The semantic web

The semantic web is known as an extension of the world wide web. The Web can do many things, like searching and purchasing etc but these tasks can only be performed with human direction as they were built originally by humans however the difference with the semantic web is that the information is understandable by computers. For example, it says on wiki 'The semantic web is a vision of information that is understandable by computers, so that they can perform more of the tedious work involved in finding, sharing, and combining information on the web'. The semantic web is supposed to make the services more defined and satisfy the needs of both humans and machines to use the web, however the data is not part of the web. In simple terms it can be described as a web of data.

If Education is taliored

I think that if education was tailored to meet everyone’s cultural and personal preferences then potential problems could arise. First of all education is meant to be challenging and as stated in the previous blogs it is there to stretch people so if it is altered to meet ones personal needs then could this just lead to 'lazy' tendencies and making the system too easy. I understand that it helps some, for example online learning in China which has increased the amount of people who attend Uni and graduate however for education to change everywhere completing for everyone’s cultural and personal problems it cause conflict. If their are different 'rules' and ways of teaching for everyone it could provoke feelings of jealousy or anger towards another who might be seen to having it 'more easy' or 'not being taught properly'. Also grading work could become very difficult and many opinions would arise on this and how it is done fairly and equally.
Like i have said online learning worked in China and some other countries but if this was the system for everyone, would this cause problems? Would it be too much to handle?
I think education meeting some peoples cultural and personal preferences is a good idea in some cases, for example disabled and less mobile people who would perhaps not attend education otherwise, and people who live to far away and cants afford to travel. However, to meet everyone’s needs and change for a lot of people would cause conflict and disagreements. Furthermore i think education is there to teach/stretch you in a serious and helpful way, not to accommodate all your comforts and make it really easy to do. There would be no point in education if it was 'easy'.

Wenger and Prensky

Wengers notions on practice communities were that everyone within this community shared the same interests, what mattered to them and was all about participation. This links to Prensky’s views on education, the digital native and the digital immigrant as they shared the same principle of different 'categories' for different groups of people. For example like stated Wenger explained how groups/cofp formed through what mattered to them and participation and this is similar to Prensky as he also 'grouped' digital natives and digital immigrants. Furthermore the digital natives supposedly shared the same 'interests' in that they we able with technology and had their own language. This is similar for the digital immigrants who are also supposed to be in one group of people who not as up to date with technology and struggle to enter and understand the zone of a digital immigrant.
Obviously their theories are completely different however the notions of them share similarities in that they are both based upon ‘grouping’ and the relationships, language and participating within these groups.

Week 9, Technophile

What will a technophile be like and what will they love in 2020... i had never really thought about what the world would be like in 2020. I suppose i assumed it would just stay the same, which is silly as the world has changed so much from 'the olden days', therefore isn't it likely to keep changing? With technology being the centre of a lot of things today and as i said in previous blogs it being such an important part of uni, i can only assume people will be working to improve it and come up with new inventions. Who knows what a mobile will do in so many years! or will we even still have mobiles? will some new gadget replace it. I think i technophile will have a great experience in 2020, lectures and seminars could mostly become online, social networking could go to new extremes, laptops will have so many more functions and probably end up being handheld. Mind you isn’t a hand held laptop at the moment just a mobile phone.
I think because i am still shocked at some of the things technology and phones especially can do i can't imagine the future! On the other hand…. What if everyone got so bored of technology and it became unreliable and faulty all the time, could time just stand still and there be no improvements by 2020. Could we even go back to old ways? I’m not sure.

Week 9, Neo- Luddite

A neo-luddite being someone ‘‘who distrusts or fears the inevitable changes brought about by new technology” and believes that the “technical systems have evolved to control us rather than to serve us” (http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/luddite.html) would fins it very hard to ‘get by’ in a university today. It would be frustrating as a lot of the university life both socially and academically is revolved around new technology especially the internet. For example to access most things to do with this course you have to look on the MCC homepage.. on the internet. Furthermore a lot of contact with tutors is via email, and timetable changes and notifications of changed are displayed in the internet to. The person would struggle to start the course if they couldn’t access the internet for timetable and other notifications about room changes etc. Furthermore they would then find the rest of course frustrating as a fair bit of it requires the internet for research and e-journals to actually pass the unit. In addition to this a lot of our group work is arranged over facebook or msn or by mobile phone. Infact the more I describe it the more I think about how much technology is vital for our course and Uni in general. Its not just the academic side that might be frustrating as well. For example when I came to Uni I didn’t have facebook or anything I thought it was just something silly but felt I had to get it at Uni to be involved properly. This was because my new flats mates would write in each others walls, and comment on each others photos from funny nights out together and I wasn’t able to join in on this ‘bonding’.
I suppose if it didn’t exist at all (new technology) we wouldn’t need it and would have other ways of teaching and having research, but it is here and we use it so much that it must be very hard for a neo-luddite to enjoy and get through Uni.

Week 9, threatens the notion of native/immigrant in digital culture

I think because of the way Prensky has categorised people, more people threaten his notion then assumed. His notion is mainly based upon age and that if you are 'younger' and born into the digital world then you are a native however if you are older and were born before this then you are an immigrant. Although it to some extent makes sense that if you were born into it you are native and if not then you are immigrant, however i don't feel its true for our society today. There are 'older' people who generally know a lot more than some natives for example my dad who i have already mentioned. Furthermore there are so many 'older' people (than us) who work in the technology industry, designing new gadgets all the time, software for computers, computers themselves, developing the internet. There is so much being done which is not necessarily by natives. Therefore i think someone who is threatening these notions are my dad perhaps and other peoples parents who have taught themselves how to uses 'new' technology and are even teaching others and furthermore any 'older' person who is working within the technology industry and for major i.t/new media firms.

Week 9, The youngest immigrant

This is a tricky one! Everyone around our age that i can think of are all digital natives. I had never really thought how important technology was until now when i realised that i can’t think of someone our age that isn't a native. I suppose it could be aunty in her 40's, who is trying to learn how to use the internet and texting etc, but she is learning very quickly. I often get facebook messages from her where she has used some of 'our native language' and she doesn't have too much problem texting either. Then there is my mum who i do need to help a lot with the internet and computers! I had to teach her how to text as well and still have to fix her phone problems, however when she texts she uses more 'native language - slang, code' then i do! Is she still a digital immigrant?

Week 9, The oldest native

The oldest digital native I know is my Dad. It might help that he did teach I.T but he knows so much more about computers and the internet then me, I always go to him to fix my computer, or ring him up when I have put yet another virus on it. I would say I am a digital native, but just because he s older doesn’t suggest that he is an immigrant, like Prensky suggested when he stated that Today’s adolescent is a native in a digital world to which adults can only hope to immigrate (2001). I don’t think my dad is immigrating, he was there before me and is still teaching me. He also has facebook! I know many of our parents are now getting it. Also it’s not just the internet which he is ‘up-to-date’ with, although he doesn’t like to admit it and makes up that his ‘new’ phones are for ‘practical’ reasons they always manage to be the newest one out at the time.

Week 9, Education

Education should stretch a person, in the sense that it pushes people to learn more and reach the next level academically. If education doesn’t stretch somebody then are they really learning anything? To just ‘float’ through something rather than ‘stretch’ could propose that the person isn’t learning anything just ‘ticking the boxes to pass’. I personally need education to stretch me otherwise I become bored, lazy, tired and wonder what I am doing here? I know people who don’t attend lectures or ‘stretch’ to do work and just think why am I at Uni and what is the point.
I was thinking if education does ‘stretch’ and it is a good thing, then does new media go against this slightly. As you could argue it is there to make things easier, and I am now blogging in the ‘comfort of my own home’, whenever I like, instead of being ‘stretched’ to attend a seminar in less perhaps comforting surroundings. However on the other hand, there is so much work set and so much to find out that perhaps it balances the ‘comfort’ and we are being stretched.
For me to be stretched needs some recognition, as in how do I know I’m being stretched and have done well if someone isn’t telling me my answers are correct. I right these blogs and wonder if I have just missed the point completely however in lessons you can get the answers straight away. A lot to think about. Do you guys think this course stretches, or encourages lazy traits?

Absract Journal 5

The article is based upon the computer ‘game’ Second Life. It discusses what it is about and peoples experiences/’success’ on it. It proposes that the power of this virtual world could become greater than that of emails and instant messaging.

Abstract Journal 4

This text takes into consideration the terms of digital immigrants and digital natives, but proposes that they don’t exist and in fact young people’s technology skills haven’t changed in a long time. It is a opposing argument to Digital natives.

Abstract Journal 3

This article looks at the internet and teenagers. The good and bad effects and they way they use it. The text suggests that teenagers are discovering new social ways and can have their brain stimulating by sites on the internet as well. It also touches on the effects of networking sites such as facebook in the workplace.

Abstract Journal 2

This article looks at the success of the artist Soulja Boy who claims to have made his success on You Tube. The belief is that because of his song being heard and played on You Tube so much the song became such a success that he became famous. The article is not written by the artist himself but does feature quotes for him.

Abstract Journal 1

The journal discuss' the different ages of people using the internet and the terms digital immigrants and digital native coined by Prensky. It is a general description of these terms and Prensky’s views and thoughts upon this. Students are the main focus's discussing how today they are not the same students in which the educational system was designed to teach, as they have moved forward in technology .

Journal References

1. Prensky, M. (2001) “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants” Volume.9 (5) pp. 1-6. http://www.scribd.com/doc/9799/Prensky-Digital-Natives-Digital-Immigrants-Part1 [Accessed 13/3/09]


2. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/results?vid=8&hid=7&sid=0309f1bd-8692-4b0e-b9b0-3152f7e63bb5%40sessionmgr103&bquery=(youtube)&bdata=JmRiPWFmaCZ0eXBlPTAmc2l0ZT1laG9zdC1saXZl [Accessed 13/3/09]


3. Tapscott, D. (2008) “The kids are alright” Vol. 389 (8606) pp98-98.
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=17&hid=107&sid=0309f1bd-8692-4b0e-b9b0-3152f7e63bb5%40sessionmgr103&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=afh&AN=35231871 [Accessed 13/2/09]


4.Vaidhyanathan, S. (2008) “Congenitally Digital?” Vol. 33 (1) pp76-77
http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=14&hid=17&sid=92a6e24d-f150-4592-882f-cdefdba96bb0%40sessionmgr2&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=afh&AN=36512044 [Accessed 13/3/09]


5. Wallace, M. (2006) “The Future Of You” Vol. 24 (11) pp133-136. http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=10&hid=7&sid=9e968540-5c93-4ea3-8830-395e6acc02bd%40sessionmgr8&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=afh&AN=22563875 [Accessed 13/3/09]

Website URLs

1. http://www.ncsu.edu/meridian/sum2007/gifted/index.htm

2.http://www.henryjenkins.org/2007/12/reconsidering_digital_immigran.htm

3.http://advice.cio.com/abbie_lundberg/digital_natives_in_our_midst

4.http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jun/01/digital-divide/

5.http://pewresearch.org/pubs/70/digital-natives-invade-the-workplace

Week 8 - Article 5

I find that this article contradicts itself, for example at the start it says ‘’ worlds like Second Life are more than just games’’ and goes on to explain they can make anything and ‘anything else they can dream up’’ therefore if they are dreaming these things up they is it still not a game? As they are ‘dreaming’ and ‘inventing’ like you do on online games instead of buying and doing real things in the ‘real world’. Furthermore it says implies that emails instant messaging etc will never ‘’possess the power’ of the virtual world. But what if people don’t want the power of the virtual world? They may never ‘possess’ it anyway through choice and if email has the maximum power that person needs they ‘possess’ the only power they want and do not see past this.

Week 8 - Article 4

This article goes against the notion of Prensky’s theory that there are ‘digital natives’ and says they don’t exist.
The article says that the student’s computer levels haven’t budged in a decade. I disagree with this as ‘most’ students have had to have access to a computer for along time for work now, so we surely must have got better somehow? Even if its just students who have got faster at typing, through using the computer more, or learnt how to do a bit more on Microsoft word as they use it for work etc. Furthermore in university we have to learn how to use journals and access websites like them, to complete our courses and essays, so we must have improved in this way to. Also the article claims that ‘’every class has a handful of people with amazing skills and a large number who can't deal with computers at all," and I disagree with this to. Although I do not have evidence myself to prove the theory wrong I think it is quite bold to claim that this is the same for ‘every’ class.

Week 8 - Article 3

The articles says that because of the web teenagers are open to ‘’stand accused of being unread, bad at communicating, socially inept, shameless, dishonest, work-shy, narcissistic and indifferent to the needs of others’’. I disagree with this as can teenagers to stand to be accused of this anyway, is it really just the internets fault. The statement is very negative as well implying that because of the internet teenagers can be accused of being shameless and dishonest…. But why? The article doesn’t explain why, or on what grounds this statement was made. Also is says that ‘’the net is interactive, and, he says, stimulates and improves the brain’’ in comparison to television. However it may do this in some cases and websites, but not all, I find websites like facebook to actually distract me and allow me to spend time just looking around on it not being stimulated or productive. Furthermore it compares the stimulation to televisions however i disagree with this to as it surely depends on the programme? Certain genres of television may not be very ‘academic’ or ‘stimulating’ however there are many quiz programmes, documentaries and educational programmes there to perhaps stimulate or and help to learn.

Week 8 - Article 2

With out giving everything away I will just mention that the articles discuss YouTube. My criticisms of it that it implies the internet was solely responsible for a certain persons success. However this is a vast statement to make as can the internet alone be responsible, are there not phone calls in between and other media used along side to encourage the YouTube success? Or am I just being to picky? The author could have meant this as well, but just not mentioned it. I do think though it needs more detail to explain the success and not just ‘claim’ the internet alone was the only medium.
The article is also biased towards the persons success who they are describing and this could perhaps mean that his views for you tube are ‘so great’ because he is trying to ‘hype up’ the persons success.

Week 8 - Article 1

The journal explains the way of new media for ‘young people’ and proposes that “They have spent their entire lives surrounded by using computers, digital music players, video cams and cell phones’’. This just appears to be assumption, like the statement that children are spending “10,00” hours playing video games’’ These facts are stated to be on average to are not generalises the ‘whole’ of the ‘digital native population’ however there isn’t any clear reference to where this ‘knowledge’ has come from. These assumptions continue through the text, maybe they are fact, but there is no reference to this. Also although I found the text interesting and to cover a lot of different points there were generalisations made, for example “Our students today are all native speakers”, which states we are ‘all’ native speakers. Are we though?

Week 8 - website 5

This website looks at ‘natives’ in the workplace, however it is written in 2006 and if technology is changing as fast than perhaps suggested in other research then this might no be too up to date. The article first of all proposes that the ‘’typical 21-year-old entering the workforce today has, on average, included 5,000 hours of video game playing, exchange of 250,000 emails, instant messages, and phone text messages, 10,000 hours of cell phone use. To that you can add 3,500 hours of time online.’’ which is an interesting statement but there is nothing to support it and no reference to where these figures have come from. So are they true? Well I am 21 and they are definitely not true for myself. The criticism firstly being that the statement has categorised all 21 year olds, which I suppose isn’t ‘too bad’ to do, however there is not support or evidence to suggest where this assumption has come from, Leaving it very open to abuse. The website continues to discuss many different points but they are just the opinion of one person. Obviously it is ok for people to have their opinions and air them but criticising academically it is one sided and with a lack of support, just thoughts.

Week 8 - Website 4

This article was also up to date (2008) and in some parts took an ‘’affectionate’’ approach to the young natives and their work. However is did generalise natives to stand for everyone who is young using technology and made statements implying that every young person did the same thing and performed the same tasks. For example it said ‘’their fingers tap furiously on tiny keys, their eyes and ears fixated on moving images on sound’’, this may be true for some, but not for everyone surely? The words ‘furiously’ and ‘fixated’ help to perhaps exaggerate the person’s thoughts as well. This continued through the text with more references to a ‘generation weaned on the paper-free, wireless world spawned by technologies advances’ which I believe should be criticised as apparently the whole ‘world’ is affected by this. Are they?

Week 8 - website 3

There wasn’t too much to criticise in this article as the person themselves put question to some of Prensky’s thoughts but there were once again assumptions made, rather then fact. Furthermore the article proposed that ‘’Our Digital Immigrant instructors... are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language’’ which firstly goes on the fact that the new population are speaking an ‘entirely new language’ which may not be completely true? Furthermore it suggests that the immigrant instructor are struggling…. are they? and it once again speaks for immigrant instructors in general.

Week 8 - website 3

There wasn’t too much to criticise in this article as the person themselves put question to some of Prensky’s thoughts but there were once again assumptions made, rather then fact. Furthermore the article proposed that ‘’Our Digital Immigrant instructors... are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language’’ which firstly goes on the fact that the new population are speaking an ‘entirely new language’ which may not be completely true? Furthermore it suggests that the immigrant instructor are struggling…. are they? and it once again speaks for immigrant instructors in general.

Week 8 - website 2

The article implies that digital is an event which changes things so fundamentally that there is absolutely no going back. This is a statement without fact and doesn’t allow any room for other opinion as it says ‘absolutely no going back’. The author is implying no chance, not a ‘possibility’ which might have been a more rounded view to make. Also he implies that adults are “are terrified of your own children, since they are natives in a world where you will always be immigrants” which is too general again to take in to account all adults.” It also implies that digital immigration/native is ‘’cut off from all adult influences’’ and ‘’it disempowers adults, encouraging them to feel helpless” which is a big assumption to make for every single adult in the world. The article is fairly up to date (2007) and does take into account a lot of points however it is written by an ‘older’ ‘adult’ (perhaps an immigrant!?) rather than a ‘younger’ person so could be biased towards the feelings of ‘adults’ and not have experienced the life of a ‘native’ properly.

Week 8 - Website 1

The article notes that’s students are living in a world of new technology and that education must prepare students for a technology-driven world.
However the running comments through the article provoke that adults cannot even comprehend this new technology and I think this a bold statement to make. Firstly to imply that adults will never be able to work with the new technology is very negative in it self and furthermore categorising the whole of adults is too general. As although I do have to teach my mum everything about using a computer there are other adults in jobs which face new technology all the time and ‘some’ who know a lot more than ‘young people’ do.
It has noticed that Technology is changing daily. However I believe some of this is a bit over exaggerated, to imply that technology is changing every single day is more of a hyperbolic statement rather then fact perhaps, well there wasn’t fact to support it anyway.
The article also states that children ages 8 to 18 typically spend a third of their day, approximately 8.5 hours, using media including screen media, music, computers, gaming, and print. Once again this is way to general, I do have friends that spend a lot of time using media like this however there are others friends at universities doing art which do not require the media and who are based down by the seaside who spend their free time surfing and outdoor activities etc which not too much interest in TV and Internet.

Distance Learning - website

The website i have chosen is CPA Australia - https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/cps/rde/xchg/SID-3F57FECB-99293D36/cpa/hs.xsl/23643_ENA_HTML.htm. The website promotes online learning and identifies if to have 'a wide range of online courses it provides you with the opportunity to learn from home at a time that suits you'. The site says 'CPA is a finance, accounting and business professional with a specific qualification' and that in order to take part you must already have 'an undergraduate degree accredited by CPA Australia,. Therefore the website isn't a particular university nor higher education but training in finance, accounting and business but once again all online. The website appears very well set out and offers a lot of help and guidance towards what the courses will entail. For example there are tutorial demonstrations so the 'student' can see what they would have to be doing. It also offers an online library, whereby each student can select up to five books and have them posted or view audio visual material online. This seems like a good system where the 'student' literally can learn at home as the materials can be sent by post to them. The site also gives links to all the journals which would be needed.
I picked this site as i thought it would be interested to see what kind of education online is offered in Australia, and how different it may be.
I found this site interesting as it was still online learning, but not in typical school higher education that you would think, but online learning for people who have already completed a degree and want extra for the work environment. It is still academic though and like i mentioned provides library and publication services.

China - Distance learning

During the 1960's China undertook a new way of learning by introducing television universities (TVU's) which encourage distance learning. As 'weird' or 'different' it may seem 8,000 students graduated in the space of 6years. It was when China entered to the socialist modernisation project in need for more trained people that the TVU's were in demand, especially as the number of trained technicians of accounted for '2.5%' of the countries work-force.
When i first heard of distance learning i didn’t think much to it and wondered how it was really benefited anyone or their country. However after to reading why China had to have the TVU's it makes more sense. Their Higher education rates in enrolment were very low and the country needed for trained people to help the country through a stage and the TVU's did this by increasing the rate of enrolment and graduation in China for higher Ed.
Furthermore its be proposed that it need fewer funds that traditional teaching as well and this can only be a good thing? Furthermore in China they 'can train more people in a shorter period of time' helping everything run better. The Universities developed into radio and tv broadcasting, and PTUV's which could reach the rural areas. I used to think it wasn’t 'proper learning' and not beneficial however if it is reaching and encouraging people who wouldn’t and couldn’t normally attend Higher Education then it is a great thing. This is not just my opinion though it is mentioned in the article that from the radio and television universities '590,941 students have graduated'.
All the way though i have been questioning and wondering about how 'academic' the studies really are, and are they 'real' qualifications. The article goes on to say though that in 1986 students had to pass a national entrance exam. Furthermore 'presenters are chosen from key universities' and textbooks have to be used in order to complete the courses. There are tutors which you can see face to face as well which are responsible for correcting work. Finally during the practical technician course they are required to practical work in factories etc for the credits are awarded.
My only reservations are that the article doesn't mention any figures of cost or comparison to real universities, so i am unsure how much cheaper it would be? However it did mention no tuition fees and only paying for entrance to exams, but once gain i do not know how much?
The downside i can see is that with it all being technology run, you are relying on it not failing and we all no technology doesn’t always run smoothly and it even mentions in the article that there was 'delayed distribution of teaching materials' and 'shortage of staff'. However overall it has increased China's ratio of students from 0.7% in 1975 to 4% in 1987 which can only be a good thing for the country and its developing industry. I just wonder how long it will last?

6.1 CofP

A community of practice which I belonged to was a section of us that volunteered at the Oxfam vintage shop. The shop big shop for its kind and specialised in high street designers and vintage labels.
Wegner said that ‘CofP develop around things that matter to people’ and this is how our CofP formed. Although you would think that everyone who worked there cared for charity and this is what mattered to them, this was not the case. For some, they worked there to help themselves (I am not saying this is a bad thing, this was just there main interest), help pass time in their lives, some for work experience, however we were there because we wanted the shop to succeed. This was mattered to us, as we all loved helping and loved the shop itself and its clothes as this was what we were all into fashion wise as well.
Also Wenger said that CofP dealt with ‘different aspects of the companies competency’ and this is how we all worked to, as we all worked on the shop floor dealing with tills and presentation as this is what we saw would bring the shop the most success and profit; money for charity. However others would take on other jobs which satisfied their needs and perhaps formed other CofP.
Finally he also said that CofP was all about ‘participation rather than status’. For the CofP I was part of it was all about participating, helping each other and being part of it rather than status. This was firstly because we were all volunteers there to help not to get ‘promoted’ or anything and we had the same values of what mattered to us so participated together in this.

Website analysis- www.lincoln.ac.uk

The website I have chosen is the Lincoln University Page, www.lincoln.ac.uk. The reason I have chosen this website is because it is something that I end up using and exploring many times a week.
When the page appears, it displays a picture of the university, with information and several Hyperlinks to other parts of the site and other websites themselves. Hypertext described in Lister as ‘made up from discrete units of material in which each one carries a number of pathways to other units’ (pg22) is one of the main functions of the website I would say. This is obvious from the first page as the Hyperlinks down the side are what dominates the display and are key to accessing the part of the site which you want. For example the staff and students section of Lincoln would be accessed by going on www.lincoln.ac.uk and clicking to hyperlink to this specific section. This section itself then holds further hyperlinks until you have found your desired destination. For me this would normally be the library, or blackboard.
Hypertext is criticised by theorists for being ‘Non Linear’ (Lister pg27) and unstructured. However i question to whether the Hyper linking on the Lincoln home page is actually ‘Non Linear’, as when I access the page I access it with the intention to follow the hyperlinks with structure to where I wish to be. I am actually accessing the website with purpose and a structure of following a set of Hyperlinks to reach the part of the site which I want. This is done by the Hyperlinks holding obvious names/topics such as ‘staff and students’, so if you were a staff or student you would click this section and not take a ‘non linear’ distracted approach.
In some sense this website is an ‘online community’. Rheingold holds that for an online community there needs to be ‘active participation’ and ‘two way’ communication (Lister page 174), which the Lincoln home page isn’t. However under Durkheim’s theory that ‘group identity is identified through shared values and norms’ and that it is these ‘shared values’ which ‘being to define community’ (page 174) then the site could be considered as a community because all the people which access it have Lincoln University in common and share the value to access it for information on the Uni or the Uni’s resources. Furthermore you need specific Lincoln Uni passwords to access parts of the site so it might be argued that this makes it a community as only people associated with Lincoln Uni can access certain parts.
You might question like Rheingold that a community needs communication and the Hyperlinks to the other sources do hold this. For example students from the same subjects ‘values’ access their topic on blackboard, enrol in community’s and participate in this. In addition the site provides a link to the SU website (http://www.lincolnsu.com) in which games and forums can be accessed in which everyone will share the community of Lincoln, as you need the Lincoln username and password to access some of the things. This leads onto something coined by Bruns as Produsage (Towards Produsage:Axel Bruns, pg2) whereby the website itself doesn’t hold any, however the link it provided to the SU site contains a lot (games, polls, forums).
The culture of the website is that everyone accessing it will be after the same thing; something to do with Lincoln University. Obviously maybe not for the same reason and intentions but it is a culture of the University Of Lincoln. I do not feel there are any privacy issues as the website is a very informative one, and like I have said passwords and usernames specific to the Uni are needed. I do trust the website, and think most people would as the information is posted by people at the Uni, and established environment considered in society to be trusted. However as always with data online some people will always question its authenticity, there is though contact details to ring the University and perhaps question something if wanted to.

Week 5, Bruns C, Sustainability

I think that even though Produsage is being commercially exploited, it could still last a bit longer. This is because as mentioned by Bruns the exploitation of the work could just lead to others wanting to create other means of Produsage. It could encourage participants to develop different Produsage areas in which it is operated by a community not commercially. However, then the sustainability of this can be questioned as well. This is because although it might be seem to be at less of a threat to be exploited as it is a community the cost to run and keep it going might just be too much and could put many people off, as Burns says ‘such projects must still be financed somehow, and entirely volunteer-based Produsage models may not be able to be sustained’.
One of the most interesting points of sustainability i think that Bruns raised is that if communities are forming then ‘how can they be guided to gather the critical mass and momentum needed to sustain development’. This then makes me wonder if Produsage will ever last, if it is struggling to with stain exploitation, community costs, and the fact that the ‘new communities’ are defeating the point of Produsage; ‘critical mass’. However I don’t think people are ready to give up yet. I feel we are in a stage where technology and online is developing fast, not decreasing, there as the area of Produsage may not last forever, but I think it will still stand for a bit as people will find other ways to get past the issues.

Week 5, Bruns A, 'Produser'

I see a 'produser' as someone who uses material online and also produces as well. The example in the reading which helped me to understand this the most is the game SIMS. In SIMS after you have consumed the game, you build and 'produce' your own world. However the consumer will not have produced the whole thing buy themselves (as the product was made first) therefore they would not be just a producer. Therefore if something (such as SIMS) is both used and produced by the same person then they are 'produser'. Bruns describes the term to be 'users as well as producers of information and knowledge' and this is where I saw there needs to be a connection between user and producers they are not two separate things/people. The produser is the person which takes part in the using and producing however what they are involved in is ‘Produsage’.
To start with the term ‘produser’ meant little to me and I almost saw it as a ‘made up thing’ however after reading Axel Bruns I have more understanding and do think it is useful in understanding ‘collaborative content’ online. I do feel it takes time to get your head around first though, and wonder if it the terms just confuse something which could be explained simply otherwise?
Or is it necessary that we have them to be able to understand the online world?

Week 5, Meikle D, Open News

When i was doing the reading, in the back of mind my i was always thinking if 'anyone' is allowed to post news onto the Web then is it really any good? Cynically i was thinking how can you believe what is written in terms of the news on the Web when you are unsure to who has posted it. I know you could say the same for the TV however for some reason i do believe what i am told, i always have. I suppose i just do, you can see who is presenting it and trust the 'well spoken person in suit with the serious tone'. Furthermore the TV news is still running showing how people do trust it (for whatever reason) and Open News according to Meikles research has actually been removed from the front ages of some websites. Meikle suggested that one of the main reasons for this was that 'well researched or significant stories would be replaced quickly on the front page'. So if the other stories weren't thought of as well researched or significant then are they really of any quality or standing?

Week 5, Meikle A, News on the Web

News on the Web can be thought of as 'informational news' and perhaps a higher involvement of the news. On the Web there is the ability to have every kind of news story in the world on there to read by looking through various websites, which can hold huge amounts of information. This differs to the television news whereby you can only know 'what you have been told'. Therefore proposing the Web to have higher involvement of the news and furthermore in Meikles analysis the audience have 'transformed into researchers'. I agree with this to an extent because whilst watching the news you only hear what 'they want to tell you' and i don't think you can be classified as a researcher. However online you have to 'search' for the news and can pick topics or storylines which grab your attention in particular. Therefore I would suggest that what constitutes news on the web is huge amount of data available whereby a form of research is taken place and the audience picks their desired 'topic' headline of news.

Topic 3, Week 4, Music Filesharing

I think file sharing and especially downloading has changed the way in which music in consumed. There are various programmes now by which you can download music illegally, very easily. This accessibility of this has resulted in many people resorting to online to download their music for free, quickly and directly to their computer/ itunes. Although this is illegal i know enough friends etc who participate in doing this instead of going to the shop to buy CD.
Another thing which has changed are the networking sites in which bands have links to listen to their music and find out all about them. An example of this would be Myspace. Kate Nash the now 'famous, successful' female artist started her career by posting her songs on Myspace to see how they would go down, and because of the huge amount of interest she got herself a manager. This would be thought of by some a lot easier way of becoming famous then other methods.
Therefore with music now being bought online and bands being able to make it 'famous' through networking sights are media companies still needed? It could just be a phase, or it could go from strength to strength and decrease the need for media companies help when producing and downloading music can be down individually online.

Topic 2, Week 4, Facebook

For this I have chosen a site which I am myself part of, this being the social networking site of Facebook. I think it could well be seen as a online community as you put yourself in a network (based on where you live, or uni) and communicate with people in these networks and others in the world who you know. It remains a community for myself as ‘most’ peoples friends on the site are people they know offline as well and use the community to converse further and exchange photo’s and play games etc.
Before I became part of facebook I was set against it. I was scared to have a profile of myself on the internet in which everyone could see. However when I joined I realised that it can be made as private as you want and only joined it because I didn’t want to be ‘left out’ when I first joined Uni. I personally have mine set to the max limit of privacy, people can not even add me, and they can message me asking to; giving me the control. I have found since I have done this I haven’t had friend requests off anyone I didn’t know as ‘strangers’ have been put off the fact they would have to send a message first, which I think is great. This has made the site like a little ‘community’ for me, as only my friends can view and are part of it. It also had encouraged me to keep in touch with friends I might have lost contact with otherwise, friends abroad who it would be ‘effort’ and too expensive to ring. Facebook has made the communication more accessible and easier.
The down side I do find is though I often question if some of my offline communication has decreased because of this online communication. For example you can read each others ‘walls’ and on my news feed I have seen information which I would normally ring the person to ask, however because I have seen the details said to someone else I haven’t got in touch because I already know.

Topic 1, Week 4, Lister:C, Dangerous Materials

To answer whether ‘dangerous materials’ are prominent on the internet or not it needs le be assessed to what dangerous materials actually are. For example chat rooms, described in Lister, as holding ‘obscene conversations’ do have the potential to hold dangerous material, even if not directly thought so. It could be argued that because you can not see the emotion of the other users you can not see whether the material being presented is ‘dangerous’ for the other person or not. There are also a lot of chat rooms which are not moderated and therefore are open to abuse and paedophiles can ‘lurk’ without anyone knowing.
To whether it is prominent is hard to come to a conclusion on. As the materials are not put up right in front of you as soon as you open a window however when a computer has been ‘hacked’ pop ups displaying images can appear whenever they like without any primary control. Furthermore there is the issue of junk, in which I have experienced myself, receiving messages referring websites and people to add. I suppose you could say this is only dangerous if the person themselves chooses to take the next step. There are also the pornographic websites which do not require any ‘password’ or anything to access. It could be said that they are not prominent as you would have to search to see this ‘dangerous material’ however I think the fact that it can be accessed that easily does make it prominent In addition as said there are pop ups and junk which its not uncommon and all to receive.

Topic 1, week 4, Lister:A

The notion that online community can be empowering/disempowering is an interesting one.
Firstly, before reading Lister and the arguments in it I wouldn’t have thought of discussions and communications online to be ‘empowering’ as how can you be empowered by something which potentially could not be real. However when Jay Allisons case was referred to my views became different. He wrote about his daughters illness and surgery online and as he said ‘found fellowship and comfort in this unlikely medium’ (in Rheingold 1995:62) therefore controlling the forum and gaining support, maybe empowerment which he wouldn’t have received without online as he perhaps couldn’t express his views in the real world. However you might question to whether you can gain ‘real’ empowerment from this as you don’t know who the person is responding, who you are ‘really’ telling your stories to, but does it matter? In this situation was any response (‘real’ or not) good enough to satisfy his needs of not feeling alone?
Jones describes online communication as to ‘namely connect us rather then atomize us, put us in the controls of the ‘vehicle’ and yet detach us from the rest of the world’ (1994:10). If this statement is ‘true’ and we are put in control of the vehicle then is this not empowering as well? To be on control of what you are saying, getting your views straight across being able to say what you like, with no interruption. Furthermore it suggests that through this we are also not detaching ourselves form the rest of the world, also empowering. However it might be questioned that by gaining empowerment and spending time online, are you not sacrificing some real life communication for this? It all depends on the individual and how they use online communications.
If the internet is seen as empowering can it also be disempowering? I believe so. When you join a ‘community’ and express your views and sayings then you are opening yourself up to any response. As you are not there in person to stop anything ‘nasty’ being said or change the situation, you actually have to wait and see what the other users have written. So you could say that negative response and ‘abuse’ online could be disempowering, as you have ‘put yourself out there’ and not gained anything positive. However, is this not the same for real life?

Toics 2, week 3, Identity

To withhold ones identity can be ethically wrong depending on the circumstances and actions wishing to be taken. For example having a different name in a game or a forum can just be part of that online interaction and if it is between friends there often there is no real problem. However deliberately withholding identity for purposes that could hurt someone is wrong.
To whether we should always use our full name is one I am not sure of. I am very cautious of the Internet and for some reason don't like to give my full name unless I have to, when paying for something. I am not sure why I don't like giving it as you could say that by not giving my full name I am withholding my identity, but i don't think it is as extreme as this. It is just so easy for people/companies to get hold of information on the Internet I feel the little I give is better. When participating in online social interaction I believe that subconsciously you could change your identity and expression to perhaps fit in with the group you are relating with. Maybe not to 'be one of them' but sometimes sharing the same views and expressing an interest can bring some closer together and not insult anyone. For example if I was to write in a forum with my family i might not start swearing and may talk about something i would think my Aunty would be interested in (which I may not be) just to please and have a good interaction. However these mannerisms and the way i would express myself may be more colloquial and different when conversing with friends.

Week 3, Topic 1e, Online Relationships

I don't think that online relationships can ever be the same. I know this a quite a pessimistic view and a statement which is made without any ‘proof’, but it is just how I feel.
In online relations there are ways of expressing emotion (through the ‘smiley faces’ etc) and you can sometimes sense how someone is feeling, however even though the emotion can be expressed, is it real? Relationships can be formed, and have done, but I don’t know if they can ever be the same as offline because if they were it would have to involve both the online users being completely truthful and ‘themselves’, which I doubt all are. The online realms have so much opportunity to easily not be completely yourself, perhaps over exaggerate, lie (all of which is harder face to face) that I wonder if anyone will ever be able to resist the temptation.
I just find it hard to see how a friend/partner online can have relationships without ever having seen, spoken and shared real emotion with. Relationships sharing offline and online communications may be different, but only ever experiencing online relations with somebody I do not think can be ‘real’ or compared to the offline ones.

Week 3, Topic 1a, Open Architecture

I think the Net can be thought of as 'open architecture' in the sense that architecture involves planning and building, which always goes on in the internet. For example new programmes are always being built, for so many different things and there are always new versions of the existing programmes. Furthermore the personal profiles which most of us have involve 'building' in the sense that we often add things (photos) to them and there is the option to add applications.
The net wasn't just suggested as architecture though, but as open as well. The term in its original sense means 'having no means of closing or barring' (dictionary) and applying this to the internet suggests that the internet will never close; programmes will keep being updated and new things to try and enjoy will be on offer.
Facebook is 'open' on the internet in the sense that all the information (depending on personal settings) can be accessed and you can write on each others walls. It has been running for five years now and is still in its peak, which new applications and advertising being added to it all the time; being built. Therefore obviously I can not say what will actually happen in the future but I can’t see the internet ever ‘closing’ and it will to an extent be described as open because many sites can be accessed by just browsing and architecture as I believe more programmes and sites will continue to be built.

Lecture 3 - Selves and Others Online

I find it quite a hard 'topic' to try and analyse as it can be suggested that online people have all these different persona's but to try and explain why is not easy. This is because you can say that they are trying to be something else, something better, but for what reason? You could ask someone why, but I am not sure you will ever get the real answer. For example, in the lecture David asked if anyone ever tries to be someone a little different to themselves on a website (Myspace, Facebook) and no-one put their hand up, however, i don't think even this is true. Even i who strongly believe in 'being who you are' and loving someone for that not something fake, have changed my profile picture on Facebook depending on how I’m feeling; perhaps what persona i am undertaking that week? I have changed it to really mad ones when i maybe want to try and make out like I’m fun! Then have ones of me and all my friends... is this showing that i also care about my friends a lot? We have all had those 'bad' photo's tagged (myself very recently!) and have either untagged them so people do not think we're silly/ugly etc (changing persona) or have kept them up to appear like we're really laid back and don't mind ... but are we really laid back and don’t care? Or are we cringing but wanting the laid back persona? Will we ever know? We can guess, we can ask, but will we ever get the real answers?

Topic 1i, week 2, Ideal Interactivity

I am not sure whether we will ever be able to answer if there is an 'ideal interactivity', this being because everyone individually has there own view on what they think is ideal interaction. For example Meikle gave four forms of interactivity; transmissional, registrational, consultational and conversation. Registrational could be seen as the ideal as it is 'surveillance that may allow producers to influence user behaviour in future' however on the other hand whenever personal details are given out the opportunity is there for them to be used on another database sometimes for commercial value. This is a scary thing for me, every time i write something on the Internet i wonder where it is being used, who has seen it; once it is up on the screen it can be cut and pasted anywhere and your details can remain in the virtual world 'forever'. Although this is a bad thing for me sometimes it can be seen as ideal because some like to have their information shown to build up a profile of themselves, perhaps so they are part of the commercial side and things can be sold to them. Therefore already just from 'one form' of Meikle's interactivity there are examples of the ‘ideal interactivity’ for some, but not for others. I think it will be a long time before, if ever, the ‘ideal interactivity’ for every user is found.

Meikle, G. (2002) Future Active, chapter 2.

Topic 1H, week 2, Cultural Production

New Media allows more people to be involved in cultural production as it is more accessible to everyone and views can be expressed online without being vetted and changed, unlike newspapers in which only certain things are allowed to be written and by certain people.
The new voices of the public are saying, simply, exactly what they think or want to. Like said stories/views in newspapers are proof read for sometimes names to protect identity and abusive, crude language. The same being for the radio even though nothing is 'proofed' before aired there are unspoken rules whereby you can not swear on the radio and appear to be offensive, for example Russell Brand and Jonathan Ross were punished for making prank calls and abusing someone from the public. Online in new media people can say what they think and can use real names but is the freedom to express a good thing?
From looking at blogs/forums and personal experience i find that in the 'click-to-send' environment people often express parts of their private lives which they would not face to face. Sometimes they share secrets or personal details of even their sex lives with strangers. This appears to me a very strange thing to do, however it allows discussion of personal things perhaps without the embarrassment of face to face interaction. I think the world of new media blogs and forums are very complex and the way in which people act in them is very interesting and can maybe show a lot.

Topic 3, week 2, Blogs

I think the blogs have a simple enough structure to get around and post thoughts and opinions however as for it standing as a form of conversation i do not think it succeeds in this. It appears more of a conversation than perhaps the forums as for the blogs you can feel 'obliged' to respond and converse with others on their thoughts. Once again though i feel it lacks so much with a face to face conversation/seminar does (i.e utterances, facial emotion, body language, immediate response) that i feel it can not be classed as a conversation.
When 'blogging' i think most are conscious that others will be reading their thoughts therefore do write and express themselves in perhaps a more formal essay like style but maybe not with the same paragraphing/grammar care that would be paid a lot more attention to in an essay.
I think you are in charge f your own blog and have the authority as you can write what you like, swear if you wanted etc however most people do not swear and abuse the will to write what they want as they are aware it is being reading by fellow students and tutors therefore the authority does to some extent still lie with the tutor.

Topic 2, Week 2, Forums

The forums are an online conversation in that a post is made and a response is expected from the person/people you are aiming it at. However i do not feel it can properly be classed as an online conversation as there are not always responses and if there are they can be after days; unlike MSN messenger in which if you are talking to someone online the responses most of the time happen there and then, and do take the form of a conversation. Furthermore on the forums some can be conscious of what they are writing therefore may write more formally or with more structure but on MSN the language is more informal and nuances of face to face communication take place, such as, smiling faces 'umms' and 'ahhs' allowing the feelings of the other to be understood better.
The interaction compared to that in face to face seminars is very different. In seminars the interaction can be more instant and perhaps less formal as the relationship builds between tutor and student, which can be harder to build online. However on the other hand the forums do allow those who do not like contributing their thoughts out loud to have their opinion as well. The nature of the seminars is the same, but the response and structure is very different to face to face. The instant thoughts that would sometimes be aired by students face to face which could spark further discussion and debate can't happen as online everything is more thought out.
The authority is more equal than in a face to face seminar, however i think it is still with the tutor as although the student can post what they like, i think most students will still be conscious that the tutor is reading their thoughts. I believe i am a user as i am managing to post and respond but do not feel i know enough or have the time to be an advanced user.

Week 2, Lecture discussion

In the lecture Hyperlinking was talked about quite a bit and in reference to it the comment 'reading isn't reading' was made. This meaning that reading something online is very different to reading a book. When reading a book you can only read what is on the pages, however online on many websites there are often several hyperlinks catching the attention of the users to move to read other pages. I think that the comment of 'reading isn't reading' is fair to make as personally i find it very hard to only read the part of the website that i want and not drift onto something else.
It was also suggested that New Media can facilitate change. I do believe that New Media has the power to and has done this. New Media such as the Internet has changed the way lessons are taught in school, as now there are Internet based classes, or topics in which Internet surfing is encouraged. Furthermore there has been change in offices, with new technology and mobile broadband and wireless networking changing how many businesses are run.
I believe New Media is changing the world as we speak, allowing communication - instant or asynchronous, communication mostly free after the initial purchase and even playing a role in the structure of education and businesses.

Task 2c, wk1, Internets Impact on Society

There has been a a lot of hype about the Internet, on one side reflecting its success and praise for the amount of things it can help people do and communicate. However there has also been criticism as well. The Internet because it allows access to almost anything unfortunately means that porn, gambling and even websites discussing how to harm oneself or commit suicide ca be accessed. It can be argued that it is down to the person themselves to whether they want to enter these websites or not, therefore their own responsiblity. However, it can be questioned to whether if these websites were not even available in the first place then would people be as interested. It has also been noted that the Internet is a bad influence on children, for the reason above and because it can encourage children to stay in and play games online, enjoy the social networking sites instead of taking part in outdoor activities which involve more exercise.
Despite all this criticism the Internet can be a blessing for some. People with disabilities find it harder to do some activities such as shopping, socialising and help with education. Some supermarkets offer shopping online with delivery, you can buy and sell on eBay, rent DVDs and socialise from the home online.
The Internet can be criticised however it is not the only medium which allows gambling, pornography and has games. It does so many other things which are key to society today.

Topic 2b, wk 1, Radio and Today

Goebbel’s views today might be hard to understand by the current Nation. Radio has so many stations nowadays and is perhaps just seen as a form of entertainment and distraction whilst being in the home or travelling somewhere. Therefore if the radio has been used for this purpose by a lot of people then there might be question to whether people want the Radio to perform any other tasks. His views might affect some and evoke thoughts of what more could the radio do for the nation, however today in a proposed time of hectic lives and jobs will people ignore his views and simply want the radio as a form of escapism?
I think the radio is good for reaching a mass amount of people on there preferred level. It has the ability to perform many functions of entertaining, distraction, delivering news on lives events and politics and can be chose to be listened to when the person wants and for however long they want. Goebbel's views have made me think if the radio could be doing more for me though than just entertaining because of the power it manage to reach for him.

Topic 2a, wk1, Joseph Goebbel and the Radio

Goebbel believed the Radio to have great power in bringing the government and nation closer together and to deliver the information on political events which would hopefully influence masses and give current events a place in the future. He identified that the radio had the potential to communicate to the nation through entertainment and games as well. However it was it this distraction that perhaps lead to the November Regime not understanding the Radio's true significance and power on influencing a lot of minds.
He notes a period of 6months in which a transformation of power took place which would have been impossible without the radio. A statement which makes you question the tedious uses we have for it today, and think about the actual power it had and could have in the future.
He also identifies that the medium should have duty to communicate the happenings of the day and if it does not then it should not be allowed to deliver influence to the masses, therefore entertaining, but with relation to the day and politics. Is this too much to ask?

The Internet and Communication

The internet can be used by many different people in many different ways. It has the potential to provide entertainment, the ability to communicate, provide business and education. As it is often used on a daily basis and so freely, its power of communication online is sometimes underestimated. Social networking and email sites provide communication with friends, family and even colleagues/tutors. This communication can be there to provide relationships and entertainment but also is used as a means for tutors and students to discuss issues without having to take the time out to meet. Both email and social networking sites have functions by which attachments such as videos, photos, education documents can be sent between many people to.

I find social networking sites such as Facebook a brilliant way to communicate with friends and old friends which perhaps I wouldn’t if the site wasn’t available. I have also used it before to arrange meetings for group work at university and keep in touch with members. Email is another way of online communication which I use a lot, mainly for academic purposes and to attach files as it is easy to use and enables problems in work to be solves without a formal meeting. The internet and the means it provides to communicate I find are quick, easy and eliminates some of the nerves or formalness which might occur in face to face communication.

Setting up the first blog

I have set up my first blog! It was an interesting experience.
However, i am still very confused to what i am actually supposed to be doing.

HELP!!
Hopefully it will all become clear soon!