Before reading the Rettberg article framed around digital self-representations I definitely fell into the category of people who interprets blogs and selfies as narcissistic performances rather than meaningful communication. It was an eye-opener for me to see the lines drawn connecting selfies and blogs to self-portraits and forms of autobiography. I have never participated in any active, online criticism of these modern forms of self-representation. Nonetheless I can see now that my internal categorization of these communications as self-absorbed one-way performances fits in with Rettberg’s notion of the disciplining of self-representation. I was disappointed to find myself, at least to some degree, included in the society that Rettberg describes as using hatred and ridicule to discipline, or rather silence, mostly young women.
I have come away from the Rettberg reading with a different appreciation for the digital tools being used by young learners and in particular young female learners. I can see that these tools are being used by learners to test out engaging with the world around them. Instead of participating (knowingly or otherwise) in the censoring of self-expression and self-representation through the use of modern digital communications applications I think there is an opportunity embrace them as learning tools.
A particular line in the Rettberg article really helped me shift my perspective. Rettberg stated that we are all at the centre of our universe. To apply what I took from the article to a challenge I face in my work I think I could use this statement as a starting point to engaging teachers in being more receptive to using technology in their classrooms. At the department of education part of our responsibilities include providing training and support to teachers on how to integrate new tools and resources into their practice. First I think helping teachers see the historical roots and progression of self-representation from cave drawings to twitter selfies might help uncover for them the seeming human need to frame the world in terms of our individual place in it. And I think that includes naming the judgement of tools youth are using to express themselves for what it is: adults perceiving things from their vantage point at the centre of their universe. I don’t think anyone would disagree with engaging students in learning to write or otherwise express themselves by encouraging them to communicate about their interests. In many ways this is what students are doing when they use communications technology. Re-framing these tools for teachers as resources for students to communicate about their interests would be helpful in getting those teachers to embrace them.
Source:
Rettberg, Jill Walker. Seeing Ourselves through Technology: How We Use Selfies, Blogs and Wearable Devices to See and Shape Ourselves.
I have come away from the Rettberg reading with a different appreciation for the digital tools being used by young learners and in particular young female learners. I can see that these tools are being used by learners to test out engaging with the world around them. Instead of participating (knowingly or otherwise) in the censoring of self-expression and self-representation through the use of modern digital communications applications I think there is an opportunity embrace them as learning tools.
A particular line in the Rettberg article really helped me shift my perspective. Rettberg stated that we are all at the centre of our universe. To apply what I took from the article to a challenge I face in my work I think I could use this statement as a starting point to engaging teachers in being more receptive to using technology in their classrooms. At the department of education part of our responsibilities include providing training and support to teachers on how to integrate new tools and resources into their practice. First I think helping teachers see the historical roots and progression of self-representation from cave drawings to twitter selfies might help uncover for them the seeming human need to frame the world in terms of our individual place in it. And I think that includes naming the judgement of tools youth are using to express themselves for what it is: adults perceiving things from their vantage point at the centre of their universe. I don’t think anyone would disagree with engaging students in learning to write or otherwise express themselves by encouraging them to communicate about their interests. In many ways this is what students are doing when they use communications technology. Re-framing these tools for teachers as resources for students to communicate about their interests would be helpful in getting those teachers to embrace them.
Source:
Rettberg, Jill Walker. Seeing Ourselves through Technology: How We Use Selfies, Blogs and Wearable Devices to See and Shape Ourselves.
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