Our discussions and course readings for this week really led me to consider some things about online technology and social networking that I hadn't thought much about before. I found it easy to connect with our discussions because we were talking about topics that I am very familiar with. For example, I use facebook almost every day. I'm definitely addicted. Additionally, I now have an unlimited texting plan on my cell phone because that is the cheapest option considering how many texts I go through in a month's time. I found it very interesting to get to dig in and discuss the technologies most college students use on a consistent basis and see what potential they have for allowing space for creative writing and sharing thoughts.
One of the articles I found most intriguing was the one about Reputation Management. One of the first things I ever did online was to google my name and see what came up. I can remember being so curious to see my last name show up on the "world-wide web". At the time, it was kind of disappointing, because there wasn't a whole lot on a 4th grader from Iowa. Every now and then I still find myself randomly googling my name to see if anything unwanted pops up. I do this in an effort to keep a good reputation and see what future employers might be seeing if they were to google my name. First day of freshmen year here at ISU, I sat in class in my "first day of classes" new outfit, with a smile on my face. Only to be freaked out that future employers and scholarship givers could potentially take one look at my facebook page and find something they disagree with, canceling me out for an opportunity. I'm a pretty well-behaved girl...I don't do much to get into trouble and I certainly wouldn't post it on my facebook if I was doing something incriminating. However, I can't control what others post. I love my friends, but sometimes they can post things jokingly that my future employers might not necessarily understand are inside jokes. So while I'm online deciding which photos are flattering enough to stay "tagged" in, I also have the "I want to be seen as having the possibility of being professional" thought in the back of my mind. Managing your reputation is a lot of work, but I've been assured that it'll be worth it!
I also found our “Revisualizing Composition” conversation very interesting this week. Somehow it didn't surprise me that texting has become one of the most frequently used forms of communication. I feel that there are both benefits and downfalls of this. While it may be causing our youth to be socially stunted in some ways, it also serves as an outlet for further communication. While I have a close relationship with my family, I don't get to see them much. We text a lot because this allows us to keep up conversations throughout the day when we wouldn't be able to do so over the phone or in person. It keeps us connected. Same thing with my best friend. She goes to a different college and we rarely have free time at the same time due to busy class schedules and work, etc. We use texting to stay close and make each other laugh throughout the day. It doesn't replace face to face interactions...and it's not nearly as good. However, it does serve a good purpose in my opinion. In addition, things like facebook and email could be great outlets for creative writing and sharing of thoughts. Most of the things I end up reading are fairly well-written and honestly funny. They can give the opportunity for people to collect their thoughts on the day and express themselves via at least a form of writing.
I felt that our peer discussions on the topics this week were very good as well. I have to admit, initially I was very nervous after I read the syllabus. However, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how well the interactions have been, as well as how much more interesting the conversations have made our learning this week. Many times as I open up other student’s comments to read, they have either stated in a well-put manner how I felt on the topic, or broadened my perspective on the topic at hand. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next three weeks will bring!
No comments:
Post a Comment