Access Denied? Access for All.
After listening to Brian Lamb and D’arcy Norman’s presentation Tuesday night, I took some time to read the article they had posted entitled Social Software in Action (No Real Software Required). I think the article does a terrific job in summing up the message that both gentlemen conveyed in their presentation; knowledge need not be housed or conveyed to only the select few in our society through traditional or “proprietary” (and expensive) avenues… it can be open to all and distributed through the collective efforts of a social network using a variety of inexpensive/free tools.
I must admit, I had some struggles in regards to free access to knowledge in regards to whether there was a question of that knowledge bearing academic validity and integrity. After picking Rob’s brain (local calls are really cheap) I came to the conclusion that I was actually muddling these concepts. We in EC&I 831 are introduced to presenters who facilitate insights and knowledge (academic validity and integrity) through an expensive program such as Elluminate, yet that same presentation is then sent out to Ustream where all can view and (by the grace of the instructors) participate (free access to knowledge). Our Wednesday night discussions are delivered effectively through free online tools (Ustream and Skype) In a sense, I was preoccupied with the “milk” and the “driver” and not on “truck” itself.
Do they even still have milk trucks?
