A1 – Annotated Bibliography

Assignment 1- Annotated Bibliography
Name: Eleanor Holloway s3769461

I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration – https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/equitable-learning-services

Blog reflections

WEEK 1 https://www.mediafactory.org.au/eleanor-holloway/2020/03/01/networked-media-w1/
WEEK 2 https://www.mediafactory.org.au/eleanor-holloway/2020/03/15/networked-media-w2/
WEEK 3 https://www.mediafactory.org.au/eleanor-holloway/2020/03/20/networked-media-w3/
WEEK 4 https://www.mediafactory.org.au/eleanor-holloway/2020/03/24/networked-media-w4/

Annotated Bibliography

Khoo E. et al (2017), ‘Introduction: Software and other Literacies in Software Literacy: Education and Beyond, Springer, Singapore, pp.1-12

 (word count 550)

The text, as an excerpt from “Software and other Literacies” is an introduction to software, stating it as a key role of infrastructure in all aspects of modern society. In order to understand software literacy, one must understand software as a layer of society that pervades all areas of communication and media practice including economical, political and societal functions. This rapid expansion of code in everyday systems must be acknowledged as a dominant cultural technology, on many levels. Software itself is to be considered incomplete or imperfect, as it constantly updates and evolves. It is a medium that facilitates intellectual work and invention, entailing many forms of agency based both on human and non-human factors. Cultural software programs are then prominently used for creating, sharing, and accessing. The text has a focus on how this cultural software influences usability, both with its inherent design and a user’s creative possibility – this skill acquired being software literacy. Explored is how users gain literacy, and how that can be applied to various software. Subsequent in the text is a study based on educator’s software pedagogy. Students are also evaluated by their existing skill level, which can be classified by three progressive tiers.  The text concludes that little to no knowledge currently exists as to how students develop software literacy, where then it is outlined that later in the volume this type of study is conducted.

The reading provides an informative assessment on software, as it presents in current technologies today. Contextualising cultural software with examples, such as Word Document, Final Cut Pro, and Internet Explorer (Manovich, pp. 4) allows the reader to gain a clear view of this software that exists in everyday life. There are many resources and researchers referenced, giving insight into both invariably accepted information and contestable opinion. Further, these quotes are analysed and the most applicable information is stated, and its relevance explained.  This background information is ample in providing the reader with the necessary information to properly understand why and how the later study on students is conducted. Concisely, it is stated that “Sofware Studies [is] currently focused more on analysing the logics embedded within software applications…” (Hight, pp. 6), rather than understanding specifically how groups of users gain their understanding. This statement furthers the fact that there is currently little information on both students and the teachers they learn from, which further highlights the importance of the study. Overall, there is a thorough overview of software as it is understood today, and particularly cultural software, with relevance to student’s literacy and learning and educators’ teaching.

The reading is relevant to my own learning in many different ways. First, as a week one reading, it provides a thorough overview of cultural software and software literacy, which is a necessary introduction to Networked Media as a course itself. Further, it allows me to analyse my own software literacy as a current student, and put thought to my own understanding of affordances in softwares. Similar to the reading, I can classify my own learning into one of the three tiers of software literacy, therefore developing an understanding of where i have to go in my understanding. This is particularly useful in relation to the course’s prompt, which asks us to analyse the app’s design and user interface, and therefore its usability.

Norman, D. (1998), The Design of Everyday Things, Chapter 4: Constraints Basic Book, New York Section, pp. 81-87

(word count 558)

The reading is introduced by prefacing with the fact that certain problems with usability in objects will arise out of an abundance of possibilities presented. Constraints in design will limit these possibilities, which in turn allows users to easily determine “…The proper course of action” (Norman, pp. 82). Norman’s Lego experiment is outlined, in which subjects were to construct a Lego motorcycle set. From this example, the reader is introduced to physical, semantic, cultural, and logical constraints, all of which influence a designer’s work and user’s decisions. Physical constraints are reliant on the “properties of the physical world” (Norman, pp. 84), where possible actions are limited and proper use, with good design, is seemingly obvious. Semantic constraints are reliant upon the user’s knowledge of the world, for example, a user knowing that a rider seats facing forward on the motorcycle. Cultural constraints are based upon “accepted cultural conventions” (Norman, pp. 85), most commonly exampled by a user’s understanding that red means stop. Finally, logical constraints are explained through natural mappings, which rely on spatial and functional layouts – for example a left light switch controlling a left light. In the context of the experiment, this exampled by the blue light,  As most subjects had no cultural or semantic information to help them, logic would tell them that as it was the last piece left, it only had one possible place to go.

The reading gives a clear introduction to constraints in design, optimal for readers new to these concepts.  The use of the Lego motorcycle experiment contextualised the learning of the four types of constraints. Each of the pieces in the Lego set are detailed, which gives the reader proper context to the experiment, and in analysis of these pieces, adequately introduces each of the constraints clearly. Images are additionally provided, ensuring the reader’s understanding. Further, in each explanation of the physical, semantic, cultural and logical constraints – under subheadings respectively named – extra examples were provided to help the reader’s understanding, in the context of everyday life. Whilst the reading gives ample examples of these constraints, concise definitions are not entirely provided. This makes it more difficult for the reader to apply these concepts to different contexts, such as modern technology, where it has now drastically surpassed the designs existing at the time of the reading’s inception, in 1999.

The reading is relevant to my own studies in Networked Media as it provides an introduction to the constraints in design, and what those constraints can be classified as. In terms of the course prompt, I can directly apply this learning to Instagram –  aiding my own understanding of what designers offer to users, based on the user’s constraints within the app. As stated previously, the reading does not provide as concise overview of each of the constraints, detailed enough to where I could seamlessly apply the ideas directly to social media today. The reading, being more abundant with everyday examples, does not apply so much to my current learning. Additionally, with the reading’s published date of 1999, 20 years of developed technology is to be accounted for when applying the knowledge of constraints learned. So overall, whilst the the concepts in the reading give me basic knowledge on the four different constraints, only the baseline idea is applicable, where any further detail on constraints in current technologies must be found elsewhere.

 

Niederer, S. (2018), Networked Images: visual methodologies for the digital age, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam, pp. 1-20

(Word count  528)

The text introduces the various research methods undergone at The Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences by a research group in 2017. the study outlines the research of images, of which become networked when shared across various platforms.  It must be considered that a single image nowadays elicits study into an entire network, which includes various actors, platforms, and websites. Further, there is research to how images circulate, are engaged with, and change over time. No longer can these images be studied in singularity. Outlined are two strands of this research, the first evaluating the various sites of images, including where they circulate, and site of the audience. The second strand looks at images as instruments for research itself, where different methods are now required in the current digital age. Images can also be studied as data, outlined in Lev Manovich’s quantative “pattern recognition” (pp. 14). Further, information can be revealed about user cultures on various platforms. Manovich’s research is focused on large digital collections, and  has allowed different disciplines to combine in studying this data. Images are also studied as content, which brings together all types, including text and sound. This is conducted through a Wikipedia study of climate change. Further into the reading, both platform vernaculars, which is concerned with the narrative patterns in content, and visual vernaculars, which are the visual patterns in content, are outlined.

The reading gives an informative overview into how images are studied in current years, with a heavy reliance on research methods and examples. In providing examples, such as Erik  Kessels’ Flickr installation, the Climate Change project with Warren Pearce, and Coralie Vogelaar’s ‘Gaze Plots’ installation, the reader is amply supplied with information that is relatable to current day, and therefore easily understood. The layout of the reading is somewhat fragmented at times, which causes some confusion and impedes the ability to draw clear-cut definitions of key terms and ideas at times. The reading does however provide a vast look at where current research stands, and references a number of scholars, universities, and research groups that are conducting study into the topic of image study in the various ways outlined. It also references where study of this topic can develop, which particularly involves the rise of media platforms, and the inter-connectivity that exists.

This reading is extremely relevant in my study throughout Networked Media, and in particular to the study of Instagram and the authoring, publishing, and distribution within the network. The fact that as of 2018, 95 million photos were uploaded to Instagram a day just reiterates how a user culture can develop on a platform, and I can use this information to further investigate the culture that takes place on Instagram, and how this has developed since its inception. Additionally in the text is the particular emphasis on how images develop as they are shared, and this includes memes. Meme culture is a steadily developing movement seen on platforms, particularly Instagram, and its evolution is relevant to my own study. Overall, the reading has introduced concepts, ideas, and various studies that will help to inform my own learning of Instagram, its users, and how information circulates throughout the app.