i travelled twenty miles to work today
i do this most days
but today i travelled further
i met my fellow students in greece, america, scotland, northern ireland and england
jonathan also joined us from china
hi jonathan how are you; how's the family
saw your web site; really like the movies
hi nina how was the holiday
hi robin nice photos where did you take them
martha i got the image you emailed; thanks
someone wake up andy he looks asleep on his cam
what are you working on maria
that was some storm mark; how's the family doing
david regarding our proposal;
is there somewhere to get information on planning and research
this is camberwell
well it is; partly
and it isn't
we log in and chat but I can't say where it is exactly
maybe its in my head; or out in some space
we connect; we talk; well, chat really
we are so far away, yet so close, that i can hear others talking
like we're in the same room; but we're not
The online experience is unique, it has
everything recorded for us, we don't
miss anything by not being
there… or do we?
The truth is that nothing replaces the
excitement, the thrill if you like of being
around art students, student work
up on the walls, lecture halls and studios
my son asked me today
what are you doing?
i need to do some video for my college project
can i help
ok, but let me show you how to turn it on and off
where's your college?
in london
do you have a teacher?
no, a tutor
where is he?
in london
will you see him today?
no, he's in london and we're in navan
but where is he?
he teaches in the college in london
is he your teacher?
no, he's a tutor
are you doing your home work for him?
yes
is this the button to turn it on?
no push the red one;
don't point it at your feet; point it out the window at the road
ok
turn it off after you do a bit
how do i turn it off?
push the red button
this one; is this the red one?
yes, push that one
will you see your teacher?
no not today; maybe another day
If we end up meeting, will it be awkward to actually be in a physical space rather than a virtual? Will we interact the same way, talk the same way? Or are we so safe behind our monitor that we don't want to give that up... when we chat nobody seems frustrated, or stressed or disappointed, because we can control what we write. But could this be true in real life? If we were to meet in reality, could our reactions be the same as the ones we show when we are carefully typing them? Is the lack of a physical space changing our behaviour, are we becoming virtual also?
I've spent 20 minutes trying to find sth interesting to say but it seems I've
run out of inspiration...
I think this idea of editing a common text is really interesting - even when there is nothing "interesting to say". The little that is said is enough to see that someone else has been there/ and in a sense is still there. The mark of the presence of another human being is enough to feel part of a community. There is a difference between the communication that takes place in the chat room and the expressions that exist on the discussion board. Discussion boards are more considered expressions. Chat is more spontaneous.
When several of us are in the chat room it's like we're having multiple conversations simultaneously, fast. But I'm a slow typist. The speed of multiple text thought forces spontaneity. Only enough space for a short sentence with each text. It's great for brainstorming. Type a thought and 10 others appear. And choosing a thread weaving through virtual thought patterns that then become actual in the work downloaded from the discussion board or shown live in the webcams.
Contributors: Colin Eyre, Maria Pavlou, Martha Koumarianou, Jem Mackay, Claire Morales.