Introduction:
The article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” served as the initial inspiration for a topic on internet searches. The idea behind how individuals process, think about and navigate the internet is very interesting. Searching for information online takes skill and contextual interface knowledge about the internet. User knowledge and skill must continue to evolve as the internet evolves with both technology and content. The way that individuals adjust to this changing and converging medium is fascinating. People actually change their behavior and thinking processes. This change is part of the convergence cycle. Internet users call for the convergence and advancement of technology while and at the same time they want to know what to expect. They want to know how to interface with a computer and the internet and get what they need. The call from users to be able to find information from the internet quickly and efficiently and the industry advancement of the medium is both “top/down” and “bottom/up.” Within this area of exploration there is much that can be analyzed and many implications for research projects, but one particular idea will be looked at in depth:
Thesis: Higher socio-economic status has a direct impact on successful internet searches.
Literature Review:
To understand how socio-economic status relates to internet searches it is important to look at issues of access. In order to be familiar with a computer and the internet these mediums must first be available for use. The article “Socio-economic determinants of broadband adoption,” looked at how socio-economic status can affect whether or not people use broadband to access the internet. The study explored different factors within the area of socio-economic status such as age, gender, education, income and occupation. Researcher used a survey method and sent the survey by mail to 1,500 randomly selected individuals from this sample there were 358 respondents. It was found that with the increase of income the number of broadband adopters increased as well. Sex did not prove to be a strong indicator for broadband adaption. The break down of the age category showed that the highest level of broadband adaption was between 25-54 year olds. The age group with the lowest number of adapters was the 65 and above age group. Researchers offered an explanation for this group saying that 65 year olds and above may not have a need for a computer and therefore do not have a need for broadband. It was found that the majority of broadband adapters had a degree and a higher level of education.
After looking at who was adapting and using the internet it is important to also focus on why people are using the internet. The article “Social and Usage-Process Motivations for Consumer Internet Access,” looked a little less at why people were choosing to use the internet. This study looks at internet users in two ways, light and heavy users based on their needs and want for using the internet. Heavy internet users look for socialization. Light users are more interested in the process they need to take to get what they want or need. To explore these ideas researchers surveyed 915 people using America Online. Respondents were classified as heavy or light users based on their response to a specific survey questions about use. They were then classified as a light or heavy internet user. From there the responses were coded based on their heavy or light status. It was found that light users did not use the internet for social gratification or for “surfing” the web for content and heavy users did. This includes the use of e-mails and other communication tools.
Delving even further into looking at who is using the internet the article “Global internet use and access: cultural considerations,” looks at how different cultures use of the internet. A person’s culture has an affect on how they use the internet based on their societal norms and their access to technology. Researchers examined the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Report, found the e-readiness rankings for 58 countries. Through analysis of education level, cultural norms and the EIU report and the application of the diffusions of innovation theory, researchers found that cultural influence does affect internet use. The diffusion and innovation (DOI) theory looks at innovation, channels of communication where innovation can be expounded, the time elapsed since the innovation was introduced and the social system that the innovation was diffused into. Different cultural factors contribute to how quickly or in what way technology is picked up. The way that a message about technology is communicated to a society has a lot to do with the success of the adoption of this technology. In high context cultures the context of the technology needs to be made clear. In low context cultures a description of the technology using words would be understood. Cultural norms such as power distance will affect adaptation because larger influencing companies or organizations can set the pace for maintaining the status quo or choose to utilize new technology or better yet, choose to be cutting edge and innovative. In cultures that have a high power distance people are less likely to go against the norms of society and avoid standing out (by doing something different or innovative). There additional implications for cultures that are collective versus individualistic. Individualistic cultures adapt technology and new ideas much quicker then collectivistic cultures because they like to stand out and are always searching for a competitive edge that will help to differentiate themselves from the rest of their collogues. Researchers also pointed out that the level of education also has a direct influence on economic growth. With economic growth there is an adaption to new technologies. The most room for expansion is in developing countries.
Another article that explores issues of diffusion but focuses specifically on how income influences internet use is “The Income Digital Divide: Trends and Predictions for Levels of Internet Use.” Researchers make the point that the internet has the potential to be a unifier among different groups because the internet provides an access to information and tools better than many other mediums. However, this is only the case if people have access to the technology, such as a computer and the internet. This is where income comes to the forefront of the issue of technology adaption. If individuals cannot afford the technology then they will not use it. If none of their friends have the technology then they will not be able to communicate with friends through technology. The more that society moves their infrastructure online, the more isolated groups will become if they do not have access or do not utilize technology. To illustrate these points researchers analyzed a U.S. Department of Commerce report that captured the rate of growth of internet and computer use. There was evidence of slow diffusion of internet use to lower income groups therefore causing a lower rate of use.
In order to be order to be able to successfully complete internet searches a certain set of skill and knowledge are needed. A level of familiarity and use of the internet is involved in a successful search as well. The articles that have already focused on the fact that if an individual does not have access to the internet or a computer then they will likely not even touch the issues of successful internet searches. The reality of the digital divide is true, those who have access and use new media will have more familiarity over those who do not. The study “Development and Test of an Internet Search Evaluation Measure” looks at who uses the internet and what they are using the internet for to measure the success of their actions and intentions. The article divides up internet use into two categories, those who use the internet for informational purposes and those who wish to engage in informational and social or entertainment internet interaction. Information seekers are goal oriented and access the medium with a specific goal they are trying to achieve. Achieving the goal requires specific strategies and skills. The achievement of this goal is measured in goal completion and the amount of time it takes to achieve the goal. There are other key indicators about goal success and that is the number of time search criteria was changed, the use of the back button or the phrasing or rephrasing of the criteria to achieve the goal.
Monday, April 27, 2009
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Blog 11
The articles “The Aesthetics of Failure: “Post-Digital” Tendencies in Contemporary Computer Music” and “Loving the Ghost in the Machine” explored how raw bare sounds and every day “noise” can be seen as digital music. Both articles also looked how the process of recording these sounds becomes digital music. Vanhanen said that when music is recorded, it starts to decompose with the use of tools. The act of recoding takes the true essence away from the live performance and actually makes sounds into data. Music becomes groves in plastic, the sounds becomes a cog in a machine instead of an actual experience. Cascone said that when we break music down and put it online it becomes less about the actual score and more about the technology and the sharing or distribution.
As a result of advance technology music has elements such as the refrain, “refrain isn’t the origin of music but rather the means of preventing it, warding it off,” (Vanhanen 2000.) The evolution of how music is now produced changes the nature of music as well. “Phonography, the art of recoding sound, allows the production of a smooth sound plane, on which all relations between its various musical elements are immanent as recoding extracts or constructs a block of time, a musical time that is present as sound penetrates our bodies but emerges as a result from an (quasi) event which is distant from use specially and temporarily,” (Vanhanen 2000.)
Music can be manufactured through a computer instead of in a thoughtful soulful way. “Phonography deterritorializes sound, flattens down the hierarchical organization of music into a rhizome, which is an open, multiple and temporal form of organization and susceptible to constant de-and recording,” (Vanhanen 2000.) The imperfections or “glitches” can be isolated and new sounds can be produced from the micro-level, a level not previously looked at or possible with out machines to break down sound and noise to a minute scope. The glitch itself can become music with the use of technology many glitches can be put together and form a new music made possible by technology. . “The medium is no longer the message in glitch music: the tool has become the message,” (Cascone 2002.) These types of arrangements or composition lead to new genres of music, like dance and techno. It can be argued that the convergence of technology that allows for this new way of making music becomes less about the actual music that is produced and more about the process or the tool.
Questions:
Does use of technology in the composition or creation of music take away from the purity of the form? Or does the form just evolve into something different?
Is it ethical to break down imperfections in music and edit them to be “perfect” through the use of technology?
Does the use of technology to compose and arrange music make it possible for more people to participate in this process or is the participation only limited to those with access to technological, tools and knowledge?
Is composition of music through technology more socio-economically limiting than creation or composition of music by access to actual instruments and knowledge of how to play and arrange music?
Is there a direction or industry leader in the field of music creation through digital technology?
Difficult concept:
I thought the readings were really interesting, but I am not sure that I see all of the future implications or connection of these concepts. What I need illustrated for me is how this affects and connects to the other things we have been talking about in class and how the creation of music through technology affects how we evolve through convergence.
Relation to research paper:
The idea that people can use tools to create music through technology and share this knowledge online has some implications for me research paper. I am really more interested in the thought process of how people make choices to find what they are looking for online – how people find music, information to make or arrange music, or even just sound samples online. I hope to be able to better answer this question after our class discussion, where I might get help with understanding how these concepts relate to the other topics we discussed in class and how the convergence of music technology has evolved the form into something new and different.
As a result of advance technology music has elements such as the refrain, “refrain isn’t the origin of music but rather the means of preventing it, warding it off,” (Vanhanen 2000.) The evolution of how music is now produced changes the nature of music as well. “Phonography, the art of recoding sound, allows the production of a smooth sound plane, on which all relations between its various musical elements are immanent as recoding extracts or constructs a block of time, a musical time that is present as sound penetrates our bodies but emerges as a result from an (quasi) event which is distant from use specially and temporarily,” (Vanhanen 2000.)
Music can be manufactured through a computer instead of in a thoughtful soulful way. “Phonography deterritorializes sound, flattens down the hierarchical organization of music into a rhizome, which is an open, multiple and temporal form of organization and susceptible to constant de-and recording,” (Vanhanen 2000.) The imperfections or “glitches” can be isolated and new sounds can be produced from the micro-level, a level not previously looked at or possible with out machines to break down sound and noise to a minute scope. The glitch itself can become music with the use of technology many glitches can be put together and form a new music made possible by technology. . “The medium is no longer the message in glitch music: the tool has become the message,” (Cascone 2002.) These types of arrangements or composition lead to new genres of music, like dance and techno. It can be argued that the convergence of technology that allows for this new way of making music becomes less about the actual music that is produced and more about the process or the tool.
Questions:
Does use of technology in the composition or creation of music take away from the purity of the form? Or does the form just evolve into something different?
Is it ethical to break down imperfections in music and edit them to be “perfect” through the use of technology?
Does the use of technology to compose and arrange music make it possible for more people to participate in this process or is the participation only limited to those with access to technological, tools and knowledge?
Is composition of music through technology more socio-economically limiting than creation or composition of music by access to actual instruments and knowledge of how to play and arrange music?
Is there a direction or industry leader in the field of music creation through digital technology?
Difficult concept:
I thought the readings were really interesting, but I am not sure that I see all of the future implications or connection of these concepts. What I need illustrated for me is how this affects and connects to the other things we have been talking about in class and how the creation of music through technology affects how we evolve through convergence.
Relation to research paper:
The idea that people can use tools to create music through technology and share this knowledge online has some implications for me research paper. I am really more interested in the thought process of how people make choices to find what they are looking for online – how people find music, information to make or arrange music, or even just sound samples online. I hope to be able to better answer this question after our class discussion, where I might get help with understanding how these concepts relate to the other topics we discussed in class and how the convergence of music technology has evolved the form into something new and different.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Blog 10
Overview
The idea of folk culture, the production of original works evolved into grassroots activism, or response to mass media culture. The concept of mass culture is when mass media products influence further development of the media by ordinary people. Popular culture is when mass culture gets “pulled back” into the folk culture and individuals make the product or media their own. These concepts have further implication for media convergence in terms of the top-down-bottom-up cycle, the impact media has through mass/popular culture on intellectual property, and how folk, mass media and popular culture influence convergence culture.
Top-down – bottom-up
In the chapter, “Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars? Grassroots Creativity Meets the Media Industry” the author examines the impact that grassroots innovation can have on larger media. The author’s exploration of this topic is really a top – down – bottom – up discussion. The debate about whether grass root productions positively impact popular products by personifying its creative genius, or whether it takes away from a product by changing these ideas/building on them. Do independent productions infringe on intellectual property or grow the popularity of a production? Or does it do both?
Intellectual property
The author says that the popularity of a production can grow, but through grass roots campaigns the actual portrayal of the original content can change in a direction that the author may not want. An example of this the production of “Star Wars” movies that are rated “X” versus the original films that are rated “PG”. The producer of “Star Wars” may not want it to be associated with “X” rated content and might want to limit the right of grass root producers from being able to use the “Star Wars” intellectual property for unapproved purposes. Napster is another example used to illustrate the compromise of intellectual property by a grassroots movement. Did Napster take anything away from the original production of the product? Will the sharing of media create a bigger demand for a product or will it lead to people no longer purchasing music because they can get it for free? In both examples the sharing or reproduction/further development of intellectual property is made possible by through convergence.
Convergence culture
Without the internet or the convergence of technology and media these grass root productions would not be possible. Many of the tools that grass root producers need to make their products they get from the professional productions. As a result of the grass roots productions does the popularity of the professional productions increase? Is it better for big producers to work with grass root groups to encourage their creativity and innovation to promote their product? The author makes the point, that the bigger media producers need the fans – just as much as the fans need them. The fan can take a production and expand its popularity and reach through their own grass root works.
Questions:
As a result of the grass roots productions does the popularity of the professional productions increase?
Is it better for big producers to work with grass root groups to encourage their creativity and innovation to promote their product?
Do independent productions infringe on intellectual property or grow the popularity of a professional production? Or does it do both?
Challenging concept:
I found the concept of folk culture a little hard to nail down. How is it really different from popular culture?
Relates to presentation:
The ideas around how media influences people to reproduce popular content and inspires people to act relates to my paper topic. I am interested in finding out more about what media content motivates and inspires people to use media and access it.
The idea of folk culture, the production of original works evolved into grassroots activism, or response to mass media culture. The concept of mass culture is when mass media products influence further development of the media by ordinary people. Popular culture is when mass culture gets “pulled back” into the folk culture and individuals make the product or media their own. These concepts have further implication for media convergence in terms of the top-down-bottom-up cycle, the impact media has through mass/popular culture on intellectual property, and how folk, mass media and popular culture influence convergence culture.
Top-down – bottom-up
In the chapter, “Quentin Tarantino’s Star Wars? Grassroots Creativity Meets the Media Industry” the author examines the impact that grassroots innovation can have on larger media. The author’s exploration of this topic is really a top – down – bottom – up discussion. The debate about whether grass root productions positively impact popular products by personifying its creative genius, or whether it takes away from a product by changing these ideas/building on them. Do independent productions infringe on intellectual property or grow the popularity of a production? Or does it do both?
Intellectual property
The author says that the popularity of a production can grow, but through grass roots campaigns the actual portrayal of the original content can change in a direction that the author may not want. An example of this the production of “Star Wars” movies that are rated “X” versus the original films that are rated “PG”. The producer of “Star Wars” may not want it to be associated with “X” rated content and might want to limit the right of grass root producers from being able to use the “Star Wars” intellectual property for unapproved purposes. Napster is another example used to illustrate the compromise of intellectual property by a grassroots movement. Did Napster take anything away from the original production of the product? Will the sharing of media create a bigger demand for a product or will it lead to people no longer purchasing music because they can get it for free? In both examples the sharing or reproduction/further development of intellectual property is made possible by through convergence.
Convergence culture
Without the internet or the convergence of technology and media these grass root productions would not be possible. Many of the tools that grass root producers need to make their products they get from the professional productions. As a result of the grass roots productions does the popularity of the professional productions increase? Is it better for big producers to work with grass root groups to encourage their creativity and innovation to promote their product? The author makes the point, that the bigger media producers need the fans – just as much as the fans need them. The fan can take a production and expand its popularity and reach through their own grass root works.
Questions:
As a result of the grass roots productions does the popularity of the professional productions increase?
Is it better for big producers to work with grass root groups to encourage their creativity and innovation to promote their product?
Do independent productions infringe on intellectual property or grow the popularity of a professional production? Or does it do both?
Challenging concept:
I found the concept of folk culture a little hard to nail down. How is it really different from popular culture?
Relates to presentation:
The ideas around how media influences people to reproduce popular content and inspires people to act relates to my paper topic. I am interested in finding out more about what media content motivates and inspires people to use media and access it.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Blog 9
The article “Why the Digital Computer is Dead” examined the bare elements of the computer. The process of how a computer works and the difference between analogue and digital were dissected and examples were applied to illustrate future transcendence and use. “When people look at supposedly 'digital' images they can't easily distinguish them from other images. These images are different because they have been invoked from memory to a screen, and not layered onto a surface like paint, projected through celluloid, or played back from videotape. The difference does not mean they are 'digital' in the philosophical sense. This mistake leaves many people confused about the wider distinction between 'digital' and 'analogue',” (Chester, 2002). The philosophy digital and anologue use shows that one is not necessarily better than another, but they depend on each other to evolve. The way that we use the computer to project an image or find the information we are looking for, combines both digital codes and anologue substrates. Through this partnership between analogue and digital the way we get information from a computer has changed without most people even being conscious of the shift in accessibility. This process gowns even further as digital transcends to invocational media. “Invocational media, by contrast with reductive rationalist digital computers, have pragmatic and material histories drawing together technology, language and magic. But computers were always invocational, and invocation to artefacts long predates computers. Invocational media can be situated in a tradition of technologies that make the material world perform as language,” (Chester, 2002). Invocation media ceases to be about the actual medium, the computer, instead it is about the process of asking for content or memory from medium. This is assuming that the groundwork and structure has been established to be able to invoke this content from an accessible platform.
I found this article a little hard to follow. I understood the exploration of different technologies and their applications and transcendence to the new philosophy of invocational media. However, I feel like I have missed some important nuances in how invocational media can be achieved and how one can use past examples to illustrate how invocational media has occurred already. I feel like after some debate and though exploring some examples, I might have a more grounded understanding of the article and concept.
Invocational media has implications for how people use and process media, which is what I am working on for my paper. The theory behind invocational media could provide some illustration about future direction and use of media in my paper.
Study questions:
Are there any invocational mediums that currently exist? If so talk what is an example of one?
What are future implications for use of transcending invocational technologies?
How has this transcendence already taken place using past examples of access and mediums?
The article “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” looks at how the evolution of media itself influences the production of art over space and time and through different mediums. The ideas behind how “new art” is produced, such as film, and how this and “old art” such as sculpture, can be reproduced, has many consequences around authenticity. Reproduction has affects on the “aura” of a piece. “The conditions for an analogous insight are more favorable in the present. And if changes in the medium of contemporary perception can be comprehended as decay of the aura, it is possible to show its social causes,” (Benjamin, 1936). The reproduction of art has different implications for quality based on the medium and content. The way art is produced and consumed today in mediums like film does not require the consumer to think and process the art and its details because the images are already in the mind of the beholder based on the nature of the art and its consumption. “Since, moreover, individuals are tempted to avoid such tasks, art will tackle the most difficult and most important ones where it is able to mobilize the masses. Today it does so in the film. Reception in a state of distraction, which is increasing noticeably in all fields of art and is symptomatic of profound changes in apperception, finds in the film its true means of exercise. The film with its shock effect meets this mode of reception halfway. The film makes the cult value recede into the background not only by putting the public in the position of the critic, but also by the fact that at the movies this position requires no attention” (Benjamin, 1936).
I found the ideas in the article very interesting, but I am not sure that I really understood or followed the entire debate of the writer’s argument. Is it really fair to say that people do not appreciate art anymore as they used to. Or that film has stolen some of the consumer’s exploration of art away because film overloads your mind with the entire picture not giving the consumer a chance to think about what they are seeing? If this is what the author is saying I will disagree. Having taken an entire semester examining a single director and his movies, I can see that there is so much more to good film then first meets the eye or the brain. I think that education on how to break down these films and look for the genius – just as you would when examining a phenomenal painting, are the same. You just have to make the effort and have the will to do so. However, with so much content and debate in the article I am not sure that I am hearing the writer correctly.
This article related to my paper in terms of how people process and access art. The idea that access and reproduction affects how people comprehend art has implications as well. For example, if someone will never get to see a great work of art in person, but can access its image through the internet does that mean that the quality for that person will be diminished? Is it better to not see the work of art at all or to have some access to see it in some form? Yes, the quality might not be the same, but isn’t it better to be able to have some connection with the art then none at all? Does the way that people access this art over space and time have implications for how they process and search for things online?
Questions:
Does reproduction of art or availability of art online diminish its quality? Is there less of an impact?
Does the production of art through new technology take away from traditional art forms?
I found this article a little hard to follow. I understood the exploration of different technologies and their applications and transcendence to the new philosophy of invocational media. However, I feel like I have missed some important nuances in how invocational media can be achieved and how one can use past examples to illustrate how invocational media has occurred already. I feel like after some debate and though exploring some examples, I might have a more grounded understanding of the article and concept.
Invocational media has implications for how people use and process media, which is what I am working on for my paper. The theory behind invocational media could provide some illustration about future direction and use of media in my paper.
Study questions:
Are there any invocational mediums that currently exist? If so talk what is an example of one?
What are future implications for use of transcending invocational technologies?
How has this transcendence already taken place using past examples of access and mediums?
The article “The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction” looks at how the evolution of media itself influences the production of art over space and time and through different mediums. The ideas behind how “new art” is produced, such as film, and how this and “old art” such as sculpture, can be reproduced, has many consequences around authenticity. Reproduction has affects on the “aura” of a piece. “The conditions for an analogous insight are more favorable in the present. And if changes in the medium of contemporary perception can be comprehended as decay of the aura, it is possible to show its social causes,” (Benjamin, 1936). The reproduction of art has different implications for quality based on the medium and content. The way art is produced and consumed today in mediums like film does not require the consumer to think and process the art and its details because the images are already in the mind of the beholder based on the nature of the art and its consumption. “Since, moreover, individuals are tempted to avoid such tasks, art will tackle the most difficult and most important ones where it is able to mobilize the masses. Today it does so in the film. Reception in a state of distraction, which is increasing noticeably in all fields of art and is symptomatic of profound changes in apperception, finds in the film its true means of exercise. The film with its shock effect meets this mode of reception halfway. The film makes the cult value recede into the background not only by putting the public in the position of the critic, but also by the fact that at the movies this position requires no attention” (Benjamin, 1936).
I found the ideas in the article very interesting, but I am not sure that I really understood or followed the entire debate of the writer’s argument. Is it really fair to say that people do not appreciate art anymore as they used to. Or that film has stolen some of the consumer’s exploration of art away because film overloads your mind with the entire picture not giving the consumer a chance to think about what they are seeing? If this is what the author is saying I will disagree. Having taken an entire semester examining a single director and his movies, I can see that there is so much more to good film then first meets the eye or the brain. I think that education on how to break down these films and look for the genius – just as you would when examining a phenomenal painting, are the same. You just have to make the effort and have the will to do so. However, with so much content and debate in the article I am not sure that I am hearing the writer correctly.
This article related to my paper in terms of how people process and access art. The idea that access and reproduction affects how people comprehend art has implications as well. For example, if someone will never get to see a great work of art in person, but can access its image through the internet does that mean that the quality for that person will be diminished? Is it better to not see the work of art at all or to have some access to see it in some form? Yes, the quality might not be the same, but isn’t it better to be able to have some connection with the art then none at all? Does the way that people access this art over space and time have implications for how they process and search for things online?
Questions:
Does reproduction of art or availability of art online diminish its quality? Is there less of an impact?
Does the production of art through new technology take away from traditional art forms?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Blog 8
Refined topic:
For my research paper I am exploring how people have changed the way they process, access and find information on the internet as technology has evolved. Do people read online differently then in print? Do people use the internet different as technology evolves? Do people change their expectations of how they use the internet? Do people use different key words, web pages, and different kinds of search tools? Are they successful in finding the information they are looking for?
Refined thesis:
Internet users have changed the way they process, access and find information to be more efficient as a direct response to progressive changes in the medium.
Two articles:
Gong, W., Li, Z., & Stump, R. (2006, April). Global internet use and access: Cultural considerations. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 19(1), 57-74. Retrieved March, 2009, from Joster database. doi:13555850710720902
Stafford, T. (2008). Social and Usage Process Motivations for Consumer Internet Access. Organizational and End User Computing, 20(3), 1-21. Retrieved March, 2009, from Joster database.
Summary:
The article “Social and Usage Process Motivations for Consumer Internet Access,” analyzed how people used the Internet and what motivated their actions. The study used information from America Online and put customers into two categories; heavy internet users motivated by social interaction and light internet users motivated by learning how to find information and applying a new technology. The study concluded that light internet users are not motivated to use the Internet based on learning more about the medium. The study also found that heavy users are less process oriented then light Internet users.
The article “Global internet use and access: Cultural considerations. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics,” how socioeconomic, race, culture and more influence access and choices while online. The first major point that this article talked about was that if you don’t have Internet access. For countries that are less developed there continued to be less usage. Usage was also shown to increase with educations. For example, the more educated an individual is the more likely they are to be able to have an Internet connection and are familiar with how to use the Internet. This availability ranged from country to country. The study also measured their findings against critical communications theory, such as masculine v. feminine, power distance, Individualism v. Collectivism, to help pinpoint behavioral actions and quantify them by category.
Discussion:
The article, “Social and Usage Process Motivations for Consumer Internet Access” was really spoke to what I want to learn about. I am most interested in the behavior aspect of Internet usage and I have only recently been finding some articles about the study of consumer behavior. This article spoke directly to my thesis statement in regards to learning more about consumer behavior in how they make choices online, how they process this information and how adaptation and evolution of the Internet changes the behavior of consumers. What this article did not speak to is the change and adaptation of both people’s process for accessing the Internet and the motivations for their choices on line.
The article,” Global internet use and access: Cultural considerations. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics” brought in a new dimension that I don’t currently have any information on and that is how culture can have a significant influence on Internet use. Not only does culture influence how the Internet is used, but access is an issue as well, which is a point that has not come up previously in any of my other articles. Socio-economic implications can have a large impact on how people access and process information from the Internet. People will not be able to access the internet more efficiently, which is part of what I am exploring in my thesis, if they don’t have access to the Internet. If only the wealthy people in a certain culture have access to the Internet –the results about efficiency, process and user ability will be thrown off. This article has helped me look at my thesis with a more broad perspective.
For my research paper I am exploring how people have changed the way they process, access and find information on the internet as technology has evolved. Do people read online differently then in print? Do people use the internet different as technology evolves? Do people change their expectations of how they use the internet? Do people use different key words, web pages, and different kinds of search tools? Are they successful in finding the information they are looking for?
Refined thesis:
Internet users have changed the way they process, access and find information to be more efficient as a direct response to progressive changes in the medium.
Two articles:
Gong, W., Li, Z., & Stump, R. (2006, April). Global internet use and access: Cultural considerations. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 19(1), 57-74. Retrieved March, 2009, from Joster database. doi:13555850710720902
Stafford, T. (2008). Social and Usage Process Motivations for Consumer Internet Access. Organizational and End User Computing, 20(3), 1-21. Retrieved March, 2009, from Joster database.
Summary:
The article “Social and Usage Process Motivations for Consumer Internet Access,” analyzed how people used the Internet and what motivated their actions. The study used information from America Online and put customers into two categories; heavy internet users motivated by social interaction and light internet users motivated by learning how to find information and applying a new technology. The study concluded that light internet users are not motivated to use the Internet based on learning more about the medium. The study also found that heavy users are less process oriented then light Internet users.
The article “Global internet use and access: Cultural considerations. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics,” how socioeconomic, race, culture and more influence access and choices while online. The first major point that this article talked about was that if you don’t have Internet access. For countries that are less developed there continued to be less usage. Usage was also shown to increase with educations. For example, the more educated an individual is the more likely they are to be able to have an Internet connection and are familiar with how to use the Internet. This availability ranged from country to country. The study also measured their findings against critical communications theory, such as masculine v. feminine, power distance, Individualism v. Collectivism, to help pinpoint behavioral actions and quantify them by category.
Discussion:
The article, “Social and Usage Process Motivations for Consumer Internet Access” was really spoke to what I want to learn about. I am most interested in the behavior aspect of Internet usage and I have only recently been finding some articles about the study of consumer behavior. This article spoke directly to my thesis statement in regards to learning more about consumer behavior in how they make choices online, how they process this information and how adaptation and evolution of the Internet changes the behavior of consumers. What this article did not speak to is the change and adaptation of both people’s process for accessing the Internet and the motivations for their choices on line.
The article,” Global internet use and access: Cultural considerations. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics” brought in a new dimension that I don’t currently have any information on and that is how culture can have a significant influence on Internet use. Not only does culture influence how the Internet is used, but access is an issue as well, which is a point that has not come up previously in any of my other articles. Socio-economic implications can have a large impact on how people access and process information from the Internet. People will not be able to access the internet more efficiently, which is part of what I am exploring in my thesis, if they don’t have access to the Internet. If only the wealthy people in a certain culture have access to the Internet –the results about efficiency, process and user ability will be thrown off. This article has helped me look at my thesis with a more broad perspective.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
Answers to study questions: Internet unit
Responses from the reading questions for the article How the Web Polarized Politics.
1. What does the author mean by political polarization?
I think what the author is saying that political polarization is fueled by the web because it provides an open forum for people to converse about issues across space and time. In these open forums, the author points out, most of the participants are people who have strong views, opinion and feel compelled to express their points of view. This may not be the case for the general population. Many people may not feel as strongly about an issue and therefore do not feel compelled to speak their mind online, whereas the content that is found online is from people who feel that they must expel their beliefs and engage in conversation.
2. What are your thoughts about the statement, "Governments feel they are royalty to some degree"?
I believe what the author is conveying with this statement, is that the government does not feel they justification for certain choices are needed. Government may not engage with constituents about every decision being made. That once a decision is made after discourse in congress, there does not need to be more debate and discussion with the general public.
3. Do you agree/disagree with the statement, "We've literally experienced an information tsunami-but more information does not mean better decisions"? Why?
I believe that the amount of information that is continually being made available through the web is massive. However, I don’t believe – like a tsunami, that the information has become all encompassing, with the threat of drowning us all at once. More information may help make a better decision. The access to new information can certainly provide clarity. I understand the author’s point that it is very east to drown in the title wave of information that is available. That with so much information it could be hard to discern one particular path or answer to a question. I pose the opposite thought, without any direction, reference or relation to other’s experience you are making an uninformed decision. Instead of making a decision based on lots of information you could be making a choice based on your own intuition and limited knowledge.
4. The author states that "the very technology that is meant to solve problems merely makes people more emotional-not more reasonable". Give an example of a real life digital convergence that can be viewed to make people more emotional.
The idea that people feel passionate about their views and can easily publish these views can lead to disagreement. Emotions can run high with conflict and disagreement. In another way, people have more access to information and can find things online, like news stories that are graphic, sad and or upsetting. If a story is popular, there may be over exposure of the story and it cannot be avoided.
Article #2
Responses from the reading questions for the article Digital Future of the United States: Part 1--the Future of the World Wide Web.
1. The Web has been a platform for the creation of a wide and unanticipated variety of services. Name one of the commercial services and how you apply the service to your daily/weekly routine.
I use Google all the time for searching for information, images and anything else I might need. I also have their e-mail service. I use Google for both work and personal use. It has gotten to the point where I use Google everyday, from research, to using Google docs. for our group project to looking for directions.
2. What does the author mean by "Semantic Web"? How does this effect the future of convergence?
What the author is talking about in a “semantic web” is a higher level way of organizing data and information across web pages. The author makes the analogy that eventually users will be able to look at the data on the web as inter connected pieces of one giant data set. All the data follows a format so that it can be easily accessed and linked based on the universal format. This makes the data set even more valuable and malleable because it can plug right other data.
3. The future of the web has created substantial privacy challenges which are barely addressed by our current privacy laws. What are your thoughts on new data integration? Is the thought of this legal?
Do we give up our privacy for convenience? Do we put innovation above releasing our personal information? I think that data integrations is a positive and powerful tool. It would be easier to find what I am looking for, research and information, if data is integrated. However, to me these things are not worth loosing my identity. I don’t think that data integration of personal information is a good idea. However, this leads to a tough balancing act. How do you regulate this information, is it even possible to do? Is it reasonable to think that we can regulate this information? Just as there are pornographic content on the web that is not easy to regulate – how could laws be enacted to ensure that all private information remain private. I would think that data integration of now personal information is not legal. I just wonder how we could regulate and control something like web content once the process of integration takes place, there are bound to be some glitches.
1. What does the author mean by political polarization?
I think what the author is saying that political polarization is fueled by the web because it provides an open forum for people to converse about issues across space and time. In these open forums, the author points out, most of the participants are people who have strong views, opinion and feel compelled to express their points of view. This may not be the case for the general population. Many people may not feel as strongly about an issue and therefore do not feel compelled to speak their mind online, whereas the content that is found online is from people who feel that they must expel their beliefs and engage in conversation.
2. What are your thoughts about the statement, "Governments feel they are royalty to some degree"?
I believe what the author is conveying with this statement, is that the government does not feel they justification for certain choices are needed. Government may not engage with constituents about every decision being made. That once a decision is made after discourse in congress, there does not need to be more debate and discussion with the general public.
3. Do you agree/disagree with the statement, "We've literally experienced an information tsunami-but more information does not mean better decisions"? Why?
I believe that the amount of information that is continually being made available through the web is massive. However, I don’t believe – like a tsunami, that the information has become all encompassing, with the threat of drowning us all at once. More information may help make a better decision. The access to new information can certainly provide clarity. I understand the author’s point that it is very east to drown in the title wave of information that is available. That with so much information it could be hard to discern one particular path or answer to a question. I pose the opposite thought, without any direction, reference or relation to other’s experience you are making an uninformed decision. Instead of making a decision based on lots of information you could be making a choice based on your own intuition and limited knowledge.
4. The author states that "the very technology that is meant to solve problems merely makes people more emotional-not more reasonable". Give an example of a real life digital convergence that can be viewed to make people more emotional.
The idea that people feel passionate about their views and can easily publish these views can lead to disagreement. Emotions can run high with conflict and disagreement. In another way, people have more access to information and can find things online, like news stories that are graphic, sad and or upsetting. If a story is popular, there may be over exposure of the story and it cannot be avoided.
Article #2
Responses from the reading questions for the article Digital Future of the United States: Part 1--the Future of the World Wide Web.
1. The Web has been a platform for the creation of a wide and unanticipated variety of services. Name one of the commercial services and how you apply the service to your daily/weekly routine.
I use Google all the time for searching for information, images and anything else I might need. I also have their e-mail service. I use Google for both work and personal use. It has gotten to the point where I use Google everyday, from research, to using Google docs. for our group project to looking for directions.
2. What does the author mean by "Semantic Web"? How does this effect the future of convergence?
What the author is talking about in a “semantic web” is a higher level way of organizing data and information across web pages. The author makes the analogy that eventually users will be able to look at the data on the web as inter connected pieces of one giant data set. All the data follows a format so that it can be easily accessed and linked based on the universal format. This makes the data set even more valuable and malleable because it can plug right other data.
3. The future of the web has created substantial privacy challenges which are barely addressed by our current privacy laws. What are your thoughts on new data integration? Is the thought of this legal?
Do we give up our privacy for convenience? Do we put innovation above releasing our personal information? I think that data integrations is a positive and powerful tool. It would be easier to find what I am looking for, research and information, if data is integrated. However, to me these things are not worth loosing my identity. I don’t think that data integration of personal information is a good idea. However, this leads to a tough balancing act. How do you regulate this information, is it even possible to do? Is it reasonable to think that we can regulate this information? Just as there are pornographic content on the web that is not easy to regulate – how could laws be enacted to ensure that all private information remain private. I would think that data integration of now personal information is not legal. I just wonder how we could regulate and control something like web content once the process of integration takes place, there are bound to be some glitches.
corrected blog 6
Refined topic:
For my research paper I am exploring how people have changed the way they process, access and find information on the internet as technology has evolved. Do people read online differently then in print? Do people use the internet different as technology evolves? Do people change their expectations of how they use the internet? Do people use different key words, web pages, and different kinds of search tools? Are they successful in finding the information they are looking for?
Refined thesis:
It is believed that by using the internet users have changed the way they process, access and find information to be more efficient.
Summary:
The article “Strategic positioning and resource-based thinking: cutting through the haze of punditry to understand factors behind sustainable, successful internet businesses” looks at three major factors in successful companies and their online interfaces and components. The article emphasizes the importance of not only implementing cutting edge technology and innovation, but doing so in a timely way. “During Yahoo’s period of search innovation dormancy, Google was able to leverage its technical lead to create brand, grow market share, and this generate scale,” (Gallaugher 2007). In addition to these key points an organization must have strategic and nimble interfaces both online and internally to make everything function at a high capacity and maintain market place value. The use of advertising, branding and taking action towards a strategic plan increased successful internet organizations. “Through advertising and most notably PR, Yahoo grabbed media attention ahead of its rivals,” (Gallaugher 2007).
The article “I’m Feeling Lucky”: The Role of Emotions in Seeking Information on the Web” looked at how individuals emotions affected their choices and actions when searching for information online. The way a website is set up visually and the experience an individual has when trying access information affects their future choices. Individuals may have increased or decreased confidence based on how successful they in accessing the information they need. How a webpage is set up can affect user success. For example; by having consistent looking links and clear verbal indicators users may have an easier time finding what they are looking for because they know what visual clues to engage. “Best practices in site search design, such as the BBC search results page, match the natural pattern of states users move through while seeking information. Manual recommendations also represent a best practice for site search because they can aid in reducing uncertainty,” (Kalbach 2006).
Discussion about how the two articles relate to my topic:
Doing this research has helped me refine what I am looking for even more than last week. I feel that I was able to narrow down my research and found some interesting articles that brought a different perspective to how the internet influences the way that we process, access and find information online. There are a lot of factors that influence these three points. I want to know more about how the user interfaces with the internet, how technology evolution influences the user process and how they react to ever changing and advancing resources online. Like one of the articles I read for this week said the evolution, design, timing and relevancy have a large impact on the user’s experiences and how they then make choices while online. It is by being increasingly innovative, present and easy to use that certain companies attract a lot of traffic. By putting a lot of administrative and everyday functions online companies cut costs and draw people to their website (Gallaugher 2007). This article also points out that global firms have never been built faster and at such a low cost, then when the internet was used (Gallaugher 2007). This article provided me with evidence to start proving my thesis.
I thought the article about how emotions influence user choices online brought an entirely new idea to the mix. What I am finding out is that there are clues to how people might change their thinking processes, but right now it seems hard to measure and pinpoint this adaptation of different behavior. A more realistic approach might be to look at outcomes of certain behaviors that can be measured, such as access, process and what is found on the internet based on the process. The idea that people’s emotions influence their navigation and user choices online is fascinating. The thought that user success of finding what they are looking for influences their user choices, has huge implications. Websites can be designed and focused to target user success and build user confidence of how people access information, what websites they go to and what information they process. An interesting study would use some sort of a rubric or way to measure user choices and what influences these choices. This article provided good information about what specifically might influence people to access, process and find what they are looking for. I feel like I am on my way to narrowing things down and I think the information that I am finding is really interesting.
For my research paper I am exploring how people have changed the way they process, access and find information on the internet as technology has evolved. Do people read online differently then in print? Do people use the internet different as technology evolves? Do people change their expectations of how they use the internet? Do people use different key words, web pages, and different kinds of search tools? Are they successful in finding the information they are looking for?
Refined thesis:
It is believed that by using the internet users have changed the way they process, access and find information to be more efficient.
Summary:
The article “Strategic positioning and resource-based thinking: cutting through the haze of punditry to understand factors behind sustainable, successful internet businesses” looks at three major factors in successful companies and their online interfaces and components. The article emphasizes the importance of not only implementing cutting edge technology and innovation, but doing so in a timely way. “During Yahoo’s period of search innovation dormancy, Google was able to leverage its technical lead to create brand, grow market share, and this generate scale,” (Gallaugher 2007). In addition to these key points an organization must have strategic and nimble interfaces both online and internally to make everything function at a high capacity and maintain market place value. The use of advertising, branding and taking action towards a strategic plan increased successful internet organizations. “Through advertising and most notably PR, Yahoo grabbed media attention ahead of its rivals,” (Gallaugher 2007).
The article “I’m Feeling Lucky”: The Role of Emotions in Seeking Information on the Web” looked at how individuals emotions affected their choices and actions when searching for information online. The way a website is set up visually and the experience an individual has when trying access information affects their future choices. Individuals may have increased or decreased confidence based on how successful they in accessing the information they need. How a webpage is set up can affect user success. For example; by having consistent looking links and clear verbal indicators users may have an easier time finding what they are looking for because they know what visual clues to engage. “Best practices in site search design, such as the BBC search results page, match the natural pattern of states users move through while seeking information. Manual recommendations also represent a best practice for site search because they can aid in reducing uncertainty,” (Kalbach 2006).
Discussion about how the two articles relate to my topic:
Doing this research has helped me refine what I am looking for even more than last week. I feel that I was able to narrow down my research and found some interesting articles that brought a different perspective to how the internet influences the way that we process, access and find information online. There are a lot of factors that influence these three points. I want to know more about how the user interfaces with the internet, how technology evolution influences the user process and how they react to ever changing and advancing resources online. Like one of the articles I read for this week said the evolution, design, timing and relevancy have a large impact on the user’s experiences and how they then make choices while online. It is by being increasingly innovative, present and easy to use that certain companies attract a lot of traffic. By putting a lot of administrative and everyday functions online companies cut costs and draw people to their website (Gallaugher 2007). This article also points out that global firms have never been built faster and at such a low cost, then when the internet was used (Gallaugher 2007). This article provided me with evidence to start proving my thesis.
I thought the article about how emotions influence user choices online brought an entirely new idea to the mix. What I am finding out is that there are clues to how people might change their thinking processes, but right now it seems hard to measure and pinpoint this adaptation of different behavior. A more realistic approach might be to look at outcomes of certain behaviors that can be measured, such as access, process and what is found on the internet based on the process. The idea that people’s emotions influence their navigation and user choices online is fascinating. The thought that user success of finding what they are looking for influences their user choices, has huge implications. Websites can be designed and focused to target user success and build user confidence of how people access information, what websites they go to and what information they process. An interesting study would use some sort of a rubric or way to measure user choices and what influences these choices. This article provided good information about what specifically might influence people to access, process and find what they are looking for. I feel like I am on my way to narrowing things down and I think the information that I am finding is really interesting.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Post 6
Refined topic:
For my research paper I am exploring how people have changed the way they process, access and find information on the internet as technology has evolved. Do people read online differently then in print? Do people use the internet different as technology evolves? Do people change their expectations of how they use the internet? Do people use different key words, web pages, and different kinds of search tools? Are they successful in finding the information they are looking for?
Refined thesis:
It is believed that by using the internet users have changed the way they process, access and find information.
Summary:
The article “Strategic positioning and resource-based thinking: cutting through the haze of punditry to understand factors behind sustainable, successful internet businesses” looks at three major factors in successful companies and their online interfaces and components. The article emphasizes the importance of not only implementing cutting edge technology and innovation, but doing so in a timely way. “During Yahoo’s period of search innovation dormancy, Google was able to leverage its technical lead to create brand, grow market share, and this generate scale,” (Gallaugher 2007). In addition to these key points an organization must have strategic and nimble interfaces both online and internally to make everything function at a high capacity and maintain market place value. The use of advertising, branding and taking action towards a strategic plan increased successful internet organizations. “Through advertising and most notably PR, Yahoo grabbed media attention ahead of its rivals,” (Gallaugher 2007).
The article “I’m Feeling Lucky”: The Role of Emotions in Seeking Information on the Web” looked at how individuals emotions affected their choices and actions when searching for information online. The way a website is set up visually and the experience an individual has when trying access information affects their future choices. Individuals may have increased or decreased confidence based on how successful they in accessing the information they need. How a webpage is set up can affect user success. For example; by having consistent looking links and clear verbal indicators users may have an easier time finding what they are looking for because they know what visual clues to engage. “Best practices in site search design, such as the BBC search results page, match the natural pattern of states users move through while seeking information. Manual recommendations also represent a best practice for site search because they can aid in reducing uncertainty,” (Kalbach 2006).
Discussion about how the two articles relate to my topic:
Similarly to last week, doing this research has helped me refine what I am looking for even more. I feel that I was able to narrow down my research and found some interesting articles that brought a different perspective to how the internet influences the way that we process, access and find information online. There are a lot of factors that influence these three points. I want to know more about how the user interfaces with the internet, how technology evolution influences the user process and how they react ever changing and advancing resources online. Like one of the articles I read for this week said the evolution, design, timing and relevancy have a large impact on the user’s experiences and how they then make choices while online. I thought the article about how emotions influence user choices online brought an entirely new idea to the mix. What I am finding out is that there are clues to how people might change their thinking processes but right now it seems hard to measure and pinpoint this adaptation of different behavior. A more realistic approach might be to look at outcomes of certain behaviors that can be measured, such as access, process and what is found on the internet based on the process and access. I feel like I am on my way to narrowing things down and I think the information that I am finding is really interesting.
For my research paper I am exploring how people have changed the way they process, access and find information on the internet as technology has evolved. Do people read online differently then in print? Do people use the internet different as technology evolves? Do people change their expectations of how they use the internet? Do people use different key words, web pages, and different kinds of search tools? Are they successful in finding the information they are looking for?
Refined thesis:
It is believed that by using the internet users have changed the way they process, access and find information.
Summary:
The article “Strategic positioning and resource-based thinking: cutting through the haze of punditry to understand factors behind sustainable, successful internet businesses” looks at three major factors in successful companies and their online interfaces and components. The article emphasizes the importance of not only implementing cutting edge technology and innovation, but doing so in a timely way. “During Yahoo’s period of search innovation dormancy, Google was able to leverage its technical lead to create brand, grow market share, and this generate scale,” (Gallaugher 2007). In addition to these key points an organization must have strategic and nimble interfaces both online and internally to make everything function at a high capacity and maintain market place value. The use of advertising, branding and taking action towards a strategic plan increased successful internet organizations. “Through advertising and most notably PR, Yahoo grabbed media attention ahead of its rivals,” (Gallaugher 2007).
The article “I’m Feeling Lucky”: The Role of Emotions in Seeking Information on the Web” looked at how individuals emotions affected their choices and actions when searching for information online. The way a website is set up visually and the experience an individual has when trying access information affects their future choices. Individuals may have increased or decreased confidence based on how successful they in accessing the information they need. How a webpage is set up can affect user success. For example; by having consistent looking links and clear verbal indicators users may have an easier time finding what they are looking for because they know what visual clues to engage. “Best practices in site search design, such as the BBC search results page, match the natural pattern of states users move through while seeking information. Manual recommendations also represent a best practice for site search because they can aid in reducing uncertainty,” (Kalbach 2006).
Discussion about how the two articles relate to my topic:
Similarly to last week, doing this research has helped me refine what I am looking for even more. I feel that I was able to narrow down my research and found some interesting articles that brought a different perspective to how the internet influences the way that we process, access and find information online. There are a lot of factors that influence these three points. I want to know more about how the user interfaces with the internet, how technology evolution influences the user process and how they react ever changing and advancing resources online. Like one of the articles I read for this week said the evolution, design, timing and relevancy have a large impact on the user’s experiences and how they then make choices while online. I thought the article about how emotions influence user choices online brought an entirely new idea to the mix. What I am finding out is that there are clues to how people might change their thinking processes but right now it seems hard to measure and pinpoint this adaptation of different behavior. A more realistic approach might be to look at outcomes of certain behaviors that can be measured, such as access, process and what is found on the internet based on the process and access. I feel like I am on my way to narrowing things down and I think the information that I am finding is really interesting.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Blog 5
The topic I would like to explore for my research paper is about how the use of the Internet changes the way people think in terms of how they find, read and process information.
The Internet is a good example of convergence between many mediums. Through the Internet people are able to access other mediums, engage in a participitative culture, access content, take part in collective intelligence and more. It is believed that by using the Internet consumers have changed their habits and thinking processes in how they access and gain information.
The article “Misunderstanding Media: A blurry Vision of Students Today” speaks to the way college students understand and interpret content and research they are doing on the Internet. Many students do not discern what source their information is coming from. For example, if information is quoted in an article, students do not make the differentiation between the article they are reading and the work being quoted. Journalism students were also found to use the Internet almost exclusively as apposed to going out and interviewing people for their stories. Students were also found to use the Internet over text books and other written sources. (Mielo 2008)
The article “How do we read online” looks at how people read and interpret content online versus in print. It was found that people who read news online versus news in print look at graphics almost as equally according to the Standford Poynter Project. The article goes on to talk about what news people are interested in accessing through the Internet. Most people were interested in reading specialized, issue specific news as apposed to local news. Consumers were attracted to article headlines and tended to read 75% of an article online regardless of length. Readers also were able to adapt to scrolling reading plains with longer articles. (Johnson 2001)
The way that people consume media through the Internet says a lot about how the information is taken in, processed and applied. It is believe that the different ways that content is displayed and accessed, affects the way people interpret and use the content. Local news can now been accessed online and continually updated. Yet, this local news may look different as the younger generation of journalism professionals consume Internet media and use it’s content, re-packaged instead of pounding the pavement for original content, when on a deadline. What is produced is a news story that could have looked drastically different without the use of the Internet. The cycle continues as the article is then put online for people to read on their local news website. This can change what people think as they read converging content. The Internet brings together content over space and time making the print world smaller as it becomes more accessible.
The Internet is a good example of convergence between many mediums. Through the Internet people are able to access other mediums, engage in a participitative culture, access content, take part in collective intelligence and more. It is believed that by using the Internet consumers have changed their habits and thinking processes in how they access and gain information.
The article “Misunderstanding Media: A blurry Vision of Students Today” speaks to the way college students understand and interpret content and research they are doing on the Internet. Many students do not discern what source their information is coming from. For example, if information is quoted in an article, students do not make the differentiation between the article they are reading and the work being quoted. Journalism students were also found to use the Internet almost exclusively as apposed to going out and interviewing people for their stories. Students were also found to use the Internet over text books and other written sources. (Mielo 2008)
The article “How do we read online” looks at how people read and interpret content online versus in print. It was found that people who read news online versus news in print look at graphics almost as equally according to the Standford Poynter Project. The article goes on to talk about what news people are interested in accessing through the Internet. Most people were interested in reading specialized, issue specific news as apposed to local news. Consumers were attracted to article headlines and tended to read 75% of an article online regardless of length. Readers also were able to adapt to scrolling reading plains with longer articles. (Johnson 2001)
The way that people consume media through the Internet says a lot about how the information is taken in, processed and applied. It is believe that the different ways that content is displayed and accessed, affects the way people interpret and use the content. Local news can now been accessed online and continually updated. Yet, this local news may look different as the younger generation of journalism professionals consume Internet media and use it’s content, re-packaged instead of pounding the pavement for original content, when on a deadline. What is produced is a news story that could have looked drastically different without the use of the Internet. The cycle continues as the article is then put online for people to read on their local news website. This can change what people think as they read converging content. The Internet brings together content over space and time making the print world smaller as it becomes more accessible.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Blog 4
1. Provide a quick over view or summary of the readings
2. Clearly Identify what you feel are 3 key ideas in the readings
3. Support your summary and/or key points with three specific references to the readings
The article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” makes the argument that consumers are changing the way they consume media because of the Internet’s influence. “But that boon comes at a price. As the media theorist Marshall McLuhan pointed out in the 1960s, media are not just passive channels of information. They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation” (Carr 2008.) Carr makes the point that the way that we consume the Internet has caused convergence of other mediums. Other mediums have adapted to stay relevant and competitive with the Internet. In some cases this means that they have to reorganize how they provide information. “As people’s minds become attuned to the crazy quilt of Internet media, traditional media have to adapt to the audience’s new expectations. Television programs add text crawls and pop-up ads, and magazines and newspapers shorten their articles, introduce capsule summaries, and crowd their pages with easy-to-browse info-snippets,” (Carr 2008.) This point is furthered through the pod cast “Making the Case – Why Podcasting Matter to Your Organization” the author says that pod casts are the perfect medium to blanket your current and potential constituents with information (made possible through the Internet.) By using pod casts in conjunction with traditional marketing forms, such as press releases, radio, TV and print consumers will have more opportunities to access the information. Through pod casts the information becomes very flexible, portable, easy to archive, all possible with low overhead and production costs. Just as in the article by Carr, Cangialosi explains that the medium influences the way that people consume and how information is delivered.
The article “Can Blogs Revolutionize Progressive Politics” just like pod casts are made possible through the Internet. Blogs are highly accessible and furthered by other forms of mediums. The combination of the Internet and the convergence of other mediums result in collective intelligence through bloging. A difference between the other mediums in the other articles is that blogging is a more elite form of convergence. Many people can access blogs, but not all individuals are welcome to participate in highly visible way. “While A-list bloggers repeatedly deny receiving any special treatment, the reality is that both the media and political establishment pay disproportionate attention to their views, often treating them as representative of the entire progressive blogosphere,” (Chaudhry 2006.)
4. Identify the most difficult or challenging concept for you from this week’s readings. Saying “I don’t know” or “nothing was difficult” is not an adequate response.
I am new to pod casting. I found it a little difficult for the purpose of this assignment to really delve into the information. I took notes while listening and liked the fact that I could rewind and play again. Just like the Google article talked about, it was hard for me to really contemplate and reflect because of the medium because of its form. I understand that the purpose of the pod cast is that it is portable and flexible and can add a different quality to the information by class. It illustrates what we are taking about in class and we are able to experience it first hand.
5. Provide 2 or 3 discussion questions for us to talk about in class
1) In what ways have you noticed other mediums changing to be more “Internet”
like?
2) How can blogging become less elite? Is there a way that the medium can become more inclusive or will it only become more open when elite bloggers become more inclusive?
3) Have you noticed the influences of other mediums affecting the way we think? Isn’t it true that TV had the same affect on us?
6. Discuss how this week’s readings might relate to your upcoming presentation, paper or to the “real world.” Here too, saying "I don't know" or "it does not apply" is not an adequate response.
I found the idea of the Internet changing and influencing the way we think so interesting. I also thought the way that other mediums have changed their formats or adapted new behaviors to compete or be more “Internet like” fascinating. I had not really paid attention to this point previously, but I see it now. I think this might be a great paper topic for me.
2. Clearly Identify what you feel are 3 key ideas in the readings
3. Support your summary and/or key points with three specific references to the readings
The article “Is Google Making Us Stupid” makes the argument that consumers are changing the way they consume media because of the Internet’s influence. “But that boon comes at a price. As the media theorist Marshall McLuhan pointed out in the 1960s, media are not just passive channels of information. They supply the stuff of thought, but they also shape the process of thought. And what the Net seems to be doing is chipping away my capacity for concentration and contemplation” (Carr 2008.) Carr makes the point that the way that we consume the Internet has caused convergence of other mediums. Other mediums have adapted to stay relevant and competitive with the Internet. In some cases this means that they have to reorganize how they provide information. “As people’s minds become attuned to the crazy quilt of Internet media, traditional media have to adapt to the audience’s new expectations. Television programs add text crawls and pop-up ads, and magazines and newspapers shorten their articles, introduce capsule summaries, and crowd their pages with easy-to-browse info-snippets,” (Carr 2008.) This point is furthered through the pod cast “Making the Case – Why Podcasting Matter to Your Organization” the author says that pod casts are the perfect medium to blanket your current and potential constituents with information (made possible through the Internet.) By using pod casts in conjunction with traditional marketing forms, such as press releases, radio, TV and print consumers will have more opportunities to access the information. Through pod casts the information becomes very flexible, portable, easy to archive, all possible with low overhead and production costs. Just as in the article by Carr, Cangialosi explains that the medium influences the way that people consume and how information is delivered.
The article “Can Blogs Revolutionize Progressive Politics” just like pod casts are made possible through the Internet. Blogs are highly accessible and furthered by other forms of mediums. The combination of the Internet and the convergence of other mediums result in collective intelligence through bloging. A difference between the other mediums in the other articles is that blogging is a more elite form of convergence. Many people can access blogs, but not all individuals are welcome to participate in highly visible way. “While A-list bloggers repeatedly deny receiving any special treatment, the reality is that both the media and political establishment pay disproportionate attention to their views, often treating them as representative of the entire progressive blogosphere,” (Chaudhry 2006.)
4. Identify the most difficult or challenging concept for you from this week’s readings. Saying “I don’t know” or “nothing was difficult” is not an adequate response.
I am new to pod casting. I found it a little difficult for the purpose of this assignment to really delve into the information. I took notes while listening and liked the fact that I could rewind and play again. Just like the Google article talked about, it was hard for me to really contemplate and reflect because of the medium because of its form. I understand that the purpose of the pod cast is that it is portable and flexible and can add a different quality to the information by class. It illustrates what we are taking about in class and we are able to experience it first hand.
5. Provide 2 or 3 discussion questions for us to talk about in class
1) In what ways have you noticed other mediums changing to be more “Internet”
like?
2) How can blogging become less elite? Is there a way that the medium can become more inclusive or will it only become more open when elite bloggers become more inclusive?
3) Have you noticed the influences of other mediums affecting the way we think? Isn’t it true that TV had the same affect on us?
6. Discuss how this week’s readings might relate to your upcoming presentation, paper or to the “real world.” Here too, saying "I don't know" or "it does not apply" is not an adequate response.
I found the idea of the Internet changing and influencing the way we think so interesting. I also thought the way that other mediums have changed their formats or adapted new behaviors to compete or be more “Internet like” fascinating. I had not really paid attention to this point previously, but I see it now. I think this might be a great paper topic for me.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Blog 2
The article “Media Lullabies: The Reinvention of the World Wide Web,” takes a look at how convergence theory affects different ways to access media. The article makes the case that the Internet should be looked at in different terms from the conventional TV and radio models. “By continuing to use the models of past media as our measuring sticks we continue to develop the new media of the Web within the standards and ideas of these past media,” (Hilf 1998.) This proves to be hard for many consumers because they are accustomed using traditional mediums and want to treat the Internet in the same way that they would treat TV. “I often hear people who get disappointed by the Web's inaptitude to reach the threshold, speed, and professionalism of film, radio, and television. At a recent Web community event in San Francisco, a member of the audience asked one of the panelists about the bandwidth problems currently existing on the Internet," When will it be like TV?” (Hilf 1998.) The way that we think about the Internet will not evolve if we continue to think that we can access the Internet like TV. The Internet provides more access to print and allows for access to information through viewing and listening. “This will be a true realization of the non-linear origins of the hyperlink: one piece of data may link to ten others below and ten to the side and ten above but all relative in some way (chronologically, thematically, financially, etc.) to the other data - think of a map of a distributed network where nodes connect web-like to other nodes within the network,” (Hilf 1998). These nodes are similar to a TV network; however the Internet is a more multi-fasted way to access information. The Internet is set up in a network of information through affiliation where pages are portals which provide access to much more information. The Internet has evolved from parent model but is different from traditional mediums because it is unique in its accessibility.
I understood the concepts from this article, but what I don’t feel that I know enough about, is what the model of the Internet looks like. I am having a hard time picturing what the author is talking about; how the Internet model looks versus a model like TV.
I have not previously been introduced to models about the Internet so I am learning new concepts. The article “Media Lullabies: The Reinvention of the World Wide Web,” touches on a lot of different mediums and I am now exploring these models further and causing me to think about how we use mediums.
I can relate to the article because I found out some interesting information about what the different codes for the Internet mean and how they came about. I do website updates and learn how to make our website function at work. Despite being able to work on our web page I don’t have any formal training or understanding about the reason behind how things are organized or the reasoning behind certain codes online.
Questions to discuss in class:
1) Would you have any additional ideas to ad to the article? Such as the affect of Google to the internet and how it functions?
2) Can a web browser/organizer of information have a significant affect to how people set up website and create access to things?
3) Is it really possible for the Internet to be more like TV and is this even a good question to ask, because isn’t the Internet organized and accessed drastically different from TV?
Chapter one of “Convergence Culture” looks at how people use different mediums to delve further into one media. For example, the TV show “Survivor” became very popular and people had to know in-side details about the show prior to finding out through watching each episode. “Online forums offer an opportunity for participants to share their knowledge and opinions. In this chapter I hope to bring to the readers inside the spoiling community to learn more about how it works and how it impacts the reception of a popular television series,” (Jenkins 2006.) Before the internet the idea of spoiling did not exist in the same way or at all. If it did, it was through print media. The idea of spoiling online is effective because the Internet provides access to a many people in a variety of locations that could not be access as quickly and easily prior to the Internet. “Collective intelligence refers to this ability of virtual communities to leverage the combined expertise of their members. What we cannot know or do on our own, we may now be able to do collectively,” (Jenkins 2006.) This may never have taken place without the internet. It would have been much harder to get people to work collectively, communicating through print and TV. This access to people and collective knowledge is so new that people are not always prepared for its side effects, which is unique to the medium. “The question was whether, within a knowledge community, one has the right to not know – or more precisely, whether each community member should be able to set the terms of how much they want to know and when they want to know it,”(Jenkins 2006.) The article points out that, when using a new access to the media, it is important to be prepared for the consequences. Using the example in the book consumers find out more then they may have wanted to know about the show “Survivor” by accessing the Internet. If consumer don’t want to have everything “spoiled,” it might be better to use a medium with more regulation and slower access speed. This may be best achieve by accessing media and participating in the collective intelligence that is more of a one way communication process such as TV and radio (for the most part).
1) Would TV and print mediums have a different affect on “spoiling”? How? Would their affect still include collective intelligence (working together for the information)?
2) Do you think that the internet has influenced different mediums to increase reports on “spoiling” information – such as “Entertainment Tonight” etc.
3) Is “spoiling” as effective or as wide spread on shows like “Entertainment Tonight” as it is on the Internet? Technically, you can choose to look up this information online or find the information in print, with more control then flipping the channel and hearing and seeing the spoiling information on TV.
I have never really engaged in “spoiling” searches for TV shows etc. The “spoiling” information itself and the detail that the author paid the “Survivor” show did not really interest me. What I found interesting was the idea of collective intelligence – people putting together clues over space and time was interesting. I still have not narrowed in on a paper topic – but I did get a new idea from this reading. What are the implications of collective intelligence for solving cold cases or crimes that no one is working on? Could collective intelligence lead someone helping to see something in a different way and solve crimes in their community or someone else’s? This could just be a crazy idea – but who knows, someone might be able to work with someone else across the country and put forward new thinking and ideas.
I found it difficult to get through the narration about the “Survivor” show details. It was hard to pick out some of the important information from the narration about the show and I am not really sure what all of the details that had to do with collective intelligence. It could have been just me, but I feel like I might have missed some key concepts in the narration because I was trying so hard to piece together a logical path about the “Survivor” story itself. I think that the more time on about digital convergence would have been helpful. Other examples, those in the margin, did help illustrate a little more about collective intelligence.
I understood the concepts from this article, but what I don’t feel that I know enough about, is what the model of the Internet looks like. I am having a hard time picturing what the author is talking about; how the Internet model looks versus a model like TV.
I have not previously been introduced to models about the Internet so I am learning new concepts. The article “Media Lullabies: The Reinvention of the World Wide Web,” touches on a lot of different mediums and I am now exploring these models further and causing me to think about how we use mediums.
I can relate to the article because I found out some interesting information about what the different codes for the Internet mean and how they came about. I do website updates and learn how to make our website function at work. Despite being able to work on our web page I don’t have any formal training or understanding about the reason behind how things are organized or the reasoning behind certain codes online.
Questions to discuss in class:
1) Would you have any additional ideas to ad to the article? Such as the affect of Google to the internet and how it functions?
2) Can a web browser/organizer of information have a significant affect to how people set up website and create access to things?
3) Is it really possible for the Internet to be more like TV and is this even a good question to ask, because isn’t the Internet organized and accessed drastically different from TV?
Chapter one of “Convergence Culture” looks at how people use different mediums to delve further into one media. For example, the TV show “Survivor” became very popular and people had to know in-side details about the show prior to finding out through watching each episode. “Online forums offer an opportunity for participants to share their knowledge and opinions. In this chapter I hope to bring to the readers inside the spoiling community to learn more about how it works and how it impacts the reception of a popular television series,” (Jenkins 2006.) Before the internet the idea of spoiling did not exist in the same way or at all. If it did, it was through print media. The idea of spoiling online is effective because the Internet provides access to a many people in a variety of locations that could not be access as quickly and easily prior to the Internet. “Collective intelligence refers to this ability of virtual communities to leverage the combined expertise of their members. What we cannot know or do on our own, we may now be able to do collectively,” (Jenkins 2006.) This may never have taken place without the internet. It would have been much harder to get people to work collectively, communicating through print and TV. This access to people and collective knowledge is so new that people are not always prepared for its side effects, which is unique to the medium. “The question was whether, within a knowledge community, one has the right to not know – or more precisely, whether each community member should be able to set the terms of how much they want to know and when they want to know it,”(Jenkins 2006.) The article points out that, when using a new access to the media, it is important to be prepared for the consequences. Using the example in the book consumers find out more then they may have wanted to know about the show “Survivor” by accessing the Internet. If consumer don’t want to have everything “spoiled,” it might be better to use a medium with more regulation and slower access speed. This may be best achieve by accessing media and participating in the collective intelligence that is more of a one way communication process such as TV and radio (for the most part).
1) Would TV and print mediums have a different affect on “spoiling”? How? Would their affect still include collective intelligence (working together for the information)?
2) Do you think that the internet has influenced different mediums to increase reports on “spoiling” information – such as “Entertainment Tonight” etc.
3) Is “spoiling” as effective or as wide spread on shows like “Entertainment Tonight” as it is on the Internet? Technically, you can choose to look up this information online or find the information in print, with more control then flipping the channel and hearing and seeing the spoiling information on TV.
I have never really engaged in “spoiling” searches for TV shows etc. The “spoiling” information itself and the detail that the author paid the “Survivor” show did not really interest me. What I found interesting was the idea of collective intelligence – people putting together clues over space and time was interesting. I still have not narrowed in on a paper topic – but I did get a new idea from this reading. What are the implications of collective intelligence for solving cold cases or crimes that no one is working on? Could collective intelligence lead someone helping to see something in a different way and solve crimes in their community or someone else’s? This could just be a crazy idea – but who knows, someone might be able to work with someone else across the country and put forward new thinking and ideas.
I found it difficult to get through the narration about the “Survivor” show details. It was hard to pick out some of the important information from the narration about the show and I am not really sure what all of the details that had to do with collective intelligence. It could have been just me, but I feel like I might have missed some key concepts in the narration because I was trying so hard to piece together a logical path about the “Survivor” story itself. I think that the more time on about digital convergence would have been helpful. Other examples, those in the margin, did help illustrate a little more about collective intelligence.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Blog 1
The article “The Cultural Paradox of the Global Village” looks at how individuals use television and the internet. The two media are similar in their graphics, video and text capabilities, but differ in their applications and structure. The TV is confined in a frame work, a structure that exists outside of the self. “Television's centripetal force made the world more comprehensible and palpable, as outside reality streamed into our homes” (Frederman 2003). Individuals watch TV to connect with the outside world. The internet, Frederman argues, can become like an extension of the self. The internet has less defined space and can easily blur boundaries of watching or interacting with a media and interactions that take place in real life. “In contrast, the implosive effects of the internet generate a centrifugal socio-physical force, moving us away from the axis of rotation that centers on our body as we launch into cyberspace. The effect is disorienting and disruptive in a manner that is unique in civilization. Like the supernova of an exploding star, society is imploded and we, as individuals are flung out into a new, discarnate experience” (Frederman 2003).
Frederman makes the connections between TV brining the outside world into an individual’s environment, while in contrast the internet brings the individual into the internet or outside space. In contract is not possible to have a two way interaction through TV alone. Through the internet, however, people can communicate as they would in the outside world, weather they are playing video games, IMing each other or connecting through Facebook. The internet is now so ingrained in our culture that even if you choose not to use it, it still affects you and the culture you live in. “We have eyelids, but we have no "earlids." We cannot shut out acoustic space, or the space of relationships and connections that are all around us. This suggests that we cannot shut out the effects of the Internet on our culture and society, even if we choose not to use the Internet directly.”
In fact the internet is becoming an integral part to society and how we function, because we use the internet for work, recreation or to get things done. “Our identity has, for many years, existed quite independent of our physical incarnation in government, financial and other institutional databases. We are not real to the bank or other authorities unless we can produce something that links our physical self to our "real identity" in their database. We have many versions of this digital identity - or digiSelf, as I like to call it - spread among many databases, each with its unique characteristics, and inferred behaviors. Each one is more real to the institution - and ironically, to the people in that institution - than our physical self, what we consider to be our real self.” The idea of the “digiSelf” is very interesting and an entire article could explore this topic alone. Just the idea of what the future will look like as we all move away from the physical self and more towards the “digiSelf.” The questions explored in the end of the article are very interesting. How do you reconcile the “digiSelf” and the world as it currently is? What will the future look like; will there always be a physical and “digiSelf” or will the physical world cease to exist in most ways? Do you as a physical being have less affect on the world then you as a cyber being?
The introduction to “Convergence Culture” touched on two major themes: the convergence of media and how we access media. Discussion around question; what drives accelerated media technology? Is it driven by demand from consumers or by corporate entities? What are the implications for these rapid developments? Do we as consumers demand the merging of media entities like movies and video games? Or is the convergence another way for corporations to blanket the consumers with products that will appeal to a broader audience. This is just like the discussion about which came first – the chicken or the egg, yet in reality a little of both occur. “Convergence, as we can see, is both a top-down corporate-driven process and a bottom-up consumer driven process,” (Jenkins 2006). Both corporations and consumers drive convergences of media as well as furthering technology to make media more malleable.
Consumers not only utilize new media but they come to expect their voices to be heard in the development of new technology to access media. “The promises of this new media environment raise expectations of a freer flow of ideas and content. Inspired by these ideals, consumers are fighting for the right to participate more fully in their culture” (Jenkins 2006). It seems ironic that consumers are able to push for advanced technology with features they want because of the media conglomerate structure. With such large monopolies on media and technology it is interesting that such big corporations can adjust to consumers needs. “Convergence requires media companies to rethink old assumptions about what it means to consume media, assumptions that shape both programming and marketing decisions” (Jenkins 2006). I understand the money makes the world go round and that consumers are the ones with a certain level of power because they are doing the buying, however I don’t usually think of big companies being so nimble and able to quickly adjust to consumer needs.
A corporation makes new and exciting technology and then suddenly consumers cannot live without it. What is hard to figure out for corporations is: what is the next cutting edge and will the technology catch on? “As they undergo this transition, the media companies are not behaving in a monolithic fashion; often, different divisions of the same company are pursuing radically different strategies, reflecting their uncertainty about how to proceed. On the one hand, convergence represents an expanded opportunity for media conglomerates, since content that succeeds in one sector can spread across other platforms” (Jenkins 2006). A complete miss though might mean an even bigger loss for a company because competition and expectations from consumers are so high.
A final thought, relating “The Cultural Paradox of the Global Village” and the introduction of “Convergence Culture” is what Jenkins points out in this one sentence, “Each time they move a viewer from television to the internet, say, there is a risks that the consumer may not return (Jenkins 2006). I wonder, is this really a risk – because I think it will happen. Isn’t this reality? I would think that as we are trying to simplify everything and have all media flow through a single “black box” that a company would try to get there first. Coming out with the technology and creating a significant need in the consumer seems like a safe bet to me, but why has it not already happened. We have the capabilities to do this now – so why isn’t the single black box more popular? Is it that companies make more money by selling multiple lines of TVs, computers, dvd players etc.?
In addition to this question I wonder – is it realistic to think that there should be some censorship for youth with all kinds of media being so available on their cell phones etc.? Is there really a way to regulate what they can access and should laws be passed or should these restrictions be left completely up to parents? The example that was referenced in the book about teenagers being able to capture soft-core porn on their cell phones – in reality there is no way to stop them from capturing these images on their phones but can this activity be considered illegal if it is found? Should it be considered illegal in the case of minors?
Both readings have helped me to start thinking about what I can do for a final project because they have exposed to new concepts that have me asking questions. The concepts that we have explored through these readings are interesting – I just need to figure out what topic I am interested in so that I can apply, if appropriate. I think the more specific I get the easier it will be for me explore a topic in-depth.
What I would like to understand better is page 14. in “Convergence Culture,” “Delivery systems are simply technology , media are also cultural systems.” Can’t technology also be cultural – the examples used, also in the introduction were examples about 8-Track etc. Aren’t these also cultural?
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