Our forum as a Community of Practice
It can be seen that our forum for this unit is a community of practice as we all have a joint interprise and a shared goal. As a group we are aiming to acquire the best mark we can for this unit while also understanding and learning the tasks given to us each week. It also fits Wenger's theory that it is different to an organisational unit as our forum is not formal and doesn't have a strict person to answer to. There is obviously a hierarchy structure however as the tutors are at the top assessing our progress and giving us marks, but they are there to help with our development of practice, not to restrict us.
The rest of our community which involves just students are at an equal level with everyone else as we all started with the same basic knowledge of the 'new media' topic. This means there isn't an extreme difference in the power structure between us and we all fit the same role of using the forum as a learning device. However, it could be said that the members who have fallen behind in the weekly tasks could be seen slightly lower in the hierarchy as their learning and practice is behind everyone elses.
I can't see any other roles that could be fulfilled as there are only two main differences in the members of the community - the tutors, and the students. If there are any more that you can think of that i've left out then please let me know! What did you think about our forum being a community of practice?
Friday, 29 February 2008
Sue's tasks - task 3
Community of Practice website - 'Thrift Green Trotters'
I found on the internet a community of practice website associated with the Essex running club 'Thrift Green Trotters'. http://www.thriftgreentrotters.co.uk/index.htm
The site was not created solely for online purposes as it was created for the running club to help the runners develop their practice and share advice and experiences with other members. I discovered this community of practice through my mum who is actually a member of 'Thrift Green Trotters' and regularly uses the website as a secondary source of learning. She claims that nearly every member of the running club also use this website as it is useful for dates of races, and has message boards, etc. It also offers an element of Community of Practice as its joint enterprise is learning by practice and activity.
The website uses a bright and simple layout and has a bar at the top of the page with numerous hyperlinks to all the sections on the site. It's sections include 'Beginners', 'Training', 'Race Information', 'Injuries & Nutrition', and 'Club information'. Under the 'Beginners' section there is helpful tips about what training or medical advice they may need before joining, with the given names of 'Paul Price' and 'Alan Shirley' as people to go to if any extra help is needed. This automatically suggests there is a power structure in this community of practice and these members must obviously be well respected and high up the hierarchy for them to be suggested as helpers for beginners.
There is also a major element of respect in this community as there is a whole section on the website dedicated to one member called Geoff Nobes. http://www.thriftgreentrotters.co.uk/ClubEvents/GeoffNobes.htm
It describes how Geoff joined 'Thrift Green Trotters' in 1990 and had the fastest time for the 10k run in the whole club. He however then was diagnosed with cancer but beat it and recovered in 1996. Unfortunately the cancer returned and Geoff died in 1998 after being one of the most respected members in the whole club for his record-beating running. Now the club dedicates a special race called the 'Geoff Nobes Handicap Race' every year and raises money for local cancer charities. This represents that Geoff's high level of practice within the community and his battle with cancer made him the most respected member of the club even after his death.
The 'Discussion Board' section is another crucial part of this website as it allows all the members to share advice and ask questions when needed. http://members5.boardhost.com/TGTrotters/
If you click on that link you will see that the main discussion for this week has been 'Dieting Myths' and advice for the upcoming marathon which my mum says is the main joint enterprise in the club at the moment. Special marathon training has been added to the normal training and everyone is together in sharing their passion for trying to get the best time in the race.
I believe this is a perfect example for community of practice as the site provides extra tips and learning while the members practice this out in their running each week. What do you think?
I found on the internet a community of practice website associated with the Essex running club 'Thrift Green Trotters'. http://www.thriftgreentrotters.co.uk/index.htm
The site was not created solely for online purposes as it was created for the running club to help the runners develop their practice and share advice and experiences with other members. I discovered this community of practice through my mum who is actually a member of 'Thrift Green Trotters' and regularly uses the website as a secondary source of learning. She claims that nearly every member of the running club also use this website as it is useful for dates of races, and has message boards, etc. It also offers an element of Community of Practice as its joint enterprise is learning by practice and activity.
The website uses a bright and simple layout and has a bar at the top of the page with numerous hyperlinks to all the sections on the site. It's sections include 'Beginners', 'Training', 'Race Information', 'Injuries & Nutrition', and 'Club information'. Under the 'Beginners' section there is helpful tips about what training or medical advice they may need before joining, with the given names of 'Paul Price' and 'Alan Shirley' as people to go to if any extra help is needed. This automatically suggests there is a power structure in this community of practice and these members must obviously be well respected and high up the hierarchy for them to be suggested as helpers for beginners.
There is also a major element of respect in this community as there is a whole section on the website dedicated to one member called Geoff Nobes. http://www.thriftgreentrotters.co.uk/ClubEvents/GeoffNobes.htm
It describes how Geoff joined 'Thrift Green Trotters' in 1990 and had the fastest time for the 10k run in the whole club. He however then was diagnosed with cancer but beat it and recovered in 1996. Unfortunately the cancer returned and Geoff died in 1998 after being one of the most respected members in the whole club for his record-beating running. Now the club dedicates a special race called the 'Geoff Nobes Handicap Race' every year and raises money for local cancer charities. This represents that Geoff's high level of practice within the community and his battle with cancer made him the most respected member of the club even after his death.
The 'Discussion Board' section is another crucial part of this website as it allows all the members to share advice and ask questions when needed. http://members5.boardhost.com/TGTrotters/
If you click on that link you will see that the main discussion for this week has been 'Dieting Myths' and advice for the upcoming marathon which my mum says is the main joint enterprise in the club at the moment. Special marathon training has been added to the normal training and everyone is together in sharing their passion for trying to get the best time in the race.
I believe this is a perfect example for community of practice as the site provides extra tips and learning while the members practice this out in their running each week. What do you think?
Sue's tasks - task 2
Wenger - 'Organisation Unit'
In the text Wenger describes the differences between a community of practice and an organisation unit. A good quote i found in the reading to help explain this is below:
"Communities of practice are not a new kind of organizational unit; rather, they are a different cut on the organization's structure—one that emphasizes the learning that people have done together rather than the unit they report to, the project they are working on, or the people they know. Communities of practice differ from other kinds of groups found in organizations in the way they define their enterprise, exist over time, and set their boundaries." (Wenger, 1998, page 4)
I take this to meaning that in an organisation unit you have to respond to a 'boss' and have to stick to strict rules. Communities of practice are different in that it's the community's members that set the rules of learning for themselves and have a shared interest in an informal setting. The members develop themselves and their own practice as they go along and there is no pressure to answer to anybody.
There is a much more flexible atmosphere in a community of practice and it is less restricted then an organisation unit. Using my example of 'Danceworks' before, we did have a leader in Mrs Chalkley but she was there to help and teach us instead of ordering us to meet certain tasks and deadlines. The members of 'Danceworks' were given the freedom to participate when they wished and learn at their own pace in a community setting. All the members could learn from each other whether it be the newcomers learning routines from the other dancers, or the more respected dancers helping the leader with new ideas for the next dance show.
Do you agree in my understanding of this text and question? What did you think?
In the text Wenger describes the differences between a community of practice and an organisation unit. A good quote i found in the reading to help explain this is below:
"Communities of practice are not a new kind of organizational unit; rather, they are a different cut on the organization's structure—one that emphasizes the learning that people have done together rather than the unit they report to, the project they are working on, or the people they know. Communities of practice differ from other kinds of groups found in organizations in the way they define their enterprise, exist over time, and set their boundaries." (Wenger, 1998, page 4)
I take this to meaning that in an organisation unit you have to respond to a 'boss' and have to stick to strict rules. Communities of practice are different in that it's the community's members that set the rules of learning for themselves and have a shared interest in an informal setting. The members develop themselves and their own practice as they go along and there is no pressure to answer to anybody.
There is a much more flexible atmosphere in a community of practice and it is less restricted then an organisation unit. Using my example of 'Danceworks' before, we did have a leader in Mrs Chalkley but she was there to help and teach us instead of ordering us to meet certain tasks and deadlines. The members of 'Danceworks' were given the freedom to participate when they wished and learn at their own pace in a community setting. All the members could learn from each other whether it be the newcomers learning routines from the other dancers, or the more respected dancers helping the leader with new ideas for the next dance show.
Do you agree in my understanding of this text and question? What did you think?
Sue's tasks - task 1
My own Community of Practice
When i was younger i was part of a dance group called 'Danceworks' which met up once a week in our town's local hall. It was run by a woman called Mrs Chalkley and she was one of my friend's mums, and she had established this successful dance group from scratch and conducted numerous shows and dancing exams to gage how good you were.
When i was younger i was part of a dance group called 'Danceworks' which met up once a week in our town's local hall. It was run by a woman called Mrs Chalkley and she was one of my friend's mums, and she had established this successful dance group from scratch and conducted numerous shows and dancing exams to gage how good you were.
As this was the main dance group in our town there were many members, especially from my school, as this did form a community of practice. The 'joint enterprise' of this community was to learn different styles of dancing such as 'Disco', 'Jazz', and 'Ballroom'. Our 'mutual engagement' was trying to become the best dancers we could and helping each other learn the routines for shows, etc. Our 'shared repertoire' was our passion for learning new routines and trying to perform the most exciting and innovative shows each year.
We would meet up once a week to practice, and often more times a week if we were preparing for a show. It did become a social feature in my life as many of my friends from my dancing community were friends from school and are still in my life even today. Also, the mums of the children often socialised together after they had picked us up from dancing practice as there was a family pub across the road we used to gather in afterwards.
We wore dancing outfits that were customised for 'Danceworks', such as a purple leotard (which was the community's main colour scheme), black dance trousers over the top, and a gray jumper which the 'Danceworks' logo on it in purple. This type of 'uniform' i suppose brought us together as a community as nobody apart from ourselves wore it. Also, when we did gather in the family pub across the road we would still be in these clothes so to outsiders they could recognise we were part of the dancing community of practice.
As in any community of practice there was a subtle power structure that was involved. Mrs Chalkey, the creator of 'Danceworks', was also the main dance teacher and took most of the classes so she was seen at the top of the hierarchy. She then had two extra helpers who took the younger children's classes and helped teach us new routines if we practicing for a show. They therefore got respect from the pupils, but we didn't view them as high up as Mrs Chalkley. There were then different classes based on the level of your dancing skills. The more exams you took and passed, the higher the class you would go up. This lead to you gaining respect from the other members as you were working your way up the hierarchy.
The newcomers often had a hard time as they were outsiders to our community and normally did not have very good dancing skills to start off with. As i said before, the better you were at the dancing the more respect you got. Once the newcomers passed their first exam though or participated in a show they often got more accepted. In that sense, people had to "earn their stripes" before being welcomed into the community.
Wednesday, 27 February 2008
Website Analysis
Analyis - 'more magazine' - part c
The last part of the 'more magazine' website i am going to analyse is the appeal it has for the uses and why it is such a popular site.
Appeal - There are many aspects of this website that i find appealing and that i could imagine many other young women enjoying too. Although the home page is slightly cluttered with adverts and different boxes, it does look exciting as soon as you enter it and there are so many different sections for users to go on. The numerous hyperlinks make the site very interactive and allow the user to create their own experience by choosing excatly what sections of the site they want to view. This high level of interactivity in my opinion is what makes the site so interesting as you keep finding new hyperlinks and new sections to go onto which stop you from leaving and surfing onto other sites.
The user generated content of the site is another appealing feature as the Message Boards and Chat rooms have endless topics you can talk about. There also seems to be a lot of users visiting each board so you know you will have a good discussion if you wish to get involved. It is an open and un-biased space where you can post anything you like and even ask the other users for advice which seems to always get answered on most of the boards. This creates an atmosphere of a virtual community as most of the users are young women all dealing with the same issues that the website addresses, so it allows a network of relationships to form and that is a very appealing aspect for this site.
Please go on the site for yourself to have a look at it and let me know if you agree with my positive analysis of it. Thanks! http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/
The last part of the 'more magazine' website i am going to analyse is the appeal it has for the uses and why it is such a popular site.
Appeal - There are many aspects of this website that i find appealing and that i could imagine many other young women enjoying too. Although the home page is slightly cluttered with adverts and different boxes, it does look exciting as soon as you enter it and there are so many different sections for users to go on. The numerous hyperlinks make the site very interactive and allow the user to create their own experience by choosing excatly what sections of the site they want to view. This high level of interactivity in my opinion is what makes the site so interesting as you keep finding new hyperlinks and new sections to go onto which stop you from leaving and surfing onto other sites.
The user generated content of the site is another appealing feature as the Message Boards and Chat rooms have endless topics you can talk about. There also seems to be a lot of users visiting each board so you know you will have a good discussion if you wish to get involved. It is an open and un-biased space where you can post anything you like and even ask the other users for advice which seems to always get answered on most of the boards. This creates an atmosphere of a virtual community as most of the users are young women all dealing with the same issues that the website addresses, so it allows a network of relationships to form and that is a very appealing aspect for this site.
Please go on the site for yourself to have a look at it and let me know if you agree with my positive analysis of it. Thanks! http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/
Website Analysis
Analysis - 'more Magazine' - part b
I have analysed the aspect of structure on the 'more magazine' website, and i am now going to address how the website is connected to the user on a cultural level.
Culture - In my opinion this site represents women's culture of today very accurately. It is basically an online version of the magazine so both of the forms of media reflect each other. 'More Magazine' is mostly known for its open and relevant topics such as a 'Sex Confessions' page in every issue and often one-off specials on 'Sex tips', etc. This isn't promoting young women to sleep around or belittle the serious topic of sex, but it tries to address issues in a light-hearted way and answer both the readers in the magazine and the users on the website questions.
This also demonstrates how today's female culture is much more open to talk about sex and that it is not such a taboo subject anymore to share your sexual experiences. In some ways this is addressing the 'Public Sphere' as on the Message Board there are sections named 'Dating Stories, 'Sexy Confessions', and 'Men & Sex' (alongside the other topics such as beauty and fashion) where users can talk to other users about their experiences and ask for advice. The way these specific boards are put amongst the other boards addressing less intimate topics, such as celebrities, reflects how sex and men are just another ordinary issue that women deal with on a daily basis and aren't afraid to talk about it. http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/messageboards.asp?forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3
The users however can also be anonymous, as on the message boards they don't have to use their real names if they don't want to. There are names such as 'cutiepie1' and 'coolcat20' which disguise the user's identity. Maybe this suggests that even though in our culture we are more open to talk about sex and intimate topics, we still feel more at ease sharing our true views if nobody knows our real identity. Hopefully in the future these sort of topics will have completely shed their taboo status and then people will feel more comfortable in discussing their views while using their real name. What do you think? Would you feel comfortable talking about these sorts of topics on this forum?
I have analysed the aspect of structure on the 'more magazine' website, and i am now going to address how the website is connected to the user on a cultural level.
Culture - In my opinion this site represents women's culture of today very accurately. It is basically an online version of the magazine so both of the forms of media reflect each other. 'More Magazine' is mostly known for its open and relevant topics such as a 'Sex Confessions' page in every issue and often one-off specials on 'Sex tips', etc. This isn't promoting young women to sleep around or belittle the serious topic of sex, but it tries to address issues in a light-hearted way and answer both the readers in the magazine and the users on the website questions.
This also demonstrates how today's female culture is much more open to talk about sex and that it is not such a taboo subject anymore to share your sexual experiences. In some ways this is addressing the 'Public Sphere' as on the Message Board there are sections named 'Dating Stories, 'Sexy Confessions', and 'Men & Sex' (alongside the other topics such as beauty and fashion) where users can talk to other users about their experiences and ask for advice. The way these specific boards are put amongst the other boards addressing less intimate topics, such as celebrities, reflects how sex and men are just another ordinary issue that women deal with on a daily basis and aren't afraid to talk about it. http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/messageboards.asp?forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3
The users however can also be anonymous, as on the message boards they don't have to use their real names if they don't want to. There are names such as 'cutiepie1' and 'coolcat20' which disguise the user's identity. Maybe this suggests that even though in our culture we are more open to talk about sex and intimate topics, we still feel more at ease sharing our true views if nobody knows our real identity. Hopefully in the future these sort of topics will have completely shed their taboo status and then people will feel more comfortable in discussing their views while using their real name. What do you think? Would you feel comfortable talking about these sorts of topics on this forum?
Website Analysis
Analysis - 'More Magazine' - part a
For this task i am going to analyse the website for 'More' magazine. It is one of the most well-known and popular magazines for young women and covers a range of topics relevant to women's lifestyles which is also reflected through the website.
http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/
Structure: In my opinion the website is structured very well as it encourages interaction and is full of interesting hyperlinks to keep the website exciting for the user. The opening page of the site is full of bright colours and numerous different sections to keep the user busy. The colour scheme is mostly pinks and whites which is stereotypically 'girlie' colours which keeps to the demographic of the magazine. As well as all the different sections on the open page there are numerous adverts directed to the user. These adverts are mainly make-up related and its main brand seems to be 'Rimmel'. The adverts are also hyperlinks so when the user clicks on them it directs them to a 'Rimmel' website where they can buy the make-up that is being advertised and even get a free sample if they follow the directions on the site: http://www.rimmellondon.com/UK/promotions.aspx?id=235
Down the left hand side of the home page there is a list of the different sections you can visit on the site, such as 'Celebrity', 'Fashion & Beauty', and even a 'Single Men' section which suggests that the target audience for this site prioritise the need for finding a man as well as looking and feeling good. This list of sections are hyperlinks that the user can just click on and be sent to the certain topic they are interested in. This increases the interactivity of the site and allows the user to become 'producers' and create their own experience of the website. There is also a Search bar at the top of the page so that the user can just type a key word in and be sent straight to that topic in the site instead of trying to look for it.
There are different boxes spread around the home page which create more functions of the site and to keep the user entertained for longer which decreases the chance for them to just 'surf' and not stay on the site. There is a 'Hot Topic' section with the week's most interesting stories which tells the user that the site is up-to-date with the newest topics and makes the site seem innovative.
There are two big boxes in the center of the page with a 'Message Board' hyperlink and a 'Chat room' hyperlink. The Message Board has lots of different subjects from 'Music and TV' to problem-page style topics called 'Get it off your chest'. http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/messageboards.asp
There seem to be lots of comments on nearly every topic which suggests that this site, and especially the Message Board section, is very successful and popular with users. It is easily laid out and simple to use which will encourage people to post a comment. However, to go onto the Chat Room section you have to become a member of the site and register before you can become involved with the chat, so this could put off some users as it is time-consuming so they may just stick to using the Message Boards which you can use without becoming a member.
An extra hyperlink of the site which i thought was very innovative is the user can click on a link that shows them a webcam of the More Magazine office. I found this very interesting and haven't come across this sort of function on any other site. It makes the user feel more involved as they can actually see the staff working on the magazine and the website. Has anyone else come across this sort of thing on a website before?
For this task i am going to analyse the website for 'More' magazine. It is one of the most well-known and popular magazines for young women and covers a range of topics relevant to women's lifestyles which is also reflected through the website.
http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/
Structure: In my opinion the website is structured very well as it encourages interaction and is full of interesting hyperlinks to keep the website exciting for the user. The opening page of the site is full of bright colours and numerous different sections to keep the user busy. The colour scheme is mostly pinks and whites which is stereotypically 'girlie' colours which keeps to the demographic of the magazine. As well as all the different sections on the open page there are numerous adverts directed to the user. These adverts are mainly make-up related and its main brand seems to be 'Rimmel'. The adverts are also hyperlinks so when the user clicks on them it directs them to a 'Rimmel' website where they can buy the make-up that is being advertised and even get a free sample if they follow the directions on the site: http://www.rimmellondon.com/UK/promotions.aspx?id=235
Down the left hand side of the home page there is a list of the different sections you can visit on the site, such as 'Celebrity', 'Fashion & Beauty', and even a 'Single Men' section which suggests that the target audience for this site prioritise the need for finding a man as well as looking and feeling good. This list of sections are hyperlinks that the user can just click on and be sent to the certain topic they are interested in. This increases the interactivity of the site and allows the user to become 'producers' and create their own experience of the website. There is also a Search bar at the top of the page so that the user can just type a key word in and be sent straight to that topic in the site instead of trying to look for it.
There are different boxes spread around the home page which create more functions of the site and to keep the user entertained for longer which decreases the chance for them to just 'surf' and not stay on the site. There is a 'Hot Topic' section with the week's most interesting stories which tells the user that the site is up-to-date with the newest topics and makes the site seem innovative.
There are two big boxes in the center of the page with a 'Message Board' hyperlink and a 'Chat room' hyperlink. The Message Board has lots of different subjects from 'Music and TV' to problem-page style topics called 'Get it off your chest'. http://www.moremagazine.co.uk/message_chat/messageboards.asp
There seem to be lots of comments on nearly every topic which suggests that this site, and especially the Message Board section, is very successful and popular with users. It is easily laid out and simple to use which will encourage people to post a comment. However, to go onto the Chat Room section you have to become a member of the site and register before you can become involved with the chat, so this could put off some users as it is time-consuming so they may just stick to using the Message Boards which you can use without becoming a member.
An extra hyperlink of the site which i thought was very innovative is the user can click on a link that shows them a webcam of the More Magazine office. I found this very interesting and haven't come across this sort of function on any other site. It makes the user feel more involved as they can actually see the staff working on the magazine and the website. Has anyone else come across this sort of thing on a website before?
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Week 4 - Task 2
Music Sharing Online
Online music has become so popular over the years and is changing the way music is distributed and consumed as a result. You can download a song within minutes which gets rid of the need to go to a high street shop like HMV at all. I personally still like going into music shops and being able to look at the different sections available and being able to ask questions to the staff face-to-face. However, i can see how easy and fast it is to just download the music online and not have to even leave your house.
This method of music sharing is useful for unknown bands to become more popular as their music can be distributed on a mass scale for no cost. Singers such as Kate Nash and Lilly Allen all became well known through online music sharing. The Artic Monkeys are probably the most well known band for becoming famous through the website Myspace. Their profile purely advertised their music and anyone was able to access it for no money at all.
This could easily change how popular music is viewed. Whereas before bands would need to be signed by a record label, have lots of money for advertising, and be able to travel to places all around the country to become well known. Now bands can have their music be heard all over the country without having to do long travelling as people can download their songs from anywhere. I think this will be a positive factor as unknown bands who wouldn't have had a chance to be heard before now have an effective outlet for their music. Do you agree with me that it's a positive thing or do you think it could lead to the downfall of music stores?
Online music has become so popular over the years and is changing the way music is distributed and consumed as a result. You can download a song within minutes which gets rid of the need to go to a high street shop like HMV at all. I personally still like going into music shops and being able to look at the different sections available and being able to ask questions to the staff face-to-face. However, i can see how easy and fast it is to just download the music online and not have to even leave your house.
This method of music sharing is useful for unknown bands to become more popular as their music can be distributed on a mass scale for no cost. Singers such as Kate Nash and Lilly Allen all became well known through online music sharing. The Artic Monkeys are probably the most well known band for becoming famous through the website Myspace. Their profile purely advertised their music and anyone was able to access it for no money at all.
This could easily change how popular music is viewed. Whereas before bands would need to be signed by a record label, have lots of money for advertising, and be able to travel to places all around the country to become well known. Now bands can have their music be heard all over the country without having to do long travelling as people can download their songs from anywhere. I think this will be a positive factor as unknown bands who wouldn't have had a chance to be heard before now have an effective outlet for their music. Do you agree with me that it's a positive thing or do you think it could lead to the downfall of music stores?
Week 4 - Task 1
Social Networking Sites
I believe that Facebook (www.facebook.com) is the perfect example of an efficient working social networking site, and the fact that i keep refering to it shows that it ticks a lot of boxes!! It is a great form of communication and is ideal for keeping in contact with friends who without this service you might have grown apart from. For anyone who has been living under a rock the past few years and doesn't know what facebook is it's a website that you join often in connection with a University or business you are part of and this initially allows you to make connections with other people similar to yourself. Your profile allows you to message other people you have become 'friends' with on the site and you can personalise your profile to suit your taste. I think these sort of functions is why this site has become so popular above others such as bebo as its so interactive and you have control over everything.
The function of adding and editing pictures is in my opinion one of the main reasons that makes this site stand out. You can 'tag' yourself and your friends in the pictures so that they can then be seen on numerous people's profiles. You can then click on the hyperlink of the person's name that is on the picture which sends you straight to their profile, so you therefore are 'surfing' through your friends' sites and seeing what is new on their profile.
There is no anonymity on this site as you know excatly who you are talking to as people often go into detail about themselves on their profile as it is split into different sections like 'interests' and 'background'. Even a 'religion' label is there so every aspect of a person is revealed.
I think this site is a clear example of how social networking sites are developing and how us as a society are developing with it. Even inside facebook there are constant developments as i get sent messages asking if i want to download the new application created for the site. I think this kind of development is very exciting and innovative, do you agree? Do you enjoy facebook as much as me?
I believe that Facebook (www.facebook.com) is the perfect example of an efficient working social networking site, and the fact that i keep refering to it shows that it ticks a lot of boxes!! It is a great form of communication and is ideal for keeping in contact with friends who without this service you might have grown apart from. For anyone who has been living under a rock the past few years and doesn't know what facebook is it's a website that you join often in connection with a University or business you are part of and this initially allows you to make connections with other people similar to yourself. Your profile allows you to message other people you have become 'friends' with on the site and you can personalise your profile to suit your taste. I think these sort of functions is why this site has become so popular above others such as bebo as its so interactive and you have control over everything.
The function of adding and editing pictures is in my opinion one of the main reasons that makes this site stand out. You can 'tag' yourself and your friends in the pictures so that they can then be seen on numerous people's profiles. You can then click on the hyperlink of the person's name that is on the picture which sends you straight to their profile, so you therefore are 'surfing' through your friends' sites and seeing what is new on their profile.
There is no anonymity on this site as you know excatly who you are talking to as people often go into detail about themselves on their profile as it is split into different sections like 'interests' and 'background'. Even a 'religion' label is there so every aspect of a person is revealed.
I think this site is a clear example of how social networking sites are developing and how us as a society are developing with it. Even inside facebook there are constant developments as i get sent messages asking if i want to download the new application created for the site. I think this kind of development is very exciting and innovative, do you agree? Do you enjoy facebook as much as me?
Monday, 11 February 2008
Week 3 - Task 2
Public Message Boards
'The Sun' Newspaper Discussion Board
The topic - Big Brother's 'Charley' gets into a 'bitch fight' outside club
http://www.thesun.co.uk/mysun/comment/view.page?storyId=373532&submissionId=148254&nav=jump&pageNo=1
In this message board the users were dicussing the recent topic of Big Brother's outspoken housemate 'Charley' being beaten up outside a London nightclub.
There was a lot of 'flaming' in this message board as most of the British public does not like Charley as she is so outspoken and loud and therefore she has got a lot of bad press since she left the Big Brother house. Users were being extremely nasty and hateful towards the fight with Charley and were directing words to the girl who started the fight such as "Well done", and "about time someone gripped the self obsessed egotistical bitch".
People are obviously being very outspoken in how much they dislike Charley as they are doing it in the safety of an online forum where nobody can find out who they are, so they can be as nasty as they like and not face any consequences. In the real world i'm sure they would not have the nerve to say all these things to Charley's face as then they would have to pay for they comments straight away. None of the users gave they real names, instead using obscure nicknames such as "the boli" and "nic512". They give no clue into what this person is like, the only insight you have into these people is that they have extreme hostile feelings towards Charley.
The users also have the option of stating their full name and where they are from in a box next to their comment. However, some people choose to ignore it or only put the most basic answer they can, like just saying they are from England instead of stating excatly where. This again reinforces the fact that they feel safe by saying these flaming comments and knowing that nobody can find them or track them down. What do you think about this?
'The Sun' Newspaper Discussion Board
The topic - Big Brother's 'Charley' gets into a 'bitch fight' outside club
http://www.thesun.co.uk/mysun/comment/view.page?storyId=373532&submissionId=148254&nav=jump&pageNo=1
In this message board the users were dicussing the recent topic of Big Brother's outspoken housemate 'Charley' being beaten up outside a London nightclub.
There was a lot of 'flaming' in this message board as most of the British public does not like Charley as she is so outspoken and loud and therefore she has got a lot of bad press since she left the Big Brother house. Users were being extremely nasty and hateful towards the fight with Charley and were directing words to the girl who started the fight such as "Well done", and "about time someone gripped the self obsessed egotistical bitch".
People are obviously being very outspoken in how much they dislike Charley as they are doing it in the safety of an online forum where nobody can find out who they are, so they can be as nasty as they like and not face any consequences. In the real world i'm sure they would not have the nerve to say all these things to Charley's face as then they would have to pay for they comments straight away. None of the users gave they real names, instead using obscure nicknames such as "the boli" and "nic512". They give no clue into what this person is like, the only insight you have into these people is that they have extreme hostile feelings towards Charley.
The users also have the option of stating their full name and where they are from in a box next to their comment. However, some people choose to ignore it or only put the most basic answer they can, like just saying they are from England instead of stating excatly where. This again reinforces the fact that they feel safe by saying these flaming comments and knowing that nobody can find them or track them down. What do you think about this?
Week 3 - Task 1
Identity & relationships online
I do not think that withholding your full identity in certain circumstances is ethically wrong. On such things as forums and chat rooms for example i don't think it's a problem to just put your first name or a nickname instead of your full name as it's just light-hearted chat. However, there are obvious examples where full identity is needed, such as for security reasons on financial websites. Also, for children's safety against paedophiles, etc, children should always know excatly who they are talking to on a socially interactive site and should ask for the person's full identity before talking to them.
I can understand the appealing factor of being 'yourself' on the internet and that there are hardly any boundaries in self-expression. People can re-invent themselves in a sense and portray themselves however they wish as the other people in the chat room or forum have no idea who they are in the 'real' world. There are websites for every sort of topic that people can relate to and express their views on, and this is a very liberating experience for some people who have never been able to voice their ideas on a certain topic before. Also, the fact that the user knows that the other people on the website have the same type of opinion as them reinforces the sense of freedom of speech and being open to express themselves with other like-minded people.
I think there are a few risks with online identity, as people may not be who they say they are and this could lead to mis-trust. The persona a person puts on to you online may be totally different to the person they are in real life. You have no face-to-face interaction with that person so just have to trust them on what they tell you via emails and messages. This could again pose as a dangerous situation for younger people who may be naive and therefore put trust into people they meet online when they shouldn't.
I can understand why some people change their online persona subtly when on different chat rooms, etc. It may not involve them lying about themselves or deceiving the other users on there, it may just be that in certain chat rooms with specific topics of conversation you have to maybe agree with what the majority of people are saying so to be involved in the online social interaction. Do you agree with that?
I do not think that withholding your full identity in certain circumstances is ethically wrong. On such things as forums and chat rooms for example i don't think it's a problem to just put your first name or a nickname instead of your full name as it's just light-hearted chat. However, there are obvious examples where full identity is needed, such as for security reasons on financial websites. Also, for children's safety against paedophiles, etc, children should always know excatly who they are talking to on a socially interactive site and should ask for the person's full identity before talking to them.
I can understand the appealing factor of being 'yourself' on the internet and that there are hardly any boundaries in self-expression. People can re-invent themselves in a sense and portray themselves however they wish as the other people in the chat room or forum have no idea who they are in the 'real' world. There are websites for every sort of topic that people can relate to and express their views on, and this is a very liberating experience for some people who have never been able to voice their ideas on a certain topic before. Also, the fact that the user knows that the other people on the website have the same type of opinion as them reinforces the sense of freedom of speech and being open to express themselves with other like-minded people.
I think there are a few risks with online identity, as people may not be who they say they are and this could lead to mis-trust. The persona a person puts on to you online may be totally different to the person they are in real life. You have no face-to-face interaction with that person so just have to trust them on what they tell you via emails and messages. This could again pose as a dangerous situation for younger people who may be naive and therefore put trust into people they meet online when they shouldn't.
I can understand why some people change their online persona subtly when on different chat rooms, etc. It may not involve them lying about themselves or deceiving the other users on there, it may just be that in certain chat rooms with specific topics of conversation you have to maybe agree with what the majority of people are saying so to be involved in the online social interaction. Do you agree with that?
Wednesday, 6 February 2008
Week 2 - Task 2
My blog as a form of communication
I feel that my blog is a good way of communicating with other people in my group and getting my points across in a direct and literal way. It encourages people on the course to talk more as you are having to look and comment on everyone's blogs each week. This has lead to more friendships being formed as before this method of communicating you may have never spoken to that person on the course before.
My audience is obviously the rest of the people off my course and my tutor who is marking my blog each week. My writing is similar to the way i would talk in an actual seminar, in that i'm not talking too formally but then im not talking in 'slang' or 'text' talk as i don't think this is an appropriate way of discussing issues in seminars no matter if it is online.
I don't think that im putting on a kind of 'self-image' as i feel that im talking just as i would in a real-life seminar. I try to get my ideas across in the best way possible with simple language that is quick and easy to read. In some ways i do feel that i am part of a 'blogger community', especially on the forum as we are all talking on there for the same purpose and i know that people will be interested in what i have to say as we are all studying the same topic.
I feel that my blog is a good way of communicating with other people in my group and getting my points across in a direct and literal way. It encourages people on the course to talk more as you are having to look and comment on everyone's blogs each week. This has lead to more friendships being formed as before this method of communicating you may have never spoken to that person on the course before.
My audience is obviously the rest of the people off my course and my tutor who is marking my blog each week. My writing is similar to the way i would talk in an actual seminar, in that i'm not talking too formally but then im not talking in 'slang' or 'text' talk as i don't think this is an appropriate way of discussing issues in seminars no matter if it is online.
I don't think that im putting on a kind of 'self-image' as i feel that im talking just as i would in a real-life seminar. I try to get my ideas across in the best way possible with simple language that is quick and easy to read. In some ways i do feel that i am part of a 'blogger community', especially on the forum as we are all talking on there for the same purpose and i know that people will be interested in what i have to say as we are all studying the same topic.
Week 2 - Task 1
online seminars VS classroom seminars
I believe that there are many positives to conducting the seminars for this unit online. We are able to express ourselves in a more literal form. For example, some people find it quite difficult to talk in front of people in a seminar room and therefore keep some of their points to themselves. However, in this method you have to write done your exact views on an issue each week without the pressure of a classroom of people watching you. I however do prefer the face-to-face experience of conducting a seminar in a classroom with fellow students but i can recognise this factor of writing down your ideas on an online forum as being a positive way of learning.
There is some interaction through this method of communication as there is the online forum where each group can talk to each other and discuss issues with each weeks tasks. However, this is not conducted in 'real-time' and answers to messages on the forum can take a while to come back, whereas in a seminar room you would get answers straight away. I believe there is also more interaction with your tutor in a classroom compared to online seminars as you are face-to-face and can talk to them without having to wait for a reply to a message.
I do think it is helpful being able to schedule your time for blogging over the course of a week. Even though with a real-life seminar you can discuss all your points in one scheduled time and then concentrate on your other units scheduled for the rest of the week, it is useful if say you just want to do a bit of blogging on a certain topic and then come back to it later.
I don't feel like there is any real sense of authority, whereas in a classroom there is the obvious discourse of the tutor/student relationship. Everyone is seen as equal in the online forums which is good in that you can voice your opinions in an equal environment. Do you agree?
I believe that there are many positives to conducting the seminars for this unit online. We are able to express ourselves in a more literal form. For example, some people find it quite difficult to talk in front of people in a seminar room and therefore keep some of their points to themselves. However, in this method you have to write done your exact views on an issue each week without the pressure of a classroom of people watching you. I however do prefer the face-to-face experience of conducting a seminar in a classroom with fellow students but i can recognise this factor of writing down your ideas on an online forum as being a positive way of learning.
There is some interaction through this method of communication as there is the online forum where each group can talk to each other and discuss issues with each weeks tasks. However, this is not conducted in 'real-time' and answers to messages on the forum can take a while to come back, whereas in a seminar room you would get answers straight away. I believe there is also more interaction with your tutor in a classroom compared to online seminars as you are face-to-face and can talk to them without having to wait for a reply to a message.
I do think it is helpful being able to schedule your time for blogging over the course of a week. Even though with a real-life seminar you can discuss all your points in one scheduled time and then concentrate on your other units scheduled for the rest of the week, it is useful if say you just want to do a bit of blogging on a certain topic and then come back to it later.
I don't feel like there is any real sense of authority, whereas in a classroom there is the obvious discourse of the tutor/student relationship. Everyone is seen as equal in the online forums which is good in that you can voice your opinions in an equal environment. Do you agree?
Week 2 - Learning Journal - Task 2
Hypertext
I believe that Hypertext does shape the experience of using the internet as it gives the user a more interactive experience. By having these different links and text that can link to 'anywhere' it allows an open-ended amount of choice for the user. The term 'prousers' can be used here as hypertext leads us to create our own experience as we have to make choices and decide whether we want to click on certain links or not. This can be seen as a positive thing as the internet and websites are constantly changing so it allows the user to connect to sites quickly.
However, this constant choice and 'surfing' of the internet can be seen as a negative thing as people will be tired of constantly scanning different websites and clicking on hyperlinks that lead them to somewhere else, they will want to stick to their favourites. This is where 'cultivation' comes in as people now choose their favourite search engines and favourite specific sites over 'surfing'.
Do you agree?
I believe that Hypertext does shape the experience of using the internet as it gives the user a more interactive experience. By having these different links and text that can link to 'anywhere' it allows an open-ended amount of choice for the user. The term 'prousers' can be used here as hypertext leads us to create our own experience as we have to make choices and decide whether we want to click on certain links or not. This can be seen as a positive thing as the internet and websites are constantly changing so it allows the user to connect to sites quickly.
However, this constant choice and 'surfing' of the internet can be seen as a negative thing as people will be tired of constantly scanning different websites and clicking on hyperlinks that lead them to somewhere else, they will want to stick to their favourites. This is where 'cultivation' comes in as people now choose their favourite search engines and favourite specific sites over 'surfing'.
Do you agree?
Week 2 - Learning Journal - Task 1
Interactive Wesites
The initial website that comes to mind that involves interactivity is 'Facebook', probably because this is my favourite website! Also, it is many of my friends favourite website so it got me thinking why is this site so popular? And my answer was because it is centered around the user being involved and interactive with the site and its different functions. It's main role for the user is to organise your own site and add the different functions you want on there (videos, 'superwall', etc) and then communicate with the friends on there. Everything shown on your own wall is decided purely by you; what photos you have shown, what comments you want to be shown, everything. This is an attractive feature as the user is totally in control of what is being seen on their page and it is purely done by their interaction. There is an aspect of 'Registrational Interactivity' as the user communicates with their friends by writing on each other's 'walls' and adding messages to pictures, etc.
I think this website is a perfect example of an interactive website and it gains its popularity from being so interactive which is a common popular method as it can be seen in other such sites as Myspace and Bebo. Do you agree?
The initial website that comes to mind that involves interactivity is 'Facebook', probably because this is my favourite website! Also, it is many of my friends favourite website so it got me thinking why is this site so popular? And my answer was because it is centered around the user being involved and interactive with the site and its different functions. It's main role for the user is to organise your own site and add the different functions you want on there (videos, 'superwall', etc) and then communicate with the friends on there. Everything shown on your own wall is decided purely by you; what photos you have shown, what comments you want to be shown, everything. This is an attractive feature as the user is totally in control of what is being seen on their page and it is purely done by their interaction. There is an aspect of 'Registrational Interactivity' as the user communicates with their friends by writing on each other's 'walls' and adding messages to pictures, etc.
I think this website is a perfect example of an interactive website and it gains its popularity from being so interactive which is a common popular method as it can be seen in other such sites as Myspace and Bebo. Do you agree?
Lister Reading p.1-44
Lister - p.1-44
Lister's reading initially discusses what is 'new media' and the different methods of communication it has created. Lister sees the media as "a fully social institution" and that society has developed a "set of interactions between new technological possibilities and established media forms" (Lister, p10). The changes that this new development has created include:
Lister's reading initially discusses what is 'new media' and the different methods of communication it has created. Lister sees the media as "a fully social institution" and that society has developed a "set of interactions between new technological possibilities and established media forms" (Lister, p10). The changes that this new development has created include:
- A shift in cultural changes such modernity changing to postmodernity. This can be seen in such example as society's economics now being handled by 'new media' which has been a key marker in change for society.
- There is now not such a solid line between national states and boundaries when concerning trade, cultures and even beliefs as new media has helped to break those boundaries.
- A shift in employment as more staff are needed to work on these new media tools.
I agree in that new media has encouraged all these changes to society, especially in the breaking of boundaries between cultures and beliefs. The internet has allowed people from all different cultures around the world to come together and discuss their views in a safe environment. Without the internet people may have never had access to information that can broader our own culture such as other religions or beliefs for example.
Lister also describes the positives of this new "interactive media" (p.11) and the different possibilities of communication it has created. I agree that new media has opened up new ways of "representing the world" and by having screen-based ineractive multimedia it allows new visual outlets for views on the world. I also agree that new technology has created new ways of forming relationships between people, as the internet and chat sites have increased the chance of making friendships with people you would have never been able to contact before.
Another aspect of this reading that i found interesting was the view on 'virtual reality' (p.35) Lister describes that this termed can describe several different meanings, for example it can describe the "immersion in an envirnoment constructed with computer graphics and digital video", but it can also go deeper than that and describe the actual experience the user is having. I agree with that even though the user's physical body is sitting remotely in front of a computer, their minds and imagination can be somewhere very different while playing these interactive games. The enjoyment of playing these games comes from the user imagining themselves being involved in this virtual world they are playing in. I also found it interesting that Lister compared this description to the experience of watching films, reading books, and even looking at paintings as while doing these things we are imagining ourselves in the fantasy world that is being presented through these media forms.
The other main part of this reading i found interesting was the discussion of 'hypertext', but i will cover this in my learning journal.
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