One of my research interests is exploring the varied relationships people have with their technology. I have been trying to work out a process for exploring this in a way that allows me to dig deeper into these relationships, but besides working out a survey and perhaps watching people, I haven’t come up with a good approach that doesn’t put people on edge because they feel less than comfortable with their level of knowledge which is ironic given that I’m interested in how they learn.
But I was watching the Ludlum/Conroy video and it occurred to me that we see Conroy interacting with his computer in that clip. Admittedly, there isn’t much to go on but he at least seemed comfortable using the down arrow key. I think I saw a mouse beside the laptop, but he didn’t use that in that clip. It occurred to me that there is potentially a heap of, dare I say, ‘evidence’ of the kinds of interactions I’m interested on YouTube and other video sites.
On the face of that one clip, I can conclude that we have a very non-tech savvy Senate. There were perhaps three (visible) computers that I could see within the chamber – one in front of Conroy, one with Ludlam and one other with, I’m assuming[1], support people.
While videos of people intereacting with their computers may actually be a rich source of data for my research[2], I do not think watching the Senate will contribute much. I might also end up having a brain haemorrhage having to listen to Conroy over and over and over[3]. Oh, but turn down the sound and we see Conroy exhibiting very different mannerisms while reading his canned response to that when he reponds to the follow ons from Ludlum. Interesting indeed.
- and demonstrating my lack of precise knowledge about the Senate [↩]
- I will definitely need to investigate the ethical position on this. [↩]
- I’m only on my third viewing and already I feel sick [↩]
Tags:
censorship, nocleanfeed, research