Assignment #3 Purpose

For this assignment I am going to argue that our environment plays a role in our imagination. My production will be a digital image, made using Illustrator.

America: A Love Story

The presidential debate is a perfect example of argument and rhetoric which are described in the Wysocki/Lynch Article. Rhetoric is an important aspect of these debates because the candidates will change the ideas of what they talk about depending on their audience. For example, if they know that their audience contains many single mothers then they will speak of things which pertain more directly to them. It is also applicable in the presidential debate as the debate is used to persuade their audiences.

Argument is also directly related to the presidential debate as that's what the debate is; two men arguing.    The presidential candidates often have different views on issues, and therefore they argue their view and what they find most important. They use their arguments to persuade their audience to vote for them, tying itself in with rhetoric.

cats < jaguars

Heaps of information on many topics can be found on the internet, thus making the internet a college student’s most valuable resource. People around the world rely on the internet daily; if you have a question or are curious about something it’s easy to get out your smart phone, tablet or laptop and search for your answer via the web. But what use is all of this information if it is inaccessible? This year (2012), Michigan Tech University has implemented a new wireless system, putting wireless routers throughout the buildings on campus including the dorms. Since implementing this new system, many students have been incapable of consistently accessing the internet using their preferred wireless devices.

In order to understand how this intermittent availability of access to the internet is problematic we must first define what access is. Access is the ability of one to properly use, preferably without interruption, what they wish (here, regarding wireless internet). Students at Michigan Tech have access to wireless internet throughout campus, available for use on any of their compatible devices. This access, however, does not always work as it should or even at all. Being a prominent technological university campus, this poses as a major problem for many students. Many classes require access to the internet, as assignments are posted online and a majority of class information is kept online as well. If students do not have wireless access, they cannot be expected to succeed in their studies.

Another problem with the poor access of wireless internet is that there are students who are not computer literate and/or do not have the technological fluency to resolve problems that may come up when trying to access the internet. Fluency, as described in Literacy and Computer Literacy: Analyzing the NRC's Being   Fluent with Information Technology is,

“Generally, computer literacy has acquired a skills connotation, implying competency with a few of today is computer applications, such as word processing and email. Literacy is too modest a goal in the presence of rapid change, because it lacks the necessary staying power. As the technology changes by leaps and bounds, existing skills become antiquated and there is no migration path to new skills. . . . To adapt to changes in the technology . . . involves learning sufficient foundational material to enable one to acquire new skills independently after one is formal education is complete. This requirement of a deeper understanding than is implied by the rudimentary term computer literacy motivated the committee to adopt fluency as a term connoting a higher level of competency. (NRC, 1999, p. 2)”

/end paper

Computer Literacy

Technology plays a large role in our everyday lives, fact. As a student at a university, I am expected to have an understanding of computers, their programs, and how to use them. Throughout elementary, middle, and high school I was required to take classes dealing with computer literacy, teaching us to be comfortable using different programs such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, as well as improve our navigation skills [of computers], typing, and general comfortability using such. This learning of technology, especially computers, is ongoing. Here at MTU we are part of the STEM Education Coalition, which is a coalition which presses the issue of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math education. For most, if not all, degrees, students are required to take 16 STEM credits; classes which are meant to improve students' knowledge of computers and technology. They push for more people to be more computer literate, or fluent as the text, Literacy and Computer Literacy: Analyzing the NRC's Being Fluent with Information Technology, says.

I feel that computer literacy is a good skill to have, though it is not an essential part of our lives. There are those who will understand and use computers, those who will not understand and use computers, and those who will not understand and not use computers.

Google Calendar

Managing time is a must-do when your life is busy or chaotic, but what about the not so busy? It’s also important to keep track of important dates and happenings even if you’re not always on the go, especially if they don’t come as often – you may forget! Google Calendar is a handy calendar application that is available to those who create a Google account. It is an interactive agenda that showcases many neat features, which set it apart from any paper agenda that one could have. Google Calendar is a useful, professional, and efficient digital media artifact that can be used by many people who lead a variety of lifestyles.

What makes Google Calendar a digital media artifact? Google calendar is a digital media artifact because it was created with and used within the computer. The calendar is kept on Google’s servers, accessible from any compatible device. Since Google Calendar is used within this technology, it qualifies as a digital media artifact (Manovich 19).

 The interface is very straightforward, making it simple to use and easy to learn. The layout of Google Calendar is changeable, depending on how the user wishes to view it. There is a navigation bar located above the main calendar that allows you to change the view of your calendar to day, week, month, two weeks, or agenda. There is also a sidebar on the left that allows for quick calendar navigation, event creation, calendar sharing, and the ability to select which calendars will be visible. Calendar sharing is useful because when a calendar is shared with you, it gives you the ability to see what that person has planned. With this, you can view others’ calendars and overlay them with your own, depending on which are selected at the time. This allows you to check for possible conflicts in time or allows you to see when the best available time for another person is.

Another of its features is the ability to send event invites to other Gmail users, allowing instant and organized feedback on who will or will not be attending certain meetings, events, etc. Within the events, the organizer can choose to add more details such as a location and a description of the event and the responder can send short messages along with their response. Google Calendar releases the Christmas spirit within us all. Yes, that is true.

The calendar is based out of and was created by the Google Incorporation in April of 2006. It was intended for the use of the public to organize and create events in users’ lives in a more efficient manner. Today, Google Calendar is used just for that – an easy way to manage one’s time and events occurring throughout their days, weeks, months, and years. Personally, I use Google Calendar to keep track of my classes and meetings, as well as manage my time for studying and social purposes. These are precisely the reasons that it was created, and I use it for its intended use. I cannot think of a way to use Google Calendar that would be in a way that it was not intended to be used. While writing this post, I received an email from my professor about the Spanish conversation hour that will be taking place this week. It was effortless for me to add an event to my calendar, now easily visible to me in a time/day grid that also shows my other obligations.

Google Calendar is meant for those who have access to the to the interwebz and who have a need for organization of their schedules and particularly those who already have Google accounts. Such as me and wedding planners and flower shops and doctors and any appointment based profession and students especially students and professors it is nice to arrange meetings of student organizations through Google Calendar. However, it does not reach the entirety of its target audience, as there are many people who have Google accounts but do not use Google Calendar.

            A disadvantage of Google Calendar is that you cannot carry your calendar with you if you do not have a device that is compatible to do so. Another disadvantage is that your calendar is only accessible by internet access. If you need to access your calendar and you cannot connect to the internet, then you are fresh out of luck. But these are downsides that come with most, if not all, digital media.

Overall, Google Calendar is an exceptional digital media artifact. If Indiana Jones were searching for digital media artifacts rather than historical, Google Calendar would be his best find yet. 

Calendario de Google ROUGH DRAFT

Google Calendar is a handy application that is available to those who sign up for a Google account. It is an interactive agenda that showcases many neat features, which set it apart from any paper agenda that one could have. The interface is very straightforward, making it simple to use and easy to learn.  One of its features is the ability to send event invites to other Gmail users, allowing instant and organized feedback on who will or will not be attending certain meetings, events, etc. Within the events, the organizer can choose to add more details such as a location and a description of the event and the responder can send short messages along with their response.

The calendar is based out of and was created by the Google Incorporation in April of 2006. It was intended for the use of the public to organize and create events in users’ lives in a more efficient manner. Today, Google Calendar is used just for that – an easy way to manage one’s time and events occurring throughout their days, weeks, months, and years. Personally, I use Google Calendar to keep track of my classes and meetings, as well as manage my time for studying and social purposes. These are precisely the reasons that it was created, and I use it for its intended use. I cannot think of a way to use Google Calendar that would be in a way that it was not intended to be used. While writing this post, I received an email from my professor about the Spanish conversation hour that will be taking place this week. It was effortless for me to add an event to my calendar, now easily visible to me in a time/day grid that also shows my other obligations.

I love Google Calendar because of its convenience and user-friendliness. It makes things super easy to change to exactly what you want. Prior to Google Calendar I used iCal to stay organized, but it is inferior to Google Calendar in my eyes. Google Calendar has the ability to go wherever you go.

Google Calendar is a digital media artifact that is used by many people. Google Calendar releases the Christmas spirit within us all. Yes that is true. Feels right. The layout of Google Calendar looooooooks like a calendar

There is a sidebar that allows quick calendar navigation, event creation and the ability to select which calendars will be visible. Along with your own calendar you can also view others’ calendars and overlay them over your own, depending on which are selected. This allows you to check for possible conflicts in time or allows you to see when the best available time for another person is. There is also a navigation bar located above the calendar that allows you to change the view of your calendar from day to week, month, two weeks, or agenda.

Google Calendar is meant for those who have access to the to the interwebz and who have a need for organization of their schedules and particularly those who already have Google accounts. SUCH AS ME and wedding planners and flower shops and doctors and any appointment based profession and students especially students and professors it is nice to arrange meetings of student organizations through Google Calendar. This does not reach the entirety of its target audience, as there are many people who have Google accounts but do not use Google Calendar.

            A disadvantage of Google Calendar is that you cannot carry your calendar with you if you do not have a device that is compatible to do so. Another disadvantage is that your calendar is only accessible by internet access. If you need to access your calendar and you cannot connect to the internet, then you are fresh out of luck.

Overall, Google Calendar is an exceptional digital media artifact. If Indiana Jones was searching for digital media artifacts rather than historical, Google Calendar would be his best find yet.

Raw Egg = School Bell

"The Medium is the Massage" starts out on page one by bidding you a good morning, with a picture of a raw egg on a plate which stood out to me very much. Except I thought the raw egg and the plate were an old school bell. oops. The rest of this book made about as much sense as how I could get those two images confused with one another. Not very much sense. McLuhan was trying to convey a message, not through the message that he was conveying but through the medium of which it was being conveyed. Yes! And that is what this book was about. I think I just figured it out... maybe.

The idea of the medium being the message is what you normally hear about, but McLuhan took his own view on it and changed "message" to "massage". Why! I believe it's because with all of the media that is around us as we go on with our lives, the medium of which messages are conveyed to us make us feel comfortable, even when the messages being conveyed within those comfortable (massaging?) mediums would not normally be "comfortable" messages. Yep, that is definitely what I was supposed to take out from this crazy little book. Thank you for helping me figure it out.