Day 210 as a researcher...
Dear diary:
It has been 7 months since I immersed myself in the realm of academic research. During this time I have attended 5 courses, so far, about how to be a good researcher. The last one was about "social media for researchers" and it's one of the reasons why I'm here, writing a stupid post that probably no one will read. I don't blame you, I don't like reading either. Specially repetitive boring stuff.
After a few horrendous Power Point presentations, I've been asked to share with you some of the things I have learnt, using this obsolete tool: Blogger. (I guess haven't discovered Medium yet).
Here I go:
1. They have their own social media
To feed their egos, they like using social media networks to share their stuff. They don't really care about what other people are sharing. The goal is to have as many publications as you can, lots of mentions and lots of reposts. These networks are Research Gate or most recently, Google Scholar. Not long ago they started to use Linkedin too (to have some contact with the rest of the mortals).
2. Register yourself in 1000 platforms
During these courses the thing I do most is create new accounts on platforms I will never use. Not only do I have 3 or more different accounts for the university: virtual secretary, email, global-classroom... I'm also creating 1000 profiles: Google Scholar, Research Gate, Blogger, About.me (I refused to do that one), Symbaloo (what? Yes... I know).
This is a screenshot of Symbaloo, one of the useless tools I'll never use again. You can see how ugly and obsolete it is:
3. Lost contact with the real world
The majority of researchers and teachers are so invested in the academy that they have forgotten about the real world. Most of them have never worked for a non-educative company or had contact with a person that is not a teacher or a student. Maybe that's why they have no clue about what Discord or Slack are, for example.
4. The 15 year gap
I calculated that the academic world is lagging behind in technology by 15 years (at least in Spain). They use 4:3 format Power Point presentations that they made 20 years ago. They call "future digital technology" everything that is displayed on a screen. They talk about Google Drive or Facebook like if they had been invented yesterday. Basic tools that the rest of the mortals have been using for years.
In summary, there is a pressing need for the academic world to reestablish its connection with the real world, break free from resistance to change, and wholeheartedly embrace technology and innovation as catalysts for progress and improvement.
Moreover, it is disheartening to witness how the act of sharing knowledge has lost its true purpose of enlightening others. Instead, it has become a platform for individuals to showcase their own accomplishments, neglecting the importance of catering to the needs and understanding of the audience.
Despite everything, I am truly enjoying my experience as a researcher. I am learning so much, and I genuinely hope that my experience and work can contribute to improving and creating a positive impact on society.
Now to keep trying to be part of this weird but fascinating world, let me take this opportunity to share a few of the 20,895 links to my personal profile:
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