#DigCiz: Debating the State of the World

Echo chamber pop

Count me as curious. I am dipping into DigCiz — a schedule of online interactions in the open designed to generate discussions about Civic Discourse in the Digital Age, and Digital Citizenship.

Loud voices

These are topics that have certainly risen to the surface in the past few years and remain of high interest to me, as a teacher and writer. Some of the issues that I find worth wondering about:

  • The Role of Authenticity and Identity in Online Spaces
  • How Moderation of Discussions Can Be Mixed Blessings
  • How Cultural Norms Play Out in Digital Platforms
  • Whether Digital Platforms Encourage or Inhibit Discussion and Interaction
  • Who Gets Left Out and Who Gets Invited In to Conversations
  • The Act of Writing and How It Can Become a More Powerful Player in the World of Connections, Compassion
  • The Role that Multimedia Plays to Inform and Disinform Us
  • Finding a Clearer Path Forward to Make the World a Better Place for Open Discourse (minus the hatred and anger)

Earth Responds

The first week, which has just begun (see Mia Zamora’s post), is about creating a four-word story about what digital citizenship might be. Here’s mine. Not quite a story, as much as a reflection. Or maybe a hopeful conceit.

Remain engaged

I also read with interest a post by Bonnie Stewart (The Crosshairs of the Split Hairs), and her ideas about agency and technology and the interactions between our devices and our world … as well as the difficult navigational points … had me thinking. Thank you, Bonnie. I went back to the post and used some of the text for a video interpretation. Bonnie and Mia are facilitating this week.

Come join in the inquiry, if you can and if it interests you. I’m going to try to make some webcomics as much as I am able, if only to poke fun at myself as I think through ideas. I will also follow the conversations and reflect.

What if ...

Peace (the world and us),
Kevin

3 Comments
  1. Great questions – (1) is huge for me, also (5) I ponder a lot. I’ll be dipping into #DigCiz as I time allows.

  2. Hi Kevin

    I look forward to joining you online. Lumen5 is a cool tool.
    As I posted on Mia’s blog;
    I’m off to the Digital Humanities Summer Institute #DHSI at the University of Victoria, BC, for the next two weeks. I’ll try to keep up. 😉
    I prefer digital “civics” and “fluency” to citizenship and literacy. That way no one is “illegal” or “illiterate”, just working towards community and cooperation.
    My uncle was the Arizona microwave communications engineer for the Southern Pacific Railroad during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, so I find it more than ironic that I won’t have wifi for tomorrow’s hangout while I’m on the train to Seattle. Progress!!!

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