Proof of Learning Report- Week 4

This is my final Proof of Learning Report for the course and I am actually a bit sad it is coming to an end. This week I focused mainly on my research project by gathering sources, compiling my own personal data, and developing a website on the topic. I also continued to be active in the discussion boards, trying to help others with their research- which was actually very interesting because I got to explore my classmates research!

I was really excited that I was able to choose my own topic for the research project because it really allowed me to become immersed in a topic I felt passionate about. My research explored one of the new robotic technologies in the medical field called the da Vinci Surgical System and how people are reacting to this new technology. The system allows a human surgeon to control robotic arms which actually operate on the patient. I chose to develop a website for my final project because I felt it tied everything we have learning during the semester together. It was a way to use the very technology we have been studying for weeks and applying what we've learned about genre's, online communities, technology, etc. to the setting. I chose to use weebly.com because Sarah mentioned the use of the website in one of the discussions and said it was a very good tool to use. I definitely agree with this statement. The website was very user friendly and helped me to develop a creative and informational website about my topic! 
Here is the link to my website: www.roboticmedicaltechnology.weebly.com

I conducted a study to see how willing a person would be to having a medical procedure performed by the da Vinci Surgical System and I was very surprised by my results. I hypothesized that the older a person was, the less willing they would be; therefore, the younger a person was, the more willing they would be. However, the findings from my study showed that this was not the case. It was slightly the opposite; but ultimately, there was no correlation between age and willingness to have a procedure by da Vinci. 

I have been looking through my classmates final projects and I am very thrilled to see the websites and project of my classmates- we have a lot of creative people! I was especially interested in Maren's website because it is very similar in ways to mine in regards to medical technology. Her project focused more on the new technologies used in cancer treatment rather than surgical technology. Her website was very informational and professional and helped me learn a lot about new cancer treatments!

Overall, I really enjoyed this class. The first week I was really nervous because I didn't know what to expect with the use of Sparklix and the Blog, but I have ultimately learned a lot more about how technology impacts our lives and the lives of others than I ever though possible in a 4 week period of time. I really felt this class went above and beyond in regards to communication in the discussion boards. Although it was sometimes hard to keep up with the discussions every day, I can honestly say that I read every post and I really learned a lot from what my peers had to say throughout the course. I also felt the material we learned throughout the semester was relevant to us as current technology users. I know I have taken a lot of useful information away from this class and I will surely be applying it in my everyday life!

Proof of Learning Report- Week 3

This week's readings focused a lot on online communities in regards to using discussion boards and online magazines (a.k.a. e-zines). Two of the major themes discussed were the notions of asynchronous vs. synchronous online atmospheres and the use of e-zines to incorporate an audience into the network.

The first reading for the week was an article written by Dezhi Wu and Starr Hiltz entitled ""Predicting Learning From Asynchronous Online Discussions." This article discussed at length the benefits and drawbacks of using asynchronous (not occurring at the same time) discussions in online courses. The authors state that online discussions are a key component to computer conferencing. We have become very accustomed as a class to using a discussion board and I can understand the benefits of using the technology. Some of the benefits include place independence, time independence, as well as convenience. According to the article, the combination of face-to-face and computer-mediated discussion provides a better learning environment than regular lecture classes alone. They also state that online discussions promote higher levels of critical and cognitive thinking.We discussed this topic at great length on the discussion board and I think that we received a lot of great feedback. Jeffrey stated that ..."if we were given the chance to learn about [new technologies] in one setting, i.e a classroom, we would be able to help each other out much faster and easier." Joel responded against the notion of having a mixed mode course by saying "...we must also consider the restrictions of traditional classes. Because of time and the number of students, not as many students would have the chance to argue or assert their opinion on topics. The asynchronous aspect of discussions, such as this one, allow students a greater amount of time to pose questions, arguments and statements and to support them in a more effective manner" (Mixed mode courses: good and bad, 6/1).Through the study performed by Wu & Hiltz, they concluded that about 57% of students felt the online discussions increased their learning quality and 78% of students felt the online discussions were a good way to interact with the instructors and classmates. I would definitely agree with their results. I feel that I have gained substantial knowledge from conversing with my classmates on a discussion board and I would like to see them incorporated into more courses!

The second major topic up for discussion this week was the use of e-zines which are online magazines. An article written by Matthew Smith called, "Strands in the Web: Community-Building Strategies in Online Fanzines" states that "most e-zines represent a fan's first attempt at self-publishing..." (Smith 2). Once a e-zine is established, many people turn to them for useful and current information. E-zines usually include images, references, member columns, external links to similar sites, and some even have guestbooks for fans. I had never heard of an e-zine before reading this article. I knew that magazines were being put online to save money and to reduce the use of paper copies, but I had no idea that there are thousands of these sites on the web. I did a little personal research for my project trying to see if there was an e-zine pertinent to my topic- and there was! I know a lot of my classmates were in the same place I was but I was glad to see that a few already had used these resources in the past. Ryan made the comment that "...using online magazines (ezines) for research and other projects can be a very helpful tool. I have received electronic versions of several magazines for a few years now. The first few were through my employer, but over time I began to appreciate them on a more personal level. They nature of an online version allows for easy searching" (Ezines, 6/2). I think this will be a fantastic tool to use for our research project and I'm so glad we learned about them!

Speaking of the research project, I have come a long way in researching my topic and gathering data. For those of you who aren't aware, I am doing a project on how various age groups would respond to having a robotic surgery procedure. I have decided to put together a website outlying how the technology works and also incorporating my study into the website. I also plan to have links to numerous websites and studies that have been done on this topic previously because I think there is so much interesting information out there! I have put my survey on the class discussion board, distributed it on Facebook, and also obtained personal surveys from doctors, nurses, and potential patients in the Central Illinois area. I have really been trying to incorporate my study into my lab notes and into the discussion boards in order to allow everyone to gain knowledge on my topic as well as trying to be an active promoter on the discussion board for new ideas! I also submitted my Genre Review of the discussion board earlier in the week suggesting that we try and limit the number of repetitive postings on the discussion board  to allow for more student involvement and I have seen some major progress since then! 

Proof of Learning Report- Week 2

It is clear that the theme of this week's readings was "online dating" and the medium's used by people searching for companionship online. Some of the major topics discussed this week were identity protection, how one is perceived online (and offline), and finally, the notion of "soul mates."

One of the first readings for the week was a video on online scams by BBC news. The video showed how easily someone can be deceived by someone else when they have developed a sincere attachment to their online partner. The main victim in the story lost thousands of dollars, personal information, and most importantly her pride when she found out that her partner was a fraud. This video was also followed up with an article entitled "Online Dating" which was written by Mary Madden & Amanda Lenhart in 2006. The article states that about 66% of internet users say that they believe online dating is dangerous because it puts personal information online and that it is usually females, older people, and people with lower incomes who are the most wary of the risks of online dating. It is so easy for people to take advantage online because in many cases you never see the other person's face. I thought that Emily made a good post as to why these online scams happen. "They are so blind to the truth, because they want to honestly believe there is someone out there who is perfect for them (who loves them for who they are). If only they were educated about the dangers of things like this..." (Online Dating Ignorance, 5/24). There is an old saying that people can be "blinded by love," and I think that is exactly what happens in these online relationships! These people become too attached and are willing to divulge personal information to others in order to form a stronger relationship. Obviously the best way to keep your information and your wallet safe is to keep your personal information offline and if you do feel the need to share it, why don't we try meeting with the person face-to-face.

  Another topic talked about this week is how one is perceived in an online dating community. We covered perception online in more depth last week, but I thought it was interesting how perception in an online dating community is very different from other online communities. In the article "Down the Rabbit Hole...," the author states that "the connections stem from emotional intimacy rather than lustful attraction" (Baker, 4). I think this is an interesting concept because we are so interested in physical attraction offline. How can there be such a difference online? Is it because people online are more desperate? No. Is it because people online don't care what their partners look like? No. I think it is because you can really get to know somebody for who they are as opposed to instantly being turned on or off due to their physical qualities. I decided to start a discussion board post about this idea and I received a very intriguing response from Michael. "We cannot help but to notice a person's physical traits. Usually it is the people we do notice, for their attractiveness, that we will talk to and ultimately try to start a relationship with. In terms of online interaction, it seems to work the opposite way. If physical attractiveness is not a priority at first, then more people are possible relationships. However, the idea of physical attractiveness will come into play at some point and will determine whether the relationship continues" (Is Physical Attractiveness Not Important, 5/30). Another point I liked was a comment from La Tocha- "My friend is a member of Zoosk and she refuses to add her pic. She feels that people should get to know each other by finding their likes rather than focus on looks" (Is Physical Attractiveness Not Important, 5/26). Perceptions of others online is always going to be a recurring theme as long as there are online communities; it just depends on how open we are to others personalities and traits that will allow us to see people for who they are.

The last topic I wanted to touch on briefly was the notion of soul mates. In the article, "Expectations of Finding a 'Soul Mate' with Online Dating" by J. Houran, he explains the notion of a soul mate. His definition of a soul mate is, "One of two persons compatible with each other in disposition, point of view, or sensitivity" (Houran, 1)." This definition doesn't sound like my idea of a soul mate. When I think of a soul mate, I think of a romantic partner; someone I will share my life with, not a person with similar interests (this could simply be a friend). I have also gathered after reading the discussion posts the majority of my classmates also feel that there should be some kind of intimate or romantic aspect to a relationship with a soul mate. I do understand how one could perceive friend as a soul mate, but is it really a "soul mate," or simply a best friend?

Over the past week I have tried to improve my discussion board posts. I have really tried to continue conversations with other people who have responded to me in my own posts as well as other classmates posts. I do, however, think I am very active in the discussions and I try and provide interesting and different topics than those posted by my fellow classmates. I like to provide variety on the discussion board because I personally don't want to read the same concepts 30 times and I'm sure my classmates don't either!

I have also been using my Sparklix to record notes every time we have a major reading assignment. I am not a big note-taker on readings anyways, so this is very hard for me. I try and write down some key concepts and put in a few quotes I think are good from the reading. I have also been trying to post a few links to other relevant websites which I think has really enhanced my knowledge for the subject. I usually try and find websites that help clarify the information for me- for example, the online communities readings didn't click with me, so I found another article that helped clarify the concepts!

This week in the proof of learning report I really tried to make at least one reference to the readings and at least one reference to a discussion post in each sub-topic. I think this is important because it allows me to connect my ideas here with the information I have gathered from the rest of the class. I am also including an analysis of how I have improved in my writings of each genre over the past two weeks because I think it is also important to be cognitively aware of how I work in each genre.

Proof of Learning Report- Week 1

This week of class focused mainly on the idea of technology evolving to meet the needs current communication techniques. One of the first things we discussed is what the most prominent types of technology are. The number one technology used is cell phones- not shocking. We use these hand held devices everyday and they are changing the way we function as a whole. The question raised however, was how is technology affecting our lives? This is a question each individual has a different outlook on. For me personally, I think technology is a wonderful tool that can greatly shape the world as we know it, IF we use it properly. This notion of proper technology use can be questioned in the use on Social Networking Systems (SNS). These include Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. Let me pose this question, when you buy a new iPod, do you just open up the box and start playing with it? No. You read the instructions. A lot of people disregard this type of activity when performing online tasks. It is a very dangerous world- the online spectrum, and we need to be careful how we use it. One of the most important subareas of this is online privacy. Apparently you can find out information about anyone based on their gender, zip code, and birth date. I have noticed in the past few years that more and more personal information is becoming available online- particularly with younger kids. Other types of data that can expose people include cell phone numbers, "checking in" at various locations, and posting photos. I think that adults have more at stake online because of online accounts, banking, etc.; however, I feel children are at more risk overall by divulging more insecure information. Overall, I feel the main idea I have taken away from this weeks activities is that we should always be cautious about what we put online and that even the acts of others can ruin our reputations.

When I first started reading these articles, I felt like a lot of this was common sense. We are all aware of the threats posed online, so why do people not take more precautions? I have always been very reserved in the information I put online and hopefully that has benefited me in the long run. I have always been concerned with my reputation both online and offline. I genuinely care what people think about me and I will not let other people smear my name because of things posted on the internet. This is important for everyone, especially when the time comes to meet a potential employer, spouse, etc. Another thing to think about how these online interactions affect us as a whole. We focused on social capital (or social interaction) a lot this week as well. I think this is an interesting concept that should be studied deeper. In my experiences, I feel that online social capital has had both positive and negative effects on my overall interactions with people. Online social capital has affected me positively by allowing me to keep in contact with friends from high school or helping me come in contact with people I have met in college. On the other hand, online social capital has affected me negatively affected me because people I would have normally talked to in person, I will just converse with online. I don't think that talking online has as powerful of a social interaction as face-to-face conversation. I think in some ways it is almost a cop out or an example of laziness. Overall, online social capital has multiple affects and will certainly effect each person differently.

The two things I have found most important in this class this far is the importance of online security and  reputation. In the article ""Reputation Management and Social Media," the authors studied the differences between concern for personal information posted on the web in 2006 and in 2009. Their study shows that in 2009 are less concerned with putting personal information on the web. This makes a lot of sense to me because I have seen a surplus in personal information available on sites like facebook and twitter. I found it interesting that people currently seem to care LESS about their personal information being available online than in previous years. This was shocking to me especially because there have been so many instances of identity theft. I thought it was interesting that the only three things needed to identify someone is zip code, birth date, and gender. This is information that is very readily available on most peoples online accounts.

The second important topic we have discussed is online reputation. Sometimes it baffles me how ignorant people can be about their online reputations. For example, when I see somebody's Facebook page and it is plastered in drunken night out photos and vulgar posts I tend to get a bad taste in my mouth. I know it sounds stereotypical, but the truth is, if I have that reaction, what would your boss, parents, or grandparents say? I think Michael Hiestand made a post on the discussion board when he said, "[This] is very important however, because privacy is not only in what people from the outside looking in can see, but who you let inside. Many people accept friend requests from people that they do not know and that can cause them to give out information to people they do not want to have the information. I think it many facebook users have accepted a friend request from someone just because they had mutual friends with the person." I think many times we feel that we can trust anyone we know online or offline. I know most of us have had an experience with a backstabber and why should we think Facebook relationships are any different? If someone dislikes you and wants to 'dig up dirt' on you, they can probably find something they want online. This is why it is crucial for us to be extremely careful what we post online as well as what others post online about us.

The fact is that technology is evolving, for better or worse, and will continue to play large factors in each of our lives. We must be proactive in researching new technology and how it can either improve or even destroy our lives. The bottom line is that technology is a wonderful thing and if we know how to utilize it properly we should be embracing all it has to offer!     
 

IDS 121

Hey! This blog is for my summer school course- IDS 121! Today is the first day of a 4 week course! Let's get started!