Items

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  2020-05-28

  Covid-19 highlights lack of connectivity in first nations communities

  This article speak about the ‘digital divide’ in Canada; a reality in Canada where rural and First Nations communities don’t have access to the sufficient technology or infrastructure to use online platforms, or just the internet in general. This particular article tackles how the pandemic has exacerbated this divide, and has shown the need to give these communities access to high-speed internet. These communities often are left to ask private enterprises to provide these services, and these corporations which are profit oriented as all telecommunications giants often ignores these calls, as they would not see a financial return. Essentially, profits are being placed over people, which in turn breaks apart the social solidarity of these communities and complicates communication between First Nations communities and the Canadian state, as well as community organization at large. However, this article states that the government will be actively attempting to incentivize these private corporations to build telecommunications infrastructure as a means to abide by the UN’s declaration of Rights of Indigenous Peoples. While progress is being made, this article nevertheless identifies the material and logistical disparities between First Nations communities throughout the nation; which have been highlighted by the pandemic.
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  2020-05-24

  Social dynamics of online learning

  This is a model of the social dynamics of online learning, especially human interaction via Zoom meetings. This is a common model adopted by the university. Notice how smoothly inputs are converted into outputs, thus pointing the efficiency and productivity of the overall system. As university administration have shown, the success of this model (for capital gains) can be shown in its applicability to all aspects of teaching and learning. It should also be said that a pandemic presents great opportunity for more intensive technologisation/bureaucratisation of all aspects of human life, and the extent to which communication and exchange of information can be ordered into narrow channels of utility and efficiency.