After completing this project, I have to say that out of all of the projects I have done for this class, this was not only the most challenging, but also the one I enjoyed the least. Although I can see how social networking can be used to impact a cause, this project was just not very exciting for me.
For my cause, I chose domestic violence. I believe this was the right choice as I have a lot of experience with the topic since I volunteered for many years at a domestic violence shelter where my aunt worked. I also had a lot of prior knowledge which I was able to bring to the project and which made research fairly easy.
However, although research and choosing the cause were not very difficult, constructing the site was. I had never used socialgo.com before, and I found it a little challenging to manage. I would have liked to have used one of the pre-made templates, but I wanted to include purple as that is the color of domestic violence awareness, and unfortunately I was unable to customize the templates to change the colors. So, that was a little frustrating. Still, I got past it and decided to just make my own template, which was pretty easy for me to figure out how to do.
When it came time to format the welcome page, though, I had a lot of difficulty. It was formatted as a table, which was fine, but when I tried to add a picture it would not let me fix spacing and add text below. I ended up having to add text first and then go back and add the picture, and that was only after I accidently messed up the table and had to find some way to get the original html code back.
I also found it a little difficult to find local events. Domestic violence awareness month is not until October, so trying to find some events before then was difficult, but I managed by searching around many different sites and online newspapers.
My last difficulty was deciding what to write about in the forums and the blog. I had a lot of research, but it was hard to make it fit into blog and forum posts like I wanted. I think it also would have helped if we had been given some examples.
Overall, I think I did alright with the project, although it still would have been nice to have an example for some guidance as to what was expected. I tried to include everything in the assignment sheet, and I think I was successful. However, I still don't feel that this project is the one that best showcases my abilities, and I do not feel like I learned anything from it other than the fact that social networking can help causes.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Monday, May 2, 2011
Enthusiast Blog Post Write
Again, I'm not sure if we are supposed to do a post write for our enthusiast blogs, but I thought I would. If nothing else, it will help me with the final portfolio.
The enthusiast blog was one of my least favorite projects. That might be a bit unusual since most seemed to like it, but I liked the website redesign and Wikitravel projects more. It wasn't that the blog was difficult to do, or that I didn't enjoy writing in it. I did enjoy writing in it, but it seemed to become tiresome after awhile. Towards the end, I had difficulty thinking up new topics. I also felt frustrated because I didn't know how to fix the topic, as the professor wanted, without starting over. Perhaps I picked too broad of a topic. I thought I had done a good job of relating all of the posts to the main idea, which essentially was that you can learn more from college than just academic knowledge (specifically what you learn about yourself and what life lessons you learn in college). Looking back, I should have probably chosen a simpler topic, but I thought it was the best idea I had at the time.
Although I did not enjoy the enthusiast blog project as much as some of the others, I did not have any major challenges with it, besides not knowing how to fix it and having some trouble thinking up new topics towards the end. The only other challenge I may have faced was making sure to write a new post each week, and that was only challenging because I was not used to it, having never done a blog before.
As for what I liked about the project, it was nice writing every week, and I can see how blogging could be fun. I think I just would have enjoyed the project more if I had chosen another topic. So if anything, the project taught me how important it is to pick a topic that will keep you enthusiastic throughout the blogging process. I also learned that blogging might be something I would be willing to do more of in the future, provided the topic is right.
The enthusiast blog was one of my least favorite projects. That might be a bit unusual since most seemed to like it, but I liked the website redesign and Wikitravel projects more. It wasn't that the blog was difficult to do, or that I didn't enjoy writing in it. I did enjoy writing in it, but it seemed to become tiresome after awhile. Towards the end, I had difficulty thinking up new topics. I also felt frustrated because I didn't know how to fix the topic, as the professor wanted, without starting over. Perhaps I picked too broad of a topic. I thought I had done a good job of relating all of the posts to the main idea, which essentially was that you can learn more from college than just academic knowledge (specifically what you learn about yourself and what life lessons you learn in college). Looking back, I should have probably chosen a simpler topic, but I thought it was the best idea I had at the time.
Although I did not enjoy the enthusiast blog project as much as some of the others, I did not have any major challenges with it, besides not knowing how to fix it and having some trouble thinking up new topics towards the end. The only other challenge I may have faced was making sure to write a new post each week, and that was only challenging because I was not used to it, having never done a blog before.
As for what I liked about the project, it was nice writing every week, and I can see how blogging could be fun. I think I just would have enjoyed the project more if I had chosen another topic. So if anything, the project taught me how important it is to pick a topic that will keep you enthusiastic throughout the blogging process. I also learned that blogging might be something I would be willing to do more of in the future, provided the topic is right.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Critical Literacy Presentation Reflection
I don't know whether we're supposed to do a reflection for our critical literacy presentations, but it felt only right that I should do one, albeit a little late. It seems especially important as well since I plan on including the presentation in my final portfolio.
The critical literacy presentation is the one project where I didn't feel completely unsure of what to expect in the beginning. I've worked with PowerPoint many times before, and even though I hadn't used it recently and did not have much experience using it with my Mac yet, I was sure I could figure out how to do everything I needed to.
Researching my topic was easy once I knew how to go about looking. The iPad is pretty popular and was in recent news due to the premier of the latest version. The one thing I had a problem with at first was finding information on the original iPad in comparison to the newest one. However, once I began searching for "iPad 2010" things got easier. The first place I went for research, of course, was apple.com, which helped quite a bit. I also contacted my cousin, who works for Intel, which works with Apple, and he pointed me to a lot of good resources online.
Organizing the PowerPoint was a bit more difficult because there was so much information concerning the iPad. I tried to concentrate on the essentials, which I viewed as explaining what it was and giving background information so anyone unfamiliar with the topic would understand it, as well as answering all of the questions or covering all of the points on the assignment sheet. Overall, I think I did a pretty good job. I tried my best to keep it as concise as possible, but with so much information it was difficult, and the PowerPoint was a little longer than it was supposed to be.
My biggest challenge with the project, besides trying to condense information, was figuring out how to narrate the presentation. I became really excited when I realized that the PowerPoint on my Mac came with its own narration tool. However, I soon learned that it wouldn't be that easy. Every time I recorded, the narration would get cut off on playback. Upon doing some looking around online to see if anyone else had encountered similar problems, I learned that it was not just my program, but that everyone who had purchased the Microsoft Office for Mac software had the same problem. I also learned that no one had discovered a way to fix it. With that option out, I figured I'd use GarageBand, as had been recommended. I hit another stumbling block as I learned that GarageBand had somehow been uninstalled on my computer. After finding the disks I needed, I successfully reinstalled it. I wish I could say it was smooth sailing from there, but it wasn't. I had never used GarageBand before, and I couldn't seem to get the voice recording to sound exactly as I wanted. It recorded with an echo-like quality to it, and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. In the end, I figured a narration that sounded like it echoed was better than no narration, and I went with it. The entire time, I wished that the narration in PowerPoint had worked.
Overall, despite the problems, I was proud of how the PowerPoint came out. Besides the length and the echo of the narration, I thought it was well done, especially for it being the first time I had used PowerPoint so much on the Mac and for it being the first time I had narrated a PowerPoint. I feel like I chose the right topic and put in a lot of effort, and I hope the professor agrees.
The critical literacy presentation is the one project where I didn't feel completely unsure of what to expect in the beginning. I've worked with PowerPoint many times before, and even though I hadn't used it recently and did not have much experience using it with my Mac yet, I was sure I could figure out how to do everything I needed to.
Researching my topic was easy once I knew how to go about looking. The iPad is pretty popular and was in recent news due to the premier of the latest version. The one thing I had a problem with at first was finding information on the original iPad in comparison to the newest one. However, once I began searching for "iPad 2010" things got easier. The first place I went for research, of course, was apple.com, which helped quite a bit. I also contacted my cousin, who works for Intel, which works with Apple, and he pointed me to a lot of good resources online.
Organizing the PowerPoint was a bit more difficult because there was so much information concerning the iPad. I tried to concentrate on the essentials, which I viewed as explaining what it was and giving background information so anyone unfamiliar with the topic would understand it, as well as answering all of the questions or covering all of the points on the assignment sheet. Overall, I think I did a pretty good job. I tried my best to keep it as concise as possible, but with so much information it was difficult, and the PowerPoint was a little longer than it was supposed to be.
My biggest challenge with the project, besides trying to condense information, was figuring out how to narrate the presentation. I became really excited when I realized that the PowerPoint on my Mac came with its own narration tool. However, I soon learned that it wouldn't be that easy. Every time I recorded, the narration would get cut off on playback. Upon doing some looking around online to see if anyone else had encountered similar problems, I learned that it was not just my program, but that everyone who had purchased the Microsoft Office for Mac software had the same problem. I also learned that no one had discovered a way to fix it. With that option out, I figured I'd use GarageBand, as had been recommended. I hit another stumbling block as I learned that GarageBand had somehow been uninstalled on my computer. After finding the disks I needed, I successfully reinstalled it. I wish I could say it was smooth sailing from there, but it wasn't. I had never used GarageBand before, and I couldn't seem to get the voice recording to sound exactly as I wanted. It recorded with an echo-like quality to it, and I couldn't figure out how to fix it. In the end, I figured a narration that sounded like it echoed was better than no narration, and I went with it. The entire time, I wished that the narration in PowerPoint had worked.
Overall, despite the problems, I was proud of how the PowerPoint came out. Besides the length and the echo of the narration, I thought it was well done, especially for it being the first time I had used PowerPoint so much on the Mac and for it being the first time I had narrated a PowerPoint. I feel like I chose the right topic and put in a lot of effort, and I hope the professor agrees.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Website Redesign Reflection
When I first began the website redesign project, I was pretty nervous. I had some website design experience from a class I took in high school, but that was two years ago, and my experience overall was fairly limited. So when I read the assignment sheet and found out we were using google sites, I felt a lot better. I had never used google sites before, but it seemed pretty easy to learn how to use it (and it was). Overall, I figured google sites would make the whole process of making the website redesigns easier.
While that turned out to be true for the most part, I did encounter some problems and frustrations. There were times, for example, that google sites did not want to work as I wanted it to. I would be editing a site and hit the button to take away an indent, and it would instead increase the indent. Little problems like that were a bit of an annoyance.
The cause of most of my frustration concerning google sites, however, was its limitations. There were times when I wished that I could customize the sites further without having to use html code (which I can't quite remember how to do). This was especially true in regard to the themes of the sites (I kind of wished they had more of a selection or that I could edit them further). I also wished I could have changed the alignment of the headers. (If that was something google sites allowed, I did not find it.)
Besides that, though, I found google sites to be pretty easy to learn and use. So far, I am pleased with how my redesigns are turning out (I only have one more page to work on for each), and I think the changes are beneficial. I reorganized the entire site, adding pages and making edits to existing pages. For example, I moved the menu to its own page, and deleted other restaurant listings and listings with links that did not work off the "what's nearby" page. Speaking of that page, I also added more listings for things to do in the area and a couple more places to stay, as well as a brief description of the area in which the restaurant(s) is/are located. For the home page, I added a little description of Flo's. Other pages I added included a directions page, a history page, an awards page, and a contact page. I also put photos throughout the entire site, and overall it is more welcoming and navigable.
The original site: www.flosclamshack.net
My first redesign: sites.google.com/site/flosclamshackmiddletown/
My second redesign: sites.google.com/site/flosclamshackri/
While that turned out to be true for the most part, I did encounter some problems and frustrations. There were times, for example, that google sites did not want to work as I wanted it to. I would be editing a site and hit the button to take away an indent, and it would instead increase the indent. Little problems like that were a bit of an annoyance.
The cause of most of my frustration concerning google sites, however, was its limitations. There were times when I wished that I could customize the sites further without having to use html code (which I can't quite remember how to do). This was especially true in regard to the themes of the sites (I kind of wished they had more of a selection or that I could edit them further). I also wished I could have changed the alignment of the headers. (If that was something google sites allowed, I did not find it.)
Besides that, though, I found google sites to be pretty easy to learn and use. So far, I am pleased with how my redesigns are turning out (I only have one more page to work on for each), and I think the changes are beneficial. I reorganized the entire site, adding pages and making edits to existing pages. For example, I moved the menu to its own page, and deleted other restaurant listings and listings with links that did not work off the "what's nearby" page. Speaking of that page, I also added more listings for things to do in the area and a couple more places to stay, as well as a brief description of the area in which the restaurant(s) is/are located. For the home page, I added a little description of Flo's. Other pages I added included a directions page, a history page, an awards page, and a contact page. I also put photos throughout the entire site, and overall it is more welcoming and navigable.
The original site: www.flosclamshack.net
My first redesign: sites.google.com/site/flosclamshackmiddletown/
My second redesign: sites.google.com/site/flosclamshackri/
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Facebook & Privacy
The one social networking site (SNS) I use regularly is Facebook. Just as many popular social networking sites, Facebook faces its share of privacy issues. Recent privacy issues have included Facebook making phone numbers on users' profiles public and selling access to users' consumer information. Facebook also changes its privacy settings constantly, making it difficult for users to keep up, and many users are not aware that they can customize their privacy settings. Even with customization enabled though, users have to keep up to date on the latest privacy changes, as I found out when my phone number was released publicly despite my privacy settings being customized to only show certain information, my phone number not among it.
The many changes to privacy settings and the fact that Facebook, like other online companies, sells access to users' consumer information is troubling. What makes it more so is the fact that current laws, as Boyd and Ellison point out, are not really equipped to deal with online privacy. However, if the "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights" currently being proposed as described in a Time article (www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2059442,00.html) is enacted, companies such as Facebook would be required to tell users what information they are selling and what it is being used for. This would be a plus in and of itself, seeing as many were unaware until recently that Facebook was even selling access to information, myself included. However, the proposed bill would also allow more regulation, which is even better.
Besides the privacy issues stemming from Facebook's actions, there are also the privacy issues relating to users' actions. Although users have the choice to make their profiles private, many either do not know how to, do not want to, or just don't care. As a result, potential employers and college admissions officers have been known to view applicants' profiles for any material that would change their decision to hire or admit them. Since the profile is public, there is really no legal reason why they cannot do this. However, what if, as Boyd and Ellison point out, the police were to do something similar? The question then becomes, is the information truly public? Or is a warrant necessary? As Boyd and Ellison say, social networking sites like Facebook "are challenging legal conceptions of privacy."
The many changes to privacy settings and the fact that Facebook, like other online companies, sells access to users' consumer information is troubling. What makes it more so is the fact that current laws, as Boyd and Ellison point out, are not really equipped to deal with online privacy. However, if the "Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights" currently being proposed as described in a Time article (www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,2059442,00.html) is enacted, companies such as Facebook would be required to tell users what information they are selling and what it is being used for. This would be a plus in and of itself, seeing as many were unaware until recently that Facebook was even selling access to information, myself included. However, the proposed bill would also allow more regulation, which is even better.
Besides the privacy issues stemming from Facebook's actions, there are also the privacy issues relating to users' actions. Although users have the choice to make their profiles private, many either do not know how to, do not want to, or just don't care. As a result, potential employers and college admissions officers have been known to view applicants' profiles for any material that would change their decision to hire or admit them. Since the profile is public, there is really no legal reason why they cannot do this. However, what if, as Boyd and Ellison point out, the police were to do something similar? The question then becomes, is the information truly public? Or is a warrant necessary? As Boyd and Ellison say, social networking sites like Facebook "are challenging legal conceptions of privacy."
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Website Redesign: The Flow of Flo's
The website I plan to redesign is Flo's Clam Shack: http://FlosClamshack.net/
This website does not have much of an internal flow. By that, I mean that it does not have many inside pages that it links to. The home page has one inside link to the second page, which lists venues that are nearby. This second page is supposed to have one inside link, linking back to the home page, but though the home page url is there, it was not linked to the home page.
As for links to outside sites, the website has quite a few. On the home page, there is only one outside link to Yahoo maps. However, on the "nearby neighbors" page, there are many outside links (15 in all). The good thing about all the outside links is that the sites open in a new window, keeping visitors on the Flo's site.
For the most part, when you click on the links, they take you to where you would expect. However, there was one link on the "nearby neighbors" page that takes you to a site that has not yet been constructed.
Overall, the flow is not terrible, but it is not great either. Flo's needs more inside links to keep visitors interested and to better organize information.
This website does not have much of an internal flow. By that, I mean that it does not have many inside pages that it links to. The home page has one inside link to the second page, which lists venues that are nearby. This second page is supposed to have one inside link, linking back to the home page, but though the home page url is there, it was not linked to the home page.
As for links to outside sites, the website has quite a few. On the home page, there is only one outside link to Yahoo maps. However, on the "nearby neighbors" page, there are many outside links (15 in all). The good thing about all the outside links is that the sites open in a new window, keeping visitors on the Flo's site.
For the most part, when you click on the links, they take you to where you would expect. However, there was one link on the "nearby neighbors" page that takes you to a site that has not yet been constructed.
Overall, the flow is not terrible, but it is not great either. Flo's needs more inside links to keep visitors interested and to better organize information.
Website Redesign 2
The website I plan to redesign is Flo's Clam Shack: http://www.flosclamshack.net/
As it stands right now, Flo's website is very basic and appears as though it was kind of thrown together. There is not much included on it at all, aside from basic information about Flo's, such as its location, hours, menu, and prices (all located on the home page) and some information about what is nearby.
Although the alignment is consistent throughout, the center alignment that was chosen for the home page and the left alignment that was chosen for the what's nearby page look awkward on pages with no design elements besides text. However, the fact that only one alignment was used does help to make the pages a little more organized and easy to follow.
The proximity of some of the text is a little awkward. First, for the home page, a lot of information is on one page, so everything seems to run together. The main heading of the page (Flo's Clam Shack) is very close to the next few lines, which give the spring hours, and the hours are close to the next lines, and so on, so it is hard to distinguish where the heading begins and ends. The links to a map and the what's nearby page are also quite close to the start of the menu. As for the what's nearby page, the proximity is still an issue, but not as bad as on the main page. The heading of the page is still close to the next few lines and can't be distinguished. The link to go home (which hasn't actually been linked) is very close to the start of a list of nearby venues. In addition, the information toward the bottom of the page all runs together, even though there are different questions and answers being asked. The headings (the questions) are only distinguished through a change in font. Still, the spacing of the venues listed is good.
As for repetition, there is little opportunity for seeing any repetition as there are not many elements to begin with on either page. However, the use of repetition on the site right now is pretty poor. The fonts seem to vary across the page, with different fonts being used for different groups of information. The headings of the menu on the home page are a different font than the items listed on the menu. In addition, on the home page the font is a different color on the main heading and next few lines with the hours (red) as opposed to the rest of the page (where the font is white).
Finally, although most of the text on the site contrasts nicely with the green background as it's white, the red text of the heading and underlying information about hours on the home page does not contrast very well at all. There is also not really any main focal point on either page that can be distinguished, although the menu does stand out a little more as the change in font is very noticeable on the home page.
Overall, the site is too simple. The fact that the information is spaced oddly, presented in different fonts and colors, and that it is all on one page makes it harder to follow. The site does not seem very professional or organized and could benefit from better spacing, more repetition, the addition of other media (like photos), and focal points on each page. It would also be better organized if the menu were relocated to another page.
As it stands right now, Flo's website is very basic and appears as though it was kind of thrown together. There is not much included on it at all, aside from basic information about Flo's, such as its location, hours, menu, and prices (all located on the home page) and some information about what is nearby.
Although the alignment is consistent throughout, the center alignment that was chosen for the home page and the left alignment that was chosen for the what's nearby page look awkward on pages with no design elements besides text. However, the fact that only one alignment was used does help to make the pages a little more organized and easy to follow.
The proximity of some of the text is a little awkward. First, for the home page, a lot of information is on one page, so everything seems to run together. The main heading of the page (Flo's Clam Shack) is very close to the next few lines, which give the spring hours, and the hours are close to the next lines, and so on, so it is hard to distinguish where the heading begins and ends. The links to a map and the what's nearby page are also quite close to the start of the menu. As for the what's nearby page, the proximity is still an issue, but not as bad as on the main page. The heading of the page is still close to the next few lines and can't be distinguished. The link to go home (which hasn't actually been linked) is very close to the start of a list of nearby venues. In addition, the information toward the bottom of the page all runs together, even though there are different questions and answers being asked. The headings (the questions) are only distinguished through a change in font. Still, the spacing of the venues listed is good.
As for repetition, there is little opportunity for seeing any repetition as there are not many elements to begin with on either page. However, the use of repetition on the site right now is pretty poor. The fonts seem to vary across the page, with different fonts being used for different groups of information. The headings of the menu on the home page are a different font than the items listed on the menu. In addition, on the home page the font is a different color on the main heading and next few lines with the hours (red) as opposed to the rest of the page (where the font is white).
Finally, although most of the text on the site contrasts nicely with the green background as it's white, the red text of the heading and underlying information about hours on the home page does not contrast very well at all. There is also not really any main focal point on either page that can be distinguished, although the menu does stand out a little more as the change in font is very noticeable on the home page.
Overall, the site is too simple. The fact that the information is spaced oddly, presented in different fonts and colors, and that it is all on one page makes it harder to follow. The site does not seem very professional or organized and could benefit from better spacing, more repetition, the addition of other media (like photos), and focal points on each page. It would also be better organized if the menu were relocated to another page.
Website Redesign 1
The website I am planning to redesign is Flo's Clam Shack: http://www.flosclamshack.net/
The purpose of this website is to provide potential customers of the clam shack and the general public with important information about Flo's, such as the hours it's open, its location, prices of the food, and what food it offers. Thus, its primary audience are potential customers, while the secondary audience is anyone else wanting to find out information about Flo's. The site seeks to create a serious, informative, and professional stance, seeing as it is a business, and any business's primary goal in creating a website is to obtain customers.
As the website is very basic and gives an appearance of being somewhat thrown together, there are not many elements included. Still, the primary genre is one of business, and the site does include typical business elements such as prices of what is being offered, hours, and general information about the business itself, even if this is information is lacking in detail when it comes to the Flo's website. The fact that the site is very basic and not much time seems to have been spent on it thus far also explains why there are very few design elements to speak of as well. The entire website features only text; there are no pictures, audio files, or any other media included.
Overall, although the website has a clear purpose, audience, and stance, it has not fully developed the genre it requires, and its design is severely lacking. It uses only one type of medium, which not only does not make Flo's seem attractive to potential customers but also does not help visitors of the site to understand the information provided as well as if it was presented in different ways. The genre, though inferred because Flo's is a business, is not completely nor clearly presented. There is very little detail about the history of Flo's, for example, which is a common element of business sites. In addition, what information is given is not presented as clearly as it could be, because the design is lacking in organization. A simple design is good, but the way Flo's website is right now is too simple, and very unorganized. All of the information seems to run into itself on each page, and Flo's is definitely not portrayed as well as it could be.
The purpose of this website is to provide potential customers of the clam shack and the general public with important information about Flo's, such as the hours it's open, its location, prices of the food, and what food it offers. Thus, its primary audience are potential customers, while the secondary audience is anyone else wanting to find out information about Flo's. The site seeks to create a serious, informative, and professional stance, seeing as it is a business, and any business's primary goal in creating a website is to obtain customers.
As the website is very basic and gives an appearance of being somewhat thrown together, there are not many elements included. Still, the primary genre is one of business, and the site does include typical business elements such as prices of what is being offered, hours, and general information about the business itself, even if this is information is lacking in detail when it comes to the Flo's website. The fact that the site is very basic and not much time seems to have been spent on it thus far also explains why there are very few design elements to speak of as well. The entire website features only text; there are no pictures, audio files, or any other media included.
Overall, although the website has a clear purpose, audience, and stance, it has not fully developed the genre it requires, and its design is severely lacking. It uses only one type of medium, which not only does not make Flo's seem attractive to potential customers but also does not help visitors of the site to understand the information provided as well as if it was presented in different ways. The genre, though inferred because Flo's is a business, is not completely nor clearly presented. There is very little detail about the history of Flo's, for example, which is a common element of business sites. In addition, what information is given is not presented as clearly as it could be, because the design is lacking in organization. A simple design is good, but the way Flo's website is right now is too simple, and very unorganized. All of the information seems to run into itself on each page, and Flo's is definitely not portrayed as well as it could be.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Wikitravel Postwrite
In their explanation of the parts that make up the systems that are informational ecologies, Nardi and O'Day talk about the concept of diversity. They go on to explain that diversity in informational ecologies takes the form of many different roles, people, and tools. These different roles, people, and tools all help the informational ecology to function well by working together and complementing one another. According to Nardi and O'Day, diversity in informational ecologies is also key to helping them survive change, and is therefore related to the continual evolution of the ecologies. Finally, they point out that "a diverse information ecology...has many different resources and materials and allows for individual proclivities and interests."
Wikitravel is definitely reflective of this concept, and as an informational ecology, contains a lot of diversity. Anyone can participate in the site by editing or adding information to pages, or even by creating new pages, which results in many different people becoming involved in the information ecology. Not everyone who adds to or edits the site comes from the same background. There are people from all over the world, so there is a variety of nationalities, races, ethnicities, and beliefs represented. Basically, contributors can be from any country, male or female, young or old, of Asian or Hispanic descent, and that adds a lot of diversity.
There are also different roles involved in Wikitravel. Some people contribute as the initial writers- the first ones to create a page. Others contribute by editing what's already there, or adding new information to an existing page. Still others might only upload photographs. Then there are the docents for different locations, and the site overseers.
As for tools, there are lots of those too. Wikitravel uses a creative commons license, which allows contributors to share their knowledge, writing, and photos, for example. Contributors also have the option to edit, by adding or deleting, or add brand new information or photos to the site.
Just as Nardi and O'Day suggested, the many people, tools, and roles that make up Wikitravel work together to allow it to survive change. Things are constantly changing. Restaurants and hotels close and new ones open, for example. When doing my Wikitravel project, I found that the North Kingstown page had a few restaurants listed that were no longer in business, and there were a couple of newer restaurants that had not been added yet. By allowing contributors to edit the pages, to delete restaurants that have closed and add new ones that have opened, Wikitravel keeps up with these changes. Still, the tools to edit that it offers would be for nothing if there were not so many different people contributing, since each person has their own knowledge. Maybe someone would know that the restaurant had closed, while another had not. If there were not so many contributors, changes would have a greater chance of being missed and the information would not be up to date, rendering Wikitravel less effective.
As for whether informational ecologies raise awareness about and reflect how we interact with others, I believe they do. Most interactions online are not so different than real-life interactions. The expected social rules are the same, for example. On Facebook, just as in real-life interactions, it is expected that people will be polite to one another and respect the different opinions and beliefs expressed. However, knowing that Facebook is a place for people to express their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, one can expect to find more differences of opinion. How people react to differences online can reflect how they might react to differences in real-life experiences as well. Either that, or people will take less care to be respectful because it is online and they do not feel they are as constrained, in which case informational ecologies such as Facebook or Wikitravel, where it is so easy to edit and change pages and people can get quite defensive about their work, can serve to make people aware as to how they would react in situations where they feel less pressure to live up to expectations (as a result of no direct interaction).
Wikitravel is definitely reflective of this concept, and as an informational ecology, contains a lot of diversity. Anyone can participate in the site by editing or adding information to pages, or even by creating new pages, which results in many different people becoming involved in the information ecology. Not everyone who adds to or edits the site comes from the same background. There are people from all over the world, so there is a variety of nationalities, races, ethnicities, and beliefs represented. Basically, contributors can be from any country, male or female, young or old, of Asian or Hispanic descent, and that adds a lot of diversity.
There are also different roles involved in Wikitravel. Some people contribute as the initial writers- the first ones to create a page. Others contribute by editing what's already there, or adding new information to an existing page. Still others might only upload photographs. Then there are the docents for different locations, and the site overseers.
As for tools, there are lots of those too. Wikitravel uses a creative commons license, which allows contributors to share their knowledge, writing, and photos, for example. Contributors also have the option to edit, by adding or deleting, or add brand new information or photos to the site.
Just as Nardi and O'Day suggested, the many people, tools, and roles that make up Wikitravel work together to allow it to survive change. Things are constantly changing. Restaurants and hotels close and new ones open, for example. When doing my Wikitravel project, I found that the North Kingstown page had a few restaurants listed that were no longer in business, and there were a couple of newer restaurants that had not been added yet. By allowing contributors to edit the pages, to delete restaurants that have closed and add new ones that have opened, Wikitravel keeps up with these changes. Still, the tools to edit that it offers would be for nothing if there were not so many different people contributing, since each person has their own knowledge. Maybe someone would know that the restaurant had closed, while another had not. If there were not so many contributors, changes would have a greater chance of being missed and the information would not be up to date, rendering Wikitravel less effective.
As for whether informational ecologies raise awareness about and reflect how we interact with others, I believe they do. Most interactions online are not so different than real-life interactions. The expected social rules are the same, for example. On Facebook, just as in real-life interactions, it is expected that people will be polite to one another and respect the different opinions and beliefs expressed. However, knowing that Facebook is a place for people to express their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, one can expect to find more differences of opinion. How people react to differences online can reflect how they might react to differences in real-life experiences as well. Either that, or people will take less care to be respectful because it is online and they do not feel they are as constrained, in which case informational ecologies such as Facebook or Wikitravel, where it is so easy to edit and change pages and people can get quite defensive about their work, can serve to make people aware as to how they would react in situations where they feel less pressure to live up to expectations (as a result of no direct interaction).
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Multimodality
After completing the readings for this week and reviewing the work I've done so far in the various class projects, I realized I have not been fully taking advantage of all of the various modes of communication available. So far, I have mainly relied on the textual mode of communication, although I have included some visuals into my work, particularly my enthusiast blog, as well. Still, I think I could include other modes, and more visuals, into my work in the future, especially seeing as both blogs and Wikitravel are very multimodal in nature, providing opportunities to include not only textual information but visual, audio, animation, and other modes of communication. In my Wikitravel work especially, I have not used any modes besides textual, so I hope to change that.
What visuals and text I have included, specifically in my enthusiast blog, I feel work well with the overall feeling and meaning I hope to convey. I tend to write a lot, so the visuals help to break up the text and also provide some color, which I think makes the whole thing feel more interesting. I have tried to use the text to set a conversational, reflective, and slightly humorous tone. For example, at one point in my post about how drama continues past high school, when describing the initial feeling of high school graduation I say: "You can breathe a little easier, knowing that your years of required schooling are done. What you decide to do now, whether you decide to work, to go to college, or to spend time getting high in your parents' basement is completely up to you." Not only do I directly address any readers, but I also include a bit of humor.
Overall, I think the ability to communicate through multiple modes is a strength. The more modes one uses the easier it is for people of many different backgrounds, with different thoughts and ways of learning, to understand. Multiple modes also makes things more interest. If a blog was all text and no photos or other modes, for example, it would most likely get boring faster than if there were photos or other modes included.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Impacts of Info Ecologies on Info Architectures
Changes to information ecologies would naturally have an impact on information architectures, because the system and parts are connected. Changes to the system impact how the information is presented, just as changes to how the information is present impact the system. And who is able to contribute to the system and create understanding also changes how everything is organized. Different people are able to provide different information, data, knowledge, and wisdom, for everyone has different experiences. Wisdom is especially diverse depending on who is contributing, since it comes from within, and thus is different for everyone. The types of information, data, knowledge, and wisdom determine how everything is organized. For example, in Wikitravel, if no one contributed information about restaurants, it would not be necessary to have an "eat" section. Since many people now rely on websites to gather information, data, etc., having many people from different backgrounds being able to contribute provides a greater chance of being able to find the information or data a person is looking for.
Electronically mediated writing environments like Wikitravel provide people with a greater amount of different information from many different sources which would otherwise not be as easily found in one place. Therefore online writing, by making more information available and more easily accessed, and through organizing it in different ways, make it possible for people to understand information faster and more easily. It also makes it easier for people of many different areas to collaborate, thereby making changes in the contexts outside of online easier.
Electronically mediated writing environments like Wikitravel provide people with a greater amount of different information from many different sources which would otherwise not be as easily found in one place. Therefore online writing, by making more information available and more easily accessed, and through organizing it in different ways, make it possible for people to understand information faster and more easily. It also makes it easier for people of many different areas to collaborate, thereby making changes in the contexts outside of online easier.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Review
After reading both of my group members' descriptions and about me statements, I'm feeling like I might need to sit down and think about possibly changing some parts of mine. One of my group members in particular really impressed me with both his description and his about me statement. It was very creative, and especially in his about me statement, his personality really shined.
Although I feel that my description is pretty strong, I do think I could tweak it a bit to make it less vague. One of my group members suggested I make the reference to history stronger, but that's actually one of the parts I like most about my description: it includes both of my majors and relates them to what I'm talking about in my blog.
My about me statement, however, definitely needs some work. The same group member pointed out that the first half is a little weak, and I can see the truth in that. I'd like to change it a little by including more unconventional or quirky facts about me, as suggested, in order to include more of my personality and make it more creative and appealing. I think the second half I will probably leave as is, however.
Although I feel that my description is pretty strong, I do think I could tweak it a bit to make it less vague. One of my group members suggested I make the reference to history stronger, but that's actually one of the parts I like most about my description: it includes both of my majors and relates them to what I'm talking about in my blog.
My about me statement, however, definitely needs some work. The same group member pointed out that the first half is a little weak, and I can see the truth in that. I'd like to change it a little by including more unconventional or quirky facts about me, as suggested, in order to include more of my personality and make it more creative and appealing. I think the second half I will probably leave as is, however.
Brainstorming
I've starting trying to come up with topics to talk about in my enthusiast blog, just so I have some plan. I figured I'd list them here. So far I have the following:
- Finding out who your true friends are
- High school drama never ends
- Learning to depend on others/accept help
- Change isn't always bad
- Dealing with stress
- Living in a dorm/sharing space
- Finding confidence
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Drafting a Description
If I thought finding a successful blog about the college experience with a profile or "about the author" statement was difficult, it was even more difficult to find one with a description. In fact, I wasn't able to find a true, full-fledged description. Of the very limited descriptions I was able to find, this one was my favorite. Why you might ask? It was simple, creative, related well to the title of the blog, and left me interested to read more.
Now, for drafting...
Whoever said college is a journey was right. It is a journey- a journey of self-discovery. In college, you learn more than about how humans evolved or why the Roman empire fell. You learn about yourself: who you are, who you were, and who you will become. This blog is a place for me to reflect on what I've learned in college so far. Hopefully through reading about my experiences, you will be able to better appreciate your own and to learn how to look inside yourself as I have. So come with me, and let the journey begin...
Now, for drafting...
Whoever said college is a journey was right. It is a journey- a journey of self-discovery. In college, you learn more than about how humans evolved or why the Roman empire fell. You learn about yourself: who you are, who you were, and who you will become. This blog is a place for me to reflect on what I've learned in college so far. Hopefully through reading about my experiences, you will be able to better appreciate your own and to learn how to look inside yourself as I have. So come with me, and let the journey begin...
Drafting a Profile
It was surprisingly difficult to find good blogs about the college experience with an "about the author" blurb or profile. When all was said and done, I managed to find about three total, and of those, this one was my favorite. It's simple yet has just enough description, makes readers feel as though they've just been actually introduced to the author, captures interest by addressing readers directly, and leaves readers wanting to see more.
Now, it's drafting time...
I'm a sophomore at the University of Rhode Island majoring in History and Anthropology with a possible minor in Art History. I'm not the typical college student. I'm not into wild parties; I don't enjoy getting drunk or high. Still, that doesn't mean I don't have fun and enjoy life. It's just the small things in life- walking on the beach with my boyfriend, feeling the sun in my hair, hearing leaves crunch under my feet, sharing a laugh with friends- that bring me the most happiness. My goal in life is to always find at least one good thing about each day, because I appreciate the fact that we have only one life to live, and I'm determined to live my life to the fullest. College has only helped to strengthen this goal, and since starting the journey I've discovered that with each day that passes and every new experience I learn a little more about myself and just what I'm capable of. Read on to hear about my journey and see just what I've learned and maybe you'll learn something too...
Now, it's drafting time...
I'm a sophomore at the University of Rhode Island majoring in History and Anthropology with a possible minor in Art History. I'm not the typical college student. I'm not into wild parties; I don't enjoy getting drunk or high. Still, that doesn't mean I don't have fun and enjoy life. It's just the small things in life- walking on the beach with my boyfriend, feeling the sun in my hair, hearing leaves crunch under my feet, sharing a laugh with friends- that bring me the most happiness. My goal in life is to always find at least one good thing about each day, because I appreciate the fact that we have only one life to live, and I'm determined to live my life to the fullest. College has only helped to strengthen this goal, and since starting the journey I've discovered that with each day that passes and every new experience I learn a little more about myself and just what I'm capable of. Read on to hear about my journey and see just what I've learned and maybe you'll learn something too...
Enthusiast Blog Goals
When I initially chose the topic for my enthusiast blog, it was difficult for me to decide what to focus on. I knew I needed to choose a topic that would continue to interest me for the entire semester, as well as a topic on which I would be able to find enough to write about. I also knew that it would be easier for me to blog about a topic that I had firsthand experience in. So, what better to write about than my college experience? Still, while I want to be able to reflect on my experience, I also want to make the topic relatable, and perhaps help others in some way. While there are plenty of college students, each experience is different, so I had to think about how I could make my blog of interest to not only myself. I decided, therefore, to specifically write about what I've learned from my experience, and maybe that way others in college will not only gain a greater appreciation for their own experiences but also realize that the college experience is not just about partying or simple academic learning- it can also help you learn more about yourself. Thus, "A Journey Inward" was born.
With all this in mind, the audience for my blog is mainly college students, or perhaps anyone who has had or is interested in a college experience. To make my blog successful, I need to make what I've learned relatable to others, or at least interesting, and appeal to readers' desire to learn and appreciate their lives and experiences. The stance is going to be relaxed. I want readers to be able to get a sense of my personality and for the writing to be informative but still engaging, meaning that as far as tone goes, while I do think the majority will lean more towards being serious, I would like to make it as witty and playful as possible in order to keep readers interested.
With all this in mind, the audience for my blog is mainly college students, or perhaps anyone who has had or is interested in a college experience. To make my blog successful, I need to make what I've learned relatable to others, or at least interesting, and appeal to readers' desire to learn and appreciate their lives and experiences. The stance is going to be relaxed. I want readers to be able to get a sense of my personality and for the writing to be informative but still engaging, meaning that as far as tone goes, while I do think the majority will lean more towards being serious, I would like to make it as witty and playful as possible in order to keep readers interested.
Successful Blog Examples
Upon checking out "The Future", "Through a Gypsies Eye", and "Stitched Personae", three successful former enthusiast blogs, it was clear each had its own strengths and weaknesses.
The first thing that struck me about "The Future" was how dark everything looks, with the black background, and the contrast between that and the bright text. I was fully expecting to read a blog about astronomy...but I guess it could fit a blog about technology. The picture in the header is nice, although I would've liked to have seen some more color or pictures to brighten things up and make it feel a little more welcoming. Other than that though, I have no complaints. The blog posts themselves are informative, interesting, and easy to read. I felt like I was having a conversation with the writer. The language is simple, yet descriptive, and you can feel his enthusiasm for the subject. That enthusiasm and simple yet descriptive language continues throughout the description and the profile. The description gives just enough detail to capture potential readers' interests and let them know what he'll be blogging about. As for the profile, I thought it was brilliant. There is just enough information about him and his interest in technology, and it has a nice personal touch to it.
"Stitched Personae" didn't capture my interest as much as "The Future", but it was not because the blog is poorly executed. I'm simply less interested in cosplay than I am in technology. That being said, this blog does achieve something the former didn't: a welcoming, light, fun feeling right at the outset. The color scheme is nice yet simple. I liked how she includes photos as well in some of her posts. And just as the posts of "The Future", the posts here are easy to read and conversational. Despite my lack of interest, I appreciated being able to recognize her passion for the subject, both in her posts and her description and profile. Speaking of her description and profile, both are well done. The description is maybe a little longer and wordier than I would have preferred, but it is interesting and explains the subject of the blog well. As for the profile, it like that of "The Future" has a personal touch. It explains just enough about her and gives just enough detail about her subject. I especially liked how she makes it possible for those who are unfamiliar with cosplay to understand what exactly it is.
Finally, there was "Through a Gypsies Eye". Of the three, I have to say this blog was my least favorite, as far as overall impression goes. While I love traveling and so found the topic interesting, the posts were not as easy for me to read as those of the other two blogs. I appreciated the detail and the tone is conversational, but I found the writing itself to be a little more choppy. It might just be a personal preference. However, the photos are nice, and it feels welcoming and light, just like "Stitched Personae", with its nice, bright background and simple layout. As for the description and profile, I found them to be good, though they did not appeal to me as much as the others. The profile has a nice personal touch like the others, though I felt like it does not flow as well. The description is better, and it does capture potential readers' interests right away by asking questions and drawing them into the subject, yet I think I would've liked a little more detail...maybe like a snapshot of where she traveled or plans to travel? It just felt as though it is missing something.
Overall, I feel as though "The Future" has the strongest profile and description. They are both simple yet descriptive, giving just enough detail in just the right amount of words. Further, the profile has a great personal touch. I hope to be able to accomplish something similar in my own profile and description. I would like to capture readers' interests and come across as easygoing and personable- someone they can have a conversation with and relate to.
The first thing that struck me about "The Future" was how dark everything looks, with the black background, and the contrast between that and the bright text. I was fully expecting to read a blog about astronomy...but I guess it could fit a blog about technology. The picture in the header is nice, although I would've liked to have seen some more color or pictures to brighten things up and make it feel a little more welcoming. Other than that though, I have no complaints. The blog posts themselves are informative, interesting, and easy to read. I felt like I was having a conversation with the writer. The language is simple, yet descriptive, and you can feel his enthusiasm for the subject. That enthusiasm and simple yet descriptive language continues throughout the description and the profile. The description gives just enough detail to capture potential readers' interests and let them know what he'll be blogging about. As for the profile, I thought it was brilliant. There is just enough information about him and his interest in technology, and it has a nice personal touch to it.
"Stitched Personae" didn't capture my interest as much as "The Future", but it was not because the blog is poorly executed. I'm simply less interested in cosplay than I am in technology. That being said, this blog does achieve something the former didn't: a welcoming, light, fun feeling right at the outset. The color scheme is nice yet simple. I liked how she includes photos as well in some of her posts. And just as the posts of "The Future", the posts here are easy to read and conversational. Despite my lack of interest, I appreciated being able to recognize her passion for the subject, both in her posts and her description and profile. Speaking of her description and profile, both are well done. The description is maybe a little longer and wordier than I would have preferred, but it is interesting and explains the subject of the blog well. As for the profile, it like that of "The Future" has a personal touch. It explains just enough about her and gives just enough detail about her subject. I especially liked how she makes it possible for those who are unfamiliar with cosplay to understand what exactly it is.
Finally, there was "Through a Gypsies Eye". Of the three, I have to say this blog was my least favorite, as far as overall impression goes. While I love traveling and so found the topic interesting, the posts were not as easy for me to read as those of the other two blogs. I appreciated the detail and the tone is conversational, but I found the writing itself to be a little more choppy. It might just be a personal preference. However, the photos are nice, and it feels welcoming and light, just like "Stitched Personae", with its nice, bright background and simple layout. As for the description and profile, I found them to be good, though they did not appeal to me as much as the others. The profile has a nice personal touch like the others, though I felt like it does not flow as well. The description is better, and it does capture potential readers' interests right away by asking questions and drawing them into the subject, yet I think I would've liked a little more detail...maybe like a snapshot of where she traveled or plans to travel? It just felt as though it is missing something.
Overall, I feel as though "The Future" has the strongest profile and description. They are both simple yet descriptive, giving just enough detail in just the right amount of words. Further, the profile has a great personal touch. I hope to be able to accomplish something similar in my own profile and description. I would like to capture readers' interests and come across as easygoing and personable- someone they can have a conversation with and relate to.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Intro to Blogs
Blogs are really quite interesting, when you think about it. They provide a way to talk about anything you want, to reflect, to share your thoughts and ideas. They even allow you to connect with others. In my limited blogging experience, the one thing I've learned is that keeping a blog can be fun. It's a way to showcase your personality, and if you're like me and sometimes find writing to be difficult, it can help you to explore your creativity and make writing more enjoyable. And when writing is enjoyable, I've found that it's easier to come up with topics to write about.
Another interesting thing about blogs, besides the fact that they allow people to explore, showcase, reflect, etc., is that the types and topics seem never-ending. There are professional blogs, personal blogs, just about any type of blog you can imagine. And the topics are unlimited- people blog about politics, travel, hobbies, food, school, or just random things that happen in their everyday lives. Thus, there are really no common topics, because the topics cover everything. Many use blogs as their personal journals, others talk about one thing in particular. As for common elements, many blogs feature commentary of course, as well as photos or videos or some other media. Authors usually organize the material by date, or if they're writing about a specific topic, by subtopics or categories. For example, if you were blogging about food, you might organize posts under subheadings like "entrees" or "desserts".
Due to my limited experience with blogs, in preparing to write about them I had to do a little bit of research. I searched for some popular blogs to get an idea of what features were common, what people liked to read about, and what made one blog more or less successful than another. In my search, I came across this travel blog which caught my attention. The author, Gary Arndt, has been traveling around the world since March 2007 and posts about everywhere he goes. I like that the layout is simple yet still catches readers' attentions. The photos are spectacular, and the topic is interesting. His writing style is conversational yet informative and easy to read.
Using what I have learned so far, I feel the keys to a successful blog are having an interesting topic, being enthusiastic about the topic, and overall engaging the readers. If the writing is boring, the layout is confusing, and the topic is uninteresting, readers will not keep coming back for more.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)