melsblog

2009-10-25T18:41:00.001-07:00

Marc Prenskys, “Emerging online life of the Digital native”, and David Weinberger’ s, “A New World”, both present different views of contemporary Internet users.

In light of your own experiences with technologies do you think they are accurate portrayals?

Discuss why or why not with specific examples.

Over a short period of time Technology has advanced rapidly and with it changing the daily lives of youth and adults. In the two extracts Marc Prenskys, “Emerging online life of the Digital native”, and David Weinberger’ s, “A New World” portrays two different viewpoints in a reflective way of the contemporary technology user. Prenskys describes two different groups, the Digital Native, the generation that was born into technology thus being the most knowledgeable in contempory technology and the Digital Immigrant those that where already socialized pre technology advancement and are therefore somewhat disadvantaged in this new virtual way of life. Making these two different groups tackle life and general activities totally differently. Weinberger portrayal is a little different based around the virtual world and its effect on society as one. This essay will elaborate and reflect on both extracts, and also compare with personal experience on contempory technology.

So Internet and technology is it a forcibly unstoppable problem or just a positive phenomenon for the digital Natives of today? Both Prenskys and Weinberger extracts bring good arguments, are informative and reflective in their research. In particular, Prenskys view points on varied area of change, and this comment being the most correct and outstanding observation “Online life has become an entire strategy for how to live, survive and thrive in the 21^st century where cyberspace is part of everyday life”. (Prenskys 2004).

From experience as a” Digital Native” I think that Prenskys article is accurate in the areas of change from this new found technologic life. It outlines the main points and informs us of the different ways the digital natives are approaching their lives. From this I believe the most radical change is the way that they communicate and interact with one another. The Internet has taken over traditional ways of life, instead of only being able to only call on a telephone or face to face interaction there is now the internet, that allows this communication in many different ways, at anytime, but also text messaging an personal mobile phones. Digital natives have adapted to consume information fast and at great detail. Being skilled in many different areas of technology is also of a norm, multitasking, computer games, software knowledge all are just tools in this new technologic world. To the digital immigrant it can often be overwhelming. Though many have consumed parts of it at just at a much slower pace than that of the natives. Using technology mainly for convenience and professional areas of need.

Weinberger’s views of this new technologic world are different to those of Prenskys. He mainly looks at the Webs effect on society as whole and not individual groups. He argues that this new virtual world comes with great change in an already grounded society where culture and authority differ. He states that, “If we are entering a new world, then we are also becoming new people.” (Weinberger 2002) The extract continues to use examples throughout to back up his argument and uses all of society to explore the affects not just on youth like Prenskys does. His portrayal is accurate in its own views and argues that everyone is finding their feet with technology young and old, and it is affecting the way of life in general not just specifically one group.

Both extract are informative of the radical changes on society, the positives and the negatives. Neither is right nor wrong, they are differing in their arguments, although I believe that the changes are happening majority in youth, Digital Natives at this point in life. I think that the world of networking sites such a s facebook, myspace, blogs and twitter are the biggest phenomena in society today, being the most popular exposure tool for the digital natives. Prenskys s takes Blogs as one example: these sites allow Digital Natives to share their most intimate details of their personal and emotional lives, on a weekly, daily, or even hourly basis. (Prensky 2004) Although this can have its consequences, as stated in Weinberger’s extract when 18yr old Michael Campbell took on a persona on the internet to try his acting skills, when he made a threat about finishing the job done at the Walton's high school, Columbine, in Littleton, Colorado. These networking sites can also have many benefits like making friends, music band exposure and as an intellectual sharing tool for the digital immigrant. It is new way of growing up in society today, Prensky says, “Online is one of the key places, in addition to home, school and physical meeting places, where the Digital Natives are growing up. Like all young people, they explore, transgress, and test the limits in each of their spaces.” (Prensky 2004)

Both Prensky and Weinberger have both accurate portrays on the contemporary Internet user. We are living in a fast changing world, digital, virtual and real. The Digital Natives are just adapting to this new world and the immigrants though slower are still taking notice of this phenomenon. The World Wide Web has opened the doors to unlimited possibilities and like both authors state behaviors and traditional ways of life will always change and customize to this. Although there are the negatives as Weinberger states mostly there is also a massive amount of possibilities for the youth today because of this amazing change in the way we do things. With everything in life there comes great risk and the web should not be looked at in all negative form but at the fact that we are a changing world and we are always evolving.

References

The Second Self: Computers and the Human Spirit (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1984) and Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995).

Life on the Screen: Identity in the Age of the Internet (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1995).

Jonassen, D. H. (2000). Computers as mindtools for schools: Engaging critical thinking. Columbus, OH: Prentice-Hall.

Prensky, M. (2001a, September/October). Digital natives, digital immigrants. On the Horizon, 9(5), 1-6.

Prensky, M. (2001b, November/December). Digital natives, digital immigrants, part 2: Do they really think differently? On the Horizon, 9(6), 1-6.

Skerry, P. (2000, March/April). Do we really want immigrants to assimilate? Society 37(3), 57-63

Educational Leadership - Marc Prensky December 2005/ January 2006 volume 63 Number 4 Learning in the digital Age pages 8 – 13 Listen to the Natives

Weinberger, D (2002). A New World, Small Pieces Loosely Joined: A unified theory of the web.

Prensky, M. (2004). The Emerging Online Life of the Digital Native: What they do differently because of technology, and how they do it.

2009-10-08T01:32:00.000-07:00

Week 6 - iReport

This weeks task is to create our own iReport story and record it than upload on our blogs.

2009-10-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

WEEK 9

Continued -

This piece was done as ne of my last assessment items in grade 12. Possibly some lost thoughts and confussed emotion back than. But still i look at it and think that it was a moment in life of experience and growing from a child to an adult.All the changes that come with this is express in this painting i believe.

2009-10-07T16:32:00.000-07:00

WEEK 9

ArT and ExPreSSion

This weeks task was to make some art work or take photos and upload them on to your blog. Art has been a big part of my life, it was a major in high school and still today i love to paint and create beautiful, colorful expressions of my emotions and life. I believe art is a personal adventure and can express some of the deepest emotions.

It is an amazing way to realise energy good and bad and can be a therapeutic for some people.

The first piece is something i did many years ago, the beach was and still is a big part of who i am. My sanctuary you could say, this painting is vibrant with colour and fills any room up with positive happy energy.

2009-10-06T19:53:00.000-07:00

WEEK 8 - Internet Opportunities for Political Participation

This week task to find what opportunties can be found

via the internet for POLITICAL PARTICIPATION while sticking to my own political vi

Question 1 - Sign a e-petition

Signed for to support - Stop mining on the Steve Irwin

Wildlife Reserve
http://greensmps.org.au/content/tv/light-rail-e-petition

Question 2 - Respond to a professional Blog

Question 3- What Barack Obama doing today?

Twitter has let me down on letting me no what Mr Obama is doing today. I will keep researching.The last thing on his TWITTER was that he was pushing the citizen to help pass the health reform!! he is an amzing man by my opinion..

GO BARACK!!!

Question 4 - Government Representaives

Federal Representatives -
Boswell, the Hon Ronald - Senator for Queensland
Boyce, Sue - Senator for Queensland
Brandis, the Hon George - Senator for Queensland

State Represenatatives - Memebers of the state there are many i think this was hard but possibly one of the many in this link - http://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/view/legislativeAssembly/members.asp?area=members&LIndex=1&Subarea=members

Local Representatvies -
Greg Betts
Ron Clarke

Question 5 - Last time Local memeber spoke in Parliament.

Gold coast Mayor Ron Clarke last spoke on the 15th Septemeber 09, discussing the unfair choices the community has on supermarket choices due to the high price on discount market like ALDI.

Question 6 -

Lets start firstly by defining eDemocracy - By eDemocracy we mean the internet's intervention in and contribution to real world politics that exists predominantly off the internet. eDemocracy covers everything from political campaigning on the internet and the government's use of the internet to raise awareness and debate on issues to the people's use of new technologies to criticise governments and reveal their mistakes. (Stephan Stockwell)

Read the lecture and the readings, pursue a couple of the topics that you find most interesting and then post your blog with your well-considered thoughts about the theory and practice of politics.+ we ask:What do you think of the Australian Government's plans to censor the internet (the so-called "Clean Feed")???What place does censorship have in a democracy?

2009-10-06T19:18:00.000-07:00

WEEK 5/6 Short Film

The three films a have chosen are different in areas of creativity and thought.

The first film - I met the Walrus is an incredibly interesting recording of a interview a young boy was able to receive after sneaking into John Lennon's hotel room back in 1969. Many people would be very interested in this capture of the very famous Beattle, as Jason said back in the lecture in Wk 6 we are consumers of content. We like to watch and experience things that others have created.I chose this film for the way it has been

The second - This film deeply moved me.India is constant with noise, busyness and fast talking people. But this small boy can hear nothing he does not experience the fullness of Indias culture. The cafe is all talk from the customers and outside street noise, and he hears nothing.

The third -Do penguins fly? So funny i watched it 4 times. It leave the question behind does this happen? Are animals smarter than us and we dont even realise it? These penguins have so much enjoyment torturing this poor camera man. The animation is amazing.

2009-09-15T20:13:00.000-07:00

WEEK 7 - FREEWARE APPS

This week lecture drew on freeware apps and the operation of new software. I like ti use new software but i find it also confussing aswell, i have a Mac and sometime play around in Garage band, but this year i was introduced to the mother ship of audio software for music producing Logic Pro 9 .WOW this is like a wonderland full of crazy and exciting gadgets. I have played around with it a few times but it is hard and way to much to take in on a short time space.

Logic Pro 9 is a very expensive but great software if you want to record and produce your own music. Its helpful and updated to fit in with any genre of music.It is fun and i enjoyed playing around with it.

2009-09-15T20:08:00.000-07:00

WEEK 4/5 Short FILMS

Hilariously simple but possibly very true. Even thought this is an animation maybe the wild are much smarter than us humans and choose when to show us what really happens when our back is turned just like these comedian penguins.

2009-09-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF INDIA

An amazing idea of a busy loud coffee shop but with all that noise and chaos that India brings a deaf boy hears complete silence.This is wonderfully confronting of the life in India, the noise and busyness totally pre trays Indian life

2009-09-15T19:42:00.000-07:00

This is a short clip made on the recording in 1969, by a 14year old boy that snuck into John Lennon room and this is based on the recording that the little boy Jerry recieved. Brilliant!

2009-09-08T20:40:00.001-07:00

This was a very fun and creative task..I have shown my friends this website too and have made them do something. I could spend hours on here doodling.. Was fun..This is a cat eating under a tree..

2009-09-08T20:31:00.001-07:00

View ROAD Trip- in a larger map

2009-08-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

August 19th

A hunt for answers with no GOOGLE and NO WIKIPEDIA aagggghhh. Google is usually my only search engine usually so this task will be interesting. I have read the questions and they are unusual

Q1 - 1. What is the weight of the world's biggest pumpkin? How long did it take to grow?

The largest pumpkin to this day was grown by a man named Joe Jutras who is from North Scituate, Rhode Island USA. Joe's pumpkin was weighed in at the 2007 Topsfield Fair GPC weigh-off. His pumpkinn weighed in at 1689 pounds.

http://www.pumpkinnook.com/giants/giantpumpkins.htm

2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Lilly Allen?

There could be many ways the easiest way to contact Miss Allen. I just looked here website up and on the side of her page there are every networking site that Lilly is a member of. So firstly i would think Twitter, Facebook, Myspace or if you can find it and get through her personal phone number or her agent.

http://www.lilyallenmusic.com/lily/

3. What is the length of a giraffe's tongue?

18- 20 inch (46- 50 centimeter)

www.pbs.org/edens/etosha/giraffe.htm

4. How would you define the word 'glycomics'? In your own words, what does it really mean ? What does the term 'seagull manager' refer to?

The term glycomics is derived from the chemical prefix for sweetness or a sugar, "glyco-", and was formed to follow the naming convention established by genomics (which deals with genes) and proteomics (which deals with proteins)

http://www.griffith.edu.au/science/institute-glycomics/research/what-is-glycomics.

5. What was David Cronenberg's first feature film? Which of his films Had 'Blondie' in it?

First feature film Stereo, 1969.

6. When was the original 'Hacker's Manifesto' written?

The original Hackers Manifesto was written on January 8, 1986.

http://www.mithral.com/~beberg/manifesto.html

7. Why do phone numbers in Hollywood films start with '555'?

8. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Sydney?

9. What song was top of the Australian Pop Charts this week in 1965?

10. Which Brisbane band includes Stephen Stockwell on keyboards and vocals?

2009-08-11T19:21:00.000-07:00

August 10th

Language of the SCREEN

Researching terms

Explanation of the following:

ECU: Extreme Close Up
MS: Mid Shot
WS: Wide Shot

LS: Long Shot
MLS: Medium Long Shot
VLS:Very Long Shot
MCU: Medium Close Up
CU: Close Up
BCU: Big Close Up
ECU: Extreme Close Up

Who - Close up angle shows the WHO. The subject matter, person/ thing.
What - Mid shot shows the what by what the person or thing in an action shot.
Where - Long shots show the where.
When - Wide shot and Close Up show the where.
Why - Big Close up is used to show the why
How - A single medium Close up or series of Close ups can show the how.

ECU - Throughout the search there where many options that ECU could stand for. Throughout my search i mostly found definitions for automobiles. The website WWW.all-acronyms.com came up with a whole bunch of possibility's opened up.

Throughout my search my only thought that these terms could be would be to do with computers. Until the conversation on film was brought up, i wasn't so confused before but now i was, so without further a due i had to ask Jules what it is exactly we are looking for. After a little help back onto the path i started searching the web on this weeks subject that was clearly written on the board.Due to my laziness and non existent concentration i didn't see the big clue 'Language of the Screen' so this is what i found.

ECU - Actually is a term used in film meaning Extreme Close Up.
Example of this -

MS - Is the term for a Mid Shot.

Example of this -

WS - Is the term for Wide Shot

Example of this -

2009-08-04T19:34:00.000-07:00

August 4th
The start of the Gmail set up and Blog page. First timer with the blog 'thing' but enjoying the challenge. Its opened my eyes to a whole other world. WOW didn't actually realize the huge deal with this. Interesting.
First task is to find the definition of Convergent technology along with some example products.Here we go........

Convergent Technology

A trend in which different hardware devices such as TVs, computers and phones merge and have similar functions.

The coming together of two or more disparate disciplines or technologies. For example, the so-called fax revolution was produced by a convergence of telecommunications technology, optical scanning technology, and printing technology.Mobile marketing, digital signage, interactive TV and IPTV. Easy to use, always ready new technologies.

Products

Acer Smart handhelds -

The new ACER SMART HANDHELDS is ment to be a new collection of speedier and more accessible mobile internet devices.

http://www.mobiletor.com/2009/06/23/acer-introduces-a-new-collection-of-handheld-products-in-india/

BlackBerry Storm - The new Touch BlackBerry storm is a new and exciting product for the busy person. With so many features this stylish phone is sure to sell out. Some of the features are

Camera (3.2 MP)
Built-in GPS
Media Player
Video Recording
BlackBerry® Maps
Wireless Email
Organizer
Browser
Phone
Corporate Data Access
SMS/MMS

http://au.blackberry.com/devices/blackberrystorm/

LTB USB True 5.1 Surround Sound Headphone -

The LTB True 5.1 Platinum Series Surround Sound USB headphones provide hi-fidelity, true spatial clarity from any digital media including DVD Movies Games and Music

http://www.pcgate.geomerx.com/index.cfm?categoryID=241&fuseaction=category

Readybot -

http://www.robotworldnews.com/100470.jpg