Monthly Archives: January 2014

It’s not all rotten Apples for Generation Z

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While there has been a lot of concern aroused about Generations Z’s dependency on digital technology and their lack of quality mediums, it’s not all rotten apples.

 

Although this is pretty horrifying….

 


 ‘A magazine is an iPad that does not work’

It may be rare these days to spot a book by a child’s side. At first sight, this seems seriously alarming. However, some odd 20 years ago, new literacy was coined around the emergence of the World Wide Web. Along with it came a new delivery of information and new learning means, of which are now in full force and are prevailing traditional methods.

 

Children and toddlers of today are riddled with technical gadgets and when children are using these devices, they are learning and at a hyper rate. What is presented on these online devices is often ‘hyperimmediated’ – containing literature, sounds, graphics, symbols and the list goes on. Essentially online devises contain a heap of frenzied media – giving users the opportunity to absorb an assortment of information at once.

 

And you know what? World wide literacy is at an all time high. When kids are Facebook-ing, instant messaging, sending SMS’ and Googling they are writing and reading, relentlessly.

 

Although it is expected that the following generation will experience social difficulties due to their lack of first hand communication along with the saturation of technology they’ll encounter throughout their whole lives, these kids will grow-up amidst extreme amounts of information and literature that they are actively engaged with… all the time.

 

It mightn’t be so bad yet.

 

Online Self-sabotage – the Powers and Repercussions of Social Media

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It was only recently that Communication Director, Justine Sacco was an exemplar of the powers of social media and self-defamation. The (then) successful PR profession for New York based communication empire, InterActive Corp made a tweet that connected race with AIDS before boarding a flight from the US to South Africa.

Justine Sacco - Tweet

Whilst in the air, Sacco caused a Twitter and media revolt – having being retweeted over 3,000 times as well as media outlets picking up her tweet. By the time Sacco reached her destination, her life and reputation had taken a hit, in a big way. Sacco was fired from her high-end position the following day and has recently reissued a statement of apology to a US print media outlet (after deactivating her social media accounts).

 

Perhaps keeping racist slurs offline is best… or just don’t be a racist.

 

Online reputation management is not an unheard of thing. The Internet is saturated with social media reputation ‘how to’s’ for businesses. However, reputation management for individuals is not at the forefront of user’s minds (or at least on the first page of a Google search). With your Facebook ‘friends’ list being a dog’s breakfast of people you know too well or perhaps very little, who is your audience? It’s all a bit grey really, but worth considering.

 

A new self-exploitative social media trend tagged, #Neknominate, has recently flooded online networks. #Neknominate involves a Facebook user sculling a beer in one minute, nominating a friend to do the same and uploading the video to the user’s page. The following #Neknominate contributor, (usually a male in their early 20’s) generally attempts to outdo their nominator with a more grotesque or peculiar way to ‘nek’ a beer in 60 seconds.

 

Neknominate Image

Image sourced from: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victoria-police-investigate-neknominate-stunt-as-craze-continues-to-sweep-social-media/story-fni0fit3-1226797298688

 

Whilst concerns amongst the public, media and police have arisen – predominantly surrounding the type of drinking culture the trend entices, it is questionable what partaking in the trend could do to an individual’s reputation. Not to be a wet blanket, heck, I like beer a lot. However, it seems that the pack-like movement that is sweeping social media, perhaps clouds the #neknominater’s vision on what could be perceived from the video and who the viewers might be.

 

But hey, what’s a drink between friends, right?

 

 

The Verbal, Viral and Download Domination of Television

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It was only recently that Australia outshone itself… Again, by having the most downloads internationally for television series, Breaking Bad. This brings about an interesting trend for the mainstream method of obtaining media as well as an evident popularity for television series. Without conducting further research, it seems apparent that television series have a viral, cult-like, mass following. I would even go as far to suggest that television series in present-day are dominating films.

 

But why are series killing it all of a sudden? It is notable that public’s attitudes and behaviors on their media consumption have altered since the proliferation of the Wonderful World Wide Web. A mere hour after the finally of Breaking Bad was released on America television, thousands of copies were available online – two clicks away from viewing. It is the Internet’s glorious, yet sometimes exploitative accessibility that makes going to your local Video Easy now seem like an expedition. In fact, I got nostalgia for the fluorescent lights and the sweet smell of plastic packaging last time I visited one.

 

However, the accessibility and shift in media consumption has little to do with the increase in viewership for television series. Without undermining series’ predecessors, the high quality of series that have been released in the last few years is unmistakable. Additionally, the narrative development throughout the series is widely talked about. Recently I heard a couple discussing Ian McShane’s lauded role as Al Swearengen in Deadwood and how the brothel owner, originally portrayed as the main antagonist, is actually a great guy. That’s nice.

 

Deadwood Best Of Al Swearengen – Al The Badass

 

If the character development alongside the evolving narrative doesn’t get your mouse moving, the cast might. With television series’ becoming more of a writer’s medium than ever, actors are executing some of their best work, weekly, in thirty to sixty minute slots. So let’s all chat about it, on Facebook, Twitter, create some memes and Breaking Bad can do to smack dealing what Johnny Cash did for Capital Punishment (Brendan McGinley) 

How to Create Hyperlinks

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Hey there Networked Media Summer Class

This is how you hyperlink text within your blog posts:

 

  • Firstly underline the word or words that you wish to hyperlink.
  • On your icon bar there is a chain symbol (located next to the broken chain symbol).
  • Click on the chain symbol.
  • Insert the internet link where specified. A tick or a cross will appear that lets you know if the link is correct/ active.
  • Label the name of the hyperlink. Note that this will not appear on your page.
  • Select ‘open link in new window/tab’. This allows for your readers to view the link of interest without leaving your page.
  • Once the chain process is completed, preview your page and check that your link works correctly.

Wallah!

 

 

 

 

Reading 1.02 – Adrian Miles on the use of Blogs in Media Education

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Having assisted in the launch of the very blogging platform that you are reading from now, Adrain Miles underpins blogging basics and why blogs are so great. Miles tells that what is unique about CMS (Content Management Systems) on the World Wide Web is that it allows for the author to publish information rather than a single or sequence of webpages. Additionally, Miles defines the ability for a blog to carry the various tones, styles and entries of the blogger amongst an assortment of hypertext as “Exemplars of an interlinked, networked, fluid and contemporary writing practice and communicative space”. Sounds pretty lush right?

 

Speaking of a blog’s uniqueness in comparison to a journal or diary, Miles observes that with blogs being an online medium, the blogger has an awareness of readers, or maybe just a reader. But all the same, the blogger is aware that what is put down (or uploaded) will or can be seen be others. This entails for the author to care more as apposed to a private journal. This may involve an array of mixed media in place to immerse the viewer in whatever it is the blogger is indulging in. Perhaps even this…

 

 

Anyway, where was I? Right. Miles highlights a ‘host’ (fitting yeah?) of aptitudes maintaining a blog can bring.

 

Let’s get engrossed in it!

 

Sourced from: http://www.sodahead.com/living/do-you-act-your-age/question-2361495/

Reading 1.0 – Chris Argyris’ Concept of Double-loop Learning

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The article of focus explores one of Argyris’ main areas of attention amongst his research and theorizing – individual and organizational learning. Distinctly, the article tells, “Here the interest lies in the extent which human reasoning, not just behavior can become the basis for diagnosis and action”. The article proceeds to underline Argyris’ theory that publics have mental maps in relation to how they behave in certain situations. The author describes these maps as the way people “plan, implement and review their actions”. Additionally, Argyris and Schon understand learning to entail the “detection and correction of error”.

 

From the academic text, I interpret ‘single loop learning’ to be a process of which a person relies on their governing variables to problem solve when going through the mental structure of learning. Additionally, it seems that this is done without the person’s cognitive realization and more of a hierarchy or ones natural instinct of the individual’s governing variables. Furthermore, I grasp that ‘double loop learning’ involves a person seeking beyond their default strategies to find a solution… Or as the article tells, ‘double loop learning’ “Involves questioning the role of the framing and learning systems which underlie actual goals and strategies”. Notably, Argyris argues that for practitioners and organisations to be able to respond effectively in changing environments, it is pivotal for publics to be ‘double loop learners’.

 

I am going to further consider and hopefully implement the double loop learning methods raised in the reading and workshop. Whilst undertaking the workshop, I realised that I am sometimes a single loop learner with my problem saving tac. However, to apply Miles’ practice, I am going to monitor my study productivity over the coming week and assess when I study best, how long I can generally work for before my efforts become counterproductive and if I work well or poorly under tight deadlines. Once determining these elements and trends I am going to try a different approach to my standard problem solving solutions.

 

After considering these things for only a day so far – I have recognised that I am more productive in three to four hour intervals, the quality of work I produce is of a higher standard when I am not working within a short deadline and that I study well both mornings and nights however, not both of them within the same day. Further more, I am going to continue to monitor my study productivity and behaviour for the remainder of the week and then try implimnet a study plan that will hopefully assist my functionality as well as the work I produce over the semester.