Word of the Week

The word of the week is gatekeeper.
 

From time to time, the agents of print media strike out from the dying Gutenberg galaxy, hoping to neutralize the forces of social media. I couldn’t believe what I read in Saturday morning’s paper—“Nonsense, Rubbish, and Face-War,” a screed by Aamulehti’s editor-in-chief, Jorma Pokkinen. I’m amazed at how confidently he writes about social media after spending a few web-nights on Facebook and in discussion forums. “People don’t discuss on social media,” he writes. “They argue, sling mud, and freak out.” What’s he talking about? My online world is composed of experts who employ social media as part of their work to connect with their peers around the world. Pokkinen seems to know better. Like an ink-stained medium, he’s predicting how internet users will behave in our coming presidential election. “How strange that this social hype has an inverse effect on electoral participation. Maybe people do discuss, but then turnout goes down.” According to Pokkinen, “responsible media” should protect people from their own opinions. Personally, I’m hoping that social media will protect me from old-school gatekeepers.

Previous Words of the Week gatekeeper ( vk 4 - 2012 ) Gutenberg galaxy ( vk 3 - 2012 ) proofreading ( vk 2 - 2012 ) iSteve ( vk 1 - 2012 ) Christmas gift ( vk 50 - 2011 ) picturing Angry Birds ( vk 49 - 2011 ) copyright guide ( vk 48 - 2011 ) flashmob ( vk 47 - 2011 ) school 3.0 ( vk 46 - 2011 ) knowledge building ( vk 45 - 2011 ) BookCrossing ( vk 44 - 2011 ) doomed books ( vk 43 - 2011 ) report the gobbledygook ( vk 43 - 2011 ) online writing ( vk 42 - 2011 ) live-tweeting ( vk 41 - 2011 ) MOOC ( vk 40 - 2011 ) literacy ( vk 39 - 2011 ) top-posting ( vk 38 - 2011 ) eTeaching ( vk 37 - 2011 ) language skill ( vk 36 - 2011 ) user focus ( vk 35 - 2011 ) online text ( vk 34 - 2011 ) headline ( vk 33 - 2011 ) Spice Route ( vk 32 - 2011 ) information and communication technology ( vk 26 - 2011 ) online advertising ( vk 25 - 2011 ) Jargon 2011 ( vk 24 - 2011 ) company blog ( vk 23 - 2011 ) Jargon of the Year ( vk 22 - 2011 ) E-Teacher ( vk 21 - 2011 ) Direct Connection ( vk 20 - 2011 ) freedom of expression ( vk 19 - 2011 ) pathos ( vk 18 - 2011 ) social media survey ( vk 17 - 2011 ) backchannel ( vk 16 - 2011 ) drive-in ( vk 15 - 2011 ) Web Night ( vk 14 - 2011 ) textbook ( vk 13 - 2011 ) SITE 2011 ( vk 11 - 2011 ) preface ( vk 10 - 2011 ) miniature world ( vk 9 - 2011 ) iPad ( vk 8 - 2011 ) self-regulation ( vk 7 - 2011 ) 2nd class mail ( vk 6 - 2011 ) speaking skills ( vk 5 - 2011 ) Kela-Kerttu ( vk 4 - 2011 ) interest ( vk 3 - 2011 ) asynchronous discussion ( vk 2 - 2011 ) e-credibility ( vk 1 - 2011 ) OER ( vk 52 - 2011 ) a journey to Bethlehem ( vk 50 - 2010 ) gift machine ( vk 49 - 2010 ) Online Educa Berlin ( vk 48 - 2010 ) digital storytelling ( vk 47 - 2010 ) proper noun ( vk 46 - 2010 ) naming ( vk 45 - 2010 ) crowd production ( vk 44 - 2010 ) service design ( vk 43 - 2010 ) build-a-book ( vk 43 - 2010 ) non-fiction panel ( vk 42 - 2010 ) National Punctuation Day ( vk 41 - 2010 ) Bokhylla ( vk 40 - 2010 ) Dejavu web service ( vk 39 - 2010 ) serendipity ( vk 38 - 2010 ) wurfing ( vk 37 - 2010 ) social media guide ( vk 36 - 2010 ) online instruction ( vk 35 - 2010 ) user survey ( vk 34 - 2010 ) Learning Environments -programme ( vk 33 - 2010 ) tweet ( vk 32 - 2010 ) officialese ( vk 26 - 2010 ) facilitator ( vk 25 - 2010 ) feedback response time ( vk 24 - 2010 ) one-to-one communications ( vk 23 - 2010 ) trialogic ( vk 22 - 2010 ) Learn Chat ( vk 21 - 2010 ) group blog ( vk 20 - 2010 ) customer service ( vk 19 - 2010 ) communications director ( vk 18 - 2010 ) online conversation ( vk 17 - 2010 ) Powerhouse ( vk 16 - 2010 ) eTeacher ( vk 15 - 2010 ) online assessment ( vk 14 - 2010 ) collective intelligence ( vk 13 - 2010 ) network communications guideline ( vk 12 - 2010 ) response time ( vk 11 - 2010 ) e-book ( vk 10 - 2010 ) usercontent ( vk 9 - 2010 ) SarcMark ( vk 8 - 2010 ) virtual brown-nosing ( vk 7 - 2010 ) net police ( vk 6 - 2010 ) netspeak ( vk 5 - 2010 ) tone control ( vk 4 - 2010 ) specialist culture ( vk 3 - 2010 ) communication guidelines ( vk 2 - 2010 ) annual review ( vk 1 - 2010 ) webinar ( vk 53 - 2009 ) web exercise ( vk 52 - 2009 ) profile machine ( vk 51 - 2009 ) retweet ( vk 50 - 2009 ) Twitter ( vk 49 - 2009 ) link ( vk 48 - 2009 ) Facebook group ( vk 47 - 2009 ) textrovert ( vk 46 - 2009 ) web meeting ( vk 45 - 2009 ) wiki thinking ( vk 44 - 2009 ) PLE ( vk 43 - 2009 ) spiral model ( vk 42 - 2009 ) newsletter ( vk 41 - 2009 ) FWK ( vk 40 - 2009 ) Identity theft ( vk 39 - 2009 ) smiley ( vk 38 - 2009 ) F2F discussion ( vk 37 - 2009 ) moderate ( vk 36 - 2009 ) usability ( vk 35 - 2009 ) utility ( vk 34 - 2009 ) digital native ( vk 33 - 2009 ) copyright ( vk 32 - 2009 ) pecha kucha ( vk 31 - 2009 ) slideshow ( vk 30 - 2009 ) IAT ( vk 29 - 2009 ) FAQ ( vk 28 - 2009 ) textism ( vk 27 - 2009 ) text message ( vk 26 - 2009 ) media language ( vk 25 - 2009 )