Assignment One: Deadline 28.03.12

Assignment One: 40%: Online Learning Journal (blog) 

REQUIREMENTS

A) Five Written ‘Posts’:

1. “Old Media” vs. “New Media”
(This is a written debate in which you analyse the differences between an old media and a new media which has replaced it.)

2. New Media Glossary Challenge
(This is for the user-generated Glossary that will be published for this class. You will be given a new media term to research and find three definitions on. It is essential that you use three different sources (i.e. Book, e-book, journal, website...) and that you use Harvard referencing correctly. Your definitions must be presented using the template provided.)

3. How have mobile medias shaped participatory culture?
(Answer this question as a short essay. You are expected to use at least one quote from the reading provided in class and on Blackboard to support your answer.)

4. How has the Internet changed journalism?
(Answer this question as a short essay. You are expected to use the class discussion and critical reflection on the BBC programme "How Facebook Changed The World" and the newspaper articles provided in class and in Blackboard to support your answer.)

5. Critical Reflection on Second Life
(This blog post will be written following a conversation with Barbara Mitra in Second Life. Using these questions and the reading provided by Tim for the Second Life class, write a critical reflection of your experience of Second Life.)

- Each blog post is a maximum of 300 words each, (not including quotations) 

- Spelling and grammar will be marked, so ensure you use the spell check on all of your posts.
- Use both primary and secondary materials to support your written posts.

- Harvard Referencing is essential for ALL quotes, images, and references in all posts etc.

- A tag-cloud visualisation of one of your blogs should be included. If you missed this class, you can create this using www.wordle.net by copying an pasting one post into wordle and making a tag cloud. Include an image of this on your blog with a reference to which blog post it is a visualisation of.

B) Twenty Website ‘Links’:

- Include a minimum of 20 ‘links’ (relevant to this module)

- The links should be listed in the left or right hand column and organised into "Link Lists"

- Link List titles might include the titles of the sessions, such as ‘digital distribution’ or ‘social media’.

- Add links to relevant reading, websites, blogs, youtube clips, references, journal articles, e-books, social medias, and online materials discussed in this module, presented in this blog and in the presentations in Blackboard.  

- Links MUST include: Your Twitter, Your online newspaper, and The MECS1008 Module blog.

DEADLINES

Deadlines for Assignment:

Presentation: 26th March 2012

- You are required to prepare and present a 3-minute presentation of your Online Learning Journal to the class

- You will present a short summary of your OLJ (blog) by: 1. briefly introducing what you discussed in each one, 2. by explaining how you have used the link lists, 3. by sharing what has been the most interesting topic and what has been the most challenging topic for you and why.  

- All students will present and peer-review each others Online Learning Journals. To peer review each OLJ (blog), students will mark each other on 1. Visual presentation of blog. 2. Use of new media language. 3. Use of research and referencing and 4. Delivery of presentation to class. 

- All blogs will be viewed, even if the students aren't there to present them.
- Students can collect their peer-reviewed marks and comments from Rebecca at the end of class, to make any suggested improvements before submitting their finished Online Learning Journal on 28.03.12:

Submit printed copy: 28th March 3.00pm

- All students must add Barbara Mitra as a reader of their blog. Do this by going to Settings - Permissions - Readers - and adding b.mitra@worc.ac.uk as a reader.

- Students must print a hard-copy of your Online Learning Journal and submit it by 3.00pm on 28th March


- Hand-in hard-copy with tracking form attached (available on SOLE page) to: Bredon Building Assignments Box.

To read the Learning Outcomes and the Grading Criteria, please view the document 'Assignment One Summary' in Blackboard.

5th Post: Critical reflection on Second Life

This post is a critical reflection of your experience of creating an avatar identity in Second Life. This can be written following the Second Life class with Tim Johnson and a conversation with Barbara Mitra in Second Life.


Students must sign up to one of the times Barbara has provided, and sign into Second Life as their avatar. Students need to copy and paste this written conversation (in the chat function in Second Life) into a word document for their reference.


For this critical reflection blog post, students are expected to use the questions asked by Barbara and the reading provided by Tim, details here, to support their reflection. This is not a copy and paste of the whole conversation with Barbara.


This blog must include at least one quotation from the conversation with Barbara, and should include a reference to the reading provided by Tim or research done by the student. 


This post is a maximum of 300 words, (not including quotations).


Deadline: Monday 26th March.

How Facebook Changed The World

For students who missed the screening of "How Facebook changed the World" can watch some shorter clips on YouTube.

Week 8 Summary

On Monday 19th March the class was split in to two groups.

In the Social Media Revolution class, the following was covered:

The presentation and reading is available in the Blackboard.

"How Facebook Changed the World"

The BBC production about The Arab Spring and how the protestors and activists used social media.

A discussion on how mobile and social media is used in current and political protests around the world.

Reading of newspaper articles and a debate on the following questions:

1. How were the activists of The Arab Spring able to report on their situation?

2. What methods were used for their revolution to begin?

3. What are the dangers of online activism?

4. How has The Arab Spring changed how social media can be used in activism and protest?

5. Identify and discuss 3 benefits there are to citizen journalism.

6. Identify and discuss 3 issues there are with citizen journalism.

The homework for this class is to write a new blog post on the title: How has the Internet changed journalism? More details here.