What are different ways these virtual worlds can be used? What are the pros and cons? Be specific. How do virtual worlds foster creativity? What do you think the future of virtual worlds will look like?
Virtual worlds are all around us today and through the constant evolution of technology they are becoming more and more immersive. Perhaps one day the border between reality and virtual reality will become just a blur. One way that virtual reality can be used is for educational purposes. A good example of it is Minecraft. After Second Life, Can Virtual Worlds Get a Reboot? explains, "It’s digital LEGOs if you will, but it’s a space for kids to exercise their imagination and to connect with others to also want to build and create things". Students can explore different environments that are built for them. These can be places that they've never been to before or even from time periods that they are currently learning about. It will feel as if the students are actually there. Another way that these virtual worlds can be used is for exploration. In I’ve Been in That Club, Just Not in Real Life, it explains how VLES is basically the virtual version of the lower east side and that people can explore it however they please.
Some pros of virtual world technology would be for exploring new areas, planning out a city, simulating different situations, and having a virtual life. Some cons to it could be addiction to it. A person may rather live in a virtual world to escape reality. These virtual worlds can foster creativity in that there are no boundaries nor rules except the ones set in code and even so, the codes can be altered or rewritten so in that way there are almost infinite possibilities and is limited only by one's imagination. I think that the future of virtual worlds will be an imitation of the real world. By utilizing artificial reality technology, one can truly block out everything and feel as if the virtual reality is their only reality.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Sunday, March 6, 2016
Blog about Twitter
Twitter discussions seem to be closer to an in-class discussion than a BlackBoard Discussion. In a sense it is almost a mixture of both. However, the 140 character limit makes it seem as if each post is a reply in a real conversation. Whereas in a BlackBoard Discussion people can type as much as they want and even form a short essay. I feel that in regards to communicating online, it may make sense to have a huge block of information as opposed to short chunks. It is easier to read large amounts and allows ideas to be well explained and formulated. Sometimes the 140 character isn't enough to explain complex topics.
It is similar to in-class discussions in that it seems more conversation like. I feel that in class discussions allow people to portray more than just what words allow. The idea of tone and and body gestures are something that Twitter cannot imitate. There is something about the face to face discussions that cannot be emulated by technology. In- class discussions do have a negative aspect when compared with Twitter discussions in that Twitter discussions have a record of what was contributed to it. However, for in-class discussions, a person cannot just jump into it and fully grasp all of the ideas that have been shared.
It is similar to in-class discussions in that it seems more conversation like. I feel that in class discussions allow people to portray more than just what words allow. The idea of tone and and body gestures are something that Twitter cannot imitate. There is something about the face to face discussions that cannot be emulated by technology. In- class discussions do have a negative aspect when compared with Twitter discussions in that Twitter discussions have a record of what was contributed to it. However, for in-class discussions, a person cannot just jump into it and fully grasp all of the ideas that have been shared.
Social Networking Sites
There are various forms of social networking sites on the internet. Some of the more popular ones would include Facebook and Twitter. However there are many others out there which help people to stay connected such as SocialBrew and LinkedIn. I have tried all of them and would like to share my views and experiences on each of them.
Facebook is highly popular and is simple to use. I feel that the live feed may be a bit of a nuisance at times in that it adds on to the concept of information overload. Sometimes people post inappropriate things which I might not want to see or know about. Blocking off the post or group page does not filter out everything relevant to the inappropriate topics.
Twitter is something that I am still new to. I appreciate the organization in filtering through hashtags. Brevity is highly promoted especially through the 140 characters. I feel that Twitter can be quite nice to use but there again is the concept of information overload. People might not necessarily have to Tweet about everything.
SocialBrew has a very nice sleek modern interface. I really enjoy how simplistic it is to join groups and collaborate. It really accentuates the idea of social groups but yet allows for meeting of new people. I feel that the idea of connecting real life networking with it is extremely valuable in that it is very easy to bring connections into the real world.
LinkedIn seems to be more known for the professional side of social networking. It is good for showing yourself and professional side. People have access to what is essentially your resume and perhaps this can lead to future professional opportunities.
Overall I feel that all of the social networks have their pros and cons, at this rate it really hard to use only just one as they all have different goals and values different aspects of social networking.
Facebook is highly popular and is simple to use. I feel that the live feed may be a bit of a nuisance at times in that it adds on to the concept of information overload. Sometimes people post inappropriate things which I might not want to see or know about. Blocking off the post or group page does not filter out everything relevant to the inappropriate topics.
Twitter is something that I am still new to. I appreciate the organization in filtering through hashtags. Brevity is highly promoted especially through the 140 characters. I feel that Twitter can be quite nice to use but there again is the concept of information overload. People might not necessarily have to Tweet about everything.
SocialBrew has a very nice sleek modern interface. I really enjoy how simplistic it is to join groups and collaborate. It really accentuates the idea of social groups but yet allows for meeting of new people. I feel that the idea of connecting real life networking with it is extremely valuable in that it is very easy to bring connections into the real world.
LinkedIn seems to be more known for the professional side of social networking. It is good for showing yourself and professional side. People have access to what is essentially your resume and perhaps this can lead to future professional opportunities.
Overall I feel that all of the social networks have their pros and cons, at this rate it really hard to use only just one as they all have different goals and values different aspects of social networking.
Saturday, March 5, 2016
Social Networking
When thinking about the world of technology, the possibilities are quite limitless and seems to be constantly expanding through human ingenuity. One form of technology in particular that has seen a great spurt of usage this recent decade would be social technology. It can be used by almost anyone and has greatly helped in keeping people connected in at least a virtual form. Some prime examples would include Facebook, LinkedIn, Reddit, and even Tinder. LinkedIn can be considered by some as a social network that focuses more on the professional side of keeping in contact. Corporations can scout out potential talent through the use of such technology. Meanwhile Reddit can be used as a method of sharing information and staying involved within the latest happenings of specific interest groups.
Some of the benefits of these technologies to our modern society would include ease of access to contacts, whether it is for personal or professional purposes. These social networks also allow people to bring a more humane presence to the concept of the internet allowing for personalized profiles. Keeping in touch with others may be quite difficult at times. but social networking has bridged distance gaps between people all over. Some aspects that can be considered the "dark side" would be that there is a lot of information being stored in the databases that cannot be removed and is owned by the respective social media. The idea of "Big Brother" as mentioned in How Obama Tapped Into Social Networks’ Power is something that we have to be aware of. Seeing as how most of our interactions on social media can be viewed by others, the government can have access to it. Another aspect of the "dark side" also relating to Social Networking would involve the concept of privacy. In Facebook Privacy Is So Confusing Even the Zuckerberg Family Photo Isn't Private, it describes how information thought to be private on Social Networks might not truly be private. Due to certain nuances in settings, it may be difficult to be completely sure that information meant for a select few won't accidentally be spread online. The issue of not having complete control over what one puts online is definitely part of the "dark side". Within the future, I feel that technology will continue closing the gap between the vitual and the real world. Connecting with others through Social Networks may still feel distant, however it will try to imitate real life face to face interactions as much as possible. This may be one of the future projects that Facebook might be working on. It seems to make complete sense with their acquisition of the Oculus Rift which is meant to formulate artificial/virtual reality.
Tuesday, February 23, 2016
Blogs vs. Wikis
Compare and contrast blogs and wikis. Comment on the importance of convergence in today's networked world. How can blogs be used for collaboration? Can you think of a new use for a wiki that has not been done yet? Cite at least 2 of the assigned readings.
Blogs are a great platform for people to share information and thoughts. Some people may use blogs almost as a diary, documenting their lives. Meanwhile, others may focus on a certain topic such as food. Blogs can be used for collaboration as it is a platform that does contain others to comment and make posts to share ideas. Wikis are similar to blogs in that they also are a method of sharing information however it is different in that it is more of a communally shared posting which multiple people may edit and contribute to. The convergence of today's networked world is apparent and is shown through out the various articles. Pentagon Keeps Wary Watch as Troops Blog shows how inside information can be leaked out through the troops as they blog or post messages online. It is hard to monitor everything that goes on and sometimes it may be censored. In addition, Wiki's article concerning Wikis explains that Wiki allows collaborative collaboration and modification of it's content. This allows various people to update the information on it. A new use of a Wiki could be using it to form a manual/guide for doing certain things. It can be extremely comprehensive and have a specific page for specific situations.
Blogs are a great platform for people to share information and thoughts. Some people may use blogs almost as a diary, documenting their lives. Meanwhile, others may focus on a certain topic such as food. Blogs can be used for collaboration as it is a platform that does contain others to comment and make posts to share ideas. Wikis are similar to blogs in that they also are a method of sharing information however it is different in that it is more of a communally shared posting which multiple people may edit and contribute to. The convergence of today's networked world is apparent and is shown through out the various articles. Pentagon Keeps Wary Watch as Troops Blog shows how inside information can be leaked out through the troops as they blog or post messages online. It is hard to monitor everything that goes on and sometimes it may be censored. In addition, Wiki's article concerning Wikis explains that Wiki allows collaborative collaboration and modification of it's content. This allows various people to update the information on it. A new use of a Wiki could be using it to form a manual/guide for doing certain things. It can be extremely comprehensive and have a specific page for specific situations.
Thursday, February 11, 2016
"An Analysis of Video Games in Multiple Dimensions"
In my paper, I plan to discuss video games as a form of new media. I will go in depth into the sociological, educational, technological and moral perspectives of video games. There is certainly great controversy regarding this form of new media which appeals highly to the younger generations but is slowly but surely catching up with the rest of the population. It has uses in assisting in education yet may be a distraction to others. It utilizes the newest forms of technology to constantly evolve. But yet given how open and endless video games can be, what limits should be imposed on them if any?
In my paper, I plan to discuss video games as a form of new media. I will go in depth into the sociological, educational, technological and moral perspectives of video games. There is certainly great controversy regarding this form of new media which appeals highly to the younger generations but is slowly but surely catching up with the rest of the population. It has uses in assisting in education yet may be a distraction to others. It utilizes the newest forms of technology to constantly evolve. But yet given how open and endless video games can be, what limits should be imposed on them if any?
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