As the semester comes to an end, I realize that this course has changed how I view the concepts and effort behind online collaboration. In viewing my own blog posts, I also realize that my understanding of these theoretical frameworks has improved greatly.
I can also see a marked improvement on the understanding of course concepts within my classmates. Though I have been working with the same group all semester, we were all still able to aid each other in furthering our educations throughout this course. I particularly liked keeping up with the blogs of my team members. Here are a few blog posts that can help you understand the frameworks and social changes due to social media we have covered in class:
Karen Lizarraga: On Online Collaboration
Noelle Woolway: On Open Source Software
Ana Salido: On Publics and Counterpublics
My posts, such as my own post of Open Source software, are not necessarily the same view of these ideas that I have now. Our discussions, activities, and quizzes have altered the way that I think about "open source" and the concepts of ownership and authorship. I was particularly changed when I realized the societal reception of authorship and ownership has changed just before my own lifetime. In being exposed to readings such as Vaidhyanathan's critique of changes in normalcy based on ideas of ownership and membership in Open Source Culture- Culture as Open Source, I now realize that these concepts of freedom and open access are deeply ingrained in what humans view as ideal versus the protective ownership that is actually put in place on works.
In addition, I have been exposed to ideas of social media and communities that are present even in the lives of those with eating disorders. In my blog post, The Pro-Anorexia Conundrum, I attempt to examine what really constitutes a community. Does a community have to be inherently positive? Or can negative spaces, such as those suicide watch subreddits, be communities based on their shared experiences, feelings, or connections in online spaces? Though these questions are still up for debate, I believe that these ideas are important to grasp for any understanding of this course, almost exclusively surrounding the ideas of membership, community, and online connection.
I also was able to see, through Lily's class discussion, how the ideas of community are not concrete. I believe that communities, just as publics, are self defined. Should someone not consider themselves a part of a certain group or community, one cannot expect them to function within that group the same as another that is more fully invested and committed to their membership to a community.
My favorite lesson, however, was the discussion of Spreadable Media. I had not considered how memes and other social objects truly became popular until this reading and the following class discussions. I had not even considered how the ideas of objects being spreadable would be translated into every day life, but I was able to connect the spreadability of objects to politics within the United States. With the above linked blog post, I can see that between then and now, I have an even better understanding of this material and how ideas and memorable objects are spread throughout a society. Being able to apply a theory such as this will aid me in my continued education as well as my examinations of future social movements. How are groups using these ideas of spreadable media to their advantage? How can I use spreadable media to further a cause that I am passionate about?
This course has also warped my ability to collaborate with others. In each of the readings, activities, and group projects, I have grown as a team member and a leader. I had never considered myself a team player until taking this course, as the first week we examined what makes a good member of a team or group, and how different types of groups are formed and continue to work well together. I know now that I have the capability of being a valuable team member, and I also greatly appreciate some of the amazing teammates that I have had the honor to work with throughout this semester.
Thank you in particular to Karen, Ana, Myles, and Noelle for making the group projects of this course so stress-free and even enjoyable to be a part of, and to Prof. Daly for making this course such a fantastic learning experience and for facilitating a sense of community within her classroom.
