Korean Job Discussion Forums

ersatzprofessor

Hello all

I've been participating on this board on and off since about 1997, soon after I first arrived in Korea, with a long gap of about two years when I was back in Canada, and checked it very sporadically, mostly for jobs and teaching advice. I posted occassionally on educational questions and to give advice under my own name on the old board, and once in awhile let loose on the old "Koreans are evil bastards" threads that ran there- ( so much has changed!). I also posted the offers for my present job on the board and got very helpful advice from a number of posters.

I joined the new board April last year basically because I was so pissed off about the war in Iraq that I needed to yell to someone about it, and this was the place I knew to go to. And, now that I am a college teacher instead of a hagwhon slave- with low hours, few lesson plans to write but a strict office schedule to keep, I find myself with a lot more free time in front of a computer and I seem to end up coming here pretty much everytime I go on the net. If my name is unfamiliar to you, it is probably because you do not go into the current events forum much. There my name and avatar is all too familiar.

Anyway, participating on this board I have begun to wonder about the board itself and the people on it, and just what it is about this thing so many of us seem to devote so much time tot. I've been to a few of the functions and have some friends on the board, but the discussions tend to revolve around the current posters and issues and whatnot, plus usually involve a lot of heavy drinking as well, so it is hard to step back and look at the larger picture.

I look at the FAQ for instance, and marvel at the time and effort that waterbaby ..that I know of..put into it. And those who volunteered their time to set up the new board and sheparded it through its difficult starting days, and all those others who have moderated since then. I do have my problems with the exclusivity and opaqueness of the way moderators have been chosen and the bizarre stealth moderation that is going on now (why for instance doesn't the online moderator's name display anymore- who do you pm for a problem?), but I have no problems with those who volunteer their time freely to keep this place in the kind of shape that keeps us coming back. And of course you have those posters who selflessly share their experience and of course their time to the aid of total strangers.

I guess my first question is, just what's the story here? I know Dave's story for the Cafe, but not the story of this forum which seems an almost semiautonomous and these days barely related part of his overall site. If any of the old mods are still around ( and of course I know that some are), why did you do it? And for current mods - why are you doing it now?

And another question - how did this messageboard become what it is? I remember way back when it was an ESL teachers discussion forum primarily (or is my memory faulty)- it is obviously much more than that.

And my last question is, what is this place now? What does it mean- to us as participants and in general? What has it done and what does it do for us to bring us back time and again, even far from teaching days and from Korea? Is it a community? A diversion? Something new? Does it have any importance in the lives of those who participate here? And a last question- can it become more than it is?

Lots of questions I know. I am hoping that I can at least get a discussion started on this and I think there are those out there who might have a lot of very interesting things to say. I hope we can hear from some.

Corporal · Joined: 25 Jan 2003

ersatzprofessor

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

It all started with "An open letter to the people of America" thread... Razz

canuckistan · Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 6:51 am Post subject:

ersatzprofessor · Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 6:53 am Post subject:

ersatzprofessor · Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 7:14 am Post subject:

canuckistan,

Thanks for the very helpful reply. I have a few more questions for you, if you don't mind.

canuckistan · Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 8:12 am Post subject:

The Man known as The Man · Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 8:50 am Post subject:

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

Canuckistan is one among a number of the other mods that I often argued with during my tenure among them, though I agree with nearly everything she said today

She contributed some excellent communication right here, though. Not much I would have said differently.

Interesting thing about that experience of being a moderator : somehow we mods always maintained respect for each other as peers and colleagues, and I wish that same level were true for all the other forums. For instance, I don't post often on the teaching forum and it's possibly because I'd prefer to get into arguments in the CE Forum about Geo W Bush than ones about my teaching style - I care more about my classroom than I do about the political climate around the Potomac, I guess.

The key to what these forums give us in a word mentioned in the OP : community.

There are some differences. Via the internet we can decide and determine exactly how much and to what extent we want to participate in that group of people. I've met some here that I consider the best buds I've made in most of my life - a lot of others, we just say hi and go on our way.

Canuckistan talks about 10.000 people registered here, but a lot of them never contribute and some to the others are socks, so I'd put the number as low as 10% as that ... but I've looked at a few other forums around the net and even compared to that smaller number this place is a very big one. And very active, daily. It's a good job to speculate about why this is true.

I'm interested to hear what other people say about the reasons for it.

peemil · Joined: 09 Feb 2003 Location: Koowoompa

I like this forum...

There is generally a good mob on it... And despite sometimes that the swear filter and the "moding." Is that a word? That goes on here can really irk me it's the same thing that kinda keeps this place in order, interesting and relevant- So you don't get a hundred post of drivel.

Just my two cents because I am bored and waiting to for the shops to open so I can buy the Sims 2. Smile

P.S. Toungue in cheek this is though... Don't know if there is an emotion for it... Joo irks me too on the Current Events forum but you gotta respect that conviction! Laughing

The Bobster · Joined: 15 Jan 2003

ajuma · Joined: 18 Feb 2003 Location: Anywere but Seoul!!

A couple of related questions: How many mods are there, and how often are new ones chosen?

Been Here Years · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Seoul

Just my two cents worth as someone who has "been here years" Laughing

When the board first started it covered all countries, which was great as you could tune in or out to other places and their problems or news. As more and more posts kept coming in from Korea, other countries started to complain. The board was being over run by Korean posts. The culture here was so different, the society so hard to join in, the jobs were so hard and the schools gave the new teachers such a hard time that new teachers really needed a place to go for help, information and a shoulder to cry on. Those who are new to Korea would have a hard time believing the kind of problems and the terrible schools that existed 10 years ago.

I was one of those who initially opposed the splitting of the board. I liked reading posts from exotic places occasionally but it was not to be. The board split and then seemed to take off like a rocket to outer space. The numbers of postings and the topics just grew like Topsy.

As for why Dave might have needed mods, well look at how long you can spend on the board and how little you would get through. I guess DS has a life outside the board, or would like one at least, and having mods allows him to exert some control over what is posted without taking up his entire life.

I like the board although I don't visit it as often as I would like these days. It's nice to see the socially active people organising ladies luncheons, dinners and drinks evenings, picnics and even my book exchange. If Dave's had not existed I would not have met the people I have when they have come to the exchange to pick up free books and at the same time meet people from all over Seoul. Some identify themselves by their posting name and it's nice to put faces to the names.

Hope this answers one of your questions at least. An interesting post and one that took me down memory lane for a while at least.

waterbaby · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

I modded on and off for about a year. I was asked to the join the mod team by The Lemon back around June 2003. I was responsible for the FAQ forum (not anymore though... it's out of date now!). It came about because I started compiling a list of links on daves to topics that posters, particularly newbies, would post on the job forum... it eventually grew from there into a sticky and then finally into its own forum. I don't really know why I did it... boredom? Laughing

I'm back in Australia now and have moved out of the ESL game, which is why I'm not around much anymore, though I do like to check in from time to time as I do know quite of a few of the regulars still posting here.

I wouldn't mod again either, as I think you really need to be actively involved in the board to get a good sense of the current vibe, posters regular behaviour & knowledge spheres (ie who can help who) so that you can moderate well.

I know I managed to piss quite a few people off during my time as a mod. Oh well, I'm over all that now, though some 'tards tend to hold a grudge and sometimes even invent a grudge almost a year later. Don't miss that kind of crap we had to deal with.

I made a few mistakes along the way and sometimes had to publicly support majority decisions too which I opposed.

I did enjoy modding most of the time. A lot of it was done while chatting on MSN with the other mods and about life & other great stuff. I especially enjoyed the mod wars that would go on (you think the board is sometimes bloody? it's got nothing on the mod forum Wink

)

When I was modding back in my early days, I did push for a while to have a more transparent process, but that just ended up biting us on the arse. People want to know what's going on with their threads, bans etc. but as soon as we open that up to the process ot the public, people complain about being publicly chastised or they think it's an all out time to vent their petty grudges. It was the same people and the same broken record every time... You wouldn't let me swear... waaa... you wouldn't let me call him an idiot... waaaa ... you locked my thread... waaaa Rolling Eyes

There is no middle ground on that one, so modding remains and probably will continue to remain invisible to the public.