First there should be acceptance on that somebody doesn’t want to get an digital idendity and really fears all its effects.

Second in the critical reflection of the topic DI it was expressed that some really feel it as a social pressure to be digitally expressed, in the sense of „you have to“, if you want to count.

Third it influences immediately on how you think to fill your DI on the tense on how you express yourselve. there were some examples told on people changing their DI the default settings in some applications tell a strange behaviour. So examples were told f.I. tryout to change your status of relationship on FB by taking out those information – visitors got the impression you finished your relationship ….. .

Those things make me think. First on the analytical level: I always try to share and deal the point of view DI is what delivers you a real set of tools you can use to offer remotely connected people the best you want to share and express, when you are willing to do so. IMHPO there should be like a preamble always the virtual exclamation mark to be addicted to those people to want to express themselve and doing so lowering the pressure in meaning of social pressure. Turning this scene around: I think the critical view is needed, but can not be used as an argue aiming to avaoid either the topic of digital literacy in schools or universities, nor the use of social media and/or PLE’s. It would strengthen the discussion about on how to get published best by learning from those examples and collecting them.

But taking the educators role of dealing with social media in class, means to take double responsability. It’s not only about demonstrating the best possible tool as an best possible blueprint of life. It’s not only about the challenge to get them as fast as possible „on“. It’s also about reflecting on what we are doing by doing it and resisting on a responsible, reflecting, and well argued way.

Taking the researchers view my recommendation would be: Not only taking visitors and residents view inside the heuristic framework. And this would be additional to the fixed results in the creative session. Also keeping the eye on those who doesn’t want  to be digitally trapped. Also those who took the honest decision of digital disappearance. And the thirds who appear inside the environments as a result of social pressure – by following the former told social pressure. I think there is a need on reflecting the real arguments – kepping them in the discussion in a way, they are recognized valid and not been told as those from the years before yesterday. I am sure they had real argues.

As a note for me: The power of the methodical approach from the benefit and use point of view ends here before it could have started.

Any Suggestions?

Two discussions had a great output i want to mention here: the first discussion happend in the first hour of the event. Catching the topic of digital idendities, which will be a raising topic in future, all got very directly and hard inside. The other discussion is still present in the inner eye, because it has been shortly before the final ending session: What can practicioners learn from the researchers and the other way around.    I am really courious about the summarized outcome, because there was a lot of soul based input in this argumentation, which could be useful for future devlopment strategies.

So – writing this lines on the last day of our stay in Manchester, there is the question – was this the end of the thought fest 09? Hopefully not. For many reasons. First it seems that this was the end of a physical presence – but it still sustains in the networks. People were twittering that they arrived securely at home, people are twittering that they want to go next and figuring out the best location. People are sharing their summaries, their outcomes and hopefully there will be seeded some more experience, more energy to continue, more new topics which can be solved project based in the future.

Very interesting was the spirit of many of us, bridging to the interested world outside. There ere streams of the live sessions etc.

So thought fest 09 – for me – reached a spike and did one of the best things I can imagine   – it made curious to other people fields topics, it made known each other and it makes learning from each other.

Bis denne

Andreas Auwärter

Check out the reports from others here:

@Josie Fraser http://fraser.typepad.com/socialtech/2009/03/thoughtfest-09.html
@Pat Parslow http://brains.parslow.net/ThoughtFest09