Cloud Computing and Social Networking

This week, we learned about cloud computing and social networking. Cloud computing is the ability to use server-based applications as a service rather than being tied to a specific platform, machine, or device. Examples of this would be Google Docs and Delicious. Google Docs is an interesting program because it allows users to create spreadsheets, calendars, presentations, and documents and then share that information with other users. The group is able to edit and update materials and keep everything together instead of on different computers, etc. Delicious, and other social bookmarking sites, let people tag different sites and share them. This allows users to share their favorites and pick-up a few new favorites along the way. We also learned about social networking sites and how they are both helping and hindering effective communication. Social networking sites like Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace promote social interaction through a computer but seem to be taking away the "human" aspect of relationships. Long-term effects (whether detrimental or beneficial) are still to be determined and will have to monitored in the long run.

I will definitely use social networking and cloud computing in my field. I will use Google Docs to share ideas and schedules with my producers and co-workers. Delicious will be a great resource to discover what audiences are interested in. By paying attention to websites like Delicious, I will be able to find the latest viral video or helpful website and then share it with my viewers in the "kicker section" of a news cast. I will use social networking to find interesting videos or stories about people and to also keep in touch with viewers.

I found this article that outlines the positives associated with social networking. Since we talked about this subject in our class forum this week, I thought it was fitting to use this article from The Washington Times. This article highlights that parents have a huge responsibility to monitor content, limit the amount of time their kids are spending online and to also set ground rules for safe websurfing.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jan/28/social-networking-benefits-validated/

Podcasting

This week, we explored podcasting and the educational benefits that it offers. In an article from Learning and Leading with Technology, podcasting was defined as automated technology that allows listeners to subscribe and listen to digitally recorded audio shows. At Duke University, iPods were given to their entire freshmen class and their uses were broken down into five categories:
1. Course Content Dissemination
2. Classroom Recording
3. Field Recording
4. Study Support
5. File Storage and Transfer

Making a podcast is as easy as 1-2-3: Script, Record, Edit.

The benefits of using podcasting in education are endless. Students can access podcasts made by other people which helps further the understanding and supplementation of curriculum. Teachers or professors can create podcasts which allow students to listen to lectures, gain extra help from their teachers, and listen to test reviews and supplements. By downloading this extra information, students can take it anywhere. This extends the school day and makes learning relevant outside of the classroom. Teachers can also create podcasts focused on education-related content for other teachers. Student produced podcasts let students learn about in-depth research, how to communication and speak effectively, and how to grab their audience's attention through the use of sound and intriguing content.

While podcasting is beneficial, there are also a few problem areas. First up is the area of legality. The podcasting industry is unregulated so people must be careful about the type of content they are advertising to their friends, families, colleagues, students, and professors. Also, podcasters must receive permission to use certain content and could be held legally responsible for anything they say.

I will use podcasting in my journalism career by using them for interviews and to share my stories with my audiences. Interviews can be conducted by using an mp3 player, connecting a microphone to it, and using audio software to import, edit and share the audio. Also, podcasting and vodcasting (podcasting plus video) is revolutionizing how journalists share information. People do not want to have to be chained to their televisions at 5, 6, or 11 pm in order to get the latest headlines. They want to have that information at their fingertips for easy download. Many big news organizations are producing free podcast and/or vodcast downloads so that audience members can have up-to-date information at their fingertips.


The following video gives the audience step-by-step directions on how to use podcasting in your blogger account. A lot of media is becoming multifunctional in the sense that one program can have multiple uses. This shows the convergence of media because the written blog becomes an audio blog but is still housed under the same site. My best friend is currently studying abroad and she uses a podcast on her blog so that people can read about parts of her trips and then listen to her explain things that may be too confusing to read (like stories or conversations with the natives). Using the podcast and written material makes her blog more user-friendly.

Embedded Audio Project

Learning Blog Sound Project - Emily Nance

My embedded audio uses a few effects from GarageBand. For the vocal narration part, I used the “deeper vocals” effect. I sound like the people you hear on TV asking for ransom money but I thought it was a unique effect. I also used the drum kit, guitar, and piano effects to create my song. I was surprised by how easy it was to create that song! GarageBand is very user-friendly because it lets you mix-down according to a combination of the categories and then just drag and drop the clips into the timeline. There are countless effects available for use and numerous possibilities for users to create their own special projects for any event or audience.

I will use sound in my chosen field through the use of sound bites and voicers. Most of the time, journalists have to mix ambient (natural) sound, sound bites from interviews, and sound from the studio. Learning how to edit sound efficiently will be an invaluable tool to possess in my field. Also, journalism is based on an aural style that focuses on writing for how it is heard and not read. Based on this style of writing, sound is the most important quality in the news industry.

Digital Storytelling and Introduction to Sound

Here is a quick video I made to experiment with digital storytelling:

http://animoto.com/play/5dlfhr2vM1rYpzSTF4Nz6A


This week was fun for me because I got to use a few programs I have been interested in trying. I have never used iMovie before so it was interesting to experiment with it and learn a few tricks. I have used garageband a few times in the past but I had never explored the podcast feature. I love how all Mac programs allow for easy convergence between programs like iMovie, iTunes, iPhoto, etc, I guess that is why they say "Once you go Mac, you never go back."

This week was also interesting because we learned about digital technology and how it's used. For example, we were taught the difference between analog (electronic, chemically induced, magnetic, or vibration sensitive) and digital (the conversion of the original source into numeric data). The best way to describe the difference in these two processes is to relate it to photography. In traditional (analog) photography, there is a light sensitive, chemical process. In digital photography, light is captured onto CCDs and is then turned into numerical data. Digital is the best way to go because processing costs are virtually eliminated (still have to pay for print-outs), allows viewers to print high quantities of pictures at a lower cost, and allows for immediate viewing and manipulation.

This week's content will definitely be used in my major. In addition to learning about analog and digital, we learned about pixelation and compression. Both pixelation and compression will be important concepts for me to understand in journalism. I will have to understand the effect of pixelation on my graphics and the effects of compression on videos I may try to upload to my station's website. I will also have to understand the various encoding methods like uncompressed (flexible file formats that store a combination of bitrates), lossless (encodes silence and sound which requires more processing time that uncompressed but is also more efficient in space usage), and lossy (makes process easier by using compression). I will definitely use the lessons we learned about audio, digital and analog.

We are currently in a digital age but Polaroid is breaking that trend. Polaroid filed for bankruptcy in 2008 and many people were saddened to hear that those old cameras and their magic film would be disappearing. Fortunately, a new company has purchased Polaroid and will open a photographic paper factory in Holland so that the "quaint devices from the analog era" can thrive once again. Here's the link to the Business Week article:

http://www.businessweek.com/globalbiz/blog/eyeonasia/archives/2009/10/analog_in_a_dig.html

Week 6: Visual Literacy and Introduction to Digital Storytelling

This week's assignments focused on the importance of visual literacy, digital storytelling, and how to create this type of content.

While we have studied visual literacy before, I liked how the On-line Visual Literacy Project from Pamona College introduced visual literacy by saying, "Visual Literacy is the skills and learning needed to view visual and audio visual material skeptically, critically, and knowledgeably." They also mention that the alphabet is the basis for verbal literature because you must master the understanding of letters, words, spelling, grammar, and syntax. In contrast, visual literacy is the ability to interpret visual material, messages, objects, and experiences by using lines, dots, shapes, direction, value, hue, saturation, texture, scale, dimension, and motion.

Digital storytelling was introduced as "using computer-based tools to tell stories." These projects are a mixture of computer-based images, text, recorded audio narration, video clips, and/or music. Daniel Meadows described digital storytelling as, "short multimedia tales told from the heart."

I have iMovie on my Mac but have never used it so the tutorial was interesting to me. I am excited to use this program and experiment with the music, transitions, titles, themes, and the convergence it allows with other programs.

My journalism career is based on the central idea of digital storytelling. Journalists must use visuals, audio, narration, and text to bring the story to life in front of the viewing audience. I will use visual literacy and digital storytelling on an everyday basis. I would like to learn how to use iMovie because it would be a quick and easy tool for me to use while I practice the video editing skills necessary for my major. I am also anxious to learn how to better create projects that incorporate digital storytelling and the best ways to cohesively piece different clips, music, and narration together.

For more information on digital storytelling, check out the blog on the link listed below. The video allows viewers to see a practical explanation of digital storytelling and why it is effective. The blog offers step-by-step directions on how to create and produce a digital storytelling project. Anna Batchelder, who currently writes an ongoing blog called “Literacy is Priceless”, wrote the featured blog. The video can be found on Youtube but it does not directly state who produced the video. However, special thanks are given to the Common Craft Show.

http://literacyispriceless.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/digital-storytelling-in-a-nutshell/