Consider the concept of a "community of practice." How can such a community offer opportunities for learning?
Clay Shirky states in Chapter 4 that "communities of practice are inherently cooperative, and are beautifully supported by social tools, because that is exactly the kind of community whose members can recruit one another or allow themselves to be found by interested searchers. They can thrive and even grow to enormous size without advertising their existence in public...All these groups offer the kind of advice, feedback, and encouragement that characterizes communities of practice." With billions of people all over the world on the Internet, communities of practice easily get the attention of millions of people. With such a wide spread audience, the advice, feedback and encouragement among the communities are perfect for a learning environment. An example Clay Shirky gave in Chapter 4 is how Yahoo hosts thousands of mailing lists and many of them are devoted to advancing the practice of everything such as Gaia Online. Gaia Online "is a community for teenage fans of anima and manga, the Japanese animation and cartoon forms; their discussion groups include long threads devoted to critiquing one another's work and tutorials on the arcana of the form." This is a strong example of a learning environment. Communities of practice allow people from all over the world to learn from each other. These communities allow so much room for learning through communication and being social with other people who have the same interests. Teenage fans who aren't necessarily good at drawing anima and manga, then go to these communities of practice and learn how to correct their drawings. People can learn how to cook, assemble toys, etc. With so many people socializing and communicating about one specific thing and critiquing everyone's posts, then one person can learn so much. People aren't afraid to ask others how to learn from each other through these communities of practices, that's what they're there for. They open such a huge opportunity from everyone to learn from everyone, especially since these communities are accessible all over the Internet around the world.
Reference:
Shirky, Clay. "Here Comes Everybody."
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Social Media Tools Impacting Consumer Purchases
If Shirky is right, and we're headed to a period where social media tools like YouTube, Flickr, and social networks like Facebook become "invisible," what's the impact on things you spend money on as consumers? Books? Movies? Music?
Technology and the Internet have evolved so much over the past decades that it's become even easier to shop online for items then to drive to the nearest store. A lot of social websites now have options were you can rank and comment on the item you recently purchased. There are even blogs about certain products, where the best price is, quality, etc. Basically the social aspect is eliminating the "middle man" in the equation. Instead of driving to the store and asking the sales representative about the product, who would be the "middle man" and is obviously trying to get your sale, you can research the product, a book, movie or music, online. Itunes for an example has completely taken over music these days. Before you'd go to Best Buy or another electronic store and purchase tapes or CDs and now its all over the Internet. Even music over Itunes is ranked and has comments. Certain songs are ranked the top songs of the week and/or month, which more consumers will purchase since they seem to be the best at the time. Social networking and the Internet have greatly impacted how people now purchase items. The Internet has made it a lot easier for consumers to spend money and spend money wisely. If previous consumers love a product and share this with other potential consumers, more and more people will purchase the item. It's a brilliant concept.
Technology and the Internet have evolved so much over the past decades that it's become even easier to shop online for items then to drive to the nearest store. A lot of social websites now have options were you can rank and comment on the item you recently purchased. There are even blogs about certain products, where the best price is, quality, etc. Basically the social aspect is eliminating the "middle man" in the equation. Instead of driving to the store and asking the sales representative about the product, who would be the "middle man" and is obviously trying to get your sale, you can research the product, a book, movie or music, online. Itunes for an example has completely taken over music these days. Before you'd go to Best Buy or another electronic store and purchase tapes or CDs and now its all over the Internet. Even music over Itunes is ranked and has comments. Certain songs are ranked the top songs of the week and/or month, which more consumers will purchase since they seem to be the best at the time. Social networking and the Internet have greatly impacted how people now purchase items. The Internet has made it a lot easier for consumers to spend money and spend money wisely. If previous consumers love a product and share this with other potential consumers, more and more people will purchase the item. It's a brilliant concept.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Buying or Selling on the Internet
Have you used a website like Craigslist or EBay to buy or sell something? What was the experience like? Would you use such a service again? If you haven't, detail how you have sold or bought something outside the environment of a retailer.
I've used EBay to buy a lot of things. I actually just bought a purse two weeks ago using EBay. I love EBay. It's very user friendly. You simply type in what you are shopping for and it matches keywords up to what's being sold. A lot of the times you can get really good buys on stuff, like designer jeans, shoes, phone covers, and so on. The items can be new or used. There's usually multiple pictures of the item as well as dimensions, color, gender type, condition, size, color, and so on listed under the information of the item. Also, some of the items, if there are multiples of the product have a "Buy Now" option. Sometimes the "Buy Now" option is more expensive then what you'd first bid, but it's a guarantee of you getting the item. When you place a bid on an item, you bid until you are the highest bidder. Once someone outbids you, you can try to outbid them if you have any time left on the sale. It's a very simple process, anyone could do it. I would definitely use this service again. I use it all the time looking for online deals I could possibly snag. Sometimes I just roam the website looking for anything I could potentially use.
I've used EBay to buy a lot of things. I actually just bought a purse two weeks ago using EBay. I love EBay. It's very user friendly. You simply type in what you are shopping for and it matches keywords up to what's being sold. A lot of the times you can get really good buys on stuff, like designer jeans, shoes, phone covers, and so on. The items can be new or used. There's usually multiple pictures of the item as well as dimensions, color, gender type, condition, size, color, and so on listed under the information of the item. Also, some of the items, if there are multiples of the product have a "Buy Now" option. Sometimes the "Buy Now" option is more expensive then what you'd first bid, but it's a guarantee of you getting the item. When you place a bid on an item, you bid until you are the highest bidder. Once someone outbids you, you can try to outbid them if you have any time left on the sale. It's a very simple process, anyone could do it. I would definitely use this service again. I use it all the time looking for online deals I could possibly snag. Sometimes I just roam the website looking for anything I could potentially use.
Important Personal Question
You have an important personal question you'd like answered. Explain the procedure for getting your question answered and why this method appeals to you (you don't need to get specific, but let's assume the answer does not require specific expert knowledge, as from a doctor).
Whenever I have an important personal question, I usually turn to Google. Google is such a wide spread tool now. For instance, in social situations, if someone asks a question like, "How do I get to James Madison University?" If someone didn't know, they would simply say "Google it!" Google has now taken the shape as a verb because it's being used daily by its consumers. Especially now that Google has introduced Google Instant, it's so fast getting the answers you're looking for. You type in a couple words, if that, and answers start popping up! However, if I ever have a medical question, I always use Webmd. Webmd is usually more accurate than Google when it comes to symptoms I'd be feeling. Asking questions on the Internet appeals to me because it's just so easy. The Internet has shaped how consumers get information. We don't have to call up James Madison University for directions or call or visit the doctor simply to distinguish if you have a cold or the flu. Now, we just sit down in front of our computer and enjoy the easy accessibility of the Internet world.
Whenever I have an important personal question, I usually turn to Google. Google is such a wide spread tool now. For instance, in social situations, if someone asks a question like, "How do I get to James Madison University?" If someone didn't know, they would simply say "Google it!" Google has now taken the shape as a verb because it's being used daily by its consumers. Especially now that Google has introduced Google Instant, it's so fast getting the answers you're looking for. You type in a couple words, if that, and answers start popping up! However, if I ever have a medical question, I always use Webmd. Webmd is usually more accurate than Google when it comes to symptoms I'd be feeling. Asking questions on the Internet appeals to me because it's just so easy. The Internet has shaped how consumers get information. We don't have to call up James Madison University for directions or call or visit the doctor simply to distinguish if you have a cold or the flu. Now, we just sit down in front of our computer and enjoy the easy accessibility of the Internet world.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
ZTA
Describe a group you are a member of and how it is organized. Is there management? How is information distributed within the group?
I am a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority here at James Madison. Our sorority is mainly organized by pledge classes. We have recruitment every fall semester and take about fifty to sixty new girls that are either freshmen or sophomores. A pledge class is the group of girls that all rushed the same fall semester. They are the girls you do everything prior to initiation with. You learn everything about the sorority, all the secrets and all the history. You make a very strong bond with the girls since you're all in it together and experiencing all the same things at the same time. Joining a sorority is a huge step for some girls and having their pledge class for support is crucial.
Having an executive board is also crucial in a sorority. There are ten executive positions: President, Vice President I who runs the Program Council, Vice President II who takes care of the new members, Vice President III who handles the recruitment process, Treasurer, Panhellenic, Historian, House Manager, Secretary, and Ritual. The President runs the executive board and then the executive board informs the rest of the chapter about upcoming deadlines, events, etc related to their position. Every week the executive board has a meeting discussing anything important that has happened in the past week or what is coming up in the future, whether it be the near future or a semester away. The executive board then holds a chapter meeting every Sunday for the rest of the members to learn about what's going on in the chapter. Also, every Monday and Thursday the Secretary sends out chapter emails reminding the rest of the members what was discussed at the chapter meeting on Sunday and of upcoming events and so on. If any of the executive members need to send out emails to the chapter related to their position, they may do so as well. The President also has an account to TextBlast. TextBlast allows the President to send text messages to all the girls in the chapter about quick reminders, like attending philanthropy events. Information is constantly being thrown around any which way it can to be received by the whole chapter. Through meetings, paper work, e-mails, and text messages. So far, every way that information has been distributed has been very successful for our chapter.
I am a member of the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority here at James Madison. Our sorority is mainly organized by pledge classes. We have recruitment every fall semester and take about fifty to sixty new girls that are either freshmen or sophomores. A pledge class is the group of girls that all rushed the same fall semester. They are the girls you do everything prior to initiation with. You learn everything about the sorority, all the secrets and all the history. You make a very strong bond with the girls since you're all in it together and experiencing all the same things at the same time. Joining a sorority is a huge step for some girls and having their pledge class for support is crucial.
Having an executive board is also crucial in a sorority. There are ten executive positions: President, Vice President I who runs the Program Council, Vice President II who takes care of the new members, Vice President III who handles the recruitment process, Treasurer, Panhellenic, Historian, House Manager, Secretary, and Ritual. The President runs the executive board and then the executive board informs the rest of the chapter about upcoming deadlines, events, etc related to their position. Every week the executive board has a meeting discussing anything important that has happened in the past week or what is coming up in the future, whether it be the near future or a semester away. The executive board then holds a chapter meeting every Sunday for the rest of the members to learn about what's going on in the chapter. Also, every Monday and Thursday the Secretary sends out chapter emails reminding the rest of the members what was discussed at the chapter meeting on Sunday and of upcoming events and so on. If any of the executive members need to send out emails to the chapter related to their position, they may do so as well. The President also has an account to TextBlast. TextBlast allows the President to send text messages to all the girls in the chapter about quick reminders, like attending philanthropy events. Information is constantly being thrown around any which way it can to be received by the whole chapter. Through meetings, paper work, e-mails, and text messages. So far, every way that information has been distributed has been very successful for our chapter.
Newly Emerging Groups
If managers aren't important anymore towards the formation or control of groups using online tools, what do you consider the main role websites such as Meetup.com, Facebook, or Myspace have provided newly emerging groups?
Social networking websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Meetup.com, have shaped the future of communicating with your friends, coworkers, and even people you just met. Facebook was first established for college students to connect with their new classmates. Students were able to go online and talk to their fellow classmates about missed classwork or if they had questions about an assignment. Now, it has boomed all over the world for people to keep in touch. Not only it is for the social aspect but also for the working environment. I know a lot businesses that have pages on Facebook and Myspace to get their name out and for their employees to communicate and organize business related events. This allows the business to expand all over and get their name out to anyone whose interested in what they do; it's almost like an online business card. Anything on the Internet can expand all over the world or just the community, just like the example Clay Shirky gave to us in Here Comes Everybody. Clay told a story about a girl, Ivanna, who had lost her phone in a cab and her friend, Evan, took it upon himself to find it. When communicating with the girl that had taken her phone didn't work, he turned to the Internet. His word spread all over, from the community to the police. Word of mouth is contagious, especially when it's something so easily attainable like on the web. The community took it upon themselves to help Evan get Ivanna's phone back and was successful. This story just shows how powerful the Internet is. With social networking websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Meetup.com, it's even more powerful. Groups have formed all over the web. Facebook has billions upon billions of groups from Sororities to Fraternities to Sport Teams. Facebook has every group you could possibly think of. And billions upon billions of people see these groups daily. If a newly emerging group was attempting to get their name out, the Internet is the most promising tool to use to spread their name, especially social groups. Not to mention, Facebook makes it so easy to create a group and is so organized in their format of the group. Facebook, Myspace and Meetup.com are gateways to success for newly emerging groups. Word of mouth has never spread faster than through the Internet cable.
Resources:
Here Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky
Social networking websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Meetup.com, have shaped the future of communicating with your friends, coworkers, and even people you just met. Facebook was first established for college students to connect with their new classmates. Students were able to go online and talk to their fellow classmates about missed classwork or if they had questions about an assignment. Now, it has boomed all over the world for people to keep in touch. Not only it is for the social aspect but also for the working environment. I know a lot businesses that have pages on Facebook and Myspace to get their name out and for their employees to communicate and organize business related events. This allows the business to expand all over and get their name out to anyone whose interested in what they do; it's almost like an online business card. Anything on the Internet can expand all over the world or just the community, just like the example Clay Shirky gave to us in Here Comes Everybody. Clay told a story about a girl, Ivanna, who had lost her phone in a cab and her friend, Evan, took it upon himself to find it. When communicating with the girl that had taken her phone didn't work, he turned to the Internet. His word spread all over, from the community to the police. Word of mouth is contagious, especially when it's something so easily attainable like on the web. The community took it upon themselves to help Evan get Ivanna's phone back and was successful. This story just shows how powerful the Internet is. With social networking websites like Facebook, Myspace, and Meetup.com, it's even more powerful. Groups have formed all over the web. Facebook has billions upon billions of groups from Sororities to Fraternities to Sport Teams. Facebook has every group you could possibly think of. And billions upon billions of people see these groups daily. If a newly emerging group was attempting to get their name out, the Internet is the most promising tool to use to spread their name, especially social groups. Not to mention, Facebook makes it so easy to create a group and is so organized in their format of the group. Facebook, Myspace and Meetup.com are gateways to success for newly emerging groups. Word of mouth has never spread faster than through the Internet cable.
Resources:
Here Comes Everybody, Clay Shirky
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Grocery Loyalty Cards
Chapter 2 revealed the reason behind grocery loyalty cards. How do you feel about the use of these cards that offer us discounts at the cash register? Do you feel your purchasing privacy is worth a discount?
I don't mind loyalty cards at all. Everyday the average person is willing to give up their information for discounts at the store. It happens all over the United States not only at grocery stores, but many other stores, such as retail stores. Not to mention, you don't have to give up all of your information to receive one of these cards. For instance, I know that a lot of the retail stores I go in ask for phone number, an email address or your home address, etc and all you have to say is "No thank you" and they stop there. The average person knows what they're doing when they give away their private information in return for extra discounts. Even though it definitely is a little ridiculous that if you don't give away your private information you have to spend more, but that's the price you have to pay. Everyone loves saving money, therefore harmlessly giving away some private information is worth it to some people. It's worth it to me. If giving my phone number away means I can save dollars that add up over time, I definitely will take the opportunity to do so. Not to mention, loyalty cards aren't the only things that hold private information these days. Your private information is every where. Swipe any card you hold and people can know a lot about you. Especially after reading Hal Abelson's "Blown to Bits", who holds privacy anymore? All in all, privacy is worth the discount.
"I pledge." DMM
I don't mind loyalty cards at all. Everyday the average person is willing to give up their information for discounts at the store. It happens all over the United States not only at grocery stores, but many other stores, such as retail stores. Not to mention, you don't have to give up all of your information to receive one of these cards. For instance, I know that a lot of the retail stores I go in ask for phone number, an email address or your home address, etc and all you have to say is "No thank you" and they stop there. The average person knows what they're doing when they give away their private information in return for extra discounts. Even though it definitely is a little ridiculous that if you don't give away your private information you have to spend more, but that's the price you have to pay. Everyone loves saving money, therefore harmlessly giving away some private information is worth it to some people. It's worth it to me. If giving my phone number away means I can save dollars that add up over time, I definitely will take the opportunity to do so. Not to mention, loyalty cards aren't the only things that hold private information these days. Your private information is every where. Swipe any card you hold and people can know a lot about you. Especially after reading Hal Abelson's "Blown to Bits", who holds privacy anymore? All in all, privacy is worth the discount.
"I pledge." DMM
Google vs. China
Both Google and Yahoo have been criticized for censoring their search results in China. What are your feelings about this? Why should Google, or why should Google not, produce different search results for different countries?
When I first read about Google censoring their search results in China, I thought it was kind of ridiculous. Why should one of the biggest international Internet search engines have to censor what their whole purpose is? But, then Abelson in "Blown to Bits" stated, "In China: The technology creates greater government control of the information its citizens receive, and better tools for monitoring their behavior." This is obviously China's doing. China is a conservative country and the government wants to be able to control what it's citizens are able to search and read. If they are allowed to monitor what their citizens receive through the Internet, why not do it? Yeah, from the American point of view, we'd think that's taking away freedom, but in China, this is how they run their country and government. If they want to monitor what their citizens are doing on the Internet, then they will.
Also, after reading the Official Google Blog about China and their limited searches, Google doesn't really have a say. In the third paragraph, the Google Team says, "Google is committed to providing easy access to as much information as possible. For Internet users in China, Google remains the only major search engine that does not censor any web pages. However, it's clear that search results deemed to be sensitive for political or other reasons are inaccessible within China. There is nothing Google can do about this." Clearly, Google had to censor their search engine. If Google did not listen to China, then Google would be blocked altogether. And why would Google want that? Therefore, Google and China have made a compromise. If Google censors their search engine for China then China will allow Google to remain a search engine. "Google News does not show news stories, but rather links to news stories. So links to stories published by blocked news sources would not work for users inside the PRC -- if they clicked on a headline from a blocked source, they would get an error page. It is possible that there would be some small user value to just seeing the headlines. However, simply showing these headlines would likely result in Google News being blocked altogether in China (Official Google Blog, Google Team)." Therefore, Google should produce different search results for different countries. If Google wants to remain one of the biggest search engines on the web, they have to listen to their consumers. Websites these days get blocked if they don't follow the rules. You can't share anything and everything you want on the web without some of them having consequences. Different countries have different rules and laws about the Internet and Google and also Yahoo are doing their best to follow them so they aren't totally blocked from the search engine world. One of the main successes of owning a business is listening to your consumers and Google and Yahoo are doing their best so that their consumers are getting what they want.
Resources:
Blown to Bits, Hal Abelson.
Official Google Blog, the Google Team, http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2004/09/china-google-news-and-source-inclusion.html
"I pledge" DMM
When I first read about Google censoring their search results in China, I thought it was kind of ridiculous. Why should one of the biggest international Internet search engines have to censor what their whole purpose is? But, then Abelson in "Blown to Bits" stated, "In China: The technology creates greater government control of the information its citizens receive, and better tools for monitoring their behavior." This is obviously China's doing. China is a conservative country and the government wants to be able to control what it's citizens are able to search and read. If they are allowed to monitor what their citizens receive through the Internet, why not do it? Yeah, from the American point of view, we'd think that's taking away freedom, but in China, this is how they run their country and government. If they want to monitor what their citizens are doing on the Internet, then they will.
Also, after reading the Official Google Blog about China and their limited searches, Google doesn't really have a say. In the third paragraph, the Google Team says, "Google is committed to providing easy access to as much information as possible. For Internet users in China, Google remains the only major search engine that does not censor any web pages. However, it's clear that search results deemed to be sensitive for political or other reasons are inaccessible within China. There is nothing Google can do about this." Clearly, Google had to censor their search engine. If Google did not listen to China, then Google would be blocked altogether. And why would Google want that? Therefore, Google and China have made a compromise. If Google censors their search engine for China then China will allow Google to remain a search engine. "Google News does not show news stories, but rather links to news stories. So links to stories published by blocked news sources would not work for users inside the PRC -- if they clicked on a headline from a blocked source, they would get an error page. It is possible that there would be some small user value to just seeing the headlines. However, simply showing these headlines would likely result in Google News being blocked altogether in China (Official Google Blog, Google Team)." Therefore, Google should produce different search results for different countries. If Google wants to remain one of the biggest search engines on the web, they have to listen to their consumers. Websites these days get blocked if they don't follow the rules. You can't share anything and everything you want on the web without some of them having consequences. Different countries have different rules and laws about the Internet and Google and also Yahoo are doing their best to follow them so they aren't totally blocked from the search engine world. One of the main successes of owning a business is listening to your consumers and Google and Yahoo are doing their best so that their consumers are getting what they want.
Resources:
Blown to Bits, Hal Abelson.
Official Google Blog, the Google Team, http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2004/09/china-google-news-and-source-inclusion.html
"I pledge" DMM
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