- Discuss the impact of TWO of the following figures on the development of digital technologies and digital culture: Ada Lovelace, Charles Babbage, William Gibson, Kevin Mitnick, Alan Turing, Ray Kurzweil, J.C.R. Licklider, Douglas Engelbart.
- Explain what Creative Commons is and, using examples, show how it is different to other forms of copyright.
- Why is privacy such a contentious issue for internet users? Discuss with reference to at least ONE social network service (or other web2.0 service).
- Is the “virtual community” (Rheingold, 1993) a useful way of understanding contemporary online life? Discuss using one example of an online community OR a video game world (Virtual community is not to be confused with a “social network” site).
- How do social media change our understanding of individual identity, with regard to the kinds of people we have in our social networks?
- Increasingly mobile devices are an aid to the gathering and reporting of information, both by professional journalists and “citizen journalists”. Outline the advantages and disadvantages of this sort of news gathering. How might it impact on journalistic practices and news values and ethics?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Essay Questions 2010
Monday, September 20, 2010
Week 9 Tutorial Task & Tutespark
Assessment 2 (pt 2 of the blog) has been extended - and is now due by Friday of Week 10!
For Week 9's entry you should write about your chosen essay topic, (found under 'assessments' on learning@griffith), your initial thoughts about this topic, and where you think you may begin researching it.
Also you need to ensure that by the end of week 10 you have posted 'a final entry on your weblog that evaluates the course overall'. (This is included in the assessment description on the course profile)
For Week 9's entry you should write about your chosen essay topic, (found under 'assessments' on learning@griffith), your initial thoughts about this topic, and where you think you may begin researching it.
Also you need to ensure that by the end of week 10 you have posted 'a final entry on your weblog that evaluates the course overall'. (This is included in the assessment description on the course profile)
Monday, September 13, 2010
Week 8 - Tute Task & TuteSpark!
Many writers have utilised cyberpunk as prefigurative social and political theory in the realms of urban studies, cultural theory and the sociology of the body. Below are some of the main, recurring themes.
Negative Impact of technology on humanity: In a cyberpunked near-future, technology runs rampant, and usually manipulates most societal interactions. Dystopian near futures are very common, but so are futures where the impacts of specific technologies are played out in a world only slightly different from the present. Sacred societal boundaries are often crossed with regularity. Often the earth is severely damaged. Crime and drug use are often key supporting themes.
Fusion of man and machine: In addition to cyborgs, sentient programs and robots, cyberpunk often blurs of what it means to be human. Traits we take for granted as representing humanity disappear via introspective looks brought on by the fusion of man and machine. This fusion also affects the control of perception - numerous storylines explore with influences to perception, usually involving some method of virtual reality environment to either mask or take the place of the “real world.”
Corporate control over society: Cyberpunk almost always has an ever powerful controlling entity that directs society. Most often this is represented as a corporation. Some times its simply an ever present singular government. A common theme for corporate control involves a futuristic dystopia, where the last traces of high civilization exist only in an enclosed and protected city, where civil liberties are removed under the guise of protecting humanity.
Uprising of the underground: Cyberpunk almost always focuses on the underground of society. While the story may lead to revolution and toppling the power structure, the perspective is always that of the oppressed or the punk, anti-hero of the oppressed.
Ubiquitous Access to information: Cyberpunk often deals with the continual spread and access to information. Hacker themes and ever-connecting internets are common. Additionally, the connection of humans to this omnipresent information stream leads to the blurring of the virtual with the real.
In this tutorial students should select one of these themes & complete some basic research on it (ideally finding a short fiction online that deals with the topic (there’s heaps of online cyberpunk fiction, so this shouldn’t be a problem). Once students have a basic understanding they should try and identify a current news story that reflects their chosen topic.
Once they have found a story they should attempt to re-write the news story as a persuasive piece about how their piece of cyberpunk fiction has forecast the particular story/event & how it will inevitably lead to the world becoming a post-industrial dystopia (like every cyberpunk story does/is).
Negative Impact of technology on humanity: In a cyberpunked near-future, technology runs rampant, and usually manipulates most societal interactions. Dystopian near futures are very common, but so are futures where the impacts of specific technologies are played out in a world only slightly different from the present. Sacred societal boundaries are often crossed with regularity. Often the earth is severely damaged. Crime and drug use are often key supporting themes.
Fusion of man and machine: In addition to cyborgs, sentient programs and robots, cyberpunk often blurs of what it means to be human. Traits we take for granted as representing humanity disappear via introspective looks brought on by the fusion of man and machine. This fusion also affects the control of perception - numerous storylines explore with influences to perception, usually involving some method of virtual reality environment to either mask or take the place of the “real world.”
Corporate control over society: Cyberpunk almost always has an ever powerful controlling entity that directs society. Most often this is represented as a corporation. Some times its simply an ever present singular government. A common theme for corporate control involves a futuristic dystopia, where the last traces of high civilization exist only in an enclosed and protected city, where civil liberties are removed under the guise of protecting humanity.
Uprising of the underground: Cyberpunk almost always focuses on the underground of society. While the story may lead to revolution and toppling the power structure, the perspective is always that of the oppressed or the punk, anti-hero of the oppressed.
Ubiquitous Access to information: Cyberpunk often deals with the continual spread and access to information. Hacker themes and ever-connecting internets are common. Additionally, the connection of humans to this omnipresent information stream leads to the blurring of the virtual with the real.
In this tutorial students should select one of these themes & complete some basic research on it (ideally finding a short fiction online that deals with the topic (there’s heaps of online cyberpunk fiction, so this shouldn’t be a problem). Once students have a basic understanding they should try and identify a current news story that reflects their chosen topic.
Once they have found a story they should attempt to re-write the news story as a persuasive piece about how their piece of cyberpunk fiction has forecast the particular story/event & how it will inevitably lead to the world becoming a post-industrial dystopia (like every cyberpunk story does/is).
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Week 7 Tutespark
Try some free software - good examples which are free and easy to download are: Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird, Gimp, Audacity, amsn, pidgin, etc.
Try to use it exclusively for a few days - then decide whether you like it or not! Say why/why not.
Try to use it exclusively for a few days - then decide whether you like it or not! Say why/why not.
Week 6 Tutespark
Leading on from the lecture on online privacy & social networking....
Who owns the content you put on the internet on various sites?
This includes pictures, video, text, etc?
Think about all the content you upload onto social networking sites - Do you own it?
Who has the right to use your creations?
Who owns the content you put on the internet on various sites?
This includes pictures, video, text, etc?
Think about all the content you upload onto social networking sites - Do you own it?
Who has the right to use your creations?
Tutorial Task Week 7
Research and provide short answers to the following questions. Provide references where applicable.
1. What is creative commons and how could this licensing framework be relevant to your own experience at university?
2. Find 3 examples of works created by creative commons and embed them in your blog.
3. Find an academic article which discusses creative commons using a database or online journal. Provide a link to and a summary of the article.
4. Have a look at Portable Apps (a pc based application) – provide a brief description of what it is and how you think this is useful.
1. What is creative commons and how could this licensing framework be relevant to your own experience at university?
2. Find 3 examples of works created by creative commons and embed them in your blog.
3. Find an academic article which discusses creative commons using a database or online journal. Provide a link to and a summary of the article.
4. Have a look at Portable Apps (a pc based application) – provide a brief description of what it is and how you think this is useful.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Blog Part 1_Marking Info
The marking information for your Blog Part 1 is now up on learning@griffith under the assessments tab.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Week 5 - The tute exercise.
Our goal and yours is to enter into the world of Culture Jamming.
You are to devise a plan to get noticed by 'normal' media.
As we saw in the lecture, Ireport.com allows the public to report on anything.
There are some similar sites that are more local and may prove to be more interested in local events.
The Tute task for Week 5 consists of the planning and research you undertake to be ready to produce your news story/public report/local update (whatever it may end up being). This should include who is doing what in your group and how you are going to make/produce the content of your Culture Jam.
You can use video, still shots, audio, standard text and documents you may want to create as props.
Internet resources should be used to give depth and credit to your Jam.
In groups of no more than 4 and all must post their own blog entries.
To complete this entire task it will take two weeks but the first half will be assessed during weeks 6/7.
Talk to your tutor about your plans.
You are to devise a plan to get noticed by 'normal' media.
As we saw in the lecture, Ireport.com allows the public to report on anything.
There are some similar sites that are more local and may prove to be more interested in local events.
The Tute task for Week 5 consists of the planning and research you undertake to be ready to produce your news story/public report/local update (whatever it may end up being). This should include who is doing what in your group and how you are going to make/produce the content of your Culture Jam.
You can use video, still shots, audio, standard text and documents you may want to create as props.
Internet resources should be used to give depth and credit to your Jam.
In groups of no more than 4 and all must post their own blog entries.
To complete this entire task it will take two weeks but the first half will be assessed during weeks 6/7.
Talk to your tutor about your plans.
Week 5 - TuteSpark
Hi Class,
In line with the lecture content that Josh covered this week, we want you engage with the term "Culture Jamming".
Look it up, see if you can find what is considered to be the first Culture Jam, find the most influential Jam, the most damaging.
These 3 examples should be posted in your blog with an explanation of where and why they were found and used.
You can show what impact they had or are having too.
In line with the lecture content that Josh covered this week, we want you engage with the term "Culture Jamming".
Look it up, see if you can find what is considered to be the first Culture Jam, find the most influential Jam, the most damaging.
These 3 examples should be posted in your blog with an explanation of where and why they were found and used.
You can show what impact they had or are having too.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Essay Help
For a 'short' essay like this, the following should be a good guide...
Decide on your topic. Prepare an outline or diagram of your ideas. Write your essay statement. Write the introduction. Define the terms that you are exploring.
Write the body.
If possible include an 'If/then' statement of your own to propose a solution or alternative.
Write the conclusion. Add the finishing touches. eg. References, Bibliography etc. (you have to remember to record where and what you look at/study while preparing to write and while writing)
These simple steps will guide you through the essay writing process:
- Write the main points.
- Explain the terms/points with quotes and your own take on these.
- Write the subpoints.
- Elaborate on the subpoints.
If possible include an 'If/then' statement of your own to propose a solution or alternative.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Week 4 tute task - not tutespark - this is the tute exercise.
Video or 'film' has not always worked online.
Answer the following in your blog:-
1.Where and when did usable online video start? (provide some refs. and an example if possible)
2.In the lecture we heard about technological innovations that were used by the studios to lure audiences. (mostly to combat the popularity of TV)
What recent innovations are being used to lure us in the movies?
What are they luring us from?
3.Are short films still being made? Why? Who pays for them to be made?
4.The term viral is thrown about adhoc but what does it mean in film/movie arena? Give some examples.
5. Online video distribution isn't limited to the short film format. We are now starting to see television styled shows made solely for internet release (webisodes). Find an example of this style of content and discuss how viewing television content in this way can positively and negatively affect the viewer's experience.
Answer the following in your blog:-
1.Where and when did usable online video start? (provide some refs. and an example if possible)
2.In the lecture we heard about technological innovations that were used by the studios to lure audiences. (mostly to combat the popularity of TV)
What recent innovations are being used to lure us in the movies?
What are they luring us from?
3.Are short films still being made? Why? Who pays for them to be made?
4.The term viral is thrown about adhoc but what does it mean in film/movie arena? Give some examples.
5. Online video distribution isn't limited to the short film format. We are now starting to see television styled shows made solely for internet release (webisodes). Find an example of this style of content and discuss how viewing television content in this way can positively and negatively affect the viewer's experience.
Week 4 - Big Screen to Small Screen - TUTESPARK
Hi Class of 2010,
We want you to find some short films (3 please) that were made for internet distibution/viewing.
They can be from any genre, any style, but please can they have some sort of story. Not just a quirky funny instance that became viral...
Yes a actual attempt at short film.
They can be from any website, not just youtube.
You should comment on what you think makes them good or what made them good at the time.
Why they became, or will become, popular.
Please embed them into your blog. If that is not possible then a link will do.
We want you to find some short films (3 please) that were made for internet distibution/viewing.
They can be from any genre, any style, but please can they have some sort of story. Not just a quirky funny instance that became viral...
Yes a actual attempt at short film.
They can be from any website, not just youtube.
You should comment on what you think makes them good or what made them good at the time.
Why they became, or will become, popular.
Please embed them into your blog. If that is not possible then a link will do.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
TuteSpark week 3
The Tutespark for week 3 is to find at least 3 (three) examples of digital devices that are not electronic.
Preferably they should be communication technologies.
To help with your search you should define:- digital, analogue, communication and electronic
Please supply references.
Include some pictures.
Preferably they should be communication technologies.
To help with your search you should define:- digital, analogue, communication and electronic
Please supply references.
Include some pictures.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Week 3 Treasure Hunt
Answer these questions without using Google or Wikipedia, and then write your answers in an entry in your blog. Provide the URL (with the date you accessed it) of where you found the answer, and include extras like images, embedded videos, etc.
1. What is the weight of the world’s biggest machine? How much did it cost to build?
2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Ozzy Osborne?
3. When and what was the first example of global digital communication?
4. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?
5. Who is Hatsune Miku? What company does she belong to? What is her birthday?
6. Find a live webcam in Antarctica. Find a place to stay in Antarctica.
7. What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1980?
8. How would you define the term 'nano technology'? In your own words, what does it really mean?
9. What type of camera is used to make ‘Google Street View’?
10. Translate these questions into Klingon.
1. What is the weight of the world’s biggest machine? How much did it cost to build?
2. What is the best way (quickest, most reliable) to contact Ozzy Osborne?
3. When and what was the first example of global digital communication?
4. What is the cheapest form of travel from the Gold Coast to Melbourne?
5. Who is Hatsune Miku? What company does she belong to? What is her birthday?
6. Find a live webcam in Antarctica. Find a place to stay in Antarctica.
7. What song was top of the Australian pop charts this week in 1980?
8. How would you define the term 'nano technology'? In your own words, what does it really mean?
9. What type of camera is used to make ‘Google Street View’?
10. Translate these questions into Klingon.
Friday, August 6, 2010
Week Two!!!
There is no TuteSpark.........I know you're all disapointed but cheer up there's plenty to do for this 30 shot film that you are making.
By Now you should have your blog up and running and you would have emailed the address of the blog, Your name, your student number and the day and time of your tute. You email this to tutespark2010@gmail.com
You have to include the above in both the subject line and the body of the email. It must be sent from the new gmail account that you made for this course.
Now for week two:-
In groups of 2 or 3 people from your tute, you are to take one of the supplied fictitious movie titles and shoot your 30 still shot movie that hopefully displays some of the knowledge you gleaned in Josh's lecture.
The stills are then loaded onto the computer and you use iPhoto to make a slideshow. During this step you can rearrange and delete to your hearts content.
Export a movie of the slideshow from iPhoto (it's in the File Menu).
Upload the movie to a Youtube Account. (start one if no one in the group has one)
Now you have to embed the movie on Your blogs.
See screen shots.... I'll get them up soon..
Extra effort is noted.... Some notes/thoughts about the process...etc.. What you have done and what it might be useful for.
Monday, July 26, 2010
New Communication Technologies - 2010
Please email your student number, your name, your new blog address and your tute time to:-
tutespark2010@gmail.com
Please use your new gmail account that you used to create the blog. This will be the primary way we contact you during the semester.
More to come...
PS. Your first post should be a little introduction and then some answers/thoughts on the the 'Tutespark' .....
tutespark2010@gmail.com
Please use your new gmail account that you used to create the blog. This will be the primary way we contact you during the semester.
More to come...
PS. Your first post should be a little introduction and then some answers/thoughts on the the 'Tutespark' .....
From the Learning@Griffith course site:-
Tute*Spark
How do we distinguish between old and new communication technologies? Under what circumstances will new communication technologies become old communication technologies?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)