Writers and urban planners for years have mapped and envisioned the ideal society through designing utopian metropolises. This is my own interpretation and glimpse into a version of a “webtopia,” a re-imagining meant as a prompt for discussing democracy and citizenship on the Web.

Oh the irony!  Using the Internet to counteract computer-related health issues!  Well, the reality is that for those of us constantly on the keyboard—faculty, students, and all other modern-day workers—discomfort in the hands, wrists, and arms is common.  Eventually, discomfort can lead to more serious health issues, such as tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other repetitive strain injuries (RSI). 

Check out this YouTube vodcast. Created by percussionist David Kuckhermann, it shows several very simple stretching exercises that can ease the discomfort and, hopefully, stave off those more serious conditions.

In working in online education, I find myself trying to keep abreast of not only the new developments in the online world, but also in what technologies students are currently using, both inside the classroom and out. A few years ago, I asked a group of students to teach me about Facebook, since it seemed to be all the rage and I knew nothing. I found that no student wanted to talk with me about it.