Comment: Discuss one stand-out idea from Cris Mayo's presentation.
Make an Update: Raise an issue about technology and gender. Provide examples and discuss implications.
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The presentation Social and Cultural Challenges of Self-Representation in Online Spaces made me think about how much technology affects social life. Through technology, we have the opportunity to show ourselves in a better world, but again the question arises whether this is what we want to convey to the younger generations. As a mother, I want my children to accept themselves and have self-confidence and to feel good in their own skin. Creating avatars that don't have the option to describe the physical appearance as closely as possible to a person's actual appearance can lead to a lack of self-confidence and the idea that we all need to look perfect. On the other hand, creating such avatars gives us the opportunity to present ourselves perfectly and feel freer and more secure in our own skin, even in the virtual world.
We should be aware that hiding in the virtual world can lead to insecurity and lack of self-confidence because we have the opportunity to hide in the comfort of our own home and reduce contact with the outside world, which can lead to other problems such as alienation from the outside world and reduced communication skills.
I think it is very interesting that Dr. Cris Mayo touches on technology and gender. Although we live in the 21st century, very often we still think that women do not belong in the world of technology. Women and men can do jobs in the IT sector very well, so they should learn from a young age that when they become adults they can do any jobs and that they should not be limited by gender.
Another interesting fact brought by D. Cris, was about the new generations perception about diversity. As a mother, I believe that diverse and inclusive cultures are created in complementary contexts! My daughter loves playing The Sims, and I realize the advances the platform is making over the years, as well the gaps that still exists! In any case, it is always an excellent opportunity to talk about gender and diversity with her ;)
This invitation to critical reflection on gender issues in technology, lead me to question how much designers and creators of educational platforms and games, are interested and observing the impacts of these technologies from user interactions.
As Dr Cris Mayo said, we must be responsible for what we create and for the impact that this creation will have on the lives of those who interact with it. Technologies that involve interaction, create and strengthen, intentionally or not, behaviors, cultures and also relationships.
I believe that, as designers and learning instructors, we need always to be attentive to our creations and what kind of interaction this product will generate. Also, as told here, observe what we need to make clear to users and participants during the experience? What premises should be followed and what behaviors are expected, so that the interaction takes place in the most equitable, fair and healthy way?
Gender imbalance in technological area is still evident specially in the areas which are not so well equipped with the technological resources as mentioned by Dr. Cris Mayo in here lecture. In such areas major observation is uniform globally, presenting the observation that when the partial presence of technology is available, more active technology users are tend to be males.
Also there is a era we are living where gaming is not only a simplified means of entertainment, but its now getting more profound in so many ways, such as career or full-time activity of so many youngsters. Over here we can again use the reference of Dr. Cris Mayo's Lecture where she mentioned that almost 50% of gamers are now females. However, the career selection of people in gaming world is still more towards male gender.
The good part is that technology is there in almost all fields of life by different means. For instance, we can see that a lot of female learners ( either academic or self learners) are getting more and more involved in technological usage. Hence there is a strong chance of seeing more female presence in the technological area in near future.
It is worth remembering that the same happens in other careers that involve technology. However, the female gender is increasingly present in areas of study and technological and scientific research! Which is a very good news ;)
One stand-out idea from Cris Mayo’s presentation is the concept of queer pedagogies, which are educational approaches that challenge the normative assumptions and practices of schooling, and promote the inclusion and affirmation of diverse sexualities and genders. According to Mayo, queer pedagogies can be understood as both theory and praxis, as they involve both critical reflection and transformative action.
I have a personal example relating to the issues between technology and gender (or race, socioeconomic status, etc.) from when I taught a synchronous online class in my early 20s. As mentioned by Dr. Mayo, it is the responsibility of the instructor to bridge the gap between those who might not be as well-equipped for conductive learning through technology as others.
As an adjunct instructor during the pandemic, I gave live online lectures where my students were free to respond to me or their peers by raising their hand using an emote or writing in the chat to promote student and instructor interaction. The issue presented here was that I did not set any guidelines about online etiquette that would have been made to promote a safe space for an open discussion between all participants because I assumed that all of my students would know how to conduct themselves respectfully. One of my students subverted this assumption by responding to something I said by typing his sentence in all capital letters. This student was a male who was in his 50s or 60s, older than a majority of my students. Taken aback by this action, I communicated to him privately that I did not like his abrasive tone and that I did not want to see him respond to me or any of his peers in that manner moving forward.
From this incident, I realize that it is the responsibility of the instructor to set clear-cut and specific expectations for the students to follow since it is very likely that some students may have gaps in their prior knowledge that may interfere with the goal of the instructor promoting a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. In this case, this student seemed to have a deficit in social skills. As stated by Dr. Mayo, people conduct themselves online differently than in real life, so instructors must maintain these expectations by setting them beforehand and moderating those who disrupt this safe and inclusive learning environment.
Issues related to technology and gender encompass a wide range of concerns, including access to technology, representation in the tech industry, and the impact of technology on gender roles, for example:
Underrepresentation in the Tech Industry
Women in technical and leadership roles are underrepresented in the technology industry. This is evident in the lower percentage of women pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education and working in technology-related fields.
Implications: The lack of gender diversity in the tech industry results in a narrow range of perspectives influencing technology development. This can lead to products and services that do not adequately address the needs of diverse user groups and reinforce gender stereotypes in technology design.
https://explodingtopics.com/blog/women-in-tech
The idea of gender and racial equality is a very valid and just question by Cris. I support that. Technology seems to have entered in every type of education and fields like shipping and engineering where gender ratio has big differences, there is a need to look into gender equality. For eg, shipping is considered to be a male dominated profession. Technology and adaptive learning will motivate females to learn and work in shipping. At the same time, there is also a need for motivation and push in such fields. Technology has changed lots of departments of engineering to less physical and more mental field of work. This should motivate all genders to participate.
There is a good representation of racial equality and gender equality if learning platforms provide a variety of avatars for selection. Or motivate people to put their photos so as to make the connection with real people. It should not demotivate a person who likes to keep a virtual image as there is a freedom for selection of avatar. But to motivate learners to respect gender and racial equality in learning platform is a just way to support the cause.
I appreciate your insightful reflection on the crucial role that technology plays in fostering gender and racial equality, Sahil. Your point about traditionally male-dominated fields like shipping being more accessible to women through adaptive learning technologies is particularly compelling. This digital evolution can indeed act as a great equalizer, providing women with the resources and knowledge necessary to excel in such fields.
Moreover, your emphasis on the importance of representation in avatars on learning platforms resonates deeply. It underscores the need for inclusive design in educational technologies, where every individual can see themselves represented and feel a sense of belonging. This not only supports personal identity but can also inspire a diverse new generation of learners to engage in fields where they may not have previously seen themselves.
I came to know about adaptive learning and how it is evaluates constantly a student or reader. This helps in personalised learning and makes it more of a customised way to learn. Students can be aware of their area of expertise and concern. Final idea is to master the subject or topic rather than to quantify his/her as excellent, good or bad. Scores are a way to judge their progress but I am not very sure of its impact on students. As many times, Students are not interested in looking at their progress or scores. Some of the learning platform depicts scores even on answering a small question while learning. Adaptive learning has lots of positive impact on education in general but use of technology in terms of screen time and discussions need to be evaluated to not make students/ learners stuck to screen.
Your observations on adaptive learning are thought-provoking, Sahil. It's indeed intriguing how adaptive learning evaluates and supports personalized educational pathways. I share your sentiment about the emphasis on mastery over scoring systems. The true value of education lies in understanding and applying knowledge rather than just achieving high scores.
However, scores can serve as milestones that give students a sense of accomplishment and a clear indication of their progress. Perhaps the key lies in balancing score-based feedback with qualitative assessments that can provide students with a more comprehensive view of their learning journey.