Great Class

OMG! This was a great online class. I must say Kris, you can bring-it in cyberspace also. I hate missed some of the blogs, due to some health issues, that sometimes make me bring things down a notch or two. Thanks Kris for letting me get back in line.

Anyway, I must admit we had a community, I'm not sure if any of us have exchanged any additional information, to do a face-2-face, but we have definitely created asynchronous "knowledge community". Although, we shared some character traits and likes and dislikes through our post and chat sessions, I came to expect certain comments during those chats and reading post. I also gather from posting that we were a diverse group within our selves, which was another reason why our view points would differ.

From observing the different blogs for class I see that people use different SNS media to meet new people and or display themselves. I did start to question some of my own relationship with people that know have to be on FaceBook or Twitter all of the time. I wander would I be surprised of the things I read or saw? I also thought would I look at them differently?

Technology has changed the way we communicate and that's a good thing. I know one day, probably tomorrow, our face-2-face will be reduced to molecules images of ourselves, talking to friend and family.

Thanks Kris this was really fun.

Make up for Chat 4/21

I am posting to make up for missing the chat on 4/21. I apologize for missing again but have had to deal with serious medical issues with my stepfather.
On with the post. I had a little laugh attack at the start of yall's chat because rats were the hot topic. Then the discussion moved to assure that we know the difference between communities and SNS sites. I look at these like chat rooms vs. Facebook. Facebook is about me as one individual connecting with who I know. A chat room or communities such as this are formed around a topic or subject rather than an individual. Then ya'll discussed the idea behind SNS and if anyone had more than one. I have a blog that I created for out of town family to keep up with pictures of my kids. I am horrible at updating it frequently. I also have a profile on FB and twitter. Although I only check facebook about once a week or so, and I have never "tweeted." I think I am in these SNS so I don't feel out of the loop. It is as if I don't want to get left out of all of the SNS hype but I'm not really great at keeping up with them like a lot of people. Wow, then Kris shocked the group with the profile thing by Yahoo that cannot be deleted. That is disturbing in itself. For the record, I loved reading the back on the chats. Our class is funny. Anyway, after reading the chat SNS has several benefits such as keeping up with folks and communicating with people you may not have given a chance in the first place. I thought the talk about how people have changed the way they hang out was so interesting. I've never thought about that because I am in mother mode and I hang out with my friends at lunch groups, play dates, baseball games, vacations ect...I don't really think about how the youth of America is hanging out together. I still think to some degree the small town southern kids are meeting at fast food restaurants or at least I hope so...it is fascinating that online communities is indeed changing that concept to some degree. Sorry again for missing the chat...it looked like a great one and thanks for allowing the make up post! :)

Tis the end

Well, Twas the night before finals....where we all hope to pass, not a false ID stolen, well not in this class...the papers were sent to the drop-box with care, in hopes that our teacher would see we prepared. The students lay worried all restless in bed, while visions of failing were stuck in their heads. And your full time status, and I with mine too- awaiting graduating and our final debut. When out on the web, there arose such a knowledge. I jumped to my conclusions in hopes I pass college. Away to my laptop I rushed to see grades, and realized what a help this class is an aid. I learned some neat stuff and met people as well, writing papers and blogs on the web is real swell. When, what my illuminated brain should disclose, that Facebook really has more cons than pros. With some wise words from a writer or two, I first found out about social cues. More rapid than white river the course did become, I found myself drowning in the next rule of thumb. Now Communities! Now Networks! Now Norms and Cues! On Identity! On Texting! For without you I'd lose! To the top of all hope! To leaving comments on your wall! Now dash away, do I pray, pass shall we all? So up to the teacher the course grades do lye, I promise I learned many things that I must imply. And then in a twinkling, I saw pass right by, the semester and my classes all can't deny. As I drew in my brain a good final thought, what fun this has been, what a great teacher that taught. And I heard her explain as she left in good time, that though this is a blog- my rhyme is real lame.

I really enjoyed this guys, and though its not Christmas- I somehow always get real excited for the end of the semester. My favorite part was actually trying to troubleshoot our chat sessions with video haha. I likes learning of social cues and norms online, and wrapping them up in the end with an online community and reading of one on my own time. Had a blast guys! See ya next time.

#14

Well, I've certainly enjoyed the class. Most of my career I've been intimately involved with the Internet in one or another and so have been able to see it "grow up", as it were. Especially the web. Web sites have grown from static pages needing constant manual updating to constantly changing web pages that interact with you on an individual basis. For a tech person, it's been kind of exciting to see it happen and be a part of it.

Seeing the way CMC has become such a large part of a lot of people's way of life is just that much more of a testament of the power of the Internet and the communications abilities it provides, whether it be email, bbs, muds, chat, texting, website forums or video...it's amazing to see it all happening. Being able to keep in touch with anyone who has a internet connection has done wonders for society, I believe, and being able to express yourself to hundreds and thousands and millions of people like it has in the Middle East the all the uprisings and people blogging about it certainly reinforces how much the world has taken to and relies upon the internet and the ability to communication with others, those we know and those we don't. I can't wait to see what the next ten years brings.

What a Long... Strange Trip it's been...

I think this has been a very interesting class... though I have used a blog before I have never thought of them for use in an actual educational way... Though I have learned a lot about communication over the internet and how modern technology has really changed the outcome of how networks affect me daily... I also realized that I am way more connected to the internet and the "Network" than I really should be... Working with a computer for 8 hours a day then going home to do blogs and play xbox, all while playing words with friends and chess on my phone all day is very crazy. To think that people can't get access to these things is mind blowing as I can't imagine life without them. I also found a lot of the statistics in this class to be very interesting, some of the stats about the amount of use and who people are connecting with was a little shocking. But for the most part everything that was spoke of in this class was in a way review of the past 18 years of my life... Sad as it may be it's true... I was a part of the initial wave of nerds that helped the internet become what it is today. I also never really thought about the level of friendships on SNS sites... I have so many different levels that can easily be seen, though I never thought of it that way... It was more... people I hang out with and people that just pad stats on my Myspace profile that is no longer even used... I do have stat padders on my Facebook but more of less it's full of people that I actually know... Looking at the different speech patterns that were created over the internet was basically second hand nature to me as I learned how to use many of those long before people even knew what the internet was... I still remember the 1st time I saw a :) I was talking to the sysop of TFF in a chat session trying to get 24 hour access without paying for it... I was very sneaky... anyway I saw it and had to ask her what it was... I was maybe 12 years old... It's been a long journey from there but now I'm taking an online class with a teacher that has video chat? Holy hell that's amazing...

Great Class I enjoyed it!!!

Sorry I missed a few of the chats...

Wizzle Izzle for the last Tizzle...

I Soo Love This Class!!!!!!!:)

This by far has been my best class. I enjoy talking about identity on the internet and how women and men can be identified through their webspeak. Women use softer words when they text and men are more aggressive when webspeaking. A teenager on the other hand; has takes webspeak to another level. It’s been proven that teenager’s texts on cell phone 90% of the time. When it comes to social networks (SNS) I believe adults are mostly on these sites but it really hard to tell with all the fake identity going on. SNS can be use for expressing oneself. People use SNS to be who they really want to be or to meet other people. Honestly people use SNS for varies reasons. I learned a lot in this Internet Communication class that I can take with me forever. I especially enjoy the video chats it really was a new experience. I’ve taken many online courses but never had to chat in any of them so that was really neat. Remember we are living in a time where a face-to-face environment can be just like an environment online. The question is which one do you prefer? I enjoy everyoneJ

Blog 14

I have enjoyed Communciation on the Internet. I have most enjoyed the articles that talk about the positive role that online communication has had and will have in our culture. I know that the SNS that I am involved in and the particpation in email and online research I enjoy, however, I was a cynic about real relationships being made online. I did not see the positives over face to face communication. However, as we have read and discussed in this class the online communities are redefining what our culture considers to be relationships. There is a need for people that have trouble communicating face to face or need an avatar to escape something that is hindering them and then be allowed to interact with other humans free of judgement. I loved learning this and becoming someone that can see both sides.
Another thing I was guilty of before taking this class is seeing harmful affects on written language because of netspeak. I have enjoyed talking and reading about how netspeak is becoming a part of our culture and should be embraced. It does not have to be a negative influence on young people and it does not have to have an age limit. I remember posting about how sometimes netspeak makes me feel old and out of the loop. However, someone said in the class or I read it that we are very much a part of this changing generation. We are eyewitnesses of the digital age and to me that is really revolutionary. I have gained from this experience and would like to take another online class in the future. :)

Blog 14 Reflections

My reflections of this class is that I have learned that new technology is of the horizon. I have learned of topics that I was not aware of like CMC-speicific lingo and text abbreviations like i.e., LOL, ROTFL. I didn't know that all these languages and online technology existed to make life more easier. While in enrolled in this class, I have dipped in and out of social sites that I would never have gone. Facebook, Myspace and other sites that were unfamiliar to me became at some point a little interesting. I am not saying that I am convinced to join, but was interesting to view the site. I didn't like blogging at first, and it even became interesting to me, It allowed my to voice my opinion and to comment on others as well. I enjoy reading the books, journals and articles on certain technology that have advance the world today. I enjoy reading the peer reviews of authors and writing which enlighten my understanding of the internet. I don't think that I will use any other the sites any time soon, but I am glad that I know to protect my privacy information when using the sites. Also, I must add that I do use yahoo messenger from time to time to communicate with family and friends far and near. However, the information about the phone, texting and other hand held devices were amusing to me, because we now why we are so distracted and slowful in doing what we need to do. These today advances in technology have truly made us lazy and withdrawn from responsibilty. Especially for the teens, they have been ruined with all the easy access to electonic devices. Like somebody once said, "you can't lives with it or without it". Smile.

Blog #13

Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe recognise that SNS support both existing relationships as well as the new ones that develop because of the online Social Network Sites. I think the existing relationships are usually the connection for developing new relationships.

Now when it comes going from online to offline, the idea of Social Capital is referenced by Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe from (Adler & Know, 2002) to explain the cause of the development of these relationships; Relationships and the resources that are accumulated because of the means in which they are formed, in this case we are looking at the virtual resource. I feel as we evolve, humanity, we do find ways to communicate and make new friends, acquaintances, I think it's part of our DNA.

Although, Facebook has over 21 million registered members per (Needham & Company, 2007), BlaclPlanet.com has a loyal following for race-specific information. Now, I'm not sure how this research was captured, Detlefsen,(2004) concludes that African American participation increases when sites are interactive and multimedia features that feature other African Americans. I didn't quite get interactive multimedia part? I think how relavent is the information is really what I am interested in, also, I do enjoy reading about other African Americans historically or famous ones? The reality is, to me, being interactive and having multimedia is a part of mostly all SNS, so that would mean not just African American enjoy the options but everyone else who accesses a SNS. Didn't mean to harp on that...

All in all, relationships, information whatever a persons purpose for accessing, loggin into a SNS, keeping up with friends or making new ones, it doesn't go unnoticed.

Bizzle 13tizzle Got Eaten by the Memphis Grizzllle!!

Social Networking is the most formidable control system of all time. The most amazing way to tally information about people in such a quick and perfect way. Watching the interconnections of all kinds of kids and their popularity clans shows you so much about the human mind. When I found out on the boyd interview that SNSs make connections between kids inside or outside the popularity sector was interesting. This is something that was free information that was right in front of our faces, knowing that SNS pages not only boost good behavior it's an amazing way for the installments of bad behavior. Every bit of this stems from one simple Principal, people want to be around people that they can relate to. Facebook even if people don't want to admit it, is pretty well protected if youi want your information hidden. This is a, as Boyd explained, way for kids to select who they want to be and try to make themselves appear as normal or cool as possible. This means the person can show themselves as one way on the computer and not be who you would picture in the classroom (for kids). The good and the bad for children are there but I would say that the positive sides of connection with others and sharing some sort of social live, even if it is online, is a positive thing for someone who otherwise wouldn't be able to experience.
SNS networks are also a means for weaker relationships to stay alive, and for this gift they are amazing. I know so many people that come into Memphis that I would otherwise never see again that I can catch a comment on facebook and boom I can connect with them and meet them out when they are in town and keep an old relationship alive.


And uhum..... GO GRIZZZZZZZ

-Whizzle Izzle...

blog 13

Ellison, Steinfeld and Lampe (2007) support the proposal, through research, that social networking cites help maintain relationships that have formed offline as well as create new relationships online. They explain briefly the history of Facebook and how it started as a site for college students. As it has broadened its horizons, the direct affect on the social structure of our culture has morphed into a different type of realm. The authors research also focuses on the term social capital. They site within the article, “Bourdieu and Wacquant (1992) define social capital as "the sum of the resources, actual or virtual, that accrue to an individual or a group by virtue of possessing a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance and recognition" (p. 14). The resources from these relationships can differ in form and function based on the relationships themselves.” The idea that social capital on the rise, according to the researchers, outweighs some of the negative light that is placed on SNS. Social capital lowers crime rates, increases public health awareness and helps citizens become more involved in the community. I believe that when people are “friends” with their community’s facebook account it is just one more way to stay involved. I know that personally I received schedules for my son’s baseball, what days our recycling has switched to, reminders to vote in our town’s elections and much more simply because I am friends with my city on Facebook. It is a steady feed of community connection. Blackplanet was also evaluated by Byrne (2007) in his study. Blackplanet, one of the very largest SNS for African Americans, also increases civil involvement among its members. In Boyd’s (2006) article he addresses an important question. What is friendship? Are these friendships real on SNS? Boyd covers a lot of ground in his work. He looks at friendship, choosing people to be friends on SNS, self esteem and even the affects of having the choice of top friends on some SNS. However, this excerpt near his conclusion stood out to me. “ In thinking about Friendship practices on social network sites, it is crucial to evaluate them on their own terms, recognizing the role of technology and social navigation rather than simply viewing them as an extension of offline friendship.” I agree with Boyd. These sites are often times connected to our real lives. We have friends that we have face to face that we have on SNS, however, there are many, dare I say most, that we don’t really have much to do with at all. Therefore, we must look at them separately because they are indeed two different types of friendships.

Children are Just Having Fun On the Net (blog#13)

D. Boyd, describes children online as taking up space. There are different children from different cultures with all sorts of ideals. Children online assume they are not harming anyone online they look at their behavior online as “normative behavior.” Boyd, Ellison, Byrne, Steinfeld and Lampe feels the same things that happen face-to-face with children will also happen online. Children still play, joke, flirt, and take pictures. SNS can identify a person in a way they want to present themselves. One major benefit is meeting people all over the world that comes from varies of cultures. I find it amazing to meet people all over the world and just start up a conversation with them. On Twitter it’s really cool because someone would ask a question such as, “What celebrity would you date?” and everyone starts answering it. It’s funny because mines was Mekhi Phifer the actor and my Twitter fans would say something like, “Girl he don’t want you!” lol. Now the major drawback would be getting too personal with someone you do not know. The reason being you really don't know if the person is really identifying themselves.

blog #13- The past always comes back to haunt you

As Dana Boyd discussed in the video the online environment is sort of the same as the offline environment in that it is a place for friends to come together and “hang out” in a sense. She also says that “kids” are using online networking sites primarily to interact with their friends whether they’re from the same school, different school, apart of after school activities, etc. A really good point is brought up in the video in that whatever is put online is basically going to be there forever. I remember when I was in highschool when facebook began to get really popular, a speaker came to talk to us about the dangers of what we post online and that pictures that get posted could stay on the internet forever and I have heard a couple of stories of how these pictures have come back from the past to bite people when they are looking for jobs. A new thing college kids are doing are changing their names on facebook when it’s time to apply to grad schools and look for jobs because they don’t want anything on their page to backfire on them and blow an opportunity. I have seen a couple of crazy name changes but mainly I’ve just seen people switching around their first, middle, and last name.

Blog #12- Social networking vs networking

I agree with boyd and ellison’s difference between social networking sites and networking. Facebook was created because people wanted to know what their friends were up to not so people could look for strangers. Like Will I mainly use SNS to keep in contact with family and friends but SNS are becoming more and more popular when people are looking for something (like relationships) or when people have something to give (housing, cars, etc). I have stumbled upon many facebook pages which advertise things like shopping sites and houses for rent. SNS have made it so much easier to keep in contact with people especially the new facebook with the facebook chat option. If someone feels uncomfortable having their personal information on their profile they can set it to private or having nothing on it at all and simply use it to chat and share pictures with friends and families. SNS have made it easier to multitask as well. You can be messaging with multiple friends at a time.

Lucky #13

As pointed out in the boyd reading, an SNS, if organized properly, can be a great way to communicate with like minded people and discuss lifestyles and life issues and can be great sounding boards for "call to arms" issues. The Dana Boyd video emphasizes what we should already know and that is that SNS's are just an extension of our offline environment but that we have to learn to take our online "trail of self presentation" in context of what it was at the time. Meaning a teenage guy might post a picture of himeslef taking a hit from a bong (ala Michael Phelps) but it shouldn't be assumed that that is his evening habit now that he is thirty something with lots of resposibilities (family, house, job). But we do need to be careful of what we do post and say online because it can come back and haunt you, especially if it can be tied to your current acts as an adult. I certainly don't post anything incriminating online, just innocent pictures of trips, pets, family and the like.