Upon starting this course, I didn’t really give much thought as to what networked media really meant. I turned up to the first un-lecture just assuming we would be told exactly what we doing this semester. Finding out it would be creating a blog threw me slightly. What do you mean we don’t use blackboard anymore? We’re being assessed on writing blogs? But I’ve never blogged before!

Essentially I was panicking before the course had even begun, but I guess I was willing to approach it with an open mind. I suppose you need one of those for these situations.

So why are we actually blogging? Well I hope that the answer to this question will becomre relitively more clearer and clearer as we go through these ‘un-lectures’ and classes – but I have made the link between being networked and maintaining a blog. Just like updating Facebook or Instagram, a blog provides the medium for us to connect to the rest of the world and have a voice. I guess you could do this on Facebook, but those status updates have a word limit…so a blog is the best way.

Near the end of the lecture, Adrian directed us to make a blog post about what we think networked media and the internet is. I thought this would be an interesting task, and I’m not sure if my answers right now are right or wrong, but I guess they are just my opinion at this stage. In twelve weeks time I will re-answer these questions and evaluate how different my responses were after completing this course. Here goes:

WHAT DO I THINK NETWORKED MEDIA IS?

I believe Networked media is essentially the connection and relationships people make with each other over the internet. Examples include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and blogging. It is networking with others through social media sites. Technology (such as the internet) facilitates this networking process and allows us to reach out to the rest of society. The connections we make with people online establishes a network of relationships which intertwine and help benefit eachother.

WHAT DO I THINK INTERNET IS?

I’ve always pictured the internet as like air. Somehow, we are always able to access it whether it’s through a computer or a phone. We can get online in any place at any time. The internet feels infinite and constantly around us. It enables us to share information through cables and wireless signals. All information is stored in it somewhere – even if we believe that it has been deleted. The internet cannot be owned by just one person, and it is free (but the means of accessing it is not free i.e. you need certain technology to be able to use it such as a wireless router and an internet data usage plan).

So there are my answers. Why knows if I’m on the right or wrong track! Who even knows if there is a right or wrong track with this subject. I guess the best think I can go is attempt it and see where it all takes me. I’m open to anything at this stage.