While out learining environment has changed a bit over the semester, I feel the quality of the class has greatly improved. At the beginning of the semester, it seemed king of like an open forum. Everyone seemed to talk over each other while no one was really listening. People tended to veer off subject frequently, and we found ourselves running out of class time.
I like the way that the schedule has been updated, and how we have a class wiki page. It is nice to know that , if you are unsure of assignments, you can go back and double-check the wiki page in case you missed anything.
The blogs were a bit strange to me at first, but when I got the hang of it, it was much easier to do a class assignment posted to my blog, then have to stress about where I am going to find a printer to print off a hand-in assignment.
I think the learning environment that helped me the best was just being in class all together. My suggestion for the class might be to offer it as a Tuesday/Thursday class to help with time constraints. I think it woul help ensure that there is enough time to get to the subject on hand, as well as allowing everyone to contribute to class discussion.
All together, I have enjoyed the class this semester, and feel as if I have taken in a great deal of information, especially about my peers, that I had not in any of my previous classes. This class was definitely different than any other class I have taked, structurally, but I have enjoyed it in the long run.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Google Earth
The tool I chose to try our was Google Earth which allows satellite and aerial imagery of just about any place you can imagine. It is a free program that you simply download to your computer. From there, your research options are limitless. This tool is useful not only for adults, but teenagers and children as well.
You may navigate through the site using the various links on the page, and there is also a very handy tutorial link on the page that will give you step-by-step intstructions on how to use the tool, no matter what you may be looking for.
If you are using it for your business, you can get the Pro version for $400 from the website. It is a small cost for all its capabilities. Imagine being a professional appraiser, and instead of physically being at a worksite, just type in the address, and find it's dementions via-satellite! You can also see how your property has changed over time with the click of a button.
This tool has become more of a toy than a research tool to me, mainly because that is all I have used it for! I am looking forward to my chance to do some serious research with it, but until then, I am using it for recreation purposes only.
You may navigate through the site using the various links on the page, and there is also a very handy tutorial link on the page that will give you step-by-step intstructions on how to use the tool, no matter what you may be looking for.
If you are using it for your business, you can get the Pro version for $400 from the website. It is a small cost for all its capabilities. Imagine being a professional appraiser, and instead of physically being at a worksite, just type in the address, and find it's dementions via-satellite! You can also see how your property has changed over time with the click of a button.
This tool has become more of a toy than a research tool to me, mainly because that is all I have used it for! I am looking forward to my chance to do some serious research with it, but until then, I am using it for recreation purposes only.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Internet Interview
I had a particulary hard time finding ANYONE who did not use the internet in their daily lives. It would also seem that it is almost impossible to operate in our society without the use of the internet. When I asked several people the first question on our interview page, "Do you use the internet?", the recurring response I received over and over again was simply looking at me like I had lost my mind! Even my father, who is 72 years old, thought it was a ludicrous question, since it seems every spare moment of his time is spent on line, and he is retired.
The following are the results from the unnamed person I interviewed:
1) Do you use the internet?
Response: Yes
2) If yes, how often?
Response: Every day
3) What do you use it for?
Response: Facebook, YouTube, news, and research
4) Why do you not prefer to use the internet?
Response: Viruses, hackers
5) Do you have an internet connection?
Response: Yes, at home and at work
6) How much free time do you have?
Response: Very little
7) Do you not use the internet because you do not know how?
Response: NA
8) Does the internet seem user friendly to you?
Response: Yes
9) How would you like to see the internet change in the future?
Response: I'm not sure, I like it the way it is.
10) If you know how to use the internet, who taught you/how did you learn?
Response: I taught myself
11) What year did you graduate high school?
Response: 2006
12) When did you first learn about the internet?
Response: 8th grade
I actaully gave this survey to several people, and was shocked to find that, even though the interviewee above had just graduated in 2006, she had actually only started using the internet in the 8th grade! There could be several reasons for this, including parents' rules, having no home computer, etc. Most of those I gave the internet had taught themselves, which shows that the internet is effective, and easy to use for persons of any age or education level.
When my father began using the internet, it seemed as if it took him 30 minutes to type a single sentence. Presently, I might be ashamed to say, that he knows as much, if not more about the internet than I do.
The following are the results from the unnamed person I interviewed:
1) Do you use the internet?
Response: Yes
2) If yes, how often?
Response: Every day
3) What do you use it for?
Response: Facebook, YouTube, news, and research
4) Why do you not prefer to use the internet?
Response: Viruses, hackers
5) Do you have an internet connection?
Response: Yes, at home and at work
6) How much free time do you have?
Response: Very little
7) Do you not use the internet because you do not know how?
Response: NA
8) Does the internet seem user friendly to you?
Response: Yes
9) How would you like to see the internet change in the future?
Response: I'm not sure, I like it the way it is.
10) If you know how to use the internet, who taught you/how did you learn?
Response: I taught myself
11) What year did you graduate high school?
Response: 2006
12) When did you first learn about the internet?
Response: 8th grade
I actaully gave this survey to several people, and was shocked to find that, even though the interviewee above had just graduated in 2006, she had actually only started using the internet in the 8th grade! There could be several reasons for this, including parents' rules, having no home computer, etc. Most of those I gave the internet had taught themselves, which shows that the internet is effective, and easy to use for persons of any age or education level.
When my father began using the internet, it seemed as if it took him 30 minutes to type a single sentence. Presently, I might be ashamed to say, that he knows as much, if not more about the internet than I do.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Possible Job Pursuits After Graduation
What is the job?
Journalism Intern for a magazine.
What knowledge, skills, and attitudes are needed to be successful in the job?
I will need at least 2 years of college journalism courses. Need to have writing/editing experience for a newspaper, magazine, website, yearbook, etc. In addition, I need MS Office experience, excel commutication, writing, organizing, and proofing skills.
Thinking about your current knowledge, skills, and attitudes, what would you need to do to prepare yourself for the job?
I would need to at least sit in as an intern for a local magazine or radio/television station. I also would also need to take a few more Mass Communication courses to better acquaint myself with the job requirement and technical details I might need in order to be successful. I think this would be a great starting off point to get me started on something bigger. My ultimate goal, should I actually intend to pursue this career, would be an editorial or a freelance writer for a magazine or a newspaper. However, there are many steps I would need to take in advance in order to make a name for myself in the business.
Journalism Intern for a magazine.
What knowledge, skills, and attitudes are needed to be successful in the job?
I will need at least 2 years of college journalism courses. Need to have writing/editing experience for a newspaper, magazine, website, yearbook, etc. In addition, I need MS Office experience, excel commutication, writing, organizing, and proofing skills.
Thinking about your current knowledge, skills, and attitudes, what would you need to do to prepare yourself for the job?
I would need to at least sit in as an intern for a local magazine or radio/television station. I also would also need to take a few more Mass Communication courses to better acquaint myself with the job requirement and technical details I might need in order to be successful. I think this would be a great starting off point to get me started on something bigger. My ultimate goal, should I actually intend to pursue this career, would be an editorial or a freelance writer for a magazine or a newspaper. However, there are many steps I would need to take in advance in order to make a name for myself in the business.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The Human Race Machine
The Human Race Machine can, in no way, change the way people think about other races. In fact, every website I visited was only advertising the Human Race Machine as a marketed product. In my opinion, it is rather offensive, more like a freakshow for people who probably have no appreciation for what the machine is supposed to do.
All it did is show you what you would look like if you had some really intricate stage makeup applied. Actually, it would even require such intricacy, to be honest. Just a change of makeup tone.
Maybe I feel that it is offensive, because the question was, "How does the Human Race Machine change your perspective on yourself and others."
It may in fact, have an effect if your intial response was, "Oh my god! That is what I would look like if I were Hispanic!" or any other ethnicity.
To me....totally offensive. I find people in all colors equally, but uniquely beautiful, and they should change nothing about themselves. Nor should anyone. People, let's stop this perpetual struggle among races. Like the product advertises, "There is no gene for race."
All it did is show you what you would look like if you had some really intricate stage makeup applied. Actually, it would even require such intricacy, to be honest. Just a change of makeup tone.
Maybe I feel that it is offensive, because the question was, "How does the Human Race Machine change your perspective on yourself and others."
It may in fact, have an effect if your intial response was, "Oh my god! That is what I would look like if I were Hispanic!" or any other ethnicity.
To me....totally offensive. I find people in all colors equally, but uniquely beautiful, and they should change nothing about themselves. Nor should anyone. People, let's stop this perpetual struggle among races. Like the product advertises, "There is no gene for race."
Sunday, October 11, 2009
How Internet and Digital Media are Affecting NPR
Obviously the internet and digital media are taking over with regards to the mediums in which society gets its information these days. Whether it is reading the news, or listening to your favorite song, the internet seems to pretty much have it all. The NPR defititely feels the strain when it comes to the audience they are recruiting, and it seems that most that still revert to listening to the radio tend to be the older crowd.
However, even the older crowd is getting into the swing of things, mainly because in our day and age, some information mediums only have their access available through the internet or some other type of digital media. My dad, for example, who is 72 years young, even gets the majority of his news from the internet. Why bother perusing through a newspaper filled with random information you aren't intersted in, when you can fine tune your search through a detailed search engine to find exactly what you are looking for?
The conversation we listened to in class didn't seem to be very informative to me, however. Maybe it is because I am still considerably old school. Whichever news or entertainment media reaches me first, wins every time. For example, when I come home after a long day, my house tends to be filled with music, not from an IPod, or a music website, but from the rickety sound of my fiance's record player. There is almost something romantic about the rough sound of an original record that almost makes me feel like I am really there 20 years ago, listening to it for the first time.
I suppose it could have been more infromative had the speaker answered some of the posts that my fellow classmates were submitting, because a lot of them were particularly insightful. However, I couldn't seem to get past the loud static that was blasting through the speakers. I suppose if I had done a little more research prior to listening to the speaker, I could have applied a little more insight, and understood the basissof the topica little more thoroughly.
However, even the older crowd is getting into the swing of things, mainly because in our day and age, some information mediums only have their access available through the internet or some other type of digital media. My dad, for example, who is 72 years young, even gets the majority of his news from the internet. Why bother perusing through a newspaper filled with random information you aren't intersted in, when you can fine tune your search through a detailed search engine to find exactly what you are looking for?
The conversation we listened to in class didn't seem to be very informative to me, however. Maybe it is because I am still considerably old school. Whichever news or entertainment media reaches me first, wins every time. For example, when I come home after a long day, my house tends to be filled with music, not from an IPod, or a music website, but from the rickety sound of my fiance's record player. There is almost something romantic about the rough sound of an original record that almost makes me feel like I am really there 20 years ago, listening to it for the first time.
I suppose it could have been more infromative had the speaker answered some of the posts that my fellow classmates were submitting, because a lot of them were particularly insightful. However, I couldn't seem to get past the loud static that was blasting through the speakers. I suppose if I had done a little more research prior to listening to the speaker, I could have applied a little more insight, and understood the basissof the topica little more thoroughly.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Twittastic!
In my honest opinion, although tweeting might be fun for someone who can more easily access its features via cell phone and such, I actually feel I don't have the time for it! A simple 6 tweet assignment actually consumed my whole weekend, because I wasn't sure when the appropriate time span was to wait in bewtween tweets! I am not used to having to update my status so often, and I actually was in a panic because I was not sure at times what pointless bable I was supposed to be putting out there to see if someone else.
Each time I hit the send button, I cant help but feel that I am sending one more pointless missive that no one cares about, because they are worrying about the same things themsleves on the other end!
However, the assignment was rather enjoyable once I got the hang of it. It was useful in being able to put out the information that I need to find a new home for my dog, and post a picture of her as well. I guess that Twitter seems more enjoyable to me to use when I am simply bored. I have no real urge every fifteen minutes to an hour or so to update exactly what I am doing at the time.
Don't get me wrong, when it comes to posting some semi-urgent news, it would seem to be the immediate answer. Luckily, some people can even receive those updates immediately on their phones. Maybe that is why I don't have as much need for it because I cannot utilize all its features that make it unique.
Each time I hit the send button, I cant help but feel that I am sending one more pointless missive that no one cares about, because they are worrying about the same things themsleves on the other end!
However, the assignment was rather enjoyable once I got the hang of it. It was useful in being able to put out the information that I need to find a new home for my dog, and post a picture of her as well. I guess that Twitter seems more enjoyable to me to use when I am simply bored. I have no real urge every fifteen minutes to an hour or so to update exactly what I am doing at the time.
Don't get me wrong, when it comes to posting some semi-urgent news, it would seem to be the immediate answer. Luckily, some people can even receive those updates immediately on their phones. Maybe that is why I don't have as much need for it because I cannot utilize all its features that make it unique.
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