Broadband: A broad statement, but what does it mean?
*Connect, *Grow, *Moments March 28th, 2007
The ALP have put out this radio ad to alert listeners to the need to bring Australia’s broadband network up to speed.
So what does it mean for the average Australian?
I have visions of:
- country doctors able to network with one another to support each other in isolated communities
- health professionals, more generally, able to share resources and contribute resources back to the broader network
- locals able to develop communities and ‘cottage industries’ where ‘Internet’ is a term that is well-used in conjunction with ‘connectivity’ and ‘participation’
- learners can access media-rich websites and services and create their own resources that provide others with a sense of where they are from and the lives they live.
Of course, so much more. Just imagine the stories that can be told!
technorati tags:broadband, alp, rudd
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Marg your examples of broadband portray very positive outcomes. You may be interested to know that managers where I work have added in a dose of caution for the worker bees who were keen to embrace broadband at home. The managers who had the power to sign off reimbursement for home broadband used for work were not willing to allow it. First of all they seemed concerned that broadband would mean staff would end up working longer hours by taking work home (well show me a teacher who doesn’t). Having Broadband seemed to imply that work could no longer be ringfenced by staff at their own discretion – there goes autonomy and flexible ways of working.It was as if by giving permission for staff to have reimbursement for broadband at home, managers were suddenly clinging desperately to the idea of a 9 – 5 way of working as the only safe way to ensure staff weren’t overworking. when in reality, having broadband means that they can work at home in a more relaxed way and not have to come into the office everyday . It means they could respond to their students when they wanted to, and saw the need even if it meant 10 pm at night or at the weekend – because they had spent the day gardening while the good weather lasted.
I could not do my job without broadband in the same way – autonomously and creatively and in a way which suits me best. I vote for freedom and choice and broadband!
I’d agree Bron,
Our government spin doctors talk the rhetoric about a “work-life balance” and about our “increasingly mobile population” here in Oz (probably worldwide too), and what you’ve illustrated (as I read it anyhow) is a sense not only of management’s concern for staff overworking, but the loss of control of staff moving out from under the watchful eye of m’ment.
Our behaviours are changing along with our technology use, I think, and we can’t ignore the impact this has on working, socialising and living generally. Caution is a handy tool but not before we’ve even begun the journey, otherwise we’d never get anywhere!
I think we’d learn so much if we just let this happen (although this would probably feel like watching our kids grow up and leave home) – isn’t life simply controlled chaos anyway?!
PS. When we moved house we couldn’t connect back to our broadband (ADSL 1) and I’m devastated! Will need to do something soon as I’m going a bit stir-crazy with the dial-up we’ve got as a temp replacement!