Favorite Concept

3). Pick a favorite reading and/or concept and discuss it.  Please tell the class why this was your favorite.


Last post! Bummer! :(


For my last post I'm going to write about my favorite concept. My favorite concept has for sure been self disclosure and identity on social networking sites. I really enjoyed the article, "Be Who You Want To Be" by Katie Ellis. I think this was my favorite concept because self disclosure and identity online are things almost all of us have to deal with (at least those with active social networking accounts). Since discussing this concept for our class I've definitely been more careful about what I post on my Facebook. I've also played with my privacy settings quite a bit. There are some things I'd like everyone to know, and other things that I'm more likely to keep to myself and a few friends.

I feel like I have several online identities. I have a LiveJournal account that I've had since middle school and I only ever go on there to read my sister's journal and post really goofy posts. I think anyone that would read my LiveJournal would definitely think I was on the brink of insanity. I'm pretty sure my MySpace account doesn't even exist anymore but when it did I had it super personalized. I had a cute background and a John Mayer music player. My Facebook is as personalized as Facebook can get but there are certain things I don't share with everyone. Like I've said before, some of my family wouldn't really approve of me living with my boyfriend so I have more restricted settings for them. I also have some privacy settings against my parents because I don't want them to see certain pictures.

What I've learned...

2). What have you learned throughout this class?  What was your favorite thing about this class?  What was your least favorite thing about the class?  How can this class be improved?
This has definitely been one of those classes where I've come away with quite a bit of information. I mean, some classes you go to, pay attention, memorize information and usually forget it within minutes of finishing the final. This class however, was formated in a way that the information we learned was interesting and useful. My favorite thing about the class was how organized it was and how if there were ever any thing that needed to be clarified it was posted quickly and clearly. I never had any questions because of this format. I also liked how the weekly assignments were generally the same, 2 readings/responses from the text (or D2L) and 1 reading/response about basically anything we wanted (so long as it was new media related).

I think my least favorite thing about the class was how we needed to post 12 hours apart....but that's just because I procrastinate way too much. :) Other than that though, there wasn't really anything I disliked about this class.

Thanks for a great semester!!

Interesting Concepts.

1). What concept/s in this class have you found most interesting?  What was it about that concept/s that you found fascinating or interesting?
I definitely think that the most interesting concepts I've pulled from this class have had to do with the development and beginings of new media. I loved to read about things like the Dynabook because back then it was such an innovative new idea and now similar concepts are just part of every day life. I think I find these kinds of concepts most interesting because I grew up in that kind of inbetween generation. We had most of the new technology growing up but we're still seeing even newer technology and advances everyday. The kids of today have no idea what its like to not have a cell phone while I think most of us didn't get cell phones until middle or high school.

I also found the growth of social networks really interesting. I didn't get a MySpace until late middle/early high school and a Facebook during the middle of high school. Now I see a huge under 13 crowd on Facebook and (pressumably) MySpace. I know people make profiles for their new babies and you can't get much younger than that!