I deeply appreciate the way this information has been presented. The nodes and size adjustments make it easy to highlight the more popular choices while distinguishing those on the periphery. When viewed as a collective class, the overall image can be a bit overwhelming. However, breaking the selections into communities allows for a more comprehensive understanding of who chose what and perhaps the reasoning behind their choices.

Representation:
The first observation that caught my attention was the fact that every piece received at least a few votes. Statistically, this shouldn’t be surprising, given the 27 pieces and roughly 22 participants, with each selecting 10 pieces, resulting in 220 potential selections. This essentially guarantees that each piece is represented at least once. However, despite the statistical likelihood, I didn’t expect it to happen. I was surprised that even the less famous and recognizable classical pieces received votes, alongside more renowned ones like the Fifth Symphony. It’s worth noting that the latter was extremely popular, but other classical pieces managed to secure a handful of votes as well.

Distinct Instruments:
Examining the choices made by the community, it’s evident that we leaned towards variety in the types of instruments featured in the selected pieces. “Percussion from Senegal” stood out for highlighting that instrument, making it a popular addition to many playlists. Initially, I intended to diversify my ten selections based on the types of sounds produced. “Johnny B Goode,” being a more modern piece with a distinct sound, received a significant number of votes, reflecting its unique appeal. Although it was a somewhat laborious process, I looked at each of our choices and observed that very few of us chose two pieces that sounded similar in our sets of ten. For instance, with classical music, only a few of us deemed it necessary to represent it in multiple picks, but virtually all included at least one classical piece.

Region:
Similar to my considerations when selecting my golden record, I rarely saw a particular region dominate someone’s top ten choices. This logic aligns with my thoughts in my Task 8 post. It appears that many of my peers shared this reasoning. While “Jaat Kahan Ho” was a popular choice, those who selected it often added just one other Asian song, with many coming from China or Japan. These selections have distinctly different sounds and cultures compared to India. Region seemed to be a more significant factor than time period in influencing choices. This might be due to the timeless nature of some pieces, making it challenging to associate them with a specific time.

Positive Tone:
What surprised me was that many of the most popular choices tended to be tonally positive and upbeat. This aligns with the original requirement set by the team that compiled the first Golden Record. While it wasn’t a deliberate factor in my own decision-making process, pieces like “Flowing Streams,” “Wedding Song,” “The Fifth Symphony,” and “Johnny B Goode” all fall into the upbeat category. This positive tone seemed to be a crucial consideration for my classmates.

I’m currently enrolled in a learning analytics class for the MET program, and I have found this Palladio platform immensely useful. I believe I will incorporate it into that class as well. It has provided me with valuable insights into my fellow classmates, and it felt a bit like being a detective, piecing together their thought processes using the provided visual information.