Tutorial Six: The internet and Online communities

Provide the web addresses and a hyper links for the three online communities you have chosen http://www.ageconcern.org.nz/ http://www.seniornet.org/ http://www.way2age.com/

Provide a brief description of each community What do you think is the intended purpose of the site?  Information can be linked here from the specific sites. How interactive is this site?  How can people contribute? What do they contribute? Age concern is a site specifically for serving the needs of older people by offering nationally contracted services, education, resources and national leadership. Age Concern New Zealand serves to support, engage and promote the organisation’s development and quality best practice.  They advocate on policy and issues relevant to older people and ageing.  This site is interactive, as you can link into many areas on the Home Page and navigate to areas of interest.  People can contribute by their time, donations and grants to continue the work serving the needs of older people.  This is a not for profit, volunteer-based, registered charity organisation.  Individuals can contribute their expertise, time or money if they so desire.  SeniorNet is a  nonprofit organisation dedicated to providing individuals 50 and over with access to computer technologies and the education necessary to use them. Their mission is to connect older adults with these technologies to enhance their lives and enable them to share their knowledge and wisdom.  The site is interactive, has a blog and links to other areas of interest for seniors.   Way 2 Age is an interactive online community focused on healthy, creative aging. Their mission is to provide a venue for exploring the rewards and challenges of the aging process.  This site is interactive as it is possible to navigate and find information linked to the site.  Individuals can contribute or not as they wish, play games and read blogs by other members.

Consider material presented in the online package.   Make comment on why people choose to contribute to each community.  Individuals may contribute to age concern to gain contacts and meaningful occupation in their day if they donate their time to be a volunteer visitor.  Having access to advocacy can be a comfort if feeling insecure and lonely. Seniornet users may wish to interact with other users, find information and generally get help with learning about computer classes available. They learn to touch up photos and send and receive them in email, to desktop publish documents, write their autobiographies, manage personal and financial records, communicate with others across the country and the world and serve their communities. Way 2 Age gets members to share stories, information, jokes, hobbies, wisdom, research, poems, pictures and videos in order to interact with like minded people around the world.  They choose to contribute if they are interested in a particular area. What is it they are seeking? Individuals accessing age concern may be seeking information, education or companionship through contact with like minded individuals in their age group. Seniornet users are searching for ways to communicate and learn how online resources can assist and extend their lives.  To have contact with the world and not be isolated. Way 2 Age community members are looking to extend their horizons and enlarge their experiences at a time of life when they may feel lonely and isolated. Is information shared one way or reciprocal? Age concern will respond to requests for information by individuals via a choice of email, mail or telephone. Seniornet is providing information to members learn and teach others to use computers and communications technologies to accomplish a variety of tasks. Way 2 Age is providing shared information through blog sites and postings from members that belong to this community How do you think chosen sites address or relate to occupation concepts introduced in tutorial one e.g. occupational justice, occupational disruption, occupational transition, or occupational deprivation.  Choose at least 2 concepts to discuss.  The chosen site of Age concern and Way 2 age address the occupation concepts of occupational transition that occurs in the elderly population, they may have been previously involved in busy working lives and upon retirement are looking for something to keep their minds active and occupy their day.  These sites may assist with this. Seniornet can address the  concept of occupational deprivation through education and teaching the skills of computer use to this group in society.  The only situation of occupational deprivation not addressed would be the cost of an initial set up for an individual, but they do provide connections to get the technology at better prices due to connections with wholesalers.

Considering material presented during the course and comment on the potential ethical issues that may arise in this community e.g. lack of identity and accountability. As there is always the potential for incorrect or potentially evasive information to be posted to online sites and blogs, individuals must be aware that not all information should be taken at face value and acted upon.  There is very little accountability and no real standards of practice to abide by.  Most sites will remove offensive material, but incorrect information may not be scrutinized.  The elderly could me more susceptible to online scams due to online inexperience.

Consider material presented in the online package and comment on the benefits and limitations these communities provide relate to traditional geographical communities. Benefits provided by these communities is that providing the individual has the potential to use a computer and connect to the online community it is always accessible 24 hours of the day, and as many elderly have difficulty sleeping this could occupy some time at night when the limitations of traditional communities bound by daylight hours  are not accessible.  Limitations of these online communities are that while providing occupational opportunities, they do not provide actual human contact and companionship.  This is a basic human need satisfied in a traditional community setting.