So the last day of blogging is here!! And I must say I'm very glad!
After my 56 blogs I feel that that is enough blogging for me, for ever.
I think for this unit it has been a good way to learn about technology and communication first hand. But I most definitely prefer face-to-face interaction!!
If we did this again, I would try my hardest to comment on peoples blogs more and try to be more open minded about online learning! I still prefer normal seminars and lectures though!!!
Friday, 27 March 2009
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Week 9 and 10-- Ideas over MSN
So me and Hannah thought it would be a good idea to try and share our ideas and communicate via a chat services to try and get to grips with question 2 as we were both struggling to get to grips with it at first, we also though this is a good way to truly see the difference between face-to-face discussions and online. The main advantages we found was the flexibility, we didn't have to set a specific time and arrange when and where to meet, we just meet online, much less hassle! It also made it much easier to discuss and share research we'd found with one another, as all we had to do was send each other a link.
However the major down falls of online communicating like this is that it seem a lot harder to get my points and ideas across, it can sometimes be hard to phrase what your trying to say, where as in face-to-face communication this seems much easier. It also meant that we could interrupt what each other was saying with out meaning to, as you don't fully know if someones finished their point, also the fact of my internet crashing and the hassle of having to wait for everything to reload.
Overall I think it helped us, as it was a quick way to see what each other thought about the question and share any ideas, and I know it helped clear up my confusion surrounding the question.
Thanks Hannah!!!!!!!!!
However the major down falls of online communicating like this is that it seem a lot harder to get my points and ideas across, it can sometimes be hard to phrase what your trying to say, where as in face-to-face communication this seems much easier. It also meant that we could interrupt what each other was saying with out meaning to, as you don't fully know if someones finished their point, also the fact of my internet crashing and the hassle of having to wait for everything to reload.
Overall I think it helped us, as it was a quick way to see what each other thought about the question and share any ideas, and I know it helped clear up my confusion surrounding the question.
Thanks Hannah!!!!!!!!!
Week 9 and 10- Question 2
What difference to all this might the 'digital divide' make?
a) To socioeconomically related access issues within a society? b) To global access issues across countries and regions?
Sources:
a) To socioeconomically related access issues within a society? b) To global access issues across countries and regions?
The digital divide and socioeconomically related access issues within any society can be seen all over the world, the effects are most likely to be negative. However there are many sources that state there is actually action taking place to tackle this digital divide to try and make everyone have equal access. But today there is still a huge divide within society's, the main divide is between those who are 'digitally rich and digitally poor' and the effects that less access to technology has on people, whether it be in work, school or everyday life and the disadvantage it then leaves those people with. Its not all about access though, but what you gain from this access. The divide that we've looked into of digital natives and immigrants certainly isn't the only one out there, the socioeconomic divide is about the gap between those who have high status and those who have low status (digitally rich or poor) those who benefit more from technology, not just computers but digital televisions etc, are those who are much more affluent. It seems that the less affluent are being ignored and that companies don't bother to design technology for them as they see that there is no market, this obviously means if they can't afford to buy the technology they will have a lot less access than those who can, they will be able to access it at school or work,but not in their own time when they can look into things they want too. This then increases the divide between the two groups of people within a society. It also means that theory's such as Prenskys may not always apply, for example children who are from a less affluent family might not have the access to a computer or other forms of technology at home, therefore leaving the only time they have access to them during school, how can they then be classed as a 'digital native' if their not surrounded by technology all the time as Prensky states. This then makes the social divide between children at school bigger, its not just their class divides but their technological divide.
When thinking about it on a global scale and the access issues that there are the most obvious is the difference between countries such as the UK, USA,China and all developed countries and 'third world countries' and those that are still developing.
The problem that I think makes the global access issue more major is that it effects everyone in certain countries, its not just those who are less affluent, its in some cases everyone in that country, including those in authority. If people in some countries have little,if any access to the internet in particular, then of course they will feel disadvantaged than those that do, the fact the internet is used to find out so much information, then courses a gap and difference in knowledge between countries which increases this divide. It is the financial situation that has made this divide occur, as those third world countries just can't afford the technologies that western countries can. To me it doesn't seem fair that these countries are getting left behind, their general knowledge of everything, especially diseases (Like seen on the Africa elearning sites ) could be so much better if they had access to the internet.
When thinking about it on a global scale and the access issues that there are the most obvious is the difference between countries such as the UK, USA,China and all developed countries and 'third world countries' and those that are still developing.
The problem that I think makes the global access issue more major is that it effects everyone in certain countries, its not just those who are less affluent, its in some cases everyone in that country, including those in authority. If people in some countries have little,if any access to the internet in particular, then of course they will feel disadvantaged than those that do, the fact the internet is used to find out so much information, then courses a gap and difference in knowledge between countries which increases this divide. It is the financial situation that has made this divide occur, as those third world countries just can't afford the technologies that western countries can. To me it doesn't seem fair that these countries are getting left behind, their general knowledge of everything, especially diseases (Like seen on the Africa elearning sites ) could be so much better if they had access to the internet.
Sources:
Week 9 and 10--Question 6
How does the semantic web differ from web 3.0?
Web 3.0 is a new type of internet that is as of yet only being imagined for 2020.
Web 3.0 will be a lot smarter and will supposedly make searching for things, such as restaurants, movies , information in general much easier. "Instead of multiple searches, you might type a complex sentence or two in your Web 3.0 browser, and the Web will do the rest" It will look at the whole sentence, not just searching for words, many articles state that it may be like a personal assistant and as you search the web the browser will start to learn your interests and eventually you may not need to ask specific questions. It seems to be thought that the browser will start to know things about you much like a real person would, For example when you search for restaurants, it will remember what sort of food you like by what sort of restaurants you've searched for previously and will already know your location, therefore making everything a lot easier, along with using information taken from your personal laptop or computer and connecting and relating things when necessary.Web 3.0 is a new type of internet that is as of yet only being imagined for 2020.
When I first looked into the semantic web and web 3.0 it seemed to me that their very similar, some websites state that they are in fact the same thing and many suggest that to get web 3.0 you have to take web 2.0 and add the semantic web.
The only difference that I can find after researching is that web 3.0 is about personalising the web for each user with the use of a browser that will over time remember your previous choices and searches and take these in to consideration when you next use the search engine. Whereas the semantic web is more about giving users as many results as possible and linking all the information together through the many different databases that are within the web.
If anyone has anymore ideas about this question,please share? I found it difficult to find the difference!!!
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Week 9 and 10-Question 5
What is the 'semantic web'?
The semantic web is described by many websites as an extension of the world wide web.
Semantic means 'the meaning of' something, and the semantic web is to do with the meaning of the information that can be found on the web ( 'A web with meaning') it seems to be mesh of information that is all linked up in a certain way so machines can easily process it on a global scale.
'The Semantic Web is a web that is able to describe things in a way that computers can understand'. It appears to be about computers and machines being able to understand and process information in a much easier way allowing them to sort information in a way that is much more beneficial for users.
'Intelligent web applications could collect information from many different sources, combine information, and present it to users in a meaningful way.' Its also meant to help users in finding exactly what there looking for and "is about having data as well as documents on the Web so that machines can process, transform, assemble, and even act on the data in useful ways."
Note: I don't know if this is totally right, I struggled with this question!
Sources used :
The semantic web is described by many websites as an extension of the world wide web.
Semantic means 'the meaning of' something, and the semantic web is to do with the meaning of the information that can be found on the web ( 'A web with meaning') it seems to be mesh of information that is all linked up in a certain way so machines can easily process it on a global scale.
'The Semantic Web is a web that is able to describe things in a way that computers can understand'. It appears to be about computers and machines being able to understand and process information in a much easier way allowing them to sort information in a way that is much more beneficial for users.
'Intelligent web applications could collect information from many different sources, combine information, and present it to users in a meaningful way.' Its also meant to help users in finding exactly what there looking for and "is about having data as well as documents on the Web so that machines can process, transform, assemble, and even act on the data in useful ways."
Note: I don't know if this is totally right, I struggled with this question!
Sources used :
Week 9 and 10- Question 4
Is there a potential problem being stored up for people if 'education' is tailored to fit into their cultural and personal preferences?
If education is tailored to fit to peoples needs and preferences I think there are definitely problems that will occur but after looking into research and articles on the matter it seems there are also some positive sides to tailored education. The positives that seem to surround this idea of tailored education is that it will supposedly try to 'tackle achievement gaps between children from different social and ethnic groups', its also suggested that tailored education for every child will build their strength in basic skills 'while stretching their aspirations', this is all well a good but it seems that most of this tailored education will benefit those who are more able and have more academic success than those who struggle. Will this just be in schools that have more opportunities, private and grammar schools.
I think that if you try to tailor education to peoples personal cultural preferences they may become very narrow minded. If the youth only learn about their individual culture and are educate in either a one to one bases or put in groups with others who have the same preferences, how will they learn to accept other cultures and understand them. I think it will increase divides within society and even course more trouble for schools and parents, when their children don't understand why different religions, ethnicity's and even classes have different ways of living. Why is separating people in to groups to learn a good thing? education is all about broadening minds and to stretch people to learn new things whilst interacting with a range of other students; if your with a group that all believe and think exactly the same there's no chance in becoming more open minded and learning about new cultural things. Also those who are less academically able will be put into groups with others who are and then therefore will not be pushed as far as those who have more success, I think all students should have the same standard of education and that everyone needs to be pushed to work harder.
Sources used:
If education is tailored to fit to peoples needs and preferences I think there are definitely problems that will occur but after looking into research and articles on the matter it seems there are also some positive sides to tailored education. The positives that seem to surround this idea of tailored education is that it will supposedly try to 'tackle achievement gaps between children from different social and ethnic groups', its also suggested that tailored education for every child will build their strength in basic skills 'while stretching their aspirations', this is all well a good but it seems that most of this tailored education will benefit those who are more able and have more academic success than those who struggle. Will this just be in schools that have more opportunities, private and grammar schools.
I think that if you try to tailor education to peoples personal cultural preferences they may become very narrow minded. If the youth only learn about their individual culture and are educate in either a one to one bases or put in groups with others who have the same preferences, how will they learn to accept other cultures and understand them. I think it will increase divides within society and even course more trouble for schools and parents, when their children don't understand why different religions, ethnicity's and even classes have different ways of living. Why is separating people in to groups to learn a good thing? education is all about broadening minds and to stretch people to learn new things whilst interacting with a range of other students; if your with a group that all believe and think exactly the same there's no chance in becoming more open minded and learning about new cultural things. Also those who are less academically able will be put into groups with others who are and then therefore will not be pushed as far as those who have more success, I think all students should have the same standard of education and that everyone needs to be pushed to work harder.
Sources used:
Week 9 and 10- Question 1
How might Wenger's notions on practice communities relate to Prensky's on education?
Wenger suggests that Communities of practice are "groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly"(Wenger), so a group of people that have the same interests in one particular thing will learn more about it and how to participate better the more they all work together and interact. The effects of this can be seen within education and the groups that are formed.
Wenger suggests that Communities of practice are "groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly"(Wenger), so a group of people that have the same interests in one particular thing will learn more about it and how to participate better the more they all work together and interact. The effects of this can be seen within education and the groups that are formed.
Prenskys ideas around education is where the 'digital divide' comes to the forefront, with the main issue being around the difference between teachers and students and the digital language they speak. The issue is that teachers have to learn before they can communicate to the students they teach."Our Digital Immigrant instructors, who speak an outdated language (that of the pre-digital age), are struggling to teach a population that speaks an entirely new language" (Perksy) Students of today that belong to the digital native group have a completely different way of thinking and this courses problems for the digital immigrant teachers, as the students 'have little patience for lectures, step-by-step logic, and "tell-test" instruction', students want the information/education 'faster'. Prensky even goes on to suggest why not have video games as an educational tool.
When looking at the link between the two when you think about students grouping together to learn through the use of technology and the fact they want to use it to enhance their learning experience. These groups that are formed are examples of communities of practices as all the students have an interest in common, as long as the teachers can relate to the students then their is no problem, but when they can't this is where the use of video games is suggested my Prensky to eduacte both students and teachers at the same time, putting them into the same group.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Week 9 and 10- Describe the experience of a fictional technophile student in 2020.
A technophiles is someone who has a great interest and enthusiasm in technology, mainly for new technology.
Trying to think what technology will be like in next 10 years is very difficult, its obvious to everyone that it will change and advance with haste. And it seems that pretty much anything is possible to happen over the space of the next ten years.
A student will no doubt experience live very differently to any student in today's society.
I think that most lectures and seminars will be held online, Elearning in general will play a much bigger part within education. I think face-to-face education will slowly disappear, although in 2020 there may be some sort of rule that all students have to meet tutors in person at least once a week and meet their groups for group projects, but the actual lectures will just be viewed online, i think webcams may play a bigger role and you may be able to record lectures to use for further reference and maybe even use webcams to talk to lectures.
I think there will be some kind of product that incorporates everything needed by the everyday student, so including a computer, phone, webcam, internet etc. This all allows students to study from the comfort of their own room, no need to actually get up before a lecture!
I think the need for library such as the one here will be a lot less as all the books and information you will need will be online and Ebooks will be used much more. There will be no need to go to the library to use the printer as all work will be submitted online, essay will be emailed in before deadlines and there will be no need to fill out a sheet like at the faculty office, all your simply do is email your name and student number with your essay attached.
Thinking about all these things will mean Universities wont have to be that big, and in some case you may not even have to live in the same place as the campus, as you can just do everything online.
But who knows what live at university will be like in 2020, we'll just have to wait and see!
Trying to think what technology will be like in next 10 years is very difficult, its obvious to everyone that it will change and advance with haste. And it seems that pretty much anything is possible to happen over the space of the next ten years.
A student will no doubt experience live very differently to any student in today's society.
I think that most lectures and seminars will be held online, Elearning in general will play a much bigger part within education. I think face-to-face education will slowly disappear, although in 2020 there may be some sort of rule that all students have to meet tutors in person at least once a week and meet their groups for group projects, but the actual lectures will just be viewed online, i think webcams may play a bigger role and you may be able to record lectures to use for further reference and maybe even use webcams to talk to lectures.
I think there will be some kind of product that incorporates everything needed by the everyday student, so including a computer, phone, webcam, internet etc. This all allows students to study from the comfort of their own room, no need to actually get up before a lecture!
I think the need for library such as the one here will be a lot less as all the books and information you will need will be online and Ebooks will be used much more. There will be no need to go to the library to use the printer as all work will be submitted online, essay will be emailed in before deadlines and there will be no need to fill out a sheet like at the faculty office, all your simply do is email your name and student number with your essay attached.
Thinking about all these things will mean Universities wont have to be that big, and in some case you may not even have to live in the same place as the campus, as you can just do everything online.
But who knows what live at university will be like in 2020, we'll just have to wait and see!
Week 9 and 10-Describe the daily frustrations of a fictional neo-luddite at university now in the UK
To spend a day at a university as a Neo-Luddite would make everything so much more difficult, especially with the increase of technology within education.
A Neo-Luddite is some one who is opposed to technology and thinks that its not necessarily for society to function.
So your a Neo-Luddite and you get up to go to University ready to go to your first lecture, with out the use of a computer in your room/home you would not be able to check emails or black board to see if there has been any changes to the days schedule, therefore a lecture could be canceled or a room change could of occurred, leaving you standing outside the lecture room not knowing of any kinds of changes. So once you realise its either been canceled or moved, you decide to head to the library to kill some time before the next lecture.
You get to the library and have difficulty using the search engine to find the books you need, the books you should have gotten out last week to read for this next seminar. After spending ages trying to work the university search engine you go to get help from a library assistant, after them having to explain it to you for the second time, you finally find the books.
So you head to the next lecture ready to get on with what ever is required, however its not that easy, your lecture is in a computer room and you are expected to know how to work a computer, you go in any everyone is either on facebook or myspace, not really knowing what these sites are, You ask the person next to you, they just look at you like your crazy and laugh.
You see your friends you made from the previous weeks lecture, there all talking about the night out they had, which you where not invited to, as no one knew how to contact you. Therefore you feel left out of the conversation. Your homework for this week is to read an online article and write notes about it, to discuss next week. Meaning another long day will have to spent in the library trying to work the computers and find the source your meant to read.
You have one more seminar before you have an hour break for lunch, you arrange with your friends to meet them all at the pub on campus after your seminar. You show up and can't see them anywhere, you stand around for ten minutes and give up and go home, your friends decided to go into town instead but had no way of telling you.
So you decide to go home rather than wait about on your own, as you feel rubbish and let down, you then get a headache and don't go to your afternoon seminar, but can't email the lecture or text your friends to ask them to tell the teachers. All in all its a pretty rubbish day.
This shows just a few of the difficulties a Neo-Luddite would run into in a normal day at University and there are hundreds more that could occur. Its not just the communication aspect that would become a big problem, but the actual learning for the course, I.e. the online sources that have to be read, the use of computers and different software in seminars and practical meetings.
A Neo-Luddite is some one who is opposed to technology and thinks that its not necessarily for society to function.
So your a Neo-Luddite and you get up to go to University ready to go to your first lecture, with out the use of a computer in your room/home you would not be able to check emails or black board to see if there has been any changes to the days schedule, therefore a lecture could be canceled or a room change could of occurred, leaving you standing outside the lecture room not knowing of any kinds of changes. So once you realise its either been canceled or moved, you decide to head to the library to kill some time before the next lecture.
You get to the library and have difficulty using the search engine to find the books you need, the books you should have gotten out last week to read for this next seminar. After spending ages trying to work the university search engine you go to get help from a library assistant, after them having to explain it to you for the second time, you finally find the books.
So you head to the next lecture ready to get on with what ever is required, however its not that easy, your lecture is in a computer room and you are expected to know how to work a computer, you go in any everyone is either on facebook or myspace, not really knowing what these sites are, You ask the person next to you, they just look at you like your crazy and laugh.
You see your friends you made from the previous weeks lecture, there all talking about the night out they had, which you where not invited to, as no one knew how to contact you. Therefore you feel left out of the conversation. Your homework for this week is to read an online article and write notes about it, to discuss next week. Meaning another long day will have to spent in the library trying to work the computers and find the source your meant to read.
You have one more seminar before you have an hour break for lunch, you arrange with your friends to meet them all at the pub on campus after your seminar. You show up and can't see them anywhere, you stand around for ten minutes and give up and go home, your friends decided to go into town instead but had no way of telling you.
So you decide to go home rather than wait about on your own, as you feel rubbish and let down, you then get a headache and don't go to your afternoon seminar, but can't email the lecture or text your friends to ask them to tell the teachers. All in all its a pretty rubbish day.
This shows just a few of the difficulties a Neo-Luddite would run into in a normal day at University and there are hundreds more that could occur. Its not just the communication aspect that would become a big problem, but the actual learning for the course, I.e. the online sources that have to be read, the use of computers and different software in seminars and practical meetings.
Week 9 and 10-A person known to you who most threatens the notion of native/immigrant in digital culture.
I Think my Granddad threatens the notions of digital immigrants and natives, He has just recently turned 70 and therefore should most definitely be under the digital immigrants category according to the general concepts established by Prensky.
He works as a graphic designer and has done ever since I can remember, he used to work for a company but is now self employed and does many different types of design jobs, such as photo editing, magazine and book lay outs. He knows how to use both PC's and Mac's and owns both, he uses photoshop and knows how to use it better than anyone I know who falls under the typical digital native, i.e anyone from my generation. His accent is much more digital native than mine, especially when it comes to computers, their software and the internet, I will quite happily ask my granddad for help when I need help with my computer software and if I ever want to use a good photo printer I always go round and use his! He's always using email to keep in touch with people as well as his mobile phone.
It is obviously true that like anyone of his age (Digital Immigrants) he has had to learn how to use all this equipment, but the fact that he knows more about it than most of digital natives I know, means that he must therefore fit into the digital native category as well....??? Should it really all be down to your age as to which category you are put under.
He works as a graphic designer and has done ever since I can remember, he used to work for a company but is now self employed and does many different types of design jobs, such as photo editing, magazine and book lay outs. He knows how to use both PC's and Mac's and owns both, he uses photoshop and knows how to use it better than anyone I know who falls under the typical digital native, i.e anyone from my generation. His accent is much more digital native than mine, especially when it comes to computers, their software and the internet, I will quite happily ask my granddad for help when I need help with my computer software and if I ever want to use a good photo printer I always go round and use his! He's always using email to keep in touch with people as well as his mobile phone.
It is obviously true that like anyone of his age (Digital Immigrants) he has had to learn how to use all this equipment, but the fact that he knows more about it than most of digital natives I know, means that he must therefore fit into the digital native category as well....??? Should it really all be down to your age as to which category you are put under.
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