Out of all the course learning outcomes listed for this class I have to say that the most important would be being able to examine how communication technologies affect social issues in our world as a whole. Based on the premise of the technology ecosystems and that all areas of technology from social systems, to organizational infrastructure, to hardware, are all connected to us the individual, we must understand these systems to get a better view of how technology affects the world. At the end of the day, what is the point of understanding communication technology if we do not try to apply that information to better ourselves as a society? I believe the other learning outcomes all are interconnected with how society functions whether it be studying trends of where we came from or analyzing how new tech will affect policies. Overall, I’ve learned a lot about the history/evolution of past tech some of which I already had known, including radio, television, cameras, and the internet. For example, one of the blog posts I really enjoyed making was the evolution of computers through images. I’m now able to look at past trends like that and see how they influence the current trends of technology. Another blog post I wrote that shows this concept was the start of the research for the kick start project and how I had to relate past data trends to current podcast idea we were going for. The entire kick start project really showed me what it takes to start up an idea and the amount of time and in depth thinking that it takes to make a new technology successful. Not just things like the enabling or limiting factors but every aspect must be planned and accounted for including every aspect of the technology ecosystem and that is something I never fully realized before. In this class, I also learned about technology that I may have not even realized existed such as digital signage, the internet of things, and the popularity of e-sports.
After understanding the history and trends of these technologies I am more capable to discuss the social issues that are arising. A couple that are still prevalent in my mind include: representation of women in video games, the digital divide, and the dangers of automotive telematics and self-driving vehicles. These were always the topics in class that created the most interest with me because I could finally apply knowledge about the ecosystems to something relevant in everyone’s lives rather than just having a full understanding of tech in general. Honestly, we have a duty to be aware about topics like these because they will have a real effect on our future socially, politically, and economically. Finally, I believe that this class has widened my worldview towards technology and rather than viewing tech as just objects that makes things easier, I can see how it truly is interconnected with every aspect of lives not just communication. With that viewpoint in mind, I actually look forward to applying what I know in the future to make informed decisions towards whatever upcoming social issues arise.
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The proposal of a law in the U.S. that is similar to the law in France stating that retouched photographs of models must be labeled is interesting seeing how much of the U.S.’s advertising uses retouched imagery. Honestly, I do not see a problem with the law as it shows an open communication with the consumer that should be implemented more often. The problem with the U.S. is that businesses and corporations might like to control information like that believing that it can effectiveness of advertising. A woman eyeing an image of a bathing suit in a magazine might think twice about how it looks on herself when a label is placed underneath stating the model has been altered digitally. As for the Getty Images, I think that it is great they are taking a stance against banning retouched models and since they are the largest stock photo agency it really can make others maybe make the same change. All of these efforts are leading towards better open communication with the public and better messages for body positivity which I am all for.
The digital divide in the USA is a major problem in education because teenagers are not able to complete certain assignments that have internet broadband requirements. 30% of rural America still do not have “adequate” broadband access according to the FCC minimum requirement of 25 mbps. More urban areas have better internet access with only 2.1% missing adequate internet service. The divide between those who have broadband and those who do not depends on location and income of the family. We should care about this divide because specifically low-income students are unable to keep up with curriculum with no access to internet or no computer in the home. 17% of students say they cannot finish homework without the internet so with schools putting more and more emphasis on online assignments, like CSU’s Blackboard Learn, it is not realistic to try to solve this problem by stopping the advancement on online scholastics. In order to close the divide, we need to have legislative action that either creates better broadband in rural areas or alternatives need to be made to help teens complete the assignments given to them. I personally could not imagine completing my homework without access to instant information so a solution could be the implementation of computer labs in classes or designated locations with Wi-Fi.
After reading the 2017 IFPI Annual Report I was genuinely surprised at the wealth of information that I learned about the music industry. I was surprised by how much the industry has embraced technology, which is now predominantly digital, without fearing the change that comes with leaving physical music behind. It was interesting that physical music sales have decreased by 5.4% but vinyl sales have grown 22.3% in the last year showing that physical media isn’t entirely dead and there is still a strong niche market available. However, I believe the future of the music industry will be almost all digital with priority being placed on internet streaming services due to the fact that digital music makes up over half of the total industry revenue worldwide. People seem to care less about owning their music and more about having instant access to it, especially when the rights are digital and cannot be seen. Physical media will still be sold but in countries where focus in placed on owning the product like Japan (72% market share) or Germany (43% market share). Technology will continue to advance with voice control being developed to the point where music can be queued by voice. A more personalized social media music presence will emerge with more user generated work being posted on platforms. Latin America and Asian countries will see a rise in popularity not just in their demographic but worldwide. Contracts between labels will be more individualized to the artist with an emphasis being placed across the entire industry for fairly compensated work. The value gap will need to be addressed and solutions could start in Europe with legislative work already being set in motion for fair licensing across all platforms. Laws on copyright liability will need to set in place so that acts of illegal stream ripping can be reduced to zero. Youtube is primarily one of the biggest platforms that works against the music industry by not claiming liability over the content being posted to their website. Overall, the future of the music industry is a bright one that needs more communication between digital platforms to create an ecosystem where music creators can be treated fairly.
Debroy, A. (2018, June 25). Using Audiobooks to Boost Literacy in the Classroom. Retrieved February 21, 2019, from http://edtechreview.in/trends-insights/trends/3231-using-audiobooks-to-boost-literacy-in-the-classroom
This is a good article that showcases the benefits of audiobooks and, how when used properly, they boost literacy in general population of students. Audio books also helps the learning disabled, second language learners, non readers, and students with dyslexia. Increased critical listening, higher reading levels, and interpretive reading of complex storylines are some of the benefits listed. Dahl, M. (2016, August 10). To Your Brain, Audiobooks Are Not 'Cheating'. Retrieved February 21, 2019, from https://www.thecut.com/2016/08/listening-to-a-book-instead-of-reading-isnt-cheating.html This article shows the difference in mental processes of comprehension between reading and listening to a book. It found that there is not a major difference in the two types of processes however, physical reading does allow the reader to look back at what was just read and not get as confused. Short echoic memory can sometimes effect listeners as they forget what was just read due to distractions. I have always been interested in cinema ever since I was a kid and found the aesthetic of film very pleasing to the naked eye. I never could tell why they looked different but as I grew up I learned they were being filmed on different cameras. Celluloid film cameras capture light differently than the modern day digital cinema cameras and gives it a certain look. I never thought about the concept of cinema cameras being part of the collective group of communication technologies, but as I continued to read my textbook I realized that storytelling can be a powerful way to show and communicate information. Nowadays, cinema cameras have become fully digital and a cheaper alternative to film meaning less and less filmmakers are using physical film stock. I was surprised to find out that the higher the budget for a movie, the less there is a difference in cost between shooting digital or physical film. I also never realized that the greatest downside of digital film would be the inability to preserve them over time as easily as physical material. It seemed that digital had no downsides as it isn’t physical but archiving that much information without having physical access to it store it seems challenging.
I would really like to learn more about how film will be implemented in the future of cinema and I question if it will ever reach a point of no return? I could see film continue to be used for nostalgic aesthetic purposes in a small niche market later on. I would also be interested to find out if with the increase of technology, a substitute digital cinema camera could be created that replicates the film aesthetic without having to add in grain or other aspects in post-production later on. Finally, I’m curious to see what the of filming movies digitally on cellphones such as Unsane (2018) will have on the medium. 1946 - ENIAC UNVIELING https://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/computers/ 1951 - Univac 1 Delivered to US https://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/computers/ 1964 - IBM Announces System/360 https://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/computers/ 1981 - IBM Introduces PC https://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/computers/ 2008 - Macbook Air is Released https://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/computers/
Hey, my name is James Caspary and I am a MADT (Media Arts Design and Technology) Major in the media arts program attending Chico State for my third year. I was born and raised in Chico, CA for the last twenty years and have always been interested in the creation process and how things are sequenced together. So, when I applied for Chico State I knew I wanted to do something in the video editing/post production side of things. Over the past three years, my knowledge in the media arts realm has increased immensely and I enjoy using what I've learned in my own life. In my free time, I like to shoot and edit short videos of my trips whenever I travel. I've been to Japan several times to visit family and love filming there. I also spend my time working on freelance video projects whenever I'm contacted. Most recently, I produced a music video for a band performing at the City of Trees 2018 festival in Sacramento, CA. Some of my other hobbies include, skateboarding through the city or watching independent films in certain theaters.
After learning about the different media design principles in class this semester I went back and put some of those same principles into my website in order to make it easier to use. One of the first principles I thought of was highlighting of course. Highlighting is a technique that helps bring attention to an image, so when designing my site, I used contrasting color on my header links to draw the users eye. I also used an uppercase typeface on my website headers that immediately lets the user know where they are on the site and connects to design question number 1 “How can I influence how design is PERCEIVED?”. The second principle I took into account was Iconic Representation, which is basically the use of pictures or icons to make concepts easier to recognize, learn, and understand. I implemented icons linking to all my contact information that follow the user through the site in case they want to see more. This connects with the third design question “How can I enhance the USABILITY of a design?” because users are able to easily access more information through easily recognizable icons. Aesthetic Usability Effect influenced me next to design my site as aesthetically pleasing as possible to the best of my ability. The aesthetic usability effect just means that better looking designs are going to be perceived as easier to use than less aesthetic designs. This corresponds with design question number 3 “How can I enhance the How can I enhance the USABILITY of a design?” USABILITY of a design?” because users perceive my site as easier to use since it is filled with pictures and minimal options. My fourth principle I wanted to use was consistency meaning that a systems usability goes up when similar designs are expressed in similar ways. My website has aesthetic consistency referring to each section having very similar styles and looks, and this again relates to the design question, “How can I enhance the USABILITY of a design?”. I decided I wanted to use Alignment for my final principle. Alignment simply put means the placement of elements so that edges or a common center align. In the blog portion of my site all the elements are aligned around a common center which consists with design question number 1 “How can I influence how design is PERCEIVED?” because with proper alignment the site is perceived as more professional.
Recently I’ve been learning about the Q3 principles of design in class, and when looking for a professional website to critique Youtube.com immediately came to mind. In the screenshot above, many principles are being used correctly and incorrectly. The first principle I thought of was Hick’s Law, because of how many options are presented on YouTube at any given time. Hick’s Law explains that the amount of time it takes to make a decision increases as the number of alternatives increases. The viewer has so many options to choose from right away with videos going on endlessly on the page. The amount of time it takes to look at the options and pick the video best suited to watch would take forever. That’s why YouTube implemented a second design principle of nudging in order to get viewers to click faster. Nudging is a way to alter behavior without restricting options or significantly changing incentives. YouTube/YouTube Creators now have to use nudging such as clickbait in order to keep up with competition. The different categories on the left are type of nudging called a structured choice in order to simplify the process. Every video on the page is trying to nudge the viewer into watching their video. The third principle I saw was Signal to Noise ratio which is the ratio of relevant to irrelevant information showed in a display. There is almost no irrelevant information on the webpage, everything has a place and purpose. Therefore, the noise is very low and the message of the site is crystal clear. The fourth principle seen is the red effect which is the tendency to see women/men/objects with the color red as attention-grabbing or attractive. On YouTube the use of Red is everywhere, highlighting all the categories , almost nudging the viewer to click on them. It is also prevalent in the logo which makes you remember it. The last principle I saw was consistency because of the layout of the page. Consistency means that the usability is improved when similar parts are expressed in similar ways. You tube’s aesthetic consistency is exceptional with every page on its site is identical, even across all platforms. Overall, YouTube uses these principles of design fairly well which is part of the reason why it is the most popular video streaming site around. |
AuthorJames Caspary Archives
January 2019
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