| Optional Part of Flickr Assignment - Smugmug |
[Nov. 28th, 2005|09:20 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  pensive | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | You're beautiful - James Blunt | ] |
The service that I found that is like Flickr is Smugmug (www.smugmug.com). It is also a photo sharing site which allows you to upload and post photos in albums that you create using the site. Smugmug seems to promote the fact that using their site you can post very large photos in your albums and so I think this is something that might attract people to join. Like Flickr, you can also link your photos to various Weblogs as well as Ebay auctions if you sell things on Ebay and want to display pictures of your items. Also like Flickr, Smugmug allows you various privacy settings including deciding who can download or post comments to you pictures. I think that Smugmug might be a bit better than Flickr only because after perusing through the site it seems to have more options available to users. The only thing that I like better about Flickr is that it allows you a free account. Smugmug only allows a free trial of 7 days, and then you have to pay if you wish to remain a member. |
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| Week 12: The Child and the Machine |
[Nov. 28th, 2005|09:07 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  loved | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Stevie Wonder: Isn't she lovely | ] |
This week I read the article entitled “The Child and the Machine” and I found it interesting and easy to read. I also found a lot of what was talked about in the article meaningful because we have learned some of the points mentioned in our language development class, some of these being the importance that oral language has on children’s learning as well as the quality of this oral language that they are hearing. More importantly though is the issue that increasingly computers are replacing many of children’s interactions with written language and print. Nowadays, not many people actually go to the library to do research. These things can now be done efficiently and effectively from the comforts of one’s own home. But the fact remains that children need those important interactions with books and print on paper.
I must admit, I am guilty of the no-library form of research, but I think that the difference is that I’ve only started this trend recently. Most young adults my age went through the library, encyclopedia and book searches throughout elementary school and most of high school when internet based research wasn’t as popular.
The article makes the point of electronic storybooks which are popular among many children today. Although the are a great way of having the child interact with the story, ask questions and form ideas, the authors state that the actual story begins to take a backseat to the fancy audio and visual things that come along with it. I agree that this may not be such a good thing for children. I think the value of actually turning the pages of a storybook while reading or being read to is very important. I still bring back memories when I get a whiff of that smell of books from the school library, and I remember how I enjoyed having my mom and older sister read me the stories that I brought home. These are the types of memories that I wouldn’t have if I had spent the majority of my time reading from the computer screen. |
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| Week 12 - Article: The Technology of Difference, and TuxPaint |
[Nov. 21st, 2005|07:09 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  indescribable | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Golden Oldies coming from my mom's radio | ] |
This week I read Jason’s chapter entitled “The Technology of Difference: ASCII, Hegemony, and the Internet” and also read the quick article about the Open Source drawing program called TuxPaint.
The chapter highlighted a lot of concerns about the dominance of English all over the Internet. I never really understood just how deep the roots of English go in the world of technology. I guess I just thought that other countries speaking difference languages had programming in their own languages, that only makes sense right? Well, I was quite surprised to read that not only is English the dominant language, but there is no escaping it! The article explains that you cannot participate in the creation of software without using English, and I began to imagine all the brilliant people living in all areas of the world that would have to face this barrier. Now I’m sure that many people who are proficient in areas of technology are also familiar with English, but what about those that are not? What a pain it must be to have to learn a bunch of English terminology in order to create a program that YOU invented. Its almost as if it is not longer your own after you get finished playing around with it and adding a bunch of commands that you had to spend time learning.
Apart from this issue, the article also raised many important issue about the problem of control of the Internet by many large corporations, and the fact that when using programs from companies like Microsoft, Sun Microsystems and Intel they are basically controlling the way that we are able to communicate online. I found it interesting to read that with every keystroke of a keyboard, there is a response from the computer that was created by someone else. As I sit here in front of my computer, I have somewhat of the sense that I am exerting some sort of control over what the computer does. I point, click or type and the computer does what I tell it to right? Wrong, because before me, someone else, somewhere else designed the commands and chose just what would happen when I, or you or that other person over there points, clicks or types, so really how much control do I have, very little it seems, and that concept is a little disturbing.
Really quick, the article about TuxPaint was interesting. I think it is great that the program is Open Source and is available to anyone in a variety of different languages. I hope that we begin to see more software that shares the Tux Paint project’s goal of making educational Open Source software available to anyone that wants it. |
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| Week 11-Shooting back: Children and digital photography |
[Nov. 14th, 2005|05:01 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  hungry | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Goo Goo Dolls-Better Days | ] |
I’ve been taking pictures since I was a really young child, mostly just for fun, but I’m proud to say that many of my pictures have actually made it to family photo albums that we still sometimes pull out and have a look at. I guess I didn’t really understand how different of a concept it was that children could know how, or be allowed to take pictures with a camera because I’d been exposed to that since I was probably about four or five. More and more however, I beginning to understand how interesting of a concept this is to people from all the research that has been done examining what children frequently take pictures of.
Last week I took a look at the website of the Children as Photographers study and I did notice many of the things that the study found, namely the difference in the things that children at different ages take pictures of. This week I read Stewart’s article about the study, and the part that made the most sense to me was the declaration that older children are more able to discuss intent when reflecting about why they shot a certain picture. My three-year-old cousin loves to snap pictures using a disposable camera, and she repeatedly takes pictures of the same things; her bed, her dolls, her books, all things that are in her room. I haven’t tried, but I don’t think that if I asked her why she was taking these pictures that she would have an answer for me. Most likely she’d say that she likes her stuff in her room and that’s why! Good enough for someone who’s three! On the other hand, I have cousins who are much older, 9 and 12, and I’m positive that their answer to the same question would be much more detailed and express a lot more explanation and intent. |
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| Beautiful Sunset! |
[Nov. 13th, 2005|08:27 am] |
This is an awesome picture! I just happened to stumble upon it on the web. The photographer must be a very talented guy...
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| Week 10 - AccessGrid experience in class |
[Nov. 8th, 2005|01:57 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  worried | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Clicking of keys of computer keyboards in the lab... | ] |
Last week's lab was a really interesting experience. At first I was a little bit freaked out because I felt like I was watching television, but the huge difference was that I could talk to the screen, and he would answer back! I found myself sitting in amazement for at least 3 minutes before I even said anything to my friends who were sitting around me! Then I couldn't stop talking, saying things like "this is creepy" which it was. I can't really explain exactly why I felt it was creepy...maybe because I felt like we were invading on his privacy and likewise he was invading on ours. When you are able to watch everything that someone is doing, and hear what they are saying too, while being in two totally different cities across the province, the reality of the engagement changes, and it changes a lot!
I found myself thinking, what if conferences like this became so popular, that they replaced the telephone, or at least became a more popular method of conversation. It would take a while for me to coach myself to stop making facial expression that display my boredom or annoyance with things that people (especially my boyfriend) would say on the phone, because they could see me! I would definitely get caught red...faced more times than I should.
I really did enjoy the experience, even if I was a bit puzzled and shocked at the beginning. I think technology like this would be great for connecting families that are separated living in different countries. My mom always comments on how she misses my grandmother and wishes that she could see her more often, but with us being here, and my grandmother living in Portugal, this isn’t as possible as we would like. Now…all I have to do is rob a bank so I can afford one of these things…hahaha |
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| Week 9 readings |
[Oct. 31st, 2005|09:56 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | scared | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Spooky Halloween noises from the house across the street | ] |
This was probably the worst week for me with not being able to access the readings! The first, and the last sites did not work for me so I wasn’t able to view them, but the second and third did work, so that will be my topic of discussion for today!
The article called “Metaportal for a megatrend” was really intersting to read, and it got me interested in seeing what the class tomorrow will be like. A lot of the terminology that was used in the article went right over my head, but I think I was able to get the gist of it. From what I understand, these AccessGrids are huge screens that enable two sides of a meeting to see, hear and communicate with eachother as if they were in the same room together. I think the benefits of this are great. As the article mentioned, this allows for meeting with people across the globe that are more productive than flying people in from different countries (although sometimes it might be nice to travel, sometimes it may not be possible for whatever reason). I was especially interested by the mention of conducting meetings via the AccessGrid after September 11th, when people did not want to fly. I think this technology is great, and it will advance our world in many beneficial ways.
I really enjoyed reading the article entitled “Children as Photographers”. I actually also visited the website which displays the actual pictures that the children in this study took with the one-time use cameras. I looked at the pictures broken down by the age of the children who took them. Even before I read the results in the article, I made my own notes about the differences that I was able to see between the age groups. I noticed that they 7-year old children largely took pictures of their toys and objects that would presumably be found in their rooms. The pictures shot by the 11-year olds seemed to include a lot of buildings, probably reflecting pictures that they have seen, or that they have seen their parents take. With the 15-year olds, I noticed a large amount of pictures taken of friends, and this was no surprise. At age 15, friends are your reason for being, and so it was understandable why they made up such a bulk of the pictures that this age group took.
I think it is great to expose young children to various elements of technology, it is everywhere in our society so its good for children to experiment and explore while they are young, so they will build a curiosity to learn more as they grow older. |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 24th, 2005|10:03 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  tired | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Kelly Clarkson : You found me | ] |
This week’s readings were definitely interesting…Hard to plow through, but interesting.
First, I read “Race In/For Cyberspace: Identity Tourism and Racial Passing on the Internet” by Lisa Nakamura. I was intrigued by her suggestion that while not specifying a specific race in their profile, the players were still evoking concepts of race through their physical descriptions of their characters. She gives the example of a player who does not enter a description of race, but describes their character as having “blond hair and blue eyes”, and states that this character will be assumed to be white. I think that in situations where people are choosing to engage in experiences with virtual reality, people should be left to describe themselves in whatever way they choose, without getting criticism from anyone else. I found it funny however, that this program requires players to enter a gender for their character, but that race is not a requirement. I don’t think this makes sense, either everything is required, or nothing is required and people can enter as little or as much information as they like.
Next, I read “A Rape in Cyberspace” by Julian Dibbel, and while reading this article, I felt more like I was reading a twisted sort of story, where you wonder what is going to happen next with the characters, but are almost afraid to find out. If nothing else, I was able to take away from this article a better understanding of how LambdaMOO operates, and I also got more of a sense of how much time people actually spend on programs such as these, and how scary it is that people take these virtual realities SO seriously. Yes I was glad that Mr. Bungle ended up getting ‘toaded’ but I was shocked at the extend to which some of the players got involved in this issue like it was real life. I’m sure that many of those people had much more productive things to be doing like catching up on work or spending time with family and friends. The comment in the article about the woman who sat in front of the computer with tears streaming down her face really had me shaking my head. I think its time to turn off the computer and get back in to REAL LIFE if you are taking virtual reality so seriously.
Finally I read “Bridging the digital divide: The impact of race on computer access and Internet use” by Novak Hoffman. Out of the three articles, I think I learned the most from this one because it does a very good job of illustrating the divide between computer access and usage along lines of race, income and education. I especially enjoyed how the ending of the article offers suggestions to improve the findings on computer access and Internet usage. They state that if computers are more accessible to everyone, then increased usage is sure to follow. This seems like common sense, but then why is it so hard to get these people with little to no computer and Internet skills on a computer and to have them explore and experience using the computer and the Internet?
Sorry…this post was a little long, but the articles were long too and I had a lot to say! :) |
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| Week 7 readings - Tech and the family sphere |
[Oct. 15th, 2005|01:54 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  busy | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Much Music Countdown from the t.v | ] |
This week’s readings were interesting to say the least. To start, I read “Seductions of Sim: Policy as a Simulation Game” by Paul Starr. I found a lot of this article to be very interesting, but also a lot of it just went over my head. The parts where the author begins talking about various aspects of American politics really had my eyes glazing over! But what I did take from this article was a better understanding of the ways in which computer simulation programs are of use in different aspects of societal functioning. I really enjoyed reading about the Sim programs. As I am completely unfamiliar with these games, I found myself nodding me head while reading about the different ways that adults and children can interact positively with this game. The beginning of the article makes reference to ‘edutainment’ games where children engage in games that deal with traditional subjects. I particularly like the example given of a game called “Mathblasters” where children are asked to solve math problems in order to fuel a rocket ship and send it into outer space. I think that games like these are good for children to experiment with. When they get a little older then, they can cross over into the simulation games, such as the Sim series, that the article talks about. I think it would be a great idea to implement games such as these into the curriculum where appropriate. As the article also states, sometimes this type of interactive learning is much more beneficial and can teach a child much more than any textbook.
Secondly, I perused around the mediafamily.org website and was amazed at the wealth of information available to parents from this site. The thing that caught my eye was a press release informing parents of the explicit content included in the latest Grand Theft Auto video game from Playstation. This type of information is SO important for parents to know because so many of them think that these games are for kids when really they are NOT! I liked how the website had many informative links to sites about other popular video games and movies to help parents distinguish between what is and is not appropriate for their children.
Finally, I did read through Daniel Dern’s article entitled “Open Source Household”, but really didn’t get much more from it other than the description of how his children are comfortable with computers, and are able to program with different open software. I do agree with many of his points that it is good for children to understand about how computers work so that they can benefit from this knowledge, but not all children are born to be, or interested in being computer programmers! Sometimes just a solid, comfortable knowledge of computers and technology would be sufficient. |
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| Week 6 reading: Social Hacking |
[Oct. 10th, 2005|10:58 am] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  sick | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Stuffed up sounds in my head...can't hear anything else | ] |
This article on surveillance in social networks beings a whole new meaning to the term ‘paranoia’. I knew that there are limits to what sort of information you should give out on the Internet due to their sensitivity and possibility that it could fall into the wrong hands. But I always thought that as long as I didn’t give away my credit card or SIN number that I would be okay. After reading this article however, I’m beginning to see that even things like interests, friends and the ‘lingo’ that you use in chat rooms can give a “hacker of humans” all the information that they need to cause trouble.
The article makes reference to the ‘dead’ information that is floating around on the Internet, and explains how these hackers combine the living and dead information to create an identity map of a person. It also states that much of the information that is found could be fabricated and completely untrue. This made me think of the stories that you see in the tabloids or on gossip shows on television, where they say that they are bringing you ‘facts’ that they uncovered. And somewhere you have an influential person in society who is sadly staring at the television screen, watching their reputation be ruined by information that is not true. It sickens me to think that there are people out there that make social surveillance a hobby and use it to hurt or embarrass other people.
The part in the article that worries me the most is the fact that there is no way for you to know of you are being watched. This is where the newfound paranoia sets in! I guess it means that we have to be even more careful than we already hopefully are being. Especially with children! This reinforces the absolute need for parents to know what their children are getting into on the Internet. It is well known that children love chatting in chat rooms. I remember being a kid and just reveling in the fact that I was talking to people from all places in the world. With the potential for people to just be sitting quiet in chat rooms and gathering information, it makes it all the more important for children to be monitored and for regular discussion between parents and children to take place about Internet and chat room safety. |
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| Week 5 articles - EFF and CCT |
[Oct. 3rd, 2005|04:39 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | hungry | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Everything - Alanis Morissette | ] |
The first article that I chose to comment on came from the EFF website and is called “Caution: Children at play on the information highway; Access to adult networks holds hazards”. This article, although it is a bit dated (1993) deals with some interesting issues regarding censoring inappropriate material on the Internet so that children are not exposed to it. The article raises the point that parents need to be more aware of what their children are doing on the computer. It uses the example of dropping your child at the mall for the afternoon, and how parents lay down the rules like “don’t talk to strangers”. But, when parents give their child a computer, they just let them run free without any boundaries which should be in place. I agree that parents need to become more involved in what their children are engaged in on the computer, and I think it is a good idea for parents and children to explore computer technology together, and have conversations about what they learn.
The article also raises the issue of the danger of computer addiction. Children might not necessarily be getting into inappropriate things online, but they might just be online ALL THE TIME. This deals with health issues as well. We always hear that it isn’t good for children to spend all their time in front of the television, but its also not healthy for them to be in front of the computer all day either! Parents should be engaging their children in physical activities that stimulate their bodies and their minds as well.
The second article I looked at came from the Center for Children and Technology, and it is called “Assessment of 21st Century Skills: The Current Landscape”. This article deals with teaching children skills that they will need in order to be prepared for life in this day and age. Some of the skills mentioned were critical thinking and analytical skills, communication skills and an understanding of different countries and cultures. I believe that all these things are very important. Children need to learn how to be critical and analytical thinkers, but this is a tough concept to teach unless it is taught well, and begins in the primary grades in school. I can remember completing problem solving questions in school that were just ridiculous and had nothing to do with the real world or anything in it. For children to learn these skills, they have to be able to relate them to their lives and the world that they live in.
From what I understand, both the EFF and Center for Children and Technology are sites which aim to educate and inform on issues regarding technology and society. Just from skimming over a few articles on each, I would say that they are useful sources of information for anyone interested in delving deeper into the realms of technology and its relationship to various facets of society. |
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| Jorgensen article and underwater cameras |
[Sep. 26th, 2005|07:39 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| | sleepy | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Trees rustling outisde the window | ] |
My opinions on the issues raised in this article are somewhat divided. On one hand I feel that webcams are a positive item of technology because of their ability to monitor what goes on in the nursery school and ensure the children’s safety. On the other hand, this article raised one issue that I had not previously thought of, and that is the idea that parents are watching these feeds in order to “discipline” the nursery school teachers caring for their children.
My first reaction to the idea of webcams in a nursery school was a positive one. I immediately thought that the primary use of these cameras by the parents would be to ensure the safety of the children, as well as giving the parents the opportunity to check in once in a while and feel safe that their child was enjoying their time and adjusting positively. These ideas were expressed in the article, but the issue of parents watching to “discipline” the teachers was what disturbed me.
In a perfect world, you would assume that parents would do some research into the different nursery schools available, make a decision on where to enroll their child, then have faith in their decision. Yes I believe that parents should stay actively involved in the happenings of the centre. However, I think this should be done by actually getting to know the teachers, talking to them and visiting the nursery school, not by sitting in front of a computer, watching streamed pictures with no audio and making your own interpretations of what is going on. I think that parents who have the mentality that they use the cameras to “discipline” or watch the teachers would be looking for something to find fault in and cause conflict.
Underwater Camera: I had never heard of this before reading the news article about the small child that was saved using this technology. I think that it is a great idea, and would be pleased to see it become more popular and used more frequently. This should also definitely be something that would be available to families for their own backyard pools, although unfortunately it would most likely be very expensive. |
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| Can't see your entries... |
[Sep. 24th, 2005|01:17 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  confused | ] |
Sue and Emily;
I've been looking for your entries so that I can reply to them, but I can't find them! I know that you both have been posting, but they are not in your journal or the friends section...help!
-Angela |
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| Halavais Article Response |
[Sep. 19th, 2005|06:58 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  enthralled | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Van Morrison: Brown Eyed Girl | ] |
I enjoyed reading Alexander Halavais’ article Weblogs and collaborative web publishing as learning spaces because it opened up more information on this topic and allowed me to understand it in a different light.
Halavais makes many important points regarding the usefulness of weblogging as a social and educational tool for students of various ages. The most prevalent idea that I picked up on was the notion that those engaging in blogging become part of a group, or community in which they can engage in regular socialization with people while sharing their ideas and comments on a multitude of subjects. I think that this is something that is very valuable, and something that in the early stages of this course, I have had the opportunity to enjoy.
Halavais also makes reference to the idea that respect from one’s peers is highly valued. To me, this relates to the comments that we receive from our classmates regarding the posts that we publish. It is a good feeling to read something that someone has said about something you have written, good or not-so-good. The fact that someone takes the time to read what you have written, and comment on it is indeed very valuable.
I do agree that children could benefit a lot from participating in online blogging where they have the opportunity to share their thoughts with classmates and peers, and receive feedback. I believe that in most cases, this would serve as a confidence builder in children as they begin to see that their opinions matter and make sense to other people. Especially for children who may not have good communicative relationships at home, participating in Weblogs and collaborative web publishing could reassure these children that there are people who value their thoughts and opinions and are willing to listen. |
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| Post for LJ Lab #1 |
[Sep. 13th, 2005|05:40 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  chipper | ] |
This is actually going not-too-bad for me. I'm feeling kinda good, not too many questions yet...trying to upload a picture but it keeps telling me that the size is too big. Has to be smaller that 40k, but none of my pics are smaller that 40k! Oh well, I'll find something. Completing the worksheet was decent. Some stuff I had already done at home so that was good. The part that had me stuck was trying to "friend" someone, but after some fiddling I figured it out.
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| Family game night anyone? |
[Sep. 12th, 2005|05:59 pm] |
| [ | Current Mood |
| |  mellow | ] |
| [ | Current Music |
| | Coldplay: Fix You | ] |
After reading both of Sherry Turkle’s articles, I found myself shaking my head and wondering what on Earth this world is becoming. I think that both articles did a good job of describing some interesting (and scary) experiences with computers and technology by both adults and children.
Primarily, I had never before heard of this MUD program where individuals (or are they really…) can create different characters and “play” this virtual game with other MUDders who are doing the same thing. I found myself reading the text with my mouth gaped open in a funny sort of awe and confusion. One part really got to me where the article described one man whose MUD character “was a woman who was pretending to be a man”, and this person said that the virtual life was “more interesting that my own”. This to me shows that many people in this world are missing out on what life is really supposed to be about. Life is supposed to be about “real” relationships that deal with face-to-face interactions and emotion. It’s about experiences that one cannot participate in while sitting in front of the computer screen, pretending to be someone who they are not.
This article was cleverly contrasted with the one about Children’s interaction with computerized games and toys, and their ability to distinguish true reality from the “reality” they get on the computer screen. In this article you have a lot of confused children who are having trouble telling the difference between something that is alive, or not. Descriptions like “sort of alive” given by a girl in the article show that they don’t entirely understand. People say that children from these days are better suited because they have been exposed to varying forms of technology from an early age, but if they think that a robot is alive because it moves around a maze, is this really the case?
Perhaps these children are products of the adults who are lost in their own fictional or “parallel life” on the computer as well. What ever happened to good old fashion family board game night? The kind where you spent time interacting with your family and actually had to physically roll a tangible set of dice and move your playing piece across the board… |
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| The Incredibles |
[Sep. 9th, 2005|06:47 pm] |
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I Hadn't seen this movie before seeing it in class, so it was enjoyable and entertaining to watch. What does the movie say about technology and the family? To me, I got the impression that these two don't mix. Every example of technology in the movie that I can remember were shown in places other than at home with the family, such as the secret lair of Mr.Incredible's "mysterious" employer, and Edna's magnificent suit-making factory. Both of these places incorporated such high tech environments that it was impossible not to notice. Then you have the family, who is busy trying to be as normal as possible, and no apparent examples of technology are surrounding them. In addition, the characters seem uncomfortable with items of high technology, like when Mr. Incredible gets the secret message about his secret assignment. He jumps at the sight of the high-tech messenger gadget, and barely knows how to hold it. Even the example of Mr. Incredible's car struck me. It wasn't until he agreed to take the assignment, and profited from his labours, that Mr. incredible was able to go from his "ho-hum" vehicle to the "wowza"-type car that he drove afterward. These examples suggest to me that the message is technology and the family have separate places in the world. That technology is something foreign, existing only around influential and wealthy people, and "normal" families can only take part if they become involved with those influential people in whatever way. Maybe the ending of the movie would change my view in a way on this topic, for that we will have to see. However from what I saw, I think that the message being conveyed is that technology is something that belongs in the outside world, but not in the home alongside the family's everyday lives. |
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acarreiro's journal