Does Social Media Make Us Better People?

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Here’s something very close to my argument, but more about interpersonal communication effects. Perhaps I should broaden (or tighten) my thesis.

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Rather, I’m talking about the cameraphone user who automatically uploads her photos to Flickr or Twitpic, who with the tap of a screen can post a video to YouTube or stream a scene live on Qik. I’m talking about the immediacy and accessibility of Twitter messages that make private conversations public; tools that open up the very real possibility that every action you take, whether in a public space or in seemingly private emails and text messages, is being logged and possibly shared with thousands of people.How does this change the way we act? Might it actually make us…nicer to one another?

via Does Social Media Make Us Better People?.

Reading Review and Journal (for February 24th)

1. Topic for your final Paper

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How Google is making us brilliant; how Google, Twitter, Facebook, blogs and other tools like these will allow us all to achieve higher collective intelligence on several layers and at several axes.

2. Thesis for your final paper. It is the central idea you would like to present in your final paper. The more specific the better. Please make sure to demonstrate how your thesis is related to the Internet and digital media convergence concepts, theories, or models we have covered in our class.

Google provides an interface to a growing collection of collective knowledge, which with proper training, can be tapped efficiently to help solve any problem that has been previously solved and shared. Twitter allows you to ask the world a question, and get 1,000 answers in an instant. Facebook allows for us all to interconnect on a visual verbal basis, actively or passively, allowing for a more comprehensive look at each other’s (constructed) profiles and provides a way to grasp deeper socio-emotional connections with others. Blogs allow us to quickly produce our own pieces of collective intelligence, feeding Google all the while, providing new fodder for Facebook and Twitter, and generally increasing the amount of known published knowledge with each post.

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3. Two articles (academic or professional) that you would like to use in your paper.

Ivana Marenzi, Elena Demidova, & Wolfgang Nejdl. (2008, June 30). DSpace at Open Universiteit Nederland: LearnWeb 2.0. Integrating Social Software for Lifelong Learning. DSpace at Open Universiteit Nederland: LearnWeb 2.0. Integrating Social Software for Lifelong Learning. Retrieved February 22, 2009, from http://dspace.learningnetworks.org/handle/1820/1260?mode=full&submit_simple=Show+full+item+record.

L. Johnson, A. Levine, & R. Smith. (n.d.). 2009 Horizon Report. Retrieved February 22, 2009, from http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/.

Readwriteweb, S. P. (2009, January 30). How to Friend Mom, Dad, and the Boss on Facebook…Safely. The New York Times. Retrieved February 22, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/external/readwriteweb/2009/01/30/30readwriteweb-how_to_friend_mom_dad_and_the.html?em.

Stone, B., & Stelter, B. (2009, February 19). Facebook Withdraws Changes in Data Use. The New York Times. Retrieved February 22, 2009, from http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/19/technology/internet/19facebook.html?_r=1&em.

4. Brief summary of the two articles.

LearnWeb 2.0. Integrating Social Software for Lifelong Learning provides a theoretical framework that focuses on the sublime ability for social networks and technology services to enhance learning. This article brings to light some of the ways in which social networks can be particularly utilized in supporting and enhancing teaching and learning. This is in stark contrast to the idea promoted in “Is Google Making us Stupid?”

The 2009 Horizon Report is a yearly prediction of the ways in which current and emerging technologies will affect teaching, learning, and society in general. It is a strikingly accurate and thoroughly enjoyable read for a technologist who has faith in the ways in which technology can help us change for the better.

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The two New York Times articles focus on Facebook. One describes best practices for information sharing for the new user, how to avoid the pitfalls of sharing the wrong information or sharing it in the wrong way. The other article speaks about the recent flap in which Facebook changed its terms of service (TOS) to indicate that the content that users add to the system belonged solely to the company forever. A blog post on The Consumerist brought the change light and public scrutiny, and Facebook quickly reverted to its previous TOS language. This speaks to the concepts of collective intelligence, bottom up media vs. top down media, information ownership, and others that help define Digital media convergence.

5. Brief discussion about how the two articles are related to your thesis.

The LearnWeb 2.0 article shows a framework that could potentially exemplify my thesis that learning is enhanced and magnified with the proper application of Social networking tools.

The 2009 Horizon Report defines a long list of technologies and the ways in which they will theoretically affect learning spaces, learners, teaching, distance learning, mobile learners, portable media in learning, and other aspects of gathering and gaining intelligence.

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The two New York Times articles on Facebook will help to bring to light issues regarding the broad increase in information sharing and the relevant importance of guiding new users to use the systems properly. It also helps to show the blurry line that exists between producer, consumer, content owner, intellectual property owner, and privacy in the shared online space.

On the demise of books, newspapers, music and movies – Boing Boing

Straight from our in class discussions coms an article discussing the ways in which extant media might be altered by newer mediums. Agreed.

Information Week’s Internet Evolution’s just published my latest article, “Media-Morphosis: How the Internet Will Devour, Transform, or Destroy Your Favorite Medium” — a noodle on the factors that led to the demise of newspapers, the transformation of music, and the potential destruction of big budget movies and mass-market publishing and what can be done about the last one:

New nerd merit badge: Inbox Zero – Boing Boing

I found this interesting tidbit on BoingBoing today, which speaks to the idea that we are beginning to associate achievement with getting through the data overload, becoming data overload overlords, so to speak. I am officially reminding you that my blogs are all Creative Commons Share Alike Attribution licensed, and that phrase is mine. 😉

A while ago, I wrote about the launch of Nerd Merit Badges, to be worn by people who want to show off their geeky achievements. The first one was for folks who have contributed to an Open Source software project.

The new one, just announced, is for those dedicated souls who have strived to experience — if only for a moment — the Zen-like, fulfilling emptiness of Inbox Zero (in other words, cleaning out your email inbox). It’s a beaut! New nerd merit badge: Inbox Zero

via New nerd merit badge: Inbox Zero – Boing Boing.

Open Source – The Washington Times – Home

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Some old media are embracing new methods, including openness and portability of data, such as the Washington Times. This is big.

The Washington Times has always focused on content. After careful review, we determined that the best way to have the top tools to produce and publish that content is to release the source code of our in-house tools and encourage collaboration.

The source code is released under the permissive Apache License, version 2.0.

via Open Source – The Washington Times – Home.

Show notes from COMM 563

after Fairey by lemasney via Flickr

In last night’s COMM 563 class I mentioned some technologies that interested some of my classmates enough to send me private queries about them. As a result, I’m going to do a little rundown of some of the things I mentioned, and some resources for those of you who are interested.

Gartner Group‘s technology versatilist:

“If the last decade represented the era of specialists, this decade will mark the era of the versatilist,” said Ms Morello. “Versalitists are people whose numerous roles, assignments and experiences are enabling them to synthesize knowledge and context to fuel business value. Versatilists are applying their depth of skills and experiences to a rich scope of situations and challenges and implementing their cross-organisational insight to flesh out teams and fill competency gaps.”

source: http://www.gartner.com/press_releases/asset_139314_11.html

RSS Feeds overview:

Google Reader

• getting started:
• A basic primer: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-9745368-2.html
• A more advanced series of uses: http://lifehacker.com/software/google-reader/hack-attack-getting-good-with-google-reader-233712.php

Using Google’s special operators: http://www.google.com/help/features.html

Using advanced Search features in Google: http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=136861

Twitter:

Incidentally, you can find me on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/lemasney but a much better way to follow me is via Friendfeed, which shows my twitter activity, and a whole lot more. http://friendfeed.com/lemasney

David Pogue: http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/15/twittering-tips-for-beginners/

I hope you all enjoy!

John.

Life is tweet: How the Twitter family infiltrated our cultural world | Technology | The Observer

Prevail Whale by lemasney via Flickr

In class tonight, we talked a little bit(ter) about twitter. For those of you interested in why Twitter is taking off, here’s some backstory. Oh, and if you want to follow me, http://www.twitter.com/lemasney

For those unacquainted (or “twirgins”), Twitter is a social networking service that combines elements of blogging and texting by allowing its users to send updates to their friends (or “followers”) via the web or mobile phone in messages (or “tweets”) of up to 140 characters each. Unlike Facebook, anyone on Twitter can follow your updates. The service, created in 2006 by San Francisco-based whizz kids Jack Dorsey, 31, and Biz Stone, 34, now relays up to 3 million tweets a day and is one of the fastest growing websites in the UK.

via Life is tweet: How the Twitter family infiltrated our cultural world | Technology | The Observer.

Video: What is Web 2.0?

Here’s a video of me presenting to a user group on Web 2.0.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “Internet Archive: Details: What is We…“, posted with vodpod

Amazon.com: iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind: Gary Small, Gigi Vorgan: Books

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Here’s a book that delves deeply into the topic raised in our article “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” and I’m looking forward to reading it. It appears to be a bit more grounded in academic scholarship and research than the article was, and maybe just a little more even handed. Can you tell how I felt about the article? To the point: I’m not against the idea that our minds are changing, I’m against the idea that it’s a bad thing.

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Their insights are extraordinary, their behaviors unusual. Their brains—shaped by the era of microprocessors, access to limitless information, and 24-hour news and communication—are remapping, retooling, and evolving. They’re not superhuman. They’re your twenty-something coworkers, your children, and your competition. Are you keeping up?

In iBrain, Dr. Gary Small, one of America’s leading neuroscientists and experts on brain function and behavior, explores how technology‘s unstoppable march forward has altered the way young minds develop, function, and interpret information. iBrain reveals a new evolution catalyzed by technological advancement and its future implications: Where do you fit in on the evolutionary chain? What are the professional, social, and political impacts of this new brain evolution? How must you adapt and at what price?

While high-tech immersion can accelerate learning and boost creativity, it also has its glitches, among them the meteoric rise in ADD diagnoses, increased social isolation, and Internet addiction. To compete and thrive in the age of brain evolution, and to avoid these potential drawbacks, we must adapt, and iBrain—with its Technology Toolkit—equips all of us with the tools and strategies needed to close the brain gap.

via Amazon.com: iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind: Gary Small, Gigi Vorgan: Books.

What Convergence? TV’s Hesitant March to the Net – NYTimes.com

One possible mode of convergence

This is an interesting article that talks about the ways in which television makers may be trying to slow the ‘progress’ of convergence, citing consumer reluctance to surf on their TVs. I say, bring it on.

But perhaps the most surprising thing is not how long it is taking to get the Internet on TV but that, to some degree, that slow pace is deliberate. Television manufacturers simply do not seem to want it.

“Sony’s stance is that consumers don’t want an Internet-like experience with their TVs, and we’re really not focused on bringing anything other than Internet video or widgets to our sets right now,” said Greg Belloni, a spokesman for Sony. Widgets is an industry term for narrow channels of Internet programming like YouTube.

Ditto for Sharp Electronics. “I don’t think that consumers are yet ready to access all content on the Internet on the TV,” said Bob Scaglione, senior vice president for marketing at the Sharp Electronics Marketing Company of America.