When is Face-to-Face the Best Technology?

As TS Eliot wrote, “There is no life that is not in community.” Our definition of community, though, is fluid. Today, it is not just the people in your neighbourhood. Your community might include members from across the country or across the world. At the same time, the idea of community in terms of the place in which you live, the geographic location you call home, is still very important, particularly as we face complex social issues and concerns. When we are engaging community, which “community” are we talking about? How do we use technology to facilitate our goals most effectively, and when is the best technology the social technology of a face-to-face meeting?