition and the other with online identity...but by the end of the articles, I felt like I'd picked up a completely different topic.

In Addressing Diversity in Design of Online Courses, the topic of individualistic vs. collectivist cultures was fascinating. I've been aware of the attributes at some level given the amount of travel/living abroad I've done, but I enjoyed seeing it spelled out in the article. However, the quick conclusion at the end of using a variety of online tools to address diversity seemed jarring to me and too tidy an ending for the article. I would have much preferred a summary about how diversity issues will be minimized with more social networking (moving toward the globalization effect) or a discussion of better tools for better groups (if applicable).

The second article, Identity in Online Education, I enjoyed reading even more. I think it is interesting that online, you can create a different persona than the one you show in face to face environments. An example of this is my boyfriend's use of an avatar in playing WOW. He's a black man born and raised in the South Bronx and yet no one in his group of players has any idea...recently someone in his guild was making rather racist jokes. He finds it fascinating insight into people from all over the US. But...back to my point...this article also had a disconnect for me when it jumped to online learning in British Colombia and then ePortfolios. I suppose there is a tie between online identity and creating an ePortfolio...but I would've been much more interested in a tie in with diversity...or a more fleshed out discussion of online identity and secondary online education - what are the risks?

In any case, both articles gave me much to chew on.

-lp