Hi, sorry for the late entry.. My computer has been down for awhile, and I only had the link to this blog on my computer ><
I feel that using a blog for learning purposes has been an interesting concept for me. I have frequently seen blogs as journals, online communities or even shops, but this is the first time I've ever used a blog as a learning tool. Personally, I felt that it was not as effective a learning tool as a live discussion. Probably due to the fact that it's harder for people to start a discussion or even participate in an ongoing one. People cannot interject with one-liners or add on to the discussion with small notes on the blog - things that make tutorial sessions so fun and effective. The blog is, however, much better than online tutorials hosted on the WebCT forums!
As for the matter of being a cyborg, I feel that there are 2 different definitions to the term cyborg - the official definition (a being with both biological and artificial parts) and Haraway's interpretation, that there are no separation between bodies and objects. I do not believe I'm a cyborg if I go by the official definition, but by Haraway's interpretation, every single human is a cyborg, for all humans utilise objects in some way or other in their lives, from a simple rock to a complex machine. I still do not regard myself as a cyborg, however, for I feel that Haraway has only borrowed the word "cyborg" loosely to create an entirely new category that only vaguely resembles the original meaning of the word "cyborg".
I enjoyed the tutorial discussions most, as the combined contributions during the freeform discussions are able to generate many ideas that most of us would not have come up with alone. There was actually little of the unit to dislike, but if anything, I'll probably find fault with the lack of time during tutorials. 45 minutes is just too short!
