Final Reflections

Self-Directed Learning
When it comes to self-directed learning, I really tried to study what was interesting to me. If a subject ever caught my attention, I would usually sit down, research it for a bit, and then post a blog full of curated bits of information. Aftera question on Google+ about cyber bullying, I gave my own two cents in this post about the tragedies of cyber bullying and how hard it is to control. It's been a subject of interest for years--for no personal reason--but I was glad for the excuse to sit down and give a well-researched opinion on a very touchy subject. Another well-curated post was after the class digital fast. I gathered all the final opinions of class mates and matched them with my own research from various sources and finished with my own opinion on the digital age and all its implications. I also posted on how media has changed media--that is, more specifically, how the film world has changed in the digital age. This was a more personal-opinion based post, but I found real examples and made sure to tie it together with a current article on changes. And when I started wondering about the cons of the digital culture as I read Jurassic Park, I found a blogger who had many interesting ideas on culture as it is now. So I wrote about what I thought, both what I agreed and what I didn't agree with.

With all of my blog posts, I have tried to make them relevant to what was being discussed, either trending in the news or in class. Most of them were inspired by something I read or saw outside of class and allowed me to vocalize opinions that didn't always get heard in class. I spent so much time crafting these blogs, not only when it came to writing them, but also with the curating of relevant information and finding valid sources to back up my claims.   

On Google+, I made sure to post things in the same vein--that is, about things relevant to trending topics around the web. More than that, I would force myself to recognize moments of interest for me and then expound on them on Google+. This allowed me to say a little but still get feedback. I would find and share articles, tag and discuss items with classmates, comment and read others posts, etc. I went out of my way to stay involved in the class circle and I went even more out of my way, sometimes, to find things of interest to post. But soon it became natural: I would just be going about my day and just naturally make connections between every day events and thoughts and the digital world. Those are things i would share as well--little epiphanies about things learned or finally understood. I (over)shared about my family and how they made me think about digital culture. I got involved in groups and conversations about various things of interest. So much out-of-class time was spent with Google+, either sharing or reading what was already shared. It was a huge part of my learning this semester, and it was all self-directed. I tried my best to post every day but to not make it feel like an assignment. Thus, I made sure each post had something valid to say--either in context to others or to news around the web. I wanted it to be something useful and so I made it useful to my learning. 

Even beyond the assigned quota of blog and Google+ posts, I studied extensively outside of class. I was reading every day in preparation for the course and in consequence of conversations. Mostly I read articles from around the web, especially NYT online. I tried to use twitter and youtube more, seeking out interesting trends and videos respectively. I curated a diigo page, just gathering information--most especially about my thoughts as I read Jurassic Park. While I didn't tag everything I read to it, you can see that I really was thinking about concepts outside of class. 

Perhaps I should have kept a more strict record of everything done, but the most important thing to me was coming to terms with concepts mentioned in class, exploring them further, and searching out more on what interested me. I learned so much and feel so much more confident about navigating this digital age, and much of that is due to the energy I put forth even outside of class in applying and studying what was discussed.

Collaboration
For my group, I tried to make sure we were always working towards achievable goals. Since we started out with such an illustrious vision, I was often making sure we took the small steps necessary to make it happen. I made myself available as much as possible and contributed a lot in group meetings. I gave the presentation at our info session, wrote a blog post for our official launch (interviewing our first bona fide submitter), and created and managed most aspects of the email account and functions for our submissions. I gave a lot of time at each stage of this project and made sure I was there for nearly every meeting. I wanted to be a part of it and vocalized many ideas, concerns, and suggestions in order to help make it its best. 

With other group projects, I was most interested in the Digital Sweet Home. Since it was a subject I often commented on, I made sure to tag the group members in various Google+ posts and wrote a blog post about my sister's use of media. While I didn't contribute directly to their project, I let them know through plus-ing their Google+ posts and commenting on their questions and concerns. 

For the class, while I am one of those quiet students, I listened attentively. I would then try and contribute posts on Google+ relevant to or inspired by the class discussions. As I read various websites and newspapers, I found myself looking out for things not only of interest to me but that I could imagine various class members appreciating. When appropriate, I would tag people specifically either to let them know I thought they might like it or to ask for an opinion on something. And more than just worrying about meeting my post quota for the day, I spent time reading through other people's posts and commenting on their ideas. Thus, I contributed to the class...outside of the class.

The Others
I've really enjoyed watching the Digital Sweet Home people discuss their project. I think it's such an important subject--digital literacy in the home--and they've done a beautiful job with it. Allie Crafton and Audrey Blake were always so energetic about their project and it always motivated me to give more to mine. Plus, they gave me an excuse to write this post and keep talking about things like cyber bullying and how much I love technology (here and here). 

On the same note, the badges groups were interesting to follow. Ellis Dyck, Jessica Lees, and Joshua McKinney did a great job with their presentation on Mormon badges. They really cared about the project and made a valid argument for why everyone else should too. 

As far as the class itself, I think Tara Pina always had something interesting to say. Am I allowed to pick favorites like that? Cuz I sorta just did.

Digital Literacy
This class has forced me to be more digitally savvy. As far as consumption, I started reading and reading more and more articles online, be it through searches or browsing online newspapers. I found myself inhaling news about the digital world and its effect on the history being made right now. The presidential election was especially interesting; I actually followed it, not out of any real passion for either candidate, but just to see what was being said and how and on what site. While this is not at all extensive, I created a Diigo account and tried to tag articles of interest to what I was reading then, which was Jurassic Park. Since I had to share something every day, I found myself reading so much all the time. Even when I wasn't looking for something to post, I found myself making connections between every day finds and what had been discussed in class. 

When it came to creating, I found myself posting a lot more. And everywhere. With the concept of "Release early, release often," I was less scared of failure and started publishing to my blogs more, especially my book blog. But this inevitably bled into the "connecting" side of things.

Let me tell you, I have never managed so many social media sites ever. I have a twitter account, instagram, facebook, Google+, myspace, blogger, goodreads, pinterest, linkedin, etc. While I had some of them before, through the course of this class, I have made them all public, posted a lot more, actively sought out friends and followers, allowed myself to converse more with other people, and I connected as many things as possible to as many things as possible. It's been fun, following different people--strangers, even--and just keeping in tune to what other people had to say about all sorts of things. I've mastered the art of hashtagging and sharing. I've tried hard to accept more people and allow more conversations. It's made the semester very interesting. And it's made my family roll their eyes more than a few times about how much I had going on. But it's been fun, and it's something I'll continue. I've embraced this digital age more than I ever expected to, and I've only seen benefits from it.  

With all of this--even though I've expanded--I've definitely come to care more about having something valid to say. Instead of stupid updates or statuses, I tried to utilize social media to work for me. That meant I read about relevant things happening now; I made sure whatever I wrote mattered to someone more than just me because I wanted to be able to learn more from it; I connected with people and made sure that when I liked something, I showed it--commenting, sharing, rating, etc. I wanted to use the digital age as more of a tool. instead of just living in it and taking it for granted, I sought out the best and tried to give my best. I started using twitter and Google+ searches as valid points of research. I would hone in on hashtags and trending topics and follow along. The digital age has given so much--and there are such limitless ways of wasting it, so I tried to really utilize all the benefits. And I definitely reaped the rewards from it. For instance, the LDS General conference feed actually helped me pay attention to the specifics of what was being said; it also allowed me to feel connected to the entire church rather than just sitting alone and listening. So, yes, I've really become more technologically savvy, that's for sure. But I've also just been able to learn more about so much more than I expected. It's been amazing.

Final Exam Questions

OBJECTIVE:

In James Surowiecki’s book “Wisdom of the Crowds,” how does he define a Coordinative type of crowd decision-making? 

1. A market judgment where the crowd is allowed to think through problems, process information, and deliver a solution as a whole
2.  Based in the free market and building networks of trust.
3. Common cultural understandings and social awareness, such as street smarts
4. Traditional decision making based on popular consent.

(See the answer here.)

The social site _____________ allows users to curate various lists about books that they have read or want to read and to connect with people and groups who have the same interests.

(See the answer here) 

Cyber bullying has become a major problem because of the anonymity offered by the internet, leading to a new form of internet harassment known as _________ based on strangers picking on someone online just for the so-called “Lulz.” 
(see the answer here) 

ESSAY:

While the internet has certainly caused issues with managing time and relationships in person, ultimately the advent of social media has allowed for more people to connect in more meaningful ways than previously possible.

(See my blog post here and here and here)

According to Ellis Dyck, a lack in digital literacy is debilitating to someone’s success in this modern age. Yet many people tend to be successful in business, education, and family life without becoming obsessed with new trends and medias proving it is not necessary to stay informed on digital enterprises. 

(See blog post here)