Revised Statement of Purpose

I would like to make the following revisions to my statement of purpose.

“I would like to create a digital media artifact using information about Presidential election candidates’ wardrobes, specifically the American flag pins, to argue that image and how the present themselves really does matter to undecided voters.”

 
I did a bunch of research into the past Presidential debates, but I am not sure if any of the information I've found is really helpful on that end. In comparison, I did find a lot of information about the flag pins in particular, which is very (I think) is very helpful for my argument.

I am not exactly sure the type of digital media I am going to create yet, but some ideas were a blog or maybe  digital"posters" of some kind. Perhaps I will play on the word "oPINion".

Statement of Purpose

Since the Presidential Election is so close these days, I wanted to do something political for my assignment, but not the traditional "Support so-and-so" pitch.

I noticed during the Presidental Debate on Monday night (as well as in the past debates this year) that the American flag pins the President and Govenor Romney wore were very different in size; Romney's even (supposedly) had the seal of the Secret Service on it.

For this assignment, I want to analyze each candidate's wardrobe for the past three elections' debates (9 total) in order to argue that what they wear really affects how the uncertain voters see them. I am unsure, however, what digital media avenue I would like to pursue. Possibly a blog?

Your image is everything: what you do (or plan to do when elected president) and how you represent yourself go hand in hand.

A Lesson in Argument

Frankly, I found the Lynch and Wysocki reading to be a bit redundent... this information is stuff we've gone over and over and over again; it kind of reminds me of the freshmen composition, unfortunately.

Either way you look at it, thought, the information provided is important. Formal vs. informal argument presentation styles need to be compared to see which one is most appropriate for your project.

Your argument must also be addressing a change in something, such as an action or situation. There is no use arguing in something that cannot be changed.

It is important for an argumentative (is that even a word?) document to contain the following:

1. A specific audience: who are you talking to? why are they interested in your topic/ how does it benefit them?
2. A clearly stated thesis/argument: you should state your purpose and what you hope to find and present to your audience
3. Clear, concrete and credible evidence to support your argument, to further persuade the audience to agree with your argument
4. A larger context: your argument should have some connection to a larger social context, it must be relatable
5. The mode of communucation must be appropriate to the argument itself

A Portage View

The Importance of Copyright

One thing I noticed about the reading for this blog post was that it was written by a high school student...

Anyway, copyright is very important. Without it, proper credit would never be given to the appropriate individuals who created, invented, wrote, composed or in other words produced a piece of work. In order to be protected under copyright laws, the work must be able to be "perceived, produced or otherwise communicated, either directly or with the aid of a machine or device."

I had heard about "fair use" before, but I never really understood what is meant. According to the reading, a provision of the copyright Act called Fair Use limits the copyright holder's rights in order to promote free speech and learning."

I had always associated plagiarism with copyright, but never knew that the two terms can be confused with each other. Interestingly enough, copyright law "applies mainly to the economic loss incurred due to an infringement." In comparison, plagiarism is "a crime against ethics." Teachers warn of plagiarism, as does the university, of a misrepresentation of work, or no credit where credit is due.

Also included are a list of limitations for multimedia applications:
1. Time
2. Portion
3. Motion Media
4. Text Material
5. Music, Lyrics and music videos
6. Illustrations and Photographs
7. Data sets
8. Copy and distribution

Ironically enough, although it is an example, the piece of writing properly sites her sources of information.
 I also noted this at the top: "*Permission is granted to freely copy this document in electronic form, or to print for personal use. If you had not seen a notice like this on the document, you would have to assume you did not have permission to copy it. This document is still protected by you-know- what even though it has no copyright notice."

Itsy Bitsy Bitzer

The "Rhetorical" Situation... get it? Stupid.

Lloyd F. Bitzer's The Rhetorical Situation focuses on the reasons he believes the rhetoric of a situation is just as important as the situation itself, I think...

Situations of all kinds surround us and make up every aspect of our lives. Bitzer argues that the situation calls the rhetorical discourse into existence, not the other way around. By this he means to say that without the situation (context, etc) what causes something? How does this happen?
He writes, "A work is rhetorical because it is a response to a situation of a certain kind."
He also writes that the audience of a discourse has the opportunity and power to change reality if they want to because they are "the mediators of change." Reality can be changed by the mediation of thought and action.
Again, I think what he is getting at here is that the rhetoric of a situation is just as important as the situation itself.






Halloween Cupcakes!

While workin on my literacy assignment, my sisters and I made Halloween cupcakes!
Overall great day.

Assignment 2: Literacy, Fluency and Competency (NEEDS HYPERLINKS AND CONCLUSION)

Digital Literacy, Fluency and Competency: Connections in a rural setting

            The Copper Country: rich in history and natural beauty, low in technological access. Students attending colleges like Michigan Tech feel a constant urge to be connected through their smartphone, tablet, laptop or other device. Having grown accustomed to the changes in the technological sphere, they don’t even flinch when something new comes along; they adapt to it with ease because of the knowledge they already have. How does one react when those technologies are hard to access?

            Consider this: you are a student coming from a populated area (say a suburb of Detroit or other large city) attending Michigan Tech. With cell phone and laptop in your backpack, you make the move up to Houghton, only to find that cell coverage is spotty and internet and Wi-Fi access only reach certain parts of the area. Do you feel angry, frustrated or anxious? All of the above? I would like to argue that because of the rural area in which Michigan Tech is situated in, students feel a greater need to be connected.

For this research paper and in order to answer these questions firsthand, I conducted a survey of students on campus. The following questions were asked to four male and four female students from out of the area, ages 19-22, who participated.

1.    How does the access to the internet/cell phone coverage differ here at Michigan Tech/Houghton than from where you are from?

2.    Do you have a smartphone, laptop, tablet or other mobile device that you feel keeps you connected?

3.    When was a time when you felt disconnected from the rest of the world because of a lack of technological access, internet or cell phone service?

4.    How do you feel when you are experiencing “technological difficulties” on campus or at home? What types of things run through your mind?

5.    How would you describe a “Digital Native”?

To start, every student expressed disgust with the internet access and cell phone coverage available. Many responses included the word ‘consistency’ and the fact that this area does not offer many providers for service. Each student stated that they have a smartphone, laptop or other device that keeps them connected and when that device isn’t working, they feel “frustrated… upset and angry…distraught… annoyed…” and even like he “wants to throw [his] computer out the window.” 

I think that if I would have asked the entire student population on campus these questions, the feelings expressed would have been similar if not the same. This generation, many of which were born after 1988, are “Digital Natives”. In Born Digital by Palfrey and Gasser, a digital native is described as someone whose “Major aspects of their lives—social interactions, friendships, civic activities—are mediated by digital technologies.” They just don’t know anything else. 

To contrast with the students responses, I also looked at some of my personal observances in my daily life regarding an older generation or those people who wouldn’t be associated with the term “digital native”. My mom, for example, does not have a cell phone and just recently acquired internet access and a computer. My grandparents do not have a computer or cell phones. Those of older generations do not feel as strong of an urge to be constantly connected because they were not born into the age of technology or they may not be comfortable with using the technologies, as Kate Williams explains in Literacy and Computer Literacy. Students, or the digital natives, however, are able to adapt to the fast-paced and ever changing world of technology they live in. Again, these students don’t know anything else from a technological world in which they’ve grown up in.

The final aspect of this I would like to look at is how technologies become such a large part of our lives that we form a bond with them as though they are a part of us.  Digital Natives in today’s world seem to always carry their cell phones or other devices with them, tapping away at the touch screens or keys. Through this technology is they interact with their friends and sometimes their family, conduct homework and reach a majority of their entertainment such as Facebook and Netflix.

Because a vast majority of our time is spent in online spaces, we become one with them, expressing ourselves in that space and showing the world who we are (or are not, for that matter). Access to those technologies and the necessary components to run them are scarce in the Houghton area… causing students much frustration, as stated in the survey. An online identity is created and must be obtained.

Works Cited

1.    "Coverage Map in Houghton, MI." Cell Reception. Web. 08 Oct 2012. <http://www.cellreception.com/coverage/mi/houghton/page1.html>.

2.    Horrigan, John. "Home Broadband Adoption 2009." Pew Internet. Pew Internet Web. 10 Oct 2012. <http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2009/10-Home-Broadband-Adoption-2009/1-Summary-of-findings.asp&xgt;

3.    Palfey, John, and Urs Gasser. Born Digital. 1st ed. Basic Books, 2010. 1-14. Print.

4.    Waara, Katelyn. Personal survey of students

5.    Williams, Kate. Literacy and computer literacy ‘Analyzing the NRC’s ‘Being Fluent with Information Technology’. Journal of Literacy and Technology, volume 3, number 1, Spring 2003.

 

Literacy vs. fluency vs. compentency

I found a few things interesting in the reading we did about Kate Williams' study on computer literacy, one of which I would like to look at closer. Let me know if anyone else had this idea or came to this conclusion.

Firstly, I agree that our world has evolved technologically to the point that we are or should be considered to be a network society. If not, someone's living under a rock. Technology touches almost every aspect of our lives. It is unavoidable in many ways. We are very much connected through the technologies that surround us.

People say that computers are supposed to make life easier. In order for that to happen, however, your life needs to get harder; you need to work to become fluent and gain the knowledge you need to use the technology.

I thought the majority of the eleven theses made a lot of sense. I tried to pull examples for each of them in order to fully understand how they would come to that decision, but that became challenging.

Something that really stuck out to me was the word "policy" when they were talking about the crisis in literacy theory that can be resolved. When I think of a policy, I think of laws and that it must be followed by everyone it immediately effects.

It clearly states that more research needs to be done in terms of what people are doing now. The history of this, like anything, will always changing.

And for the record, MNF at Applebees's is dead slow tonight, but my boneless wings were delish! Thanks April!

Career Fair Day

Thought I needed to share this with everyone... "Everyone serves a porpoise"