This particular moment in the planet is driving us all to discover and develop new ways of communication. Particularly the internet usage.
In a moment we had all taken our own pace, followed our traditional rhythms of life, where we were used to all of our certitudes and incertitudes, everything has changed in a few days.
So, as far as I can analyze, this particular moment has developed, in this emergency, several elements in the digital world.
These elements are changing the way we relate to others and the way we relate to digital media.
The first of these elements is the urge of the people to understand and find useful and quick tools for working online. As many businesses already have implemented these kinds of digital tools, many others were just starting to get into them. But now, all of a sudden, everyone, in most of the professions that can be developed “remotely”, was obliged to get into it. And it is not only the aim of getting to know the possibilities of what can be done online, and understanding the actual needs of the profession, but the capability of using the tools. This means spending more time searching for the tools, learning their usage and teaching the team how to use them.
We can see this type of situation especially in schools around the world, where all the teachers were limited, -if this would be considered as a limitation-, to give lessons online. I can talk about these particular cases, since I am part of this sphere right now, and all my family and friends as well. Some of the schools in different countries had already developed methodologies of online learning, while others were caught with no preparation for this particular situation.
In plus, there is the educational part, not of the domain itself, but on the usage of the internet and the tools. There is a process to be done, to educate the parents on the utilization of the tools, and also the small children. This implies a methodology and an organization on the work at home. And also, this implies a permanent challenge in the teamwork, at home, at the office, at the school, in every context. A permanent stage of learning.
So, no one has any choice. The rule is: react fast, learn fast, get used to it fast. Teach the tools to the students fast. And especially, lose your fear of technology, fast.
And this last rule is also applied to different kinds of businesses, which were not yet into online working. Everyone who is not into digital technology, and that has the opportunity to work with it, is obliged to get into it. Either you go in or you’re off.
So, as it happens usually in learning processes: special interest or critical situations make us learn faster because we’re obliged to confront fear. In this case, fear of technology, fear of time, fear of the unknown, fear of failure.
We are all now confronted with these online processes, that are forcing us to change our behavior within ourselves, our profession and our work colleagues. And family and friends as well.
This particular moment of confinement is leading us to change the way we relate to other people that surround us, the way we relate to media, and especially, the way we relate to ourselves.
