Thursday
CRITICAL REFLECTION
I was unable to attend many of the tutes in the second half of the semester due to work commitments. The other tutes fell on other days when i worked or was unable to go. I still went to lectures and attempted the tutorial work. However, from what i do know the subject was very informative and well done. Actually the most impressive part of the whole course that i will mention is the involvement and efforts of the teaching team. I genuinely believe that this is the most interactive and caring subject i have done (and i have been here for three years). There seems to be a genuine interest in the students by the staff regarding this subject and also the university success of the students. I have completed many subjects now and will honestly say that the interest displayed in this subject by the lecturer and tutors is very refreshing and does impact greatly on a students success. Well Done. The assessment was fair and balanced (maybe not having 50% of the course based on a single multiple choice test, not that i am complaining, i love it) but the assessment was a good representation of that which was learned from the course. There is no better lecture than those where you watch movies.Lol! This was a great subject especially for new students due to the care and interest provided by the staff.
WEEK 12
Not much to say this week, other than to thank whoever is responsible for putting the exam revision table/notes on the site. They were really helpful.
I understand this is a first year course and that the tutorials are designed for first year students, thats cool. I have completed the old Information systems subject that is compulsory in many courses, a few years back. In that course they taught you how to use Word, powerpoint build a database(access) etc.
I found the tutorial easy. A good refresher I guess... I have done some cleaning up of excel and access files before for some businesses, got paid quite well too. But for a newbie, this would have been really helpful. I'm lucky i am familiar with it cos the rest of my uni schedule is really quite busy, so i can focus my energy there.
I found the tutorial easy. A good refresher I guess... I have done some cleaning up of excel and access files before for some businesses, got paid quite well too. But for a newbie, this would have been really helpful. I'm lucky i am familiar with it cos the rest of my uni schedule is really quite busy, so i can focus my energy there.
week 10
This week it is using microsoft word. We have to follow the tutorials based on 2003 word. Ok i've been using word for a long time. I found the 3 basic tasks really quite easy due to the experience i have had with word. I understand all the commands as listed. As for the advanced exercises, i have done the mail merge before so that wasnt difficult, however, the track change was new. It was interesting to learn something new. I guess i will attempt to use this new technique from now on. I dont have the new Microsoft word on my computer yet. I t will be interesting to see what it offeres and if any new techniques or if the old ones have been retained or refined.
WEEK 9
This week is for the assignment. MY topic concerns the impact of the internet upon social relationships. I got my articles, not many websites though. Not sure what to do with them because they are not peer reviewed or academic. Wikipedia is my friend usually but I am not able to use its unconfirmed substantial knowledge. My argument is basically- the internet consumes peoples time and efforts and as an effect face to face relationships suffer. However, the internet and computer applications also offer ways to communicate frequently. I question the quality of this communication.
week 8
I went to the Habbohotel today. Initially i thought i was about to play a cute version of the sims but with meegos. I made myself a girl with brown hair... theres no need to look into why. I also made a home and so on. OK well, it mentions in the tute notes that there are a lot of young people in the hotel... THIS IS ACCURATE. Now being a lot older than 16, this made me feel rather strange, like hi little person, do you want some candy strange. Instant reaction... GET ME THE HELL OUTTA HERE! You can see how easy it would be for predators and weirdos to "have a good time". All they would have to do is hide behind the identity, that is lie about their age etc. I don't really get the innerworkings of those people but it does exist. ANYWAY commenting on the actual 3Dness... It gives you an opportunity to meet people, whereas the primary use of IM is to talk to people, communicate, with existing friends. The actual graphic element is entertaining I guess, but i believe it is dependant upon your actual needs. I suppose i would possibly use such 3Dness in the form of a game like Final Fantasy where you communicate with people in your group and have a purpose such as killing boars in the forest. I would have mentioned World of Warcraft but after the Southpark episode and how they depicted the players and indeed culture, I dare not. So yeah, The 3D element is an added entertaining bonus but there are more entertaining things to do. Simpleis often the best, So i'm sticking to IM.
Friday
Assignment (without the formatting it had in microsoft word )
The impact of the internet upon social relationships and interactions.
The vast importance of the internet and the role it plays in everyday life is well documented. Its interconnected system of networks is essential to the modern everyday existence of society. Indeed, the interconnection of commercial, educational, governmental and private sectors of the world is of paramount importance. So much so, that removal of the internet would see a disintegration of methods, systems and structure that permit functioning of business, information technology, health and industry. The importance and implications of the internet also exist on an interpersonal and social level. Much research has focused upon the impact of the internet upon social relationships.
Social relationships are a core element of what it is to be human. For years theorists have documented the importance of social needs. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a model that describes human motivation and needs, states that the need for love and belongingness is necessary after physiological (eg- food, water, shelter) and safety (safety of the body, family, resources) needs have been met. According to Maslow, it is an intrinsic and necessary part of human motivation that a human has friendship, sexual intimacy and the support of a loving and communicative family. Furthermore, it is important that humans belong and feel accepted by those with whom they are involved “socially”. This is true of both large groups, such as religious groups, sports teams, clubs etc, and smaller groups, such as family members, partners and close friends. Without the meeting of this basic human need a human is vulnerable to loneliness, depression, anxiety and other psychological problems.
With the advent of the internet, a new medium has arisen that provides a place where this need of love and belongingness may be found. “People use the internet intensely for interpersonal communication, sending and receiving email, contacting friends and family via instant messaging services, visiting chat rooms or subscribing to distribution lists, among other activities” – (Cummings, Butler & Kraut, 2002, p103). The evolution of internet based applications such as MSN messenger, web cam programs, Skype and Email has added new ways to communicate. Often these methods are faster and more cost efficient than traditional non-internet based methods such as posting a letter or telephone calls. However, there is contention concerning whether the internet, its associated communication and social relationships established from the use of the internet, is positive or not.
A study by Nie & Erbring (2002) concerning the sociological impact of information technology, surveyed 4113 individuals activities, social life and performance of other activities. The authors reported that the more time people spend using the internet, the more they lose contact with their social environment. Furthermore, people who use the internet heavily reported spending less time communicating with their family and friends. Participants attended fewer events outside the home and also spent less time with family. Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukophadhyay & Scherlis (1998) presented longitudinal evidence that showed that new internet users had diminished social involvement as a result of increased online time. The results showed that there was decreased communication within the family, a decreased local social network and also increased depression and loneliness within reported participants. However, research providing contrary evidence also exists. Katz and Aspen (1997) surveyed 2500 participants. The authors found that use of the internet in no way reduced people’s membership in either social or religious organisations. Subsequent work by Katz & Rice (2002) in their examination through surveys of internet use and disuse and associated social impact, supported the earlier work of Katz and Aspen (1997) finding that internet usage did not increase social isolation. In fact, their results showed that there was more frequent sociability for internet users than non internet users.
Possible explanations for such contradicting evidence has been attempted to be explained by problems with methodology, including the use of non representative samples and inconsistencies in the reliability of surveying techniques, such as social desirability. Nevertheless, while accounts of whether the internet increases or decreases social interaction and relationships are inconclusive, the defining factor may lie within the quality of the relationship.
It is argued that online social interaction is not as deep and meaningful as offline social interaction; therefore the quality is not as high. A quality relationship is defined as a relationship that satisfies the needs and wants of the individual and in the relationship’s ability to establish a sense of identity and belonging by utilising support. Evidence provided by Kraut et al (2002) suggests that “computer-mediated communication, and in particular email, is less valuable for building and sustaining close social relationships than face to face contact and telephone conversations” – (Kraut et al., 2002, p104). Coget, Yamauchi & Suman (2002) outline that internet users replace strong face to face ties with weak online ties. While online user’s interaction occurs with a greater number of people, this interaction often lacks the depth that is seen in non internet relationships. “The internet has a negative impact on people’s relationships, because it decreases their quality” – (Coget et al, 2002, p184). Another possible explanation for the shallowness of online relationships is due to the possible anonymity that the internet provides. A majority of internet users maintain an “online identity”. With this persona, a user ultimately deletes any historical information that defines their offline identity. Finally, while relationships that do not involve the internet mainly involve local interaction, online relationships may involve geographically dispersed participants. Therefore, information provided to the online participants may be less involved due to their lack of physical involvement and the input and interaction they may be able to provide.
The impact of the internet upon social relationships and interaction is of great importance due to the inevitable growth of information technology, in particular the internet. While debate remains as to whether social interactions and relationships are positively or negatively affected by internet use, evidence shows that the quality of the relationship or interaction is a definitive factor in the effect it has on human functioning.
References
Butler, B., Cummings, J., & Kraut, R., (2002). The Quality of Online Social Relationships. Communications of the ACM, 45, 103-108.
Boneva, B., Crawford, A., Cummings, J., Helgeson, V., Kiesler, S., & Kraut, R., (2002). Internet Evolution and Social Impact. IT & Society, 1, 120-134.
Coget, J., Suman, M., & Yamauchi, Y., (2002). The Internet, Social Networks and Loneliness. IT & Society, 1, 180-201.
Erbring, L. & Nie, N., (2002). Internet and Society: A Preliminary Report. IT & Society, 1, 275-283.
Katz, J. & Rice. R., (2002). Project Syntopia: Social Consequences of Internet Use. IT & Society, 1, 166-179.
Kiesler, S., Kraut, R., Lundmark, V., Mukophadhyay, T., Patterson, R. & Scherlis, W., (1998). Internet Paradox: A social Technology that reduces Social Involvement and psychological well-being. American Psychologist, 53, 1017-1031.
Neustadtl, A. & Robinson, J., (2002). Social Contact differences Between Internet Users and Nonusers In The General Social Survey. IT & Society, 1, 73-102.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from http://www.deepermind.com/20maslow.htm (accessed 7 May, 2007).
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm (accessed 7 May, 2007)
Web-based interactions are testing real world relationships. Retrieved from http://www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3412&Itemid=2 (accessed 29 April, 2007).
The vast importance of the internet and the role it plays in everyday life is well documented. Its interconnected system of networks is essential to the modern everyday existence of society. Indeed, the interconnection of commercial, educational, governmental and private sectors of the world is of paramount importance. So much so, that removal of the internet would see a disintegration of methods, systems and structure that permit functioning of business, information technology, health and industry. The importance and implications of the internet also exist on an interpersonal and social level. Much research has focused upon the impact of the internet upon social relationships.
Social relationships are a core element of what it is to be human. For years theorists have documented the importance of social needs. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a model that describes human motivation and needs, states that the need for love and belongingness is necessary after physiological (eg- food, water, shelter) and safety (safety of the body, family, resources) needs have been met. According to Maslow, it is an intrinsic and necessary part of human motivation that a human has friendship, sexual intimacy and the support of a loving and communicative family. Furthermore, it is important that humans belong and feel accepted by those with whom they are involved “socially”. This is true of both large groups, such as religious groups, sports teams, clubs etc, and smaller groups, such as family members, partners and close friends. Without the meeting of this basic human need a human is vulnerable to loneliness, depression, anxiety and other psychological problems.
With the advent of the internet, a new medium has arisen that provides a place where this need of love and belongingness may be found. “People use the internet intensely for interpersonal communication, sending and receiving email, contacting friends and family via instant messaging services, visiting chat rooms or subscribing to distribution lists, among other activities” – (Cummings, Butler & Kraut, 2002, p103). The evolution of internet based applications such as MSN messenger, web cam programs, Skype and Email has added new ways to communicate. Often these methods are faster and more cost efficient than traditional non-internet based methods such as posting a letter or telephone calls. However, there is contention concerning whether the internet, its associated communication and social relationships established from the use of the internet, is positive or not.
A study by Nie & Erbring (2002) concerning the sociological impact of information technology, surveyed 4113 individuals activities, social life and performance of other activities. The authors reported that the more time people spend using the internet, the more they lose contact with their social environment. Furthermore, people who use the internet heavily reported spending less time communicating with their family and friends. Participants attended fewer events outside the home and also spent less time with family. Kraut, Patterson, Lundmark, Kiesler, Mukophadhyay & Scherlis (1998) presented longitudinal evidence that showed that new internet users had diminished social involvement as a result of increased online time. The results showed that there was decreased communication within the family, a decreased local social network and also increased depression and loneliness within reported participants. However, research providing contrary evidence also exists. Katz and Aspen (1997) surveyed 2500 participants. The authors found that use of the internet in no way reduced people’s membership in either social or religious organisations. Subsequent work by Katz & Rice (2002) in their examination through surveys of internet use and disuse and associated social impact, supported the earlier work of Katz and Aspen (1997) finding that internet usage did not increase social isolation. In fact, their results showed that there was more frequent sociability for internet users than non internet users.
Possible explanations for such contradicting evidence has been attempted to be explained by problems with methodology, including the use of non representative samples and inconsistencies in the reliability of surveying techniques, such as social desirability. Nevertheless, while accounts of whether the internet increases or decreases social interaction and relationships are inconclusive, the defining factor may lie within the quality of the relationship.
It is argued that online social interaction is not as deep and meaningful as offline social interaction; therefore the quality is not as high. A quality relationship is defined as a relationship that satisfies the needs and wants of the individual and in the relationship’s ability to establish a sense of identity and belonging by utilising support. Evidence provided by Kraut et al (2002) suggests that “computer-mediated communication, and in particular email, is less valuable for building and sustaining close social relationships than face to face contact and telephone conversations” – (Kraut et al., 2002, p104). Coget, Yamauchi & Suman (2002) outline that internet users replace strong face to face ties with weak online ties. While online user’s interaction occurs with a greater number of people, this interaction often lacks the depth that is seen in non internet relationships. “The internet has a negative impact on people’s relationships, because it decreases their quality” – (Coget et al, 2002, p184). Another possible explanation for the shallowness of online relationships is due to the possible anonymity that the internet provides. A majority of internet users maintain an “online identity”. With this persona, a user ultimately deletes any historical information that defines their offline identity. Finally, while relationships that do not involve the internet mainly involve local interaction, online relationships may involve geographically dispersed participants. Therefore, information provided to the online participants may be less involved due to their lack of physical involvement and the input and interaction they may be able to provide.
The impact of the internet upon social relationships and interaction is of great importance due to the inevitable growth of information technology, in particular the internet. While debate remains as to whether social interactions and relationships are positively or negatively affected by internet use, evidence shows that the quality of the relationship or interaction is a definitive factor in the effect it has on human functioning.
References
Butler, B., Cummings, J., & Kraut, R., (2002). The Quality of Online Social Relationships. Communications of the ACM, 45, 103-108.
Boneva, B., Crawford, A., Cummings, J., Helgeson, V., Kiesler, S., & Kraut, R., (2002). Internet Evolution and Social Impact. IT & Society, 1, 120-134.
Coget, J., Suman, M., & Yamauchi, Y., (2002). The Internet, Social Networks and Loneliness. IT & Society, 1, 180-201.
Erbring, L. & Nie, N., (2002). Internet and Society: A Preliminary Report. IT & Society, 1, 275-283.
Katz, J. & Rice. R., (2002). Project Syntopia: Social Consequences of Internet Use. IT & Society, 1, 166-179.
Kiesler, S., Kraut, R., Lundmark, V., Mukophadhyay, T., Patterson, R. & Scherlis, W., (1998). Internet Paradox: A social Technology that reduces Social Involvement and psychological well-being. American Psychologist, 53, 1017-1031.
Neustadtl, A. & Robinson, J., (2002). Social Contact differences Between Internet Users and Nonusers In The General Social Survey. IT & Society, 1, 73-102.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from http://www.deepermind.com/20maslow.htm (accessed 7 May, 2007).
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Retrieved from http://www.businessballs.com/maslow.htm (accessed 7 May, 2007)
Web-based interactions are testing real world relationships. Retrieved from http://www.excal.on.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3412&Itemid=2 (accessed 29 April, 2007).
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