Linking Assignments
August 1, 2024 – In response to Lachelle’s Task 10
Hi Lachelle,
You made some excellent points about the frustrating and manipulative aspects of the User Inyerface game. It’s clear that in moments of frustration, we can overlook our usual understanding of the internet, especially when faced with urgency and emotional manipulation. The countdown timer, for example, really amplifies anxiety.
I’m curious: are there any specific design elements or tactics you think could create a sense of urgency without causing undue stress? As someone who is already anxious, the countdown added to my frustration, and I can see how it might push someone over the edge.
I also appreciate your thoughts on digital literacy, especially when you mentioned your parents experience of navigating the internet. It makes me wonder if I’m falling behind on digital literacy myself and how new generations might be experiencing these challenges differently. What are your thoughts on this?
What resonated most with me about Lachelle’s post was the frustration and awareness needed when navigating technology. Her experience with User Inyerface highlighted many of the pitfalls of the internet that we should be cautious about. I was particularly struck by how she noticed every detail, some of which I might have overlooked as I was focused on completing the game as quickly as possible due to timer flashing at the top of the page. For example, her attention to the process of downloading an image made me reflect on my own approach. I uploaded a photo (of my dog) and focused on making sure I didn’t upload anything I wouldn’t want shared.
Her point about downloading viruses is a great point! It highlights how trusting we often are of the internet and its users. For instance, while I don’t hesitate to click on links provided in this course, knowing we’re in a safe environment, browsing websites and even researching on Google can easily lead us into risky situations. This experience underscores how algorithms and design choices can significantly influence our interactions and shape our experiences, emphasizing the need to be critical and aware of the technology we use.
August 1, 2024 – In response to Jennie’s Task 7
Hi Jennie,
I really appreciate your approach to incorporating multiple sensory modes in your task! It’s not only inclusive but also enhances the user experience by making it more engaging and collaborative. Visuals, sounds, and gestures indeed add layers of detail that text alone might not convey.
Your point about accessibility for people with diverse linguistic backgrounds is spot on. It supports inclusivity and helps bridge communication gaps. However, I wonder if the lack of context might affect the overall experience. For example, while the “What’s in My Bag?” activity is relatively straightforward and users can easily infer its purpose, the rich experience you provide through additional text contributes significantly to our understanding. This is how we get to know you on a more personable level!
How do you think the experiences of users who engage with the activity without the context you provide through text might differ? Will they have the same level of engagement and understanding, or will they miss out on some nuances?
July 5, 2024 – In response to Julia’s Task 6
Hi Julia,
At first, I wasn’t sure what the emojis were alluding to, but as I read through your task, when I realized they represented characters from the movie, my guess was Inside Out 2! It’s funny because I have a clear visual image of what the emotions look like, but it took me a moment to connect them through emojis. When I was crafting my emoji story, I considered using various symbols or objects. If you were to create a story using these emojis instead of just smileys, how do you think different emotions could be represented? My idea was to use different colors but the same symbol to depict the different emotions from “Inside Out” — assuming that’s the theme! Another thought would be Sadness being portrayed as a tear drop ???? and Anger as fire ????. What are your thoughts on this?
Your reflection on using emojis for captions is quite interesting. I think it is common practice to use emojis to express simple thoughts or emotions, yet their interpretations can vary significantly. I’ve personally observed that certain emojis, which I use frequently, can convey varied messages depending on who I send it to. Depending on the context too, the same emoji can have different meanings!
I really enjoyed Julia’s use of emojis and her approach of focusing on the movie title rather than revealing the entire storyline. Seeing her emoji representation made me curious about how I would translate the movie into emojis myself. Her approach made her message very clear. Julia’s reference to Gretchen McCulloch’s interview about the cultural context of emojis is a great point on how emoji meanings can vary across different cultures and generations. For example, the two-hand emoji, which I initially thought represented “praying,” is sometimes interpreted as “high-fiving” by others. This raises the question of how many different messages and misunderstandings can arise from our emoji-based communication.
July 5, 2024 – In response to Steph’s Task 5
Hi Steph,
Thank you for creating such an informative Twine! Starting it without reading your reflection initially left me surprised and confused, but I appreciate how you’ve used it for instructional purposes. The use of hyperlinks makes for a more interactive learning experience, which could be further developed for your students.
Your Twine incorporates many critical thinking elements. It allows those familiar with the material to think critically about cause-and-effect relationships, unlike myself, who initially had to guess where to click.
You mentioned how Twine can reduce the burden of lengthy texts and provide readers with options to delve deeper into topics that interest them. Do you plan to use this resource regularly to manage information overload, or do you think visually appealing flow chart infographics could serve as an alternative? Personally, I found it challenging to manage the information I wanted to convey because I’m less familiar with Twine.
One of the first things I noticed about Steph’s blog was the similarity in formatting and template to what we used for our authoring tool. I find that a minimal and clean design helps me focus on the information, especially given how much time we spend on screens. While books often benefit from pictures to enhance the experience, screens typically benefit from a simpler approach, which is easier on the eyes.
Steph’s Twine on dental hygiene was an excellent learning tool. Like her first Twine, I used mine for storytelling, but I was curious about other potential uses for Twine. Her dental hygiene Twine effectively minimized text on each page and allowed readers to explore their interests, demonstrating the versatility of text technologies.
July 5, 2024 – In response to Katy’s Task 4
Hi Katy,
I loved seeing your potato printing! It made me realize how often I use stamps in my classroom without considering the need to create a mirror image. You did a great job creating your own potato stamps. While I’ve made stamps with Styrofoam, cardboard and apples before, making lettering is something I’d need to practice.
Your point about the effort-to-output ratio is spot on, and I chuckled at your remark about it being comparable to the work of a small child. What seems simple can indeed be quite tedious but carving out letters sounds like it would be a major challenge with 6-year-olds!
Printmaking is something I’ve done before but I tend to forget how time-consuming they can be. Nowadays, we can photocopy sheets of paper filled with text in seconds, but printing newspapers with traditional presses used to take hours or days! When I’ve done printmaking with kids using styrofoam or cardboard, it didn’t feel as tedious as carving out letters. Do you think this is because there’s more margin for error with other materials, whereas carving letters requires precision? You’ve also highlighted the importance of consistency in size in hand lettering, but do you think cursive writing would require the same level of precision, or is there room for a bit more flexibility?
When reading Katy’s experience with potato printing, I remember thinking how challenging and frustrating this task may have been – especially for someone’s first-time attempt, due to the reversed nature of printmaking that our minds might not naturally grasp. The evolution of printmaking highlights how technology has transformed writing into its current form. Bolter (2001) argues that books are losing their influence over our thoughts and emotions as new technologies and communication methods become more prevalent. He suggests that as we increasingly engage with modern media, books will no longer hold the same level of control over our reasoning and feelings. Despite this, I find that there are still moments when we appreciate the value of print. This raises the question: at what point will we begin to value and return to traditional printmaking and the basics of communication without technology?
Bolter, J. D. (2001). Writing space: Computers, hypertext, and the remediation of print (2nd ed). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
July 5, 2024 – In response to Sebastian’s Task 3
Hi Sebastian,
Thank you for sharing your story! As I was reading through your story, I found myself curious about hearing an audio version because certain moments, like “lives ugly the difficulties,” interested me and made me wonder how they were expressed verbally. After going through your reflection and noting the proper translations, it helped piece together some of the missing elements.
I believe as people increasingly rely on voice-to-text or use Siri for message translations, it will be fascinating to see how technology evolves. As technology learns to recognize nuances in voices, cues, and mannerisms, messages should become clearer and more understandable. I have a friend who exclusively uses voice-to-text and naturally he incorporates cues like “period” or “question mark” into his sentences. Initially, it was odd to hear punctuation marks spoken aloud, but now it seems second nature.
Do you ever find yourself using more voice-to-text features or audio recordings? Personally, I find audio recordings useful for gauging responses and creates a more engaging conversation, especially since written text can sometimes be misinterpreted. What are your thoughts on this?
I found Sebastian’s voice-to-text story particularly enjoyable, especially his mention of dogs! Upon rereading his story, as he mentioned, it came across as “one giant run-on sentence,” but despite the grammatical errors, the content appear to be properly recorded. Reflecting on my own experience, I found recording myself surprisingly awkward, knowing that others would read and interpret it. While I regularly send voice messages to friends, I rarely re-record unless there’s a significant interruption. For me, once a message is recorded, it is what it is.
Sebastian touches on the role of non-verbal communication, which I find very important in my own communication skills. I am a big non-verbal communicator—my body language, facial expressions, and hand gestures often convey as much as my words. This can sometimes lead to misunderstandings, but it’s a crucial part of how we communicate. In media, like television shows or podcasts, non-verbal cues such as background characters, facial expressions, and vocal intonations add depth to the experience. This highlights Ong’s (2002) point that writing is an artificial construct, while oral speech is a natural form of communication for humans. Translating spoken words into written text often requires additional revisions to ensure clarity, flow and grammatical errors.
Ong, W.J. (2002). Orality and literacy: The technologizing of the word. Routledge. (Original work published 1982).
June 16, 2024 – In response to Brie’s Task 2
I enjoyed the quote you selected about how language shapes our understanding of events. I agree with how passive voice can subtly influence our interpretation while reading. Text messages can often be misunderstood because readers might infer a narrative that isn’t intended.
I’ve had discussions about this before with people, and it’s interesting how many factors like generation gaps, punctuation use, and communication style can drastically change the perception of a conversation. For example, I recall a situation where one of my friends always typed in complete, proper sentences, while another friend did not. When the second friend received a message with full sentences, she interpreted it as negative and thought she had upset the first friend. These nuances in communication can really lead to misunderstandings.
I’m curious if there are strategies to mitigate this. While emojis and slang can add clarity in informal contexts, I wonder how to maintain professionalism in emails without seeming passive or passive-aggressive?
I thoroughly enjoyed Brie’s selection of quotes, particularly “whenever you utter a sentence, you are only uttering a tiny proportion of the information you know about the scenario” and “the other thing that language does for us is helps us construe and construct events.” These quotes stood out to me as they highlight how text and technology can often lead to misinterpretation. Despite our frequent use of technology, everyone’s interpretation can vary widely, like the misunderstandings that occur in face-to-face communication on a regular basis. Communication is an ongoing skill that everyone learns to work on.
Another aspect of Brie’s post that I appreciated was her design. Specifically, the formatting of her post effectively emphasized the quotes, making them the focal point. At a quick glance, the quotes stand out prominently. When I began this assignment, I initially created a larger infographic to present the information more clearly. Reflecting on Brie’s design, I realize that her use of clear block quotes is easy to read and thought-provoking. In contrast, my design requires more effort from the reader to engage with the content, as it involves more reflective elements.
June 16, 2024: In response to Robyn’s Task 1
Hi Robyn,
I really enjoyed how you explored your iPhone and its apps as a reflection of yourself! It’s interesting to see how people organize their home screens and which apps they use most frequently.
I noticed we both use common apps like Teams and Outlook, which many people recognize. However, there are also specific apps like nursing apps that are unique to certain professions or interests. That was something cool to see.
As I watched through your video, I had a similar thought to Steph’s: Are we using multiple apps for the same tasks? Reflecting on my own usage, I use Facetime, Whatsapp, Teams, Outlook, WeChat, Instagram, and possibly others to communicate with different people. Sometimes, the same person is reached through multiple apps. It makes me nostalgic for simpler times like 15-20 years ago when communication was primarily through text or BBM on Blackberry!
Do you think we’ll ever return to that simplicity? It seems with every new course, job, or set of friends, there’s always a new app to learn and use!
Robyn’s exploration of her digital belongings really resonated with me because of the familiar and similar apps we both collectively use on a regular basis. I enjoyed her version of a “What’s In My Bag” because it shows how, digitally, many people are still similar in many ways. These texts clearly speak to our identity, or rather, how society has shaped our identities, especially considering the common social media apps most people use or the ability to access specific platforms like YouTube, Netflix, and others for communication.
We communicate through many forms, with technology playing a dominant role. Everything we do now serves as a means of communication, and it’s important to acknowledge this because it has become a fundamental component of our society.