Thursday, May 15, 2008

Henry's Self Reflection

As an enthusiast of Internet, I really enjoyed the investigation of relationship between Human and Cyborg. The course content actually impacted on me with a critical review on my depedence and attitude to technology. Therefore, in my webliography, I took a trial to explore a brand new ideology--- Transhumanism that was not covered in the course. Besides, our web blog offered an precious opportunity to share our opinion about technology, also a glance at others analytic thinking and skills and written style to same topics which was similar to the last Creative Writing course on poem sharing. I quite appreciate if others courses could establish this good atmosphere as well.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Self-Reflection by Scully

This course helps me to explore the relationship between human and technology and the ethnicity in cyberspace. I totally agree that technology is blurring the boundary between human and cyberspace unconsciously. At the very beginning, I have never thought about the cons of technology. Since I totally appreciate the precipitation of technology in making our life better, we are only focusing on the positive side of technology. While we did not aware that technology is somehow entering and dominating our daily life, technology is turning our world to the next generation. Like I learnt from the topic of video games, video games are now teaching people to think like computer. At first, I felt it is really crazy, as we would never memorize something in 10101110. But, when we play video games, we will only do action after we have received the signals on the screen. We are emotionally and sometimes motionally followed the computer.

I do agree that I am cyborg. I believe that my memory system is same as the design of computer. I have separated memories like the folders in my laptop and putting them in aphetically. Like people storing and sharing their files in cyber, blogging is a convenient way in academic use.  Yet, blogging is not really user-friendly for mac users. Since I have experienced some errors before in most severs, I have never really tried writing blog before. It is good for me to try blogging and I find it is effective to reflect ourselves in a modern way like blogging.

Reflective post by Amie

I think this course is very up-to-day, as all the information covered in the course is all related to our daily life now, but not in the past. Therefore i think if the course is opened in the twenty years ago, no one will really understand what is the real situation. For example, the case we talked about the online shopping, online community and the notion of cyborg, also and the cyber rape. I really do not think that will happen in the past. Therefore they can only understand by their own imagination.

Moreover, this course give me a great opportunity to re-think about our orientation in the fast changing world, especially when facing the virtual reality. It is because we can not use our traditional thinking to judge the society and culture. For example, the emergence of MSN or facebook. The older generation may think these online communication methods can really shorten our time in mail. However, if the new generation access to these online communication methods too early, they maybe in danger, such as the accident in HK within these days. A 16 years old young girl was killed and cutted into pieces, and her head was be thrown into the sea. She is the case who talked to strangers in MSN. Therefore is online communication a good or bad thing? We still need many time to think about that.

Finally, i really appreciate the help from Anna and the use of welbog. Her explanations are so clear in both lectures and tutorials. Also i like to use weblog to post our work as we do not have to actually come and hand it by myself, and that's really a time consuming thing.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Anthea's Reflective Post

After these couple weeks of learning, I think that using blog to deliver our works on line is quite interesting. That allows our fellow classmates can share our personal opinions and at the same time we are able to give response to the works. Therefore, that is a successful application which we can make use of our knowledge to the technological materials. It can completely reveal how we get involved our learning in our daily life.

Definitely, I am a cyborg indeed. What I am using and what I am doing in my daily life is all related to the technology. For example, I can't get rid of my cell phone when I am going out. I rather think that I would feel so uncomfortable if I forget to bring my cell phone with me along. However, we have to do our paper research through internet in which can provide us some different, updated and immediate information. So technology can really help in nowadays society as well as individuals. Through these several experiences, I understand that I have been relying on the technology for a long period of time.

I think the most I like in this course is to learn how to think profoundly the meaning beyond when we are mixing the technology aspect into our reality. The course can contribute some new understanding and ideas about how we communicate to the technological knowledge to me. Those understanding we might not be consciouses in usual. Even through some concepts provided in this course are a bit abstract and complex but I am quite enjoying to learn about it. Because they always appear in my life however I seldom pay much attention to figure out them.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Bertha's Reflective Post

After the 12 weeks of lectures and tutorials in Self.Net, it gave me a theoretical concepts about the relationship between human bodies and technology throughout this course. At the very beginning, I had no idea about the meaning of cyborg, which I had never heard of this term either before. Firstly, what I had learned from this course is definitely the importance of the technologies to our recent life. We are all now living in a digital world that we almost have close connection with the technologies in our daily life. For sure, this brought conveniences and enhanced our life in several ways. However, some may challenge that the widespread of technologies into human life may take control over us in one day and also lead to some ethical issues. For this, we have to really concern about this situation from now on.
Besides, I was really appreciated about this new experience of writing such kind of weblog as a kind of assessment. As writing our own blog online is now already a very common way, it's efficient that others else can see your expression and reply your post freely.

Juliana's Self-Reflection

It is quite fresh for use of weblog for learning purposes. Every one posted the work on the blog, it seems that we share everything. To be honest, I do not really like this teaching mode. I feel embarrassing when my work is posted on the blog, everyone who login can read what I have done. I also feel that I lost my privacy. On the other hand, I discover that the teaching method does have its advantages when I read Tammy’s webliography. It makes my eyes wide open. It really helps me understand her topic and it lets me know that her work is so good. However, the comments section is not really good ideas among classmates because it is hard to say the truth when the targets you comment on are your classmates, who we meet face to face everyday.


During the course, we always talk about cyborg, human and technology. I think that we can not avoid facing theses topics in the twenty first century. I agree with Donna Haraway said that, everyone is a cyborg. I am a cyborg too. Nowadays, we are surrounding by technology. It improves our life and living standard. With a hundred years, human have been putting much effort in science and technology cause of improving and changing human history. The boundaries between human and technology can not clearly distinguish.


The topics which the course covered attract my interest, especially Donna Haraways’ notion. Furthermore, Ana gives a lot of freedom and help to us when we were doing the assignments. For me, I do not like the weblog learning method as I mentioned before. Overall the course is good and I am really enjoy it.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Yan's Self-Reflection

After been through all the topics in this course, which can really explore my insight in different issues. From learning different theoretical concept that about the relationship between human and technologies in this course, it can enhance me to think more about the influence bring from technologies is getting serious and important to ours life. As the main concept is around to the cyborg through out this course, and it is creating the idea about technology and human is always deep into my mind. So, it makes me notice that cyborg for a human is very common that I even notice of it. And it seems that this can also pointed out that people are already can not be separate with technologies already in nowadays. It is like the topic of playing video game is always treat as very common to everyone of us, but it also show that people are always influence by technology of how to act and choose.
Beside, I also learned different point of view from the use of presentation during ours tutorial. In the presentation, I can have a better understanding about those readings through the detail explanation. Also, it was very effective by using different examples from local or western to be elaborate for the presentation. Therefore, I think that it can make me understand that there are different aspects about the negative and positive side from technologies to human overall from this course.

Reflective Post

Throughout the entire course, i found that i have a deeper understand towards the relationship between human body and technology. As i believed that human and technology were two seperated objects, we created technology and therefore, we could have the ability in controlling it. However, the fact is not what i imagine, the truth is we were being controlled by technology today. we cannot survive without cellphones, computers, Internet or mp3, etc. we rely on technology too much nowadays and they have became our daily necessities.
It seems that technology has brought us convenience, yes it is true but there are dangers occured at the same time. there are so many crimes or illegal activities related to Internet nowadays, as it is hard to control the activities online. there is a horrible case in HK recently, a 16 years old girl was murdered by 2 guys that she met on msn and her dead body has not been found yet. Besides, there are so many fake bank websites appear online or hacker that attacked our personal computer to steal our privacy. I feel that it is not safe as the technology is all around us and there is no way for us to avoid it. and i found that i have become a cyborg unconsciously as i cannot imagine my life without cell pohne or computer. attending this course has help me in understanding the importance of technology and the cyborg elements have injected into human body.

Carey’s Reflective Post

Weblog is a good way for people to express their opinions and to let other people to comment on it. In Hong Kong, learning means sitting on the chair quietly and listening to what teachers said carefully, because we need to get the good result in the exam. Expressing our opinion through a weblog? Seems impossible! Indeed, weblog for learning is a new way to train our writing skills. Also, it provides a free platform for the learners to learn from others. But some may say our weblog were written by the students without any assessments through the lectures that it may just a “junk” weblog; and how can these academic writing weblogs appear on the internet publicly? I would like to say it may has some disadvantages of using weblog for learning purpose, but I do enjoy this new learning way.

In this course, we also have studied about Haraway’s cyborg. The notion of cyborg has inspired me to re-think what human is. I think if any technologies we use just an “extension” of our eyes, ears, arms, and leg, etc., why not us positively accept ourselves can be a combination between human and machine. I would like to consider myself as a cyborg not just because I think I am a human and machine, but also it can blur the distinction between male and female. It seems that cyborg can allow us not strictly be defined as men or women with many social expectations, but accept we are just the cyborg with many possibilities.

Although this subject is difficult for me as I do not have a scientific mind, this course does help me to realize and to explore how technology has truly impacted on human’s lifestyle, behavior, and relationship. As we are living in the 21st century, we are the human beings who are not just dealing with the reality world; most of us have experienced the virtual reality as well. So it does really helpful when we have the chance to study and to re-think our identities in the digital age.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Jovie's reflective post

Through the lessons in this semester, I understand more about the relationship of human and technologies. Although I am a human being, without any machines planted inside my body, I believe that I am becoming a cyborg. This is because we are now living in the world of technologies, without them the lives will be difficult. I think technologies in one way helping us to maintain stability however it also destroying it. After studying the unit in this semester, I believe that the most important thing is to learn how to get balance in the use of technologies.

The use of weblogs is suitable in this course, as most of the classmates are familiar with the use of blogs. To me, it is a little enjoyment to get rid of the ordinary paper work. In general, the unit helps me think more critically about nowadays identity in digital age. Not just theoretically teachings, also implying real cases in our living world, it made me easier to understand the situation of human beings and technologies. The most impressing parts are topics related to video games and online communication, we were actively discussing the topics of Wii and facebook, those closely related topics in our daily lives. Over all the course is interesting and help me learn something new about technologies and identity. It makes me re-think about the good and bad of technologies.

Bon's reflective post

We have learnt many topics after attending this course, it let us to know the relationship between technologies and human beings. We have discussed many about cyborg from the first few lectures. Actually, technology and human can’t separate from each other in our daily lives. We have used many technologies appliance. After discussing cyborg in the lecture or tutorials, I found that we really need to think about the negative effects of the rapid development of the technology.

Besides, although some of the topics seems are difficult to understand, there still have something interesting topics draw my interests. I did a presentation about the video game. Nowadays, most of the people play video games everyday. However, we never think about the special issues of the video games. After reading the readings, I found that we can keep exploring more about the sexualities issues in video games.

The use of the weblogs is also a good tool for my learning. Through the weblogs, we can know more about the expression of our classmates and leave some comments for them too. Many people had their own blog nowadays, but we never write a blog about our learning. Therefore this is a good way for us to learn and understand about course.

To conclude, this is undoubtedly that technologies always bring us more convenience. We can not separate from the technologies. The development of the technology is moving so fast. People seem more depended on the computer. Through the course, this is the time to think about how to deal with this problem.

Monday, May 5, 2008

Apple's reflective post

By going through all the topics that we have learn in this course, it aim to let us have a concept and self-learning about the relationship in between technologies and human beings. Even though this kind of theory raised up do not 100% fit into the changing world, I still found that some of the issues round up by the courses do give me clear and satisfy real-life events information.
I agree with the description of the relationship in between technologies and human beings are inseparable and in somehow I found that I may be a cyborgs in this modern and digital world, too. It is hard to define whether we are living in a 'real' world or not, the construction and involvement in online community made confusion and contradiction to our 'real' life experiences. Neither a representative group nor the state can give us clear cut to classify when and where we are not under the eye of the technologies. Both of our spirit and body are not fixed when the development of technologies help and support human into another kind of 'evolution'. Hence, fear and side effect made by technologies, especially the influence by internet is told and aroused me much more intention since my self experiences.

Interesting part such like the video games and ethic issues really draw my interests as it is the true challenges that we are facing. The boundary in between the reality and fantasy world is being crossed and attacked when I really saw some person 'use' online game as a tools to earn money or even stated 'online game player' as their career. Real life experiences seems to not that real with addition by online information nowadays.

All in all, although I agree that technologies always bring convenience and save our time, we are not separable from our computer and Internet as we are already control by technologies in someway. By the using of the growing technologies, for me it is inevitable to feel fear when the machine is not workable or make some errors. I believe that this topic will never outdated to study when we need to find the line to stop the developing technologies from unsatisfied demand.

Reflective Post, From Frankie =)

In our contemporary society, the relationship between human and technology are very close since it is playing an essential role that we are not able to live without it. According to the course, the objective of it is interesting and useful. It notices us about the problems that we always neglect which is overuse of the technology.
For example, in lecture three, it points out a meaningful issue for us to concern about the Frankenstein. In our daily life, using the technology seems a normal and common thing that we usually think it is necessity. But, the development of technology is amazing and we never know what it is happening in the future. Therefore, I think this topic is very useful for me to notice the danger if we still over rely or use about the technology. Maybe one day, we will be controlled by the machines that we created!
All in all, it is interesting courses provide me a chance to understand the digital media in different aspect.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Tammy's reflective post

After twelve weeks learning, I found that the use of weblogs is good for my learning, because we can learn from the peers. Our tutorial group forms an online community, it really helps to make the theoretical concept in practice. As it is an interactive platform, we can raise our ideas and give responses to the others. Therefore, we can learn from other’s strength and improve our weakness.

As we have discussed a lot about the cyborg in our course, I discovered that I have been a cyborg unconsciously. Nowadays, technology and human are merged together, it is hard to separate from our daily life. I reflected that the technological devices, such as mobile phone and computer, are important for my daily communication. Without the mobile phone, I will lose a sense of security. Therefore, it is time to alert the negative impact of the technological development. Do we have less time for face to face interaction? I think we should consider more about the relationship with others.

All in all, I quite enjoy the mode of learning, because we can have effective learning through the weblogs. However, I have the difficulty in understanding the readings, because most of the examples are picked from a very early stage. So, I need to spend more time to realize the examples. It is the most disliked part. Perhaps the development of computer and internet are moving too fast.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Reflective post (from Sandy)

The use of weblogs in this course is helpful and practical in understanding the ideas of the digital media and the online communication. In the process of using the weblogs, the ideas about the digital media taught in the course have indeed realized, such as cyborg, online communities and disembodiment in the virtual world. For examples, through such kind computer mediated communication, it does not only provide a platform for expressing the views but also for forming a network between classmates with interaction in some extents. Also, the idea of disembodiment has shown as the identity seems unsure in this space that we can understand each other only by the text, even we know each other in the real life. In which, it is quite strange feeling that, when reading other’s post, you recognize the author should be someone you know but doubt of he/she may be someone else at the same time. Indeed, the use of weblogs has give the space for us to bring out our own ideas and have a look to other’s views, and at the same time, it has realized what we have learned in the course and thus help the understanding some of rather abstract concepts.

Beside, with the great engagement with technologies in daily life, I believe that I am a cyborg in certain extents. As the technology has become a part of our life, I think that the interaction between human and technology is normal, or say, natural for most people. It is hard to separate technology from the life nowadays, no matter of living, study, entertainment and communication. In which, the boundary between human and technology is blurred gradually. However, with the increasing dependence on the technology, it is a feeling sometimes that the technology has indeed “evaded” our life as the engagement with technology is inevitable whatever you did. In which, It may be a kind of fear towards the great entanglement with technology.

I think this course is interesting. It has provided me with different perspectives of the digital media and cyberculture which I have engaged with for a long time. For instance, the idea of gender and race elements embedded in the context of video games is quite new to me as I have been unaware of it until having this course. From which, it let me to rethink about the relationship with the technology when I really enjoy the convenience brought by the rapid developing technology.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Playing game (after presentation)

After the presentation, i would find that body sensory can really help players enhance their interests and excitement when they are playing the video game. As I have raised the significant example, wii which i provided some sample videos to my classmates. When I was playing the video, they would give me a great response and applause. They all claimed that using the body movement to take part in the games might give another extra feeling and consistent enjoyment with the visual and body sensory. It can create much more fun and realistic feeling.

The development technology of video game really reinforce the relationship between reality and virtual world. It seems that we are getting involved in the games more than usual. However people mostly agreed that technology gives us more new experiences in different aspects. the boundaries between virtual and reality is gradually blurring. however is it really good for our life? Undoubtedly, playing video games with an advanced technology would obtain a higher level of excitement and fun.

in our presentation, we have to improve in the discussion part. Even through we have prepared some video showing for our classmates and they also gave us a lot of positive responses but we would rather raise less question in the discussion part. Therefore, there were some ideas which we were not able to give a further explanation, i think it would better to give some guiding questions.