There are a number of challenges that face us as we begin to engage more deeply into the online space. There are certainly more than 2 critical issues but these two have repeatedly cropped up on my radar and I’d love to both inform and discuss how best to manage them.

We are Educators First, Technologists Second

For some of you the acronym MMORPG is already in your vocabulary and the above image is simply “funny.” For some of you, this might actually be your first encounter with the acronym, and here’s the challenge:

Which one’s more true? Is it dependent on the institution or the individual?

MMORPG stands for “Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game.” [Read more here if you're curious!] That is the real and right definition. The problem is that many, who have never seen this, may now believe that it stands for “Many Men Online Role Playing as Girls.”

That is incorrect. The second one is a “joke.”

But do you see the connection? You see the issue? We must constantly be aware of the many different interpretations and “definitions of identity” of the tools, technology, and the way we use them. There are “right” definitions and “uses” and then there are “wrong” ones, generally speaking.

As a result, we must constantly be educating people about how to use technology and technology’s identity as properly understood, interpreted and used. We must be educators. People don’t ask for guidance, they need it. We are those vehicles.

What do you think?

Check out Part 2 of the 2 Part Series Here!