I am interested in investigating the digital literacy of the senior population (50 and up). I find it fascinating how technology has allowed a bridge between the generation gap and wanted to explore this idea and concept. I will also look at the constraints that make it harder for literacy for this population as well as some of the reasons that senior citizens do and do not learn to use new age technology.
If anyone comes across any articles, or data that could help in this assignment, feel free to hit me up with an email.
Thanks
~Morgan Simmons
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Creative Project Idea
1. I think I will try video recording myself using various computer programs that I do not know how to operate. While the project will show my lack of digital literacy in these programs, I will become more literate in the process. Secretly, this project will also help me to beef up my resume (Not so secret now.) This idea is not exactly what I plan on settling on, but is a start. I will use a video camera and various computer programs. In the last project, I familiarized myself with Adobe Premiere. For this project, I will tape myself struggling with Final Cut Pro as a means of editing the movie itself.
2. I also have an English degree with an emphasis in writing, so Megan's project sounds very cool to me. If I could, I would borrow that idea. Hopefully, I can come up with another way of integrating my passion for writing without being a copycat.
3. I'd like to poke fun at people who cannot seem to close their laptops during class. It never ceases to amaze me how students cannot seem to function in class without having their laptops open. When I was an undergraduate, no one brought a laptop to class. Now, it seems as if they cannot think without them. I'm not certain if this pertains to digital literacy, but I think I'd like to use this topic just to vent because I find this phenomenon ridiculous.
2. I also have an English degree with an emphasis in writing, so Megan's project sounds very cool to me. If I could, I would borrow that idea. Hopefully, I can come up with another way of integrating my passion for writing without being a copycat.
3. I'd like to poke fun at people who cannot seem to close their laptops during class. It never ceases to amaze me how students cannot seem to function in class without having their laptops open. When I was an undergraduate, no one brought a laptop to class. Now, it seems as if they cannot think without them. I'm not certain if this pertains to digital literacy, but I think I'd like to use this topic just to vent because I find this phenomenon ridiculous.
Bolter and Grusin
212-271
I found this section intriguing because it discusses something that we may not necessarily use day to day but it will most likely become more prevalent in the future. The convergence of the telephone, TV, and computer can be seen increasingly more in the newer technologies. The first example that came to mind was when I saw my roomate iChatting with two of her friends at one time the other night. The screen showed both of their faces with only a barely noticeable delay in sound. This shows the merging of something like three-way calling, watching your friends on video, and using a computer as the medium for this. Another example that kept coming to mind was something from Grey's Anatomy. In one of the episodes, a doctor located elsewhere in the country had the only knowledge on a certain procedure that was needed at the Seattle-Grace Hospital. So, in order to be able to do this surgery, the doctors placed a screen with the doctor in another state broadcasting on it. He observed while the Seattle-Grace doctor did the surgery and instructed them on the perfect procedure of it. This illustrates convergence as defined within the text.
I found this section intriguing because it discusses something that we may not necessarily use day to day but it will most likely become more prevalent in the future. The convergence of the telephone, TV, and computer can be seen increasingly more in the newer technologies. The first example that came to mind was when I saw my roomate iChatting with two of her friends at one time the other night. The screen showed both of their faces with only a barely noticeable delay in sound. This shows the merging of something like three-way calling, watching your friends on video, and using a computer as the medium for this. Another example that kept coming to mind was something from Grey's Anatomy. In one of the episodes, a doctor located elsewhere in the country had the only knowledge on a certain procedure that was needed at the Seattle-Grace Hospital. So, in order to be able to do this surgery, the doctors placed a screen with the doctor in another state broadcasting on it. He observed while the Seattle-Grace doctor did the surgery and instructed them on the perfect procedure of it. This illustrates convergence as defined within the text.
Creative project idea
I think for my creative project I would like to do something that pokes fun at aim/facial expressions. Basically, I want to portray a conversation between two people where they go over board with the :) smiley faces, etc.
If you have any comments about this... please let me know through the blog or in class! Thanks!
If you have any comments about this... please let me know through the blog or in class! Thanks!
Bolter and Grusin
132- 159
I thought this section was one of the most interesting that we have read so far. This is because I am very interested in art. In fact, I was almost an art major. Because of this and my experience within the field, I have witnessed first hand accounts of people negatively reacting to digital art. In my high school AP art class, my teacher thought it was important enough to make us take an outside photoshop class to encourage our digital, artistic literacy. I watched as many of my friends questioned the legitimacy of my digital works. I'd like to bring to mind the computer animation of movies such as Finding Nemo and many other Pixar animation films. It hard to deny that the people in charge of this are artists. The visual appeal is apparent, and they incorporate transparency into something as unrealistic as a talking turtle, so much so that kids and adults alike are equally ensnared by the animation. I think digital art is only another extension of the encompassing term that "art" has come to be. It is just another part in self-expression, creation, and remediation.
160-195
What struck me most about this section was its vast parallels to Baudrillard's essay on Simulations. For those of you who haven't read this essay, Baudrillard addresses how humans have come to make models or maps of actual places that are "realer than real." For example he contemplates the idea of Disney World and how even though it is a place of fantasy and non-reality, its existence and popularity have stapled it as one of the most "American" exhibits in the United states. This place, though incredible, has no essential basis in reality. This can be applied to many of our digital reality discussions that we have held in class. We, as a people, desire to escape to "real" places of "fantasy" i.e. second life, avatar-games, amusement parks, and shopping malls. For a moment our fantasies are tangible. What does this say about our society? Are we moving toward becoming a people living within our own minds? Escaping within places of "non-existence"? Interested only in being other than our physical, mental, or emotional selves? What do these implications have for us?
Another thing that I thought of when I read this was a book that I read called "The Last Book in the Universe." It deals with people who "plug-in" to daydreams and actually experience them first-hand within their minds. In the book, this is daydream is called a drug and people waste away, decay, and forget to eat because they do it all the time. Though this seems a little far-fetched I still see some similarities in its basis premise to the time period that I live within now. The book also talks about the end of books, and how no one writes anymore. I think this might be an interesting subject to discuss, as remediation hints at the end of written books.
I thought this section was one of the most interesting that we have read so far. This is because I am very interested in art. In fact, I was almost an art major. Because of this and my experience within the field, I have witnessed first hand accounts of people negatively reacting to digital art. In my high school AP art class, my teacher thought it was important enough to make us take an outside photoshop class to encourage our digital, artistic literacy. I watched as many of my friends questioned the legitimacy of my digital works. I'd like to bring to mind the computer animation of movies such as Finding Nemo and many other Pixar animation films. It hard to deny that the people in charge of this are artists. The visual appeal is apparent, and they incorporate transparency into something as unrealistic as a talking turtle, so much so that kids and adults alike are equally ensnared by the animation. I think digital art is only another extension of the encompassing term that "art" has come to be. It is just another part in self-expression, creation, and remediation.
160-195
What struck me most about this section was its vast parallels to Baudrillard's essay on Simulations. For those of you who haven't read this essay, Baudrillard addresses how humans have come to make models or maps of actual places that are "realer than real." For example he contemplates the idea of Disney World and how even though it is a place of fantasy and non-reality, its existence and popularity have stapled it as one of the most "American" exhibits in the United states. This place, though incredible, has no essential basis in reality. This can be applied to many of our digital reality discussions that we have held in class. We, as a people, desire to escape to "real" places of "fantasy" i.e. second life, avatar-games, amusement parks, and shopping malls. For a moment our fantasies are tangible. What does this say about our society? Are we moving toward becoming a people living within our own minds? Escaping within places of "non-existence"? Interested only in being other than our physical, mental, or emotional selves? What do these implications have for us?
Another thing that I thought of when I read this was a book that I read called "The Last Book in the Universe." It deals with people who "plug-in" to daydreams and actually experience them first-hand within their minds. In the book, this is daydream is called a drug and people waste away, decay, and forget to eat because they do it all the time. Though this seems a little far-fetched I still see some similarities in its basis premise to the time period that I live within now. The book also talks about the end of books, and how no one writes anymore. I think this might be an interesting subject to discuss, as remediation hints at the end of written books.
Ideas for Creative Project
Since I have a literature background and enjoy writing poems and stories, I would either like to write a poem or a story about my digital literacy from when I was a small child to the present. I was thinking that I could showcase my poem in powerpoint with pictures and maybe even some music. Also, if it is not too long I may be able to use iMovie, but that is a big IF. I do not know exactly what I will say yet, but these are just some ideas.
Full Digital Literacy
Megan, Kerry, April, and Mike
We decided that the best way to show full digital literacy would be to create a website with many digital elements including: text, pictures, video, music, blogging, and links. A website is an all-encompassing media that can showcase one's digital literacy. We also discussed what full digital literacy really is, because it might vary from person to person. One person may think that knowing everything there is to know about every digital technology is full digital literacy while another might say that they are fully digitally literate because they can accomplish things digitally that they want to. It all depends on what you want to do and how you plan to use it.
We decided that the best way to show full digital literacy would be to create a website with many digital elements including: text, pictures, video, music, blogging, and links. A website is an all-encompassing media that can showcase one's digital literacy. We also discussed what full digital literacy really is, because it might vary from person to person. One person may think that knowing everything there is to know about every digital technology is full digital literacy while another might say that they are fully digitally literate because they can accomplish things digitally that they want to. It all depends on what you want to do and how you plan to use it.
Full Literacy
Joni, Mackenzie, Jenny Conard
We defined literacy as having some sort of reading comprehension, sense of culture in order to make connections or references (a cultural canon to follow), the ability to construct something new, and being digitally literate (go online and navigate successfully).
In regards to becoming fully literate, we decided that it was any realization of creativity regardless of the medium, any way that you can express yourself within “reality” you should be able to convey this same thing digitally and as effectively, i.e. creating a video, using weblog, making digital connections and links, and considering the impact of the medium on the message.
We defined literacy as having some sort of reading comprehension, sense of culture in order to make connections or references (a cultural canon to follow), the ability to construct something new, and being digitally literate (go online and navigate successfully).
In regards to becoming fully literate, we decided that it was any realization of creativity regardless of the medium, any way that you can express yourself within “reality” you should be able to convey this same thing digitally and as effectively, i.e. creating a video, using weblog, making digital connections and links, and considering the impact of the medium on the message.
Posts for this week:
3 weblog posts for this week:
1. Responding to Bolter & Grusin
2. Group response to the in-class prompt, how might one express his/her full digital literacy?
3. Individual response with tentative thoughts about your creative project. *Keep in mind that this is a project of much smaller scope than the other ones--this one is mainly an opportunity for each person to express him/herself via digital means.* For the post, list your potential ideas for your creative project, listing both subject matter (what you'll talk about) and treatment (the medium/media you'll use to express yourself.)
1. Responding to Bolter & Grusin
2. Group response to the in-class prompt, how might one express his/her full digital literacy?
3. Individual response with tentative thoughts about your creative project. *Keep in mind that this is a project of much smaller scope than the other ones--this one is mainly an opportunity for each person to express him/herself via digital means.* For the post, list your potential ideas for your creative project, listing both subject matter (what you'll talk about) and treatment (the medium/media you'll use to express yourself.)
What makes someone fully literate?
Our group felt the core component of being fully literate is comprehension. Information is understood based on the source it is received from. It is not just enough to read, but articulation and translation to others is crucial regardless of the medium used. We used Adobe Premiere in our group project. None of our group had used the software before, and it was a bit intimidating at first. We were able to find answers to the questions in the program and apply them to the applications in question. We were aware of the constraints of the media we were working with, and were able to navigate through them. By the end of the project we were all working in Premiere with confidence , and looking forward to using it in the future.
Susan Collins, Julie Ledbetter, Diana Thrasher
Susan Collins, Julie Ledbetter, Diana Thrasher
Full Digital Literacy
Vanessa, Molly, Anna, and Sharon:
Full Digital Literacy is: Being able to understand a new program, being able to communicate digitally with other people, and being able to produce a project that embodies many aspects of digital literacy (ex. Making a movie uses many aspects of digital technology; starting with creatively writing the script, adapting the film, editing, voice-overs, adding in youtube videos or other clips, and being able to share it, like on quicktime). Also, you have to be aware of the constraints of the media that you are working with.
Full Digital Literacy is: Being able to understand a new program, being able to communicate digitally with other people, and being able to produce a project that embodies many aspects of digital literacy (ex. Making a movie uses many aspects of digital technology; starting with creatively writing the script, adapting the film, editing, voice-overs, adding in youtube videos or other clips, and being able to share it, like on quicktime). Also, you have to be aware of the constraints of the media that you are working with.
Full Range of Digital Literacy
Our group decided that there are several ways to show full digital literacy. They include:
Explaining the concept to others
Creating something and explaining the components
Through the internet
Making it appealing to the audience
Knowing how to operate or maneuver different technologies including basics.
Understanding the message regardless of the medium but taking the medium into consideration.
Shaquette, Morgan, Meredyth
Explaining the concept to others
Creating something and explaining the components
Through the internet
Making it appealing to the audience
Knowing how to operate or maneuver different technologies including basics.
Understanding the message regardless of the medium but taking the medium into consideration.
Shaquette, Morgan, Meredyth
Group Posting from Today's Class
Ardi, Sarah, Jennifer, Chrissy
What makes someone fully literate (not digital)?
- Understanding what you are reading beyond just knowing the meaning of the words themselves. Understanding context.
- The way you are supposed to be reading it (how to approach the medium)
- Understanding how to be prepared to read what you’re about to read (needing to know historical and/or cultural context).
- Have to be open-minded or prepared to encounter things that you might not necessarily agree with.
- Being able to write so that other people can understand you and/or your message.
What are some outlets you can use to demonstrate your personal full digital literacy?
- actively engaging in communication in a digital environment.
- Personal blogs
- Collaborative blogs
- Myspace
- Facebook
You cannot be fully literate until you can “play” with the medium.
- cat blogs, catbook
What does it take to show digital literacy?
- actively engaging in communication in a digital environment.
- Be able to use digital applications both to send and receive messages and also be able to explain the use of the applications to others.
What makes someone fully literate (not digital)?
- Understanding what you are reading beyond just knowing the meaning of the words themselves. Understanding context.
- The way you are supposed to be reading it (how to approach the medium)
- Understanding how to be prepared to read what you’re about to read (needing to know historical and/or cultural context).
- Have to be open-minded or prepared to encounter things that you might not necessarily agree with.
- Being able to write so that other people can understand you and/or your message.
What are some outlets you can use to demonstrate your personal full digital literacy?
- actively engaging in communication in a digital environment.
- Personal blogs
- Collaborative blogs
- Myspace
You cannot be fully literate until you can “play” with the medium.
- cat blogs, catbook
What does it take to show digital literacy?
- actively engaging in communication in a digital environment.
- Be able to use digital applications both to send and receive messages and also be able to explain the use of the applications to others.
Bolter and Grusin 212-272
While I was reading these chapters, I was having difficulty in deciding what to reflect on, but I began thinking about my own personal interaction with the Internet and computers since I was first introduced to them.
I was introduced to computers when I was in grade school. We used them to play Number Munchers and Oregon Trail in order to learn about addition, subtraction, and multiplication, and the history of what happened on the Oregon Trail. These games were fun and educational. Once I got to middle school, we had the option of turning in assignments typed or hand-written, but we had to type our big papers. This is also when I was first introduced to the Internet, which my family did not have at first, but my best friend did. My friend had an AOL account and we would usually sign on under her screen name and chat with people. Some of our discussions with those people were sometimes inappropriate, but we still had fun. Chatting is discussed in this section of the book and I remembered what it felt like to go into a chat room at the age of 12 and tell people we were 16 or 17 and lie about what we looked like. As I transitioned to high school, my parents finally got the Internet and I had to teach them how to use it. My dad would get online to check his e-mail, which was the only thing he really did. I think he eventually joined a fantasy football league, which he did online. My mom created an e-mail account, but eventually began looking up flights and stuff like that. Now, especially since she is widowed, the Internet is her connection to people she would not normally see or talk to, and she also has started to play online games. While I was in high school I used the Internet for research and e-mail and I used computers to type papers. In my preparations for college, I got my first laptop. I took laptop classes as a freshman in college and I used the Internet, especially AIM, to keep in touch with all of my friends I left in Maryland and that went to other colleges. I also used my laptop for writing papers and creating other documents. Throughout the years I have become more and more dependent on computers. I now have a MySpace and Facebook page, three e-mail addresses, and I still use AIM from time-to-time. I can honestly say that I need my computer. Even though I have backed up my files, it seems like my entire adult life is on my computer. I have all four semesters of graduate school work on both of my laptops, as well as my resume, and even games. In conclusion, I not only use my computer for school and work, but also for fun, which I think was the point of this book, which is helping us realize things that we would not normally think about when it comes to various types of media.
I was introduced to computers when I was in grade school. We used them to play Number Munchers and Oregon Trail in order to learn about addition, subtraction, and multiplication, and the history of what happened on the Oregon Trail. These games were fun and educational. Once I got to middle school, we had the option of turning in assignments typed or hand-written, but we had to type our big papers. This is also when I was first introduced to the Internet, which my family did not have at first, but my best friend did. My friend had an AOL account and we would usually sign on under her screen name and chat with people. Some of our discussions with those people were sometimes inappropriate, but we still had fun. Chatting is discussed in this section of the book and I remembered what it felt like to go into a chat room at the age of 12 and tell people we were 16 or 17 and lie about what we looked like. As I transitioned to high school, my parents finally got the Internet and I had to teach them how to use it. My dad would get online to check his e-mail, which was the only thing he really did. I think he eventually joined a fantasy football league, which he did online. My mom created an e-mail account, but eventually began looking up flights and stuff like that. Now, especially since she is widowed, the Internet is her connection to people she would not normally see or talk to, and she also has started to play online games. While I was in high school I used the Internet for research and e-mail and I used computers to type papers. In my preparations for college, I got my first laptop. I took laptop classes as a freshman in college and I used the Internet, especially AIM, to keep in touch with all of my friends I left in Maryland and that went to other colleges. I also used my laptop for writing papers and creating other documents. Throughout the years I have become more and more dependent on computers. I now have a MySpace and Facebook page, three e-mail addresses, and I still use AIM from time-to-time. I can honestly say that I need my computer. Even though I have backed up my files, it seems like my entire adult life is on my computer. I have all four semesters of graduate school work on both of my laptops, as well as my resume, and even games. In conclusion, I not only use my computer for school and work, but also for fun, which I think was the point of this book, which is helping us realize things that we would not normally think about when it comes to various types of media.
Bolter & Grusin 212-271
I find it interesting that so many of you mentioned Skype in your responses to this weeks reading. I, too, thought of Skype as soon I closed my text. My boyfriend graduated from Clemson and moved to Virginia last year. He's 40 minutes from DC and needless to say, too far away for weekend roadtrips. It was really hard adjusting to the distance and the idea that the distance would remain an issue for a little over a year (I graduate on August 8th) proved almost too daunting of a task for us to take on. We tried aim, e-mail, and phone calls but the limited capabilities of these mediums individually proved inefficient for sustaining a healthy relationship. We were arguing a lot more than normal because a lot was being misconstrued via e-mail and instant messenger. It's amazing how much nonverbal communication influences our interpretation of messages. I had never heard of Skype but a colleague of my boyfriend recommended that we try it out (he too is in a long distance relationship). I can't begin to tell you how much I value what I once took for granted--seeing and hearing simultaneously while communicating. Now my boyfriend and I use Skype daily and while it's not the same as face-to-face conversations over white chocolate mochas at Starbucks, it's not the black and white text driven communication of aim either. On Skype I am able to communicate digitally with my boyfriend, interpret and over interpret (:-P) his tone of voice, and share links with him. It has allowed us to reconnect during a time where we're both experiencing a great deal of changes in our lives.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Bolter and Grusin 160-195
While the idea of mediated space applies to both theme parks and virtual realities, I was most interested in the section that talked about the way Disney remediated folk stories and classic music. For example, the author says, "It [Snow White} was wildly successful and prompted Disney to try a further and even more ambitious remediation, Fantasia, in which he sought to create a multimedia form that would popularize classical music while it elevated animation."
This reminds me of the "remakes" of older movies or Shakespeare into modern day films--the way a story can be remediated to appeal to a different audience. Fantasia sparked a new interest in classical music to an audience through a remediated version. Likewise, movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, Lord of the Rings, and spoofs on the Cinderella story make audiences re-interested in familiar material. It isn't the suspense of an unknown ending, but rather the fascination of a new media representing old things in a fresh way.
This reminds me of the "remakes" of older movies or Shakespeare into modern day films--the way a story can be remediated to appeal to a different audience. Fantasia sparked a new interest in classical music to an audience through a remediated version. Likewise, movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, Lord of the Rings, and spoofs on the Cinderella story make audiences re-interested in familiar material. It isn't the suspense of an unknown ending, but rather the fascination of a new media representing old things in a fresh way.
Week 9 Reading
While I was completing this reading I had a few thoughts. The main chunk that dealt with telecommunication made me realize what a big part of our society it is. Nearly all of the companies I interned with this past summer incorported telecommunication into their daily work schedule. Wenner Media especially used it. I was a copy editing intern and would frequently watch the people I worked under use this tool to their advantage. Whether it was to communicate with other magazines or with other people inside the company. It got me to thinking about how much we would all benefit from using it. I also spent a lot of time this summer doing research. I found that the research I did on television (watching tivoed programs and taking notes on celebrities) proved to be more revealing than actually going out into Times Square and polling real people on topics that included celebrities. Not only was the information more useful when taken from television but the responses more elaborate. I couldn't figure out whether or not the fact that television is more useful than real life responses from people is a positive or a negative thing. Either way the reading was extensive but I took personal experience out of it.
Week 9 Reading
I was so excited to see that Susan related the reading to Skype. That is the first thing I though about as well, because I use it everyday to talk to my best friend in Italy. I find myself so intrigued by this process becasue it is like I am having a conversation face to face even though she is thousands of miles away. Skpe encompases everything I need to communicate with her, so I don't have to worry about using a phone, email, or any other form of communication....it is all available through Skpe.
Also in the reading, I was interested in how with ubiquitous computing we do not have to change points of views, because the computer adjusts to fit our needs. This is sooooo TRUE! It is funny to think about because when searching for things or trying to operate new things on the computer, I can literally put in what I am thinking about and the computer seems to "know/understand" what I am referring to. In this book it describes this as the computer wanting to "affect what it monitors (p.219)."
Overall this was an extensive reading, but it really allowed me to connect what I do everyday digitally to what we have been talking about with Remediation.
Also in the reading, I was interested in how with ubiquitous computing we do not have to change points of views, because the computer adjusts to fit our needs. This is sooooo TRUE! It is funny to think about because when searching for things or trying to operate new things on the computer, I can literally put in what I am thinking about and the computer seems to "know/understand" what I am referring to. In this book it describes this as the computer wanting to "affect what it monitors (p.219)."
Overall this was an extensive reading, but it really allowed me to connect what I do everyday digitally to what we have been talking about with Remediation.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Bolter and Grusin, 212-271
When media converge ...
Why are we not embracing this technology en masse? Teleconferencing is now available to pert' near everyone who's online, yet it's not widely used. For instance, I once, not so long ago, worked in a computer lab -- a COMPUTER lab -- that conducted its staff meetings at 8 o'clock on Monday mornings, about an hour from where I lived. As it happened, I had no cause to be in the city of my employment again until approximately 5:30 on Monday evenings, so I proposed that I attend staff meetings via teleconference. Proposal: Denied. WHY??? Why would we not (especially in a work setting based on technology) embrace this? I've no idea. However, it's interesting to consider how the convergence of telephone, television and computer has impacted the travel industry.
Until recently, I was enrolled in a grad Creative Inquiry involving locally grown foods, and a group of students from Cornell University joined us. They flew down for some statewide field research from Jan. 3 through Jan. 5, and for the first month thereafter, we did conference calling (telephone only). The class is now engaged in video teleconferencing. Vast difference.
Then there's the joy of seeing your best friend's baby at play, who's now 2 and whom you haven't yet had the privilege of meeting, and who will now recognize your face when you finally do show up in Bonita Beach, Fla.! Aunt Joni!!!!
Why are we not embracing this technology en masse? Teleconferencing is now available to pert' near everyone who's online, yet it's not widely used. For instance, I once, not so long ago, worked in a computer lab -- a COMPUTER lab -- that conducted its staff meetings at 8 o'clock on Monday mornings, about an hour from where I lived. As it happened, I had no cause to be in the city of my employment again until approximately 5:30 on Monday evenings, so I proposed that I attend staff meetings via teleconference. Proposal: Denied. WHY??? Why would we not (especially in a work setting based on technology) embrace this? I've no idea. However, it's interesting to consider how the convergence of telephone, television and computer has impacted the travel industry.
Until recently, I was enrolled in a grad Creative Inquiry involving locally grown foods, and a group of students from Cornell University joined us. They flew down for some statewide field research from Jan. 3 through Jan. 5, and for the first month thereafter, we did conference calling (telephone only). The class is now engaged in video teleconferencing. Vast difference.
Then there's the joy of seeing your best friend's baby at play, who's now 2 and whom you haven't yet had the privilege of meeting, and who will now recognize your face when you finally do show up in Bonita Beach, Fla.! Aunt Joni!!!!
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Response to Bolter & Grusin (212-271)
“Convergence is the mutual remediation of at least three important technologies—telephone, television, and computer—each of which is a hybrid of technical, social, and economic practice and each of which offers its own path to immediacy” (224)
Bolter and Grusin’s discussion of the convergence of the telephone, television and computer made me think of Skype, which I use a lot to talk to my sister who is currently living in London. The program combines these three media into one, offering immediacy to the users. Not only can my sister and I talk in real time, we can also see each other via web cams and chat through its instant messaging feature. In one of my classes earlier this semester, we had a guest speaker talk to us from California through Skype. In combination with the Skype video call, the guest speaker used Oracle to show us a powerpoint presentation from his computer. Although there were a few glitches with the video feed and the powerpoint presentation, it was as if the guest speaker was actually in the class with us.
On another note, I realized this weekend that I cannot use my computer or watch TV without considering the concepts we’ve been discussing in this class. Yesterday I was watching a few friends play the Lost video game and I found myself thinking about the ways in which the video game is a remediation of the television show. When they were at a particularly difficult part of the game, they considered rewatching certain episodes to see if it might provide some insight about how to proceed in the game. It was interesting to see how the game differed from the show, how the game introduced new characters and the voices the game used for characters from the show.
Bolter and Grusin’s discussion of the convergence of the telephone, television and computer made me think of Skype, which I use a lot to talk to my sister who is currently living in London. The program combines these three media into one, offering immediacy to the users. Not only can my sister and I talk in real time, we can also see each other via web cams and chat through its instant messaging feature. In one of my classes earlier this semester, we had a guest speaker talk to us from California through Skype. In combination with the Skype video call, the guest speaker used Oracle to show us a powerpoint presentation from his computer. Although there were a few glitches with the video feed and the powerpoint presentation, it was as if the guest speaker was actually in the class with us.
On another note, I realized this weekend that I cannot use my computer or watch TV without considering the concepts we’ve been discussing in this class. Yesterday I was watching a few friends play the Lost video game and I found myself thinking about the ways in which the video game is a remediation of the television show. When they were at a particularly difficult part of the game, they considered rewatching certain episodes to see if it might provide some insight about how to proceed in the game. It was interesting to see how the game differed from the show, how the game introduced new characters and the voices the game used for characters from the show.
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