Aug
2018
Assignment #1- Annotated Bibliography
Name: Bianca Barichello, S3540013
I declare that in submitting all work for this assessment I have read, understood and agree to the content and expectations of the assessment declaration – https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/support-and-facilities/student-support/equitable-learning-services
Blog Reflections:
Blog Post #3- Network Literacy
Selected Text 1 – Blogging:
Miles, A 2006, ‘Blogs in Media Education: A Beginning’, Australian Screen Ed, 43, pp. 66-69.
This article explores the crucial importance for students studying media and teachers to begin to integrate blogging into education systems. He explains why he thinks blogging is beneficial as it allows the student to learn the affordances of blogs compared to more ‘traditional’ ways of expressing their writing skills through diaries and notebooks. Suggesting, that blogs are a useful platform that offers many benefits to students in the way in which content is taught and interpreted, he claims that blogs are in fact a form of literacy. They demonstrate an effective way to communicate thoughts and serve as a useful tool in reflection. It allows an individual to be more creative with in their writing. While also providing the ability for students to actively interact alongside peers, bringing them together to work in a public domain.
In Miles articles he raises an interesting point regarding our individual identity and how it’s framed and shaped by our online persona and how we control it. We seek to consistently update our Social Media presence on a regular basis to keep our viewers interested. With this being said Adrian’s discussion on that topic really set the concept surrounding my Blog 1 post, as it really made me think about my online persona and how what I produce reflects my personality and how I want my viewers to perceive me as an individual. Shown through my carefully selected visual content I chose to share to the world. I do it in a certain way as I know people are viewing the content, as discussed by Miles. When we are sharing and uploading an Instagram photo we are producing visual content we think will interest and engage our audience, just like we do when we produce a blog we might write about certain content in a particular way because our audiences can relate. In reference to the research question How do the affordances of Instagram affect the way photos and videos are authored, published and distributed in the network?”, the concept of writing in a particular style so our viewers will be able to understand and interpret can be easily compared to how we construct our Instagram caption. Even though captions are quite short and concise, we all know there is a lot of time that is spent carefully authoring it to ensure it’s going to be consumed and perhaps relatable to the people viewing the content. In terms of the prompt we are focusing on, as Miles discussed; uploading and engaging in applications on Instagram can be easily compared to blogging as it allows collaboration with peers and the sharing of content within a community.
Adrian’s view points are valid to some degree because we have so many opportunities to explore through blogging; such as this way of writing being useful for teaching as it supports the integration of working collaboratively and sharing information with peers. Blogging provides many avenues and relevant functions which are useful in enhancing content. However, there are some limitations that did appear to stand out to me, as being not so relevant to our research efforts. That is, In today’s society there has been an increasing demand for visual content as it engages and captures the attention of the audience. As well as it being faster and easier for readers to process. This is something that Miles fails to acknowledge as an important and significant association to a blog post. This article being published quite some time ago in 2016, where since that time period visual content has definitely developed and advanced. Especially with the rise and expansion of Instagram visual content has certainly grown in importance. Another limitation is that the author of this article being teacher is more so directed other teachers, informing them of the importance and value blogging can provide with in the class room. With the strong focus and push on teaching and providing teachers strategies on how they integrate this platform with in their teaching skills, hinders the useful-fulness of this text to our research.
Selected text 2- Affordances:
Norman, D 1998, “The design of everyday things” Basic Book, New York (Sections: Preface vii-xv; Chapter one 1-13; Chapter 4 (constraints) 81-87; (computers) 177-186).
Don Norman popularised the concept of affordances which impact and influence our daily lives. Affordances represent a first step towards the development of prescriptive methods and help preventing a designer from imposing experiences to users. Norman explores the framework for describing product experience, by analysing the working of interface designs. He informs readers how frustrating every day objects can be if they aren’t designed effectively for the user. He emphasises to his audience that a well constructed design relies on all three vital aspects; affordances, constrains and conventions. Not only does it make it easier for the user to perceive and interpret controls to allow an individual to perform certain actions, it also leads to discovery of the desired actions and avoids undesired ones. Furthermore, Norman explores how we use affordances and constraints to learn how things operate. Affordances suggest the range of possibilities, and constraints limit the alternatives possible.
Norman claims that conventions are targets that are included within interface designs, allowing us to automatically apply perceived affordance to. When constructing my blog post for this topic, after processing Norman’s discussions and applying it to my every day life, I thought about Instagram where this is clearly demonstrated to us. These include feature applications on the app in which we click into with one simple touch, to provide us with the option of uploading and editing images, even allowing us to use filters if we desire. Instagram also affords extra functions that enhance the users experience that little bit more, such as being able to comment and like other users content as a means of interacting. Without the affordances there would be no such thing as interaction between a website and user, or a social media platform and user.
Overall, I think this reading was highly insightful and informative in regards to our research topic, it was very relevant and highlighted the basis for how Instagram was designed and why. Furthermore, having a good understanding of the affordances, shows the influence these constrains and conventions have on the invention of objects and design. Norman’s article provides readers with a logical explanation to support his discussions of the importance of understanding the three necessary interface design when it come to designing an object, In order to produce a well constructed product. His discussions regarding his previous work experience in the field even including working with apple, provides a sense of validation and proves that he is very familiar with the interface designs and the affordances associated.
Fundamentally, Norman does a good job of informing readers of the integral and crucial part in determining how a web user can sufficiently operate an application they are using with out any confusion being caused. These set the standards of how today’s social media and website structures are the way they are and how they have been utilised to provide the users with a successful easy to use navigation system. Simple processes which we don’t even have to think twice about such as uploading images to our account is influenced on Instagram’s layout and page design. It is quite an interesting concept that small functions created by a skilful designer can result in such an enhanced user experience. When I was writing my blog about affordances it made me think how these effect my daily life an actions I’m under taking. I related the three designs to Instagram: such as an affordance might be that filters can be added to enhance the quality of our images. A physical constraint might be that video content we upload can’t exceed a 60 second time frame. A cultural constraint might be that given the ways text has to be formatted to fit the page.
Selected text 3: Network Literacy
Miles, Adrian. Soft Cinematic Hypertext (RMIT University, 2012. (Network Literacy: The New Path to Knowledge 201-208)
This reading outlines clearly what print literacy is and uses this in assisting to explain network literacy. In today’s society anyone who has had the opportunity to have an education is print literate. Miles goes on to discuss that in modern society it could be generally assumed that each individual would be equally literate in terms of being able to operate new advanced online networks. However, this is not the case as we don’t have the same deep understanding of the protocols and logic like we do of print. Miles reinforces the importance of understanding the dynamics of network literacy, as it is essential to keep updated with existing technology as it’s so rapidly evolving. If you don’t have any knowledge in this field you will be left behind, as all information is being shared and re located online.
Miles defines network literacy as being able to have the capabilities to participate with in networks which are collaborated and incorporate information of the internet. He makes it clear to his readers that network literacy and print differ quite significantly, as network literacy enable collaboration and uploading to a public stream, where feedback and options are exchanged. It can also be mentioned that for our older generations this can prove to be more difficult as they haven’t grown up in generations where technology was a big part of their lives, and now with technology being a significant aspect of our lives this can be difficult for them to grasp an understanding. An important part of Miles reading was his reinforcement that network literacy has many uses and not just for our own personal consumption but also allows for individual contribution. This impacts how Instagram users post their content and they deem is appropriate to be viewed by the wider pubic. However, with Instagram offering many affordances for their viewers there is an option provided for users to have a private account, and can control who views their account content.
Miles explorations assisted me in discussing my weeks 3 blog on networks. He allowed me to reflect on the fact that even though network literacy has many benefits it can also pose as an invasion of privacy, as so much of our personal details are exposed on the world wide web for anyone to view. These days we are so prone to providing companies with our personal details, it comes naturally without even bothering to think about the consequences associated with it. Finally, Miles sharing real life stories of how he integrates network literacy into his daily life inspires readers to also engage and get involved in this network literacy. By Miles providing several examples of consumption he has engaged in informs readers that anything is possible and it’s never too late to expand your knowledge. In addition, indicating his strong use of network literacy and all the positive associations, further provides validation of his articles discussions.