Transcript Hot Topics in Technology

Hot Topics in
Technology
for
Dummies
Presented by:
-Michael George
Dixon, Jr.
-Elaina Biffle
- Jes Berndt
-Brad Dupay
A Reference for Student Affairs
Grand Valley
State University
Topics at a Glance
• Blogs
• Institutional Spam
• Social Networks
• Instant Communication
• Podcasting
Blogs
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Why is this topic important?
• According to a 2004 study, 51.5% of blogs were created by
people aged 13-19; 39.6% were created by those age 20-29
• In another 2004 study, 62% of adult Americans had no idea
what a blog was
• Remarks made by Senator Trent Lott in reference to Strom
Thurmond in 2002 set off a frenzy of responses via political
blogs, eventually helping to contribute to Lott’s resignation.
This event displayed the power and influence that blogs could
have as a method of disseminating news and opinions.
• As of 2005, it was reported that 25% of internet users were blog
readers
• It is expected that in 2007 the number of people who maintain a
personal website will reach 100 million
Posted by Brad at 3:44 PM
9 Comments
Blogs
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Describe the topic
• A blog is a user-generated website where entries are made in
journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order
• Blogs may contain text entries, pictures, links to other websites,
or multimedia content such as music and movies
• The term blog is a shortened version of the word “weblog”, and
is now used as both a noun to describe a personal webpage, as
well as the act of maintaining and updating it (blogging)
• The word “blog” was officially added to Webster’s dictionary in
1999
• Blogging began to gain popularity in 1999 with the creation of
hosting sites such as Blogger, LiveJounral, and Xanga
Posted by Brad at 3:51 PM
5 Comments
Blogs
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Outline the benefits of the campus embracing this topic
• Blogs can replace confusing and unorganized e-mail
lists and other discussion forums with a more
streamlined form of online campus community
• Blogs offer faculty an opportunity to publish in a
quicker and more dynamic format to be shared among
their colleagues around the world
• Instructors can use blogs to deliver content to students
and use them as a way to encourage discussion of
course materials
• University presidents who maintain blogs become
more available and accessible to student concerns
Posted by Brad at 3:55 PM
8 Comments
Blogs
Sunday, February 18, 2007
Discuss the problems/issues surrounding this topic
• Students and faculty have used blogs as a grassroots
effort to anonymously criticize, attack, and even
remove presidents and other administrators (case in
point: Gallaudet University)
• Students and tenure-track professors have been
denied jobs and other positions based on content
contained on their personal blogs
• Professors and other scholars who use blogs as a
form of publication are criticized by their peers for
blogs’ lack of review and credibility
Posted by Brad at 3:57 PM
14 Comments
Institutional Spam
• Why this is topic important?
– Spam (unsolicited bulk messages)
– Currently, institutions of higher education may
not have “institutional spam” policies
Institutional Spam
• Describe the topic
– Institutional spam exists when a university
uses mass e-mail capabilities to convey a
message to anyone who has an university
sponsored e-mail address.
Institutional Spam
• Outline benefits of campus embracing this topic
– Students would be more likely to utilize university email if they know their mailbox wont be full of spam
– If students receive a large amount of institutional
spam, they may be less likely to read mail when
something important needs their attention.
– Limiting incoming spam limits the possibility of
viruses, spyware, and other threats to the campus
network.
– Proper utilization of institutional e-mail lists can help
keep students better informed and connected to
campus.
Institutional Spam
• Discuss the problems/issues surrounding
this topic
– Many institutions/organizations have a difficult
time defining exactly what constitutes spam
– There would need to be a balance between
the need for campus network security and the
need for access to information.
– The process of deciding which parties have
access to the e-mail list; may be political
and/or subjective
 Online communities like Facebook and MySpace have grown
increasingly popular in recent years. It is unusual to meet a
college student who does not have an account on at least one of
these sites (if not both).
 These online communities provide opportunities for positive
interaction but have also created a number of specific issues not
previously addressed in higher education.
 Colleges and universities across the country are developing
ways to address the use of these online services at their
campuses.
There are a number of online communities available to internet users, but the two most popular
sites at Facebook and MySpace. Let’s take a look at each of these sites individually.
 Description of Facebook
Facebook is a social networking site developed by former university students. Membership was
originally limited to individuals with a campus e-mail address but was recently extended to high
school students as well.
Users create a unique profile based on website prompts, including contact information, class
schedules, and personal interests like favorite songs and books.
While users may opt out from any of the identifying information, many students choose to post
specifics about personal address and phone numbers, as well post pictures of family and friends.
Facebook profiles can be viewed by people in the “network,” which is determined by the user’s
institution or geographical area.
Users can choose to limit the visibility of their profile to confirmed “friends.”
Facebook also provides an option to create and join “groups,” many of which have controversial
titles.
Examples: “Got Some Captain In You?” (Alcohol)
“I’m a Conference Whore” (Student Involvement)
Description of MySpace
 MySpace is similar to Facebook because users create a profile and can
network with others as “friends.”
 MySpace is open to any internet user with an e-mail address and does
not separate users into groups by institution or geographical area.
 This site has the added component of a blog, or journal option. Some
users write journal entries, post poetry, or other forms of expression.
 What happens outside the classroom also affects
what happens in the classroom. Our relationships
with students do not exist in a vacuum.
 More and more students use these services –
we can relate to them if we are familiar with current
trends
 We will be better equipped to handle related
problems appropriately.
Privacy and Personal Information
Students may believe they are completely safe, but the personal information posted may
make internet stalking more plausible or intrusive.
 University officials may receive information about hate speech or harassment online,
which can be difficult to address.
Employers and educators are increasingly aware of these programs and may use them in
hiring decisions.
Judicial Concerns
 Some users post incriminating information, like photos of underage drinking. Institutions
must decide how to address these behaviors, believing that there are not consequences.
 The institution would be best served by developing a policy that outlines plans to
address online behavior.
 Student conduct codes may require revision to reflect behaviors that happen in
cyberspace.
Educational Concerns
Students spend increasing amounts of time on Facebook, MySpace, and other sites,
which may potentially limit academic commitment.
Texting (Text Messaging)
6163315000
Feb 17, 2007 9:38:42 PM
“Texting” has been very popular w/ younger kids
6163957000
Feb 17, 2007 9:39:50 PM
Did u no dat it use 2 B called “SMS”
6163315000
Feb 17, 2007 9:40:59 PM
No, I didnt wat did u use b4 cell phones
6163957000
Feb 17, 2007 9:42:06 PM
I use 2 call people
Blackberry and other PDAs
(Personal Data Assistants)
Research in Motion is my manufacturer
http://www.blackberry.com
I also carry the capability of accessing
e-mail without synchronizing to a computer
We use a QWERTY-style keyboard
to input messages faster than a regular
cell phone would.
Sample Conversation in
America Online’s Instant Messenger (AIM)
Defaultuser: did u know dat AIM started in
1997?
FirsIimer: no I didn’t no dat this is cool 2
use
Defaultuser: it can really distract from work
I have 2 turn it off
Defaultuser: did u know dat AIM
started in 1997?
FirsIimer: no I didn’t no dat this is cool
2 use
Defaultuser: it can really distract from
work I have 2 turn it off
How Electronic Mail (e-mail) has revolutionized
the way we communicate
First you had to compose the letter…
…then you had to walk
it to the mailbox
…then you had to wait
a couple of days for
the letter to arrive and
then the response…
Now
< 5 seconds
Importance of Topic
•
This topic is important because young people are choosing more and more
to use this type of technology as a default means of
communication. Individuals are opting to have a cellular telephone as their
own means of communication by phone than the standard landline
telephone
(http://media.www.californiaaggie.com/media/storage/paper981/news/2006/
05/23/CityNews/New-Statistics.Show.Increase.In.Cell.PhoneOnly.Use2013146.shtml). In this article, they highlight that their survey results might
be bias and could be missing out on young people, people renting and
single (not married) individuals.
•
Other anecdotal evidence are stories of roommates sitting in the room
together, refusing to talk about their problems with words verbally. They
could be sitting side-by-side in a room, venting their frustrations using
AIM. Stories like this are reiterating a phenomenon happening in U.S.
American society which is indicating that young people are having a harder
type communicating verbally and are using non-confrontational ways to
handle their problems.
Why should we talk about it?
• Issues of cheating in class are a topic of conversation
when individuals can use instant messaging capabilities
(“texting”) to relay answers back and forth real
time. Students could also text others not in the class but
who have access to answers, thus receiving
unauthorized aid on exams.
• Communication has changed over the last
10+years. Individuals are choosing to use nonconfrontation means (texting, instant message, e-mail) to
communicate concerns, issues and problems instead of
using more interpersonal methods such as conversation.
Podcasting
Why did we chose this topic?
Millennial students are accustomed to instant access when it comes to
technology.
A large number of students already own iPods, and for those who don’t, it’s a
relatively inexpensive cost for the university.
Universities should always look to advance learning by embracing
technology.
Podcasting benefits more than just students. University personnel and
faculty can utilize podcasting for continual study and professional development.
Podcasting
Describe what podcasting is:
Podcasting, in its basic form, is creating audio files (most commonly in MP3 format)
and making them available online in a way that allows users to automatically download the
files for listening at their convenience
Podcasting allows anyone with a microphone and an Internet connection to create
audio files that others can download automatically to their iPods or similar digital-audio
players.
Listeners can download the files one at a time, or they can subscribe to a podcast and
have a series of recordings transferred to their players whenever they hook the devices up
to their computers.
Podcasts allow students to go over passages and/or lectures while, for example,
working out at the gym or jogging to lunch.
Podcasting
Benefits of campus embracing this topic:
 Makes the technology ideal for students who fall behind in class or
those for whom English is a second language.
 If lectures are available as podcasts, students can re-listen to troublesome passages,
and it's easy for them to slow things down.
 It gives students without backgrounds in certain topics a chance to catch up with more
experienced peers (because of the instant access to review)
 Students can listen to podcasts before class, this way, class experience would be less
about lecture, and more intellectual discussion
 Gives students who may miss a class an opportunity to review exactly what they
missed, or if a student needs to review material, it would be readily available.
Podcasting
Benefits of campus embracing this topic:
 Students may not want to sit at a computer and listen to course recordings
 Podcasting takes no extra work on behalf of professors. All they have to do is wear a
small microphone to record the podcast.
 Technology companies are already beginning to provide podcasts to students from
select professors.
 It’s cheap. Podcasting requires no more hardware or software than a typical computer
user has.
 Universities could contract with scholars or specialized personnel to provide a number
of podcasts on a particular issue. Questions could be submitted in advance by university
personnel, and then after a particular podcast, clarifying questions or responses could be
submitted for a reaction.
 Alternatively, university personnel could be part of the podcast sessions. The big
advantage to universities is that the staff don’t have to be tied to a meeting or in-service
workshop. They can listen to the podcasts when they are ready at their leisure.
Podcasting
Problems/issues surrounding this topic:
 May lead to empty classrooms or serve as a crutch for late-sleeping students,
and some worry about podcasting's intellectual property implications.
 Technology, computers, and the Internet seem to have become a ubiquitous
component of life in the United States, yet there still exists a digital divide among the
“haves” and the “have nots.” High speed Internet connections, computers, MP3
players, microphones, etc. do cost money which may prevent the economically
disadvantaged from benefiting from this promising emerging technology.
 No research/studies have been done on the effectiveness of using podcasts for
scholarly purposes.
References
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Blog. (n.d.). Retrieved February 13, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog.
Carnevale, D. (2006). E-Mail is for old people: As students ignore their campus
accounts, colleges try new ways of communicating. The Chronicle of
Higher Education, 53 (7), A27.
Farrell, H. (2005). The blogosphere as a carnival of ideas. The Chronicle of
Higher Education, 52 (7), B14.
General Information from Facebook Mainpage. Retrieved February 16, 2007
from www.facebook.com.
General Information from MySpace Help Page. Retrieved February 16, 2007
from www.myspace.com.
Hargis, J. and Wilson, D. (2005). Fishing for Learning with a Podcast Net.
Retrieved February 14, 2007, from
http://www.unf.edu/dept/cirt/tech/podcast/HargisPodcastArticle.pdf
Hirschland, J. (2004). Facebook leads to student drug bust. Retrieved February
16, 2007 from
http://studentaffairs.com/vcs/2006entries/FloridaInternationalUniversity.ppt
#290,41,References.
Krause, S. D. (2005). Blogs as a tool for teaching. The Chronicle of Higher
Education, 51 (42), B33.
Lopez, C. (2006). Podcasting: An emerging technology with potential. Retrieved
February 14, 2007, from http://dmc.umn.edu/spotlight/podcasting.shtml
References
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McGann, R. (2004, November 22). The blogosphere by the numbers. Traffic
Patterns. Retrieved February 13, 2007 from
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3438891.
McGann, R. (2005, January 3). Blog readership surged 58 percent in 2004.
Traffic Patterns. Retrieved February 13, 2007 from
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=3453431.
New data on blogs and blogging. (May 2, 2005). Retrieved February 13, 2007,
from http://www.pewinternet.org/press_release.asp?r=104.
Read, B. (2005). Lectures on the go. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 52
(10), A9.
Read, B. (2006). Attack of the blog: When disenchanted faculty members
take to the Web, presidents should worry. The Chronicle of Higher
Education, 53 (4), A35.
Read, B. (2006). Technology and influential blogs helped galvanize protests
at Gallaudet. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 53 (12), A40.
Reynolds, G. (2006). Can blogging derail your career: The politics of
academic appointments. The Chronicle of Higher Education, 52 (47), B6.
Salkowe, B. (2006, February 23). Students tap in to campus blogs. The Harvard
Crimson. Retrieved February 13, 2007 from
http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=511537.
Valesky, T. & Sabella, R. (2005, October). Podcasting in educational leadership
and counseling. Paper presented at the conference of the Southern Regional
Council on Educational Administration, Atlanta GA.