Impressions of the course:
I think I have a pretty positive outlook on N.C.T. as a subject. I can definitely say that my friends were a little bit jealous that my lectures consisted of movies and YouTube videos.
I really did learn a lot throughout the semester, and the subject bordered on being my favourite.
While at first I thought it was a bit random that we were being marked on our ability to blog and retain information about (what I thought was) a somewhat dodgy French new wave film, the concept of the course eventually came together.
I liked that the course is fairly contemporary - no, incredibly contemporary, actually. It constantly held my interest, and I was genuinely keen on doing the tutorial tasks (except maybe the Microsoft Word & Excel ones).
The only downfall of the course ishow much information I think is crammed into the end of semester test. While a lot of it is relevant, it just seems a bit much to have to basically read a whole textbook and 40 pages of lecture notes, knowing that you could be asked about anything in them.
Overall, I think the tutes & lectures were super helpful, and I always felt like I was learning something...apart from those moments when watching Existenz, Primer, and Alphaville where I felt utterly and completely lost :S but I think thats mainly due to my inability to enjoy cyberpunk and science fiction; they're not exactly my favourite genres of film.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Using Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel has never been a favourite program of mine - it makes me think of maths - a topic which I feel ill at the thought of.
However, I do understand that it would have its perks if your the type of person who needs to make large calculations via spreadsheets...which I am most certainly not.
I handled this exercise OK; I know how to make basic graphs, highlight random columns, and understand how the formulas work.
The only thing I didn't really grasp was the Macro idea....but then again I honestly didn't give it 100% of my brain power.
The main issue, and probably the only one I have with Excel, is that I would have no real idea on what formulas to use if needed. If I'm given the formula, then all is well, however I wouldn't know where to start otherwise.
However, I do understand that it would have its perks if your the type of person who needs to make large calculations via spreadsheets...which I am most certainly not.
I handled this exercise OK; I know how to make basic graphs, highlight random columns, and understand how the formulas work.
The only thing I didn't really grasp was the Macro idea....but then again I honestly didn't give it 100% of my brain power.
The main issue, and probably the only one I have with Excel, is that I would have no real idea on what formulas to use if needed. If I'm given the formula, then all is well, however I wouldn't know where to start otherwise.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Using Microsoft Word
As I begun this tutorial task, I found myself rolling my eyes when instructed to make words bold or put them into italics.
I had the same reaction to the step by step instructions of how to make/adjust a header and footer.
To me, this was all simple.
All my high school assignments had faithfully been carried out by Microsoft Word.
It was my friend. It showed me squiggly lines when I had spelt words incorrectly, or didn't have the right grammar.
And I knew I could always rely on that little animated paperclip to pop up and help me if I ever wanted to write a letter.
So I admit I came into this task thinking that I knew all.
However, the first Advanced Excercise had me saying 'Whoaaaaaa'.
This 'track changes' business was completely new to me, and I gotta say, it's a pretty handy tool.
I wish I had known about it earlier. It's going to make drafting and editing assignments a whole lot more concise.
All in all, that little exercise was very much appreciated and I managed to work my way around it easily.
*applauds*
On the other hand, I didn't have such a positive reaction to the Mail Merge exercise.
Some faint memories of my Year 10 Extension Computing class (yes - Extension. For those special kids ie. the ones who sorta actually knew how to handle a PowerPoint presentation) came rushing back, but seeing as though sometimes I have a hard time remembering what I did last week, I really didn't trust myself to rely on my Grade 10 skills.
While I think I got the basic idea of Mail Merge, and no doubt it will be useful when I have numerous contacts and letters to send to them, I still found myself raising a confused eyebrow and saying 'Eh?' to the somewhat detailed/complex instructions. I think I managed to get there in the end though.
But when it does come time for me to use this tool seriously, I think I'll definitely have to have a little one on one time with the Mail Merge Wizard.
I had the same reaction to the step by step instructions of how to make/adjust a header and footer.
To me, this was all simple.
All my high school assignments had faithfully been carried out by Microsoft Word.
It was my friend. It showed me squiggly lines when I had spelt words incorrectly, or didn't have the right grammar.
And I knew I could always rely on that little animated paperclip to pop up and help me if I ever wanted to write a letter.
So I admit I came into this task thinking that I knew all.
However, the first Advanced Excercise had me saying 'Whoaaaaaa'.
This 'track changes' business was completely new to me, and I gotta say, it's a pretty handy tool.
I wish I had known about it earlier. It's going to make drafting and editing assignments a whole lot more concise.
All in all, that little exercise was very much appreciated and I managed to work my way around it easily.
*applauds*
On the other hand, I didn't have such a positive reaction to the Mail Merge exercise.
Some faint memories of my Year 10 Extension Computing class (yes - Extension. For those special kids ie. the ones who sorta actually knew how to handle a PowerPoint presentation) came rushing back, but seeing as though sometimes I have a hard time remembering what I did last week, I really didn't trust myself to rely on my Grade 10 skills.
While I think I got the basic idea of Mail Merge, and no doubt it will be useful when I have numerous contacts and letters to send to them, I still found myself raising a confused eyebrow and saying 'Eh?' to the somewhat detailed/complex instructions. I think I managed to get there in the end though.
But when it does come time for me to use this tool seriously, I think I'll definitely have to have a little one on one time with the Mail Merge Wizard.
ESSAY
The Medium Vs. The Message
In 1964, Marshall McLuhan, an educator, philosopher, and scholar, published a book entitled ‘Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man”. McLuhan's theory was that a medium affects society by the characteristics of the medium itself, rather than the content that it delivers. This theory has been popularly quoted as “the medium is the message” (Hirsch, 2002). Since this revelation, McLuhan’s notions have been both embraced and rejected, mainly surrounding the idea of whether television and video games (and particularly the violence involved), actually affect youth in a significant way.
When referring to mass-media and communication, the conventional meanings for ‘medium’ involve radio, television, print, and Internet. Therefore, the conventional understanding of ‘message’ is the content or information supplied (Federman 2004). After clarifying definitions, it is easier to explain McLuhan’s beliefs that the “content of the medium blinds us to the charatcer of the medium”, and that, “it is the character of the medium that is its potency”. (McLuhan, 1964).
Marshall McLuhan saw every medium as an extension of some human faculty, and thus believed each form of communication exaggerated that particular sense. In his words,
"The wheel...is an extension of the foot. The book is an extension of the eye... Clothing, an extension of the skin...Electric circuitry, an extension of the central nervous system" (McLuhan as cited by Wimbley, 2000).
Therefore, it was his perception that the predominate media in society will be responsible for how human beings perceive the world.
McLuhan divided media into literal temperature categories to define how much interaction they had with the user of the medium. He stated that,
“Hot media (radio, photography, cinema) are more full of information and allow less involvement of the user; cool media (telephone, cartoons, television) are less full of information and allow much greater sensory participation by the user” (Hirst & Harrison, 2007: 54 - 55).
When looking at the ‘cool’ medium of television, McLuhan believed that it provided the viewer with only a rough sketch through the illumination of tiny dots and perceptually, the viewer must fill in the spaces between these visual dots. This would allow more interpretive thinking space for the audience, leading it to have a greater impact on the viewer. (Hirst, 2007). Particularly with telephone and TV, he supposed that it was not so much the message, but the sender that is “sent” (McLuhan Associates, 1986). For example, when talking to someone on the telephone, you are not so much impacted by what they are telling you, but the fact that they are talking to you and that is what you are hearing. He also referred to television as ‘audio-tactile’ rather than a visual medium and thought television’s effects on the central nervous system could be seen in today’s young i.e. the first television generation. McLuhan diagnosed that this so-called generation gap was neurological; a simple discrepancy between a print-bred generation and its audio-tactile offspring (Wolfe, 2004).
This theory of audio-tactility raises fears of possible illiteracy in youth, an idea which is criticized by Dr Colby, a noted child psychologist. She maintains that there is no evidence that television displaces reading or other constructive leisure activities and that some programming can actually complement and encourage it. The development of positive pre-reading skills is also predicted by watching educational TV in the preschool years (Colby, 1998).
When specifically looking at violence in the media, Karen Sternheimer, sociologist and media scholar, doesn’t argue mass media has no influence on youth, but rather that the influence is far more complex, individual and varied. She analyzes the psychological tests applied to media influences and finds their reliance on artificial settings renders such studies insufficient to support the conclusion that the media causes youths to act badly. Sternheimer is a firm believer that the content of the medium is not an issue;
“Laboratory research techniques which show that exposure to violent television programs, films and video games caused increased aggressive behaviours by youthful viewers found identical for mild programs such as Sesame Street” (Sternheimer as cited by Males, 2004).
Consequently, one can be confident in saying that in this case, the message that is being provided is of little importance to the viewer.
Overwhelming evidence provided by news articles and dedicated websites show that far too much emphasis is placed on what programs children are viewing, whereas according to McLuhan, it should be of concern as to how they are viewing them. Studies have proved that common forms of media among youth such as computer programs and TV editing techniques tend to compress, extend, and distort normal time/space relationships, a critically important element in the creation and use of effective long-term memories (Noel, J). On the other hand, a Virginia Polytechnic Institute study demonstrated a positive aspect of embracing ‘cool’ media by showing how playing videogames improves women's spatial awareness, an area where women often do worse than men. (Cooke, 2007).
When Marshall McLuhan shared his theories with the world, he hoped that people would begin to focus on what the actual media was doing to our brains, rather than the message that it was carrying. It seems many people still choose to dismiss this idea, still particularly adamant that a violent television program will gravely affect the person watching it, even though research has deemed this to be significantly false. However, the main point represented by both parties is that no matter what ‘message’ it delivers, television and related mediums will undoubtedly have an affect on youth and society; even though the question of whether this general affect is good or bad still remains unsolved.
In 1964, Marshall McLuhan, an educator, philosopher, and scholar, published a book entitled ‘Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man”. McLuhan's theory was that a medium affects society by the characteristics of the medium itself, rather than the content that it delivers. This theory has been popularly quoted as “the medium is the message” (Hirsch, 2002). Since this revelation, McLuhan’s notions have been both embraced and rejected, mainly surrounding the idea of whether television and video games (and particularly the violence involved), actually affect youth in a significant way.
When referring to mass-media and communication, the conventional meanings for ‘medium’ involve radio, television, print, and Internet. Therefore, the conventional understanding of ‘message’ is the content or information supplied (Federman 2004). After clarifying definitions, it is easier to explain McLuhan’s beliefs that the “content of the medium blinds us to the charatcer of the medium”, and that, “it is the character of the medium that is its potency”. (McLuhan, 1964).
Marshall McLuhan saw every medium as an extension of some human faculty, and thus believed each form of communication exaggerated that particular sense. In his words,
"The wheel...is an extension of the foot. The book is an extension of the eye... Clothing, an extension of the skin...Electric circuitry, an extension of the central nervous system" (McLuhan as cited by Wimbley, 2000).
Therefore, it was his perception that the predominate media in society will be responsible for how human beings perceive the world.
McLuhan divided media into literal temperature categories to define how much interaction they had with the user of the medium. He stated that,
“Hot media (radio, photography, cinema) are more full of information and allow less involvement of the user; cool media (telephone, cartoons, television) are less full of information and allow much greater sensory participation by the user” (Hirst & Harrison, 2007: 54 - 55).
When looking at the ‘cool’ medium of television, McLuhan believed that it provided the viewer with only a rough sketch through the illumination of tiny dots and perceptually, the viewer must fill in the spaces between these visual dots. This would allow more interpretive thinking space for the audience, leading it to have a greater impact on the viewer. (Hirst, 2007). Particularly with telephone and TV, he supposed that it was not so much the message, but the sender that is “sent” (McLuhan Associates, 1986). For example, when talking to someone on the telephone, you are not so much impacted by what they are telling you, but the fact that they are talking to you and that is what you are hearing. He also referred to television as ‘audio-tactile’ rather than a visual medium and thought television’s effects on the central nervous system could be seen in today’s young i.e. the first television generation. McLuhan diagnosed that this so-called generation gap was neurological; a simple discrepancy between a print-bred generation and its audio-tactile offspring (Wolfe, 2004).
This theory of audio-tactility raises fears of possible illiteracy in youth, an idea which is criticized by Dr Colby, a noted child psychologist. She maintains that there is no evidence that television displaces reading or other constructive leisure activities and that some programming can actually complement and encourage it. The development of positive pre-reading skills is also predicted by watching educational TV in the preschool years (Colby, 1998).
When specifically looking at violence in the media, Karen Sternheimer, sociologist and media scholar, doesn’t argue mass media has no influence on youth, but rather that the influence is far more complex, individual and varied. She analyzes the psychological tests applied to media influences and finds their reliance on artificial settings renders such studies insufficient to support the conclusion that the media causes youths to act badly. Sternheimer is a firm believer that the content of the medium is not an issue;
“Laboratory research techniques which show that exposure to violent television programs, films and video games caused increased aggressive behaviours by youthful viewers found identical for mild programs such as Sesame Street” (Sternheimer as cited by Males, 2004).
Consequently, one can be confident in saying that in this case, the message that is being provided is of little importance to the viewer.
Overwhelming evidence provided by news articles and dedicated websites show that far too much emphasis is placed on what programs children are viewing, whereas according to McLuhan, it should be of concern as to how they are viewing them. Studies have proved that common forms of media among youth such as computer programs and TV editing techniques tend to compress, extend, and distort normal time/space relationships, a critically important element in the creation and use of effective long-term memories (Noel, J). On the other hand, a Virginia Polytechnic Institute study demonstrated a positive aspect of embracing ‘cool’ media by showing how playing videogames improves women's spatial awareness, an area where women often do worse than men. (Cooke, 2007).
When Marshall McLuhan shared his theories with the world, he hoped that people would begin to focus on what the actual media was doing to our brains, rather than the message that it was carrying. It seems many people still choose to dismiss this idea, still particularly adamant that a violent television program will gravely affect the person watching it, even though research has deemed this to be significantly false. However, the main point represented by both parties is that no matter what ‘message’ it delivers, television and related mediums will undoubtedly have an affect on youth and society; even though the question of whether this general affect is good or bad still remains unsolved.
LIST OF REFERENCES
Journal Articles/Books
Hirst, M. & Harrison, J. (2007). Communication and New Media. Oxford University Press; Australia.
McLuhan, M. (1964). Understanding Media: The Extensions of Man. New York.
Males, M. (2004). ‘It’s not the media: The truth about pop culture’s influence on children’. Teacher Librarian. 31(3):34
Colby, D. (1998). ‘TV: Friend or foe’. Businessline. 28(4):1
Wolfe, T. (2004). ‘McLuhan’s New World’. The Wilson Quarterly. 28(2):18-26
Websites
Noel, J. (2003). ‘Effects of Media on Early Brain Development’ www.bcfilmclass.com/publications/emebd2003.pdf+media+affect+brain&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=au (accessed 5 May 2007).
Cooke, P. (2007). ‘The Media Effect On Your Brain: Is It Positive Or Negative?’
http://www.philcooke.com/node/980 (accessed 6 May 2007)
McLuhan Associates. (1986). ‘If It Works, It’s Obsolete’.
http://www.marshallmcluhan.com/poster.html (accessed 9 May 2007)
Hirsch, E. (2002). The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. http://www.bartleby.com/59/17/mediumisthem.html (accessed 9 May 2007)
Wimbley, J. (2000). ‘McLuhan’s Medium is the Message’. http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/Speech/rccs/theory31.htm (accessed 9 May 2007)
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