Comments on: My virtual ethnography: an IVF blog http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/ part of the MSc in E-learning at the University of Edinburgh Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:31:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: cmeckenstock http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-767 cmeckenstock Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:10:22 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-767 Hello Steph, Thank you for taking time to read my ethnography. You have described the blog really well - Auntie Em's role as an elder within the community. I think the agony aunt role is more prevalent in the IVF forums than the blogs, partly the forums are slightly more private perhaps? Indeed it takes a kind of personality to build a community-type group, more than the aura of technology as a glue or motivation, I think the topic and the technique of story telling also have a big part to play. In the case of these blogs, the chronological story telling as well as tagging under different topics are helpful (but not rambling) , Hello Steph, Thank you for taking time to read my ethnography. You have described the blog really well – Auntie Em’s role as an elder within the community. I think the agony aunt role is more prevalent in the IVF forums than the blogs, partly the forums are slightly more private perhaps? Indeed it takes a kind of personality to build a community-type group, more than the aura of technology as a glue or motivation, I think the topic and the technique of story telling also have a big part to play. In the case of these blogs, the chronological story telling as well as tagging under different topics are helpful (but not rambling) ,

]]> By: cmeckenstock http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-766 cmeckenstock Fri, 15 Mar 2013 16:02:08 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-766 Hi Phil, Posthuman - yes, I have just started reading and indeed it does have some link with posthuman discussion. The IVF technology is now so advanced, there is a lot it can do to screen and test embryos for inherited DNA issues, before it is placed into the womb. There is of course the phenomenon of women now able to carry a child without a partner. Can one construct the image of a child although the DNA is different from yours, does beg the question of nurture, in the case of donor egg or sperm. Still a long way to go before I complete the core reading I am sure I will have more to say when I am done! :) Thank you for taking the time to view my presentation although it is much delayed. Hi Phil, Posthuman – yes, I have just started reading and indeed it does have some link with posthuman discussion. The IVF technology is now so advanced, there is a lot it can do to screen and test embryos for inherited DNA issues, before it is placed into the womb. There is of course the phenomenon of women now able to carry a child without a partner. Can one construct the image of a child although the DNA is different from yours, does beg the question of nurture, in the case of donor egg or sperm. Still a long way to go before I complete the core reading I am sure I will have more to say when I am done! :) Thank you for taking the time to view my presentation although it is much delayed.

]]> By: cmeckenstock http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-764 cmeckenstock Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:54:49 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-764 Hi Candace, It will be interesting to research on the 'lurker' phenomenon a little bit more when time permits, there may be some work already done elsewhere. As one of the writers had talk about how we often try to use the yardstick of the non-digital to make sense of the internet community, the sense of community even in the physical world, is a difficult one to comprehend. How much and what form of contribution makes one a member of a community? What if we want to escape from the social panopticon that social media sets up by design, or the close knit community on the ground? Does the 'lurker' then become 'voyeuristic' in nature if he or she does not become an active participant, or can he/she have full empathy for the subject matter and become part of the community because the 'lurker' sees or judges herself/himself as part of that community? Re the blog vs forum metaphor - if we were to put this question contextually say in a MOOC with thousands of participants, the forums too get quite laborious to go through. But if we just to pick a handful of bloggers from the MOOC, we immediately get an entirely different sense of the community. Hence, perhaps MOOCs could encourage more blogging, and breaking the groups into smaller units to make the connections stronger. Not sure if that answers your question. Hi Candace, It will be interesting to research on the ‘lurker’ phenomenon a little bit more when time permits, there may be some work already done elsewhere. As one of the writers had talk about how we often try to use the yardstick of the non-digital to make sense of the internet community, the sense of community even in the physical world, is a difficult one to comprehend. How much and what form of contribution makes one a member of a community? What if we want to escape from the social panopticon that social media sets up by design, or the close knit community on the ground? Does the ‘lurker’ then become ‘voyeuristic’ in nature if he or she does not become an active participant, or can he/she have full empathy for the subject matter and become part of the community because the ‘lurker’ sees or judges herself/himself as part of that community?

Re the blog vs forum metaphor – if we were to put this question contextually say in a MOOC with thousands of participants, the forums too get quite laborious to go through. But if we just to pick a handful of bloggers from the MOOC, we immediately get an entirely different sense of the community. Hence, perhaps MOOCs could encourage more blogging, and breaking the groups into smaller units to make the connections stronger. Not sure if that answers your question.

]]> By: Steph Carr http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-616 Steph Carr Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:22:40 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-616 Hi Chantelle, I thought this was a compelling read. I could also see metaphor in this, especially with 'Auntie Em' herself. It is almost as if her role is that of an elder within the community - telling stories, passing down wisdom, recounting experiences. It think it's also interesting that her moniker ties in with the 'agony aunt' type advisor role. It's got me wondering about what functions and what types of people are necessary to build a community-type group and whether that's static, or whether it depends on the context. Very thought-provoking, thanks Chantelle. Hi Chantelle, I thought this was a compelling read. I could also see metaphor in this, especially with ‘Auntie Em’ herself. It is almost as if her role is that of an elder within the community – telling stories, passing down wisdom, recounting experiences. It think it’s also interesting that her moniker ties in with the ‘agony aunt’ type advisor role. It’s got me wondering about what functions and what types of people are necessary to build a community-type group and whether that’s static, or whether it depends on the context. Very thought-provoking, thanks Chantelle.

]]> By: cmeckenstock http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-574 cmeckenstock Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:25:32 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-574 Thank you Gina. Very perceptive observations. I have not started reading yet this week, but hope to get time tomorrow so will want to discuss some of your observations later. Certainly, the blog is very much an extension of the self - there is a lot more we can explore here particularly, what makes us want to/ feel comfortable or confident about writing one own's blog? Why would people choose to blog over participating in forum? Why do some people feel compelled to publish one's hour-by-hour update of what is happening in their lives, and why not others? Thank you Gina. Very perceptive observations. I have not started reading yet this week, but hope to get time tomorrow so will want to discuss some of your observations later. Certainly, the blog is very much an extension of the self – there is a lot more we can explore here particularly, what makes us want to/ feel comfortable or confident about writing one own’s blog? Why would people choose to blog over participating in forum? Why do some people feel compelled to publish one’s hour-by-hour update of what is happening in their lives, and why not others?

]]> By: cmeckenstock http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-573 cmeckenstock Wed, 13 Mar 2013 02:14:19 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-573 Hi Nikki, Thank you. I did enjoy using Vuvox. I love the cut-out images, and its ability to scroll to the right, and also it has the features of Thinglink, Glogster - so it is appealing. I would use this again. I found Eve Online movie clip by chance - I thought it really did create a kind of suspense and intensity of an eye-witness account. It does work well if the clip is played while the person is reading the presentation. Wished I had more time, I think there is a lot of potential with Vuvox as a tool for presentation. Hi Nikki, Thank you. I did enjoy using Vuvox. I love the cut-out images, and its ability to scroll to the right, and also it has the features of Thinglink, Glogster – so it is appealing. I would use this again.

I found Eve Online movie clip by chance – I thought it really did create a kind of suspense and intensity of an eye-witness account. It does work well if the clip is played while the person is reading the presentation. Wished I had more time, I think there is a lot of potential with Vuvox as a tool for presentation.

]]> By: Phil Devine http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-565 Phil Devine Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:15:10 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-565 Hi Chantelle - Very brave to take on a topic such as IVF! As Gena comments, your topic may (possibly) be related to block 3 study 'Posthuman' - One wonders how future IVF technology will advance over the next 50 years? Your chosen community appears heavy with metaphor! Having two (almost) grown up children (one at Ed Uni at the moment) - I know a parent 'kind of' constructs an image of a child then makes that image existent, physically and metaphorically - That process continues (I suspect) right through that child's life. Thank you :) Hi Chantelle – Very brave to take on a topic such as IVF! As Gena comments, your topic may (possibly) be related to block 3 study ‘Posthuman’ – One wonders how future IVF technology will advance over the next 50 years? Your chosen community appears heavy with metaphor! Having two (almost) grown up children (one at Ed Uni at the moment) – I know a parent ‘kind of’ constructs an image of a child then makes that image existent, physically and metaphorically – That process continues (I suspect) right through that child’s life. Thank you :)

]]> By: Candace Nolan-Grant http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-550 Candace Nolan-Grant Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:58:15 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-550 Hi Chantelle This was a really interesting topic, and made me think that, when we search for information online, oftentimes we're not just looking for information--we're looking for other people's experiences and stories, someone like us, someone different, a new perspective on something... At the same time, I think you showed really well how all of this can still be in the capacity of the 'lurker'. I've certainly felt like part of communities of sorts by virtue of a strong interest in the topic and regularly visiting a site, although never contributing. I wonder how transferable the blog-versus-forum metaphor is, and would it hold in a group of 50 rather than thousands...? (That's not rhetorical, I'm really wondering!) : ) Hi Chantelle This was a really interesting topic, and made me think that, when we search for information online, oftentimes we’re not just looking for information–we’re looking for other people’s experiences and stories, someone like us, someone different, a new perspective on something… At the same time, I think you showed really well how all of this can still be in the capacity of the ‘lurker’. I’ve certainly felt like part of communities of sorts by virtue of a strong interest in the topic and regularly visiting a site, although never contributing.

I wonder how transferable the blog-versus-forum metaphor is, and would it hold in a group of 50 rather than thousands…? (That’s not rhetorical, I’m really wondering!) : )

]]> By: Giraf87 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-538 Giraf87 Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:06:17 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-538 By some coincidence with this week's topic on Cyborg readings, and just having started the Donna Haraway readings, I wonder if the IVF blog is much more feminine, compared with the street art blog? This is purely a personal observation.... Being a mum too, having gone through tremendous heartache more than 20 years ago, I would have been desperate for any blog or forum at the time, but sadly they were not available. The knowledge gathering, building up of almost a scientific picture of medical support, to me, was vital in any future pregnancies, and I totally identify with the situation of gaining such information. (In my case I ended up going to specialist bookshop that stocked medical books because of lack of such online support) Any longed for community building in this sense seems very traditional, the mamatoto doula service is very authentic I think. I couldn't imagine one would want to lurk an IFV blog unless going through a similar experience. As you mention the shared 'consumption', the ‘getting there’, the ‘emotional solidarity’ and the becoming an expert is something one would totally identify with. It is immensely important to be able to share these experiences with other women who have gone through the same. By the way, I totally enjoyed your ethnography, can see now why so much effort and passion has gone into it. I will most definitely look at vuvox for a future online illustration. In testing my own theory of ‘alloy’ I would suggest that the IVF blog seems of a very dense nature, and in Correll’s terms very much relates to a person’s core sense of identity. And thus thinking of the Haraway readings, a blog such as this one can very much be an extension of oneself, a shared organism with other mothers who have added their own elements. Thanks for sharing your story. By some coincidence with this week’s topic on Cyborg readings, and just having started the Donna Haraway readings, I wonder if the IVF blog is much more feminine, compared with the street art blog? This is purely a personal observation…. Being a mum too, having gone through tremendous heartache more than 20 years ago, I would have been desperate for any blog or forum at the time, but sadly they were not available. The knowledge gathering, building up of almost a scientific picture of medical support, to me, was vital in any future pregnancies, and I totally identify with the situation of gaining such information. (In my case I ended up going to specialist bookshop that stocked medical books because of lack of such online support)
Any longed for community building in this sense seems very traditional, the mamatoto doula service is very authentic I think. I couldn’t imagine one would want to lurk an IFV blog unless going through a similar experience. As you mention the shared ‘consumption’, the ‘getting there’, the ‘emotional solidarity’ and the becoming an expert is something one would totally identify with. It is immensely important to be able to share these experiences with other women who have gone through the same.
By the way, I totally enjoyed your ethnography, can see now why so much effort and passion has gone into it. I will most definitely look at vuvox for a future online illustration.
In testing my own theory of ‘alloy’ I would suggest that the IVF blog seems of a very dense nature, and in Correll’s terms very much relates to a person’s core sense of identity. And thus thinking of the Haraway readings, a blog such as this one can very much be an extension of oneself, a shared organism with other mothers who have added their own elements.
Thanks for sharing your story.

]]> By: Nikki Bourke http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/2013/03/10/my-virtual-ethnography-an-ivf-blog-and-forum/#comment-509 Nikki Bourke Sun, 10 Mar 2013 23:45:50 +0000 http://edc13.education.ed.ac.uk/chantellem/?p=568#comment-509 Hi Chantelle, I really enjoyed this ethnography. I like the platform that you have used, especially the interactive element that allows the user to temporarily divert down tributaries before returning to the main topic thoroughfare. [Liked EVE link - nice touch!] :) Nikki Hi Chantelle,
I really enjoyed this ethnography. I like the platform that you have used, especially the interactive element that allows the user to temporarily divert down tributaries before returning to the main topic thoroughfare. [Liked EVE link - nice touch!] :)
Nikki

]]>