Module 3 - Blogs

Consider various uses for blogs. Have you seen in your net travels any interesting uses for blogs?

Liebens (2004) describes blogs as “an amazing way to exercise a right to free speech, and to reach potentially millions of people with your thoughts” (www.dentedreality.com.au/features/blogs/intro) .

Web logs, more commonly called blogs, are basically personal on-line diaries or journals. Content of the blog can vary depending on the use of the journal. For example, the information contained in this blog is mainly my personal reflections and interpretations on NET11 tasks, whereas Peter Harvey a well-known public commentator uses his blog to comment and draw discussion on “newsy” topics. I know of university students from overseas who use blogs to record events they have attended and places they have visited for friends to read back home – they use the blog as a travel journal.

Having taught English and Social Science subjects at a secondary school level I can see great potential for blogs in the classroom, from journaling daily activities, to producing reviews on books and movies, to responding to other student’s blogs.

Initially I was really hesitant about blogging – “putting myself out there for other people to see” – but I like the concept and can see a lot of potential in it. I do believe however, that people who blog and who respond to blogging should be aware of netiquette rules and realise/understand that if they are using their blog as a freedom of speech platform, that not everyone is going to have the same views (political, religious, etc) as them and need be prepared to be criticised for speaking out.

Module 3 - Legal Issues

Have you used images or words on your webpage or website that contravene Copyright Laws?

The webpage “Internet Basis – HTML Codes for Webpage Design” was created and written by me. The photo of Horseshoe Bay on Magnetic Island included on this page is from my own album.

The only work not totally my own on the page is the ASCII art at the bottom of the page – the original artwork design was copied from Page Tutor.Com. However as this was part of the tutorial and it was indicated that we could copy it to our own page. After copying it across I made minor changes to the text in the sign and the hairstyle. If any part of my webpage were to come under Copyright Law scrutiny it would be here, but I feel that authority was given by the author of the tutorial that it could be copied.

Would you be in breach of Copyright if you put the Curtin logo at the top of your webpage for an assignment?

If I put the logo on my webpage without first asking permission then, yes, I would be in breach of Copyright Laws.

Curtin’s Quick Guide to Copyright explains that to use the Curtin Logo, permission must be asked for in writing (an email is sufficient), that I must abide by any conditions imposed and, I must state that permission has been granted allowing me to use the logo.

5 Important Rules of Writing On-Line

Writing online requires that the author not only look at the content but also the design of the page and the “bits and pieces” that make up the page. I believe the five most important rules for writing online are:

1. Write for/with a purpose:

• Decide what audience you want to attract to your website and write with them in mind;
• Clearly state the objective/content of the webpage;
• Use language/graphics that is appropriate to your audience;
• Is the content of your page informative and does it meet the objectives of the page.

2. Use Scannable Text:

Roger C Parker (author of “Guide to Web Content and Design” and “Looking Good in Print”) once stated “Good design makes complicated information easy to read” (on a webpage called Ten Rules of Good Design, viewed 19-7-99 link doesn’t work now!). Nielsen and Jerz tell us that web pages need to be written with/in “scannable text” such as:

• Highlighted keywords;
• Sub Headings;
• Bite-sized chunks of information rather than long prosaic writing;
• One idea per paragraph
• Bulleted lists, tables, charts and informative graphics;
• Write meaningful links;
• Inverted pyramid style of writing – conclusion first;
• Half the word count of conventional writing

3. Check that all links work:

Links are easily picked up when the reader is scanning the web page because they are usually highlighted in a different colour. Readers will often flick to links to check the information, but will be turned off the homepage if the links don’t work. It is important to check the links on your page work, to encourage readers to continue reading your homepage.

4. Consistency and simplicity of page design:

Parker also stated “Good design is functional rather than decorative…if you start out trying to create good-looking pages…you’re likely to end up with pages which obscure, rather than enhance, your message.”
I believe most readers loose interest in a page if the information is too hard to find because of the advertising, pictures and other activity happening on the page – it is best to keep pages simple and consistent.

• Use the same or similar simple background on each page
• Use the same font type;
• Use the same size headings
• Use the same/similar length pages

5. Check spelling, punctuation and grammar:

Finally, with all good writing, ensure that you carefully check spelling, grammar and punctuation.

Module Three - HTML Tags

Thoughts about HTML – do you feel a sense of achievement? What difficulties did you encounter with these exercises.

Writing a webpage from HTML was very challenging, but also extremely rewarding when the end product seemed to work.

I have supervised high school students writing webpages using HTML so I didn’t feel threatened or intimidated by learning a new “language”. However, I had been witness to the frustration and grief that it had given a number of the brighter students and it was these recollections that made me a little bit hesitant about writing my own webpage.

HTML was not as difficult as I thought it was going to be. I found that if I worked on it in small segments, saved my work and then tested it regularly, I could pick up any potential problems like missed <> or “”. Checking it regularly also gave me a better idea of how the layout way looking, and if I needed to add breaks or paragraphs. One tutorial I found suggested that because HTML is case insensitive, type the commands is ALL UPPERCASE so that they stood out a bit better. Another tip I would suggest to anyone about to try this type of thing, is to secure yourself some uninterrupted time to do it in.

My web page can be found at http://webct.curtin.edu.au/305033_b/student_pres/Group85/index.html

What are the differences between HTML and blogging?

I can only speak from my experience, and I would suggest that compared to HTML, blogging is very easy!

The blog is setup in a template and, although fairly limited in some respects, it allows me to add sections, change font style and size, and add/delete pictures without having to know HTML codes and where to place them. The template designer has done all of the hard work; all I have to do is enter the information into the allocated places.

HTML, on the other hand, requires that I do all of the hard work setting up the document as well as entering the information. Designing a page this way though does allow for more experimentation with layout and is only limited by experience and knowledge of HTML.

What do you like best?

At this point in time would say Blogging because I only have to add information. Therefore it is less time consuming and I am happy with the template that I have chosen.

However, after experimenting with HTML, I am keen to go forward and design a personal webpage from the ground up, but this would have to be a long-term goal at this point in time.

Module Two - Chat Rooms

This Module has comprised of a lot of new experiences for me with Chat Rooms probably being top of the list of things I will keep doing.

Yahoo Chat Rooms:

I tried to find a chat room through Yahoo but had difficulties actually getting into a room – I kept getting directed to the Tips for Chat Room page.

ICQ:

After watching a couple of the chats for while (on different occasions) and not understanding what the thread of the conversations were I opted out.

WebCT Chat Room:

Again I had little success of entering the Chat Rooms – but this was more of a technical problem with my computer.

Skype:

By the time I downloaded Skype I was ready to start tearing my hair out. Fortunately I was able to get online through the Open University Internet Studies Chat Room and have enjoyed three sessions now. The biggest problem is finding someone online at the same time to talk too.

Reflections on Chat Rooms:

I found the chat rooms very exciting – I enjoyed the constant conversation and the various different ways the conversation went. It reminded me of the description of the conversations that were had when pedal radios became household items in the outback earlier last century – the conversations between the different households was like hearing the gaggle of cockatoos.

Having stated I enjoyed the chats, I am also a competent typist which I think makes it easier to participate in conversations. I noticed that there were participants that seemed to take a while to type a message and then when posted it was only a few words – I can imagine for them that chat rooms may be a source of frustration.

I also immensely enjoyed the one-on-one conversation that I had with Lulu. It was this conversation that I think cemented my enthusiasm for chat rooms. I believe that this would be a great source of interaction for students studying on-line, it would help alleviate that feeling of isolation.

Chat rooms are known for socializing/meeting people, but I believe there is a place for chat rooms in business, there have been various examples discussed on the Net11 Discussion Board. I also believe that there would be a place for chat rooms in school education (as well as university) although these would have to be closely monitored.

Which is my preferred Chat Service?

Without a doubt I would have to say Skype because it was the easiest service to download and to get into.

Will I use it again? Undoubtedly, and just not for University courses, but also to keep in contact with friends who are traveling or who live in other parts of Australia.

Module Two - Task One

What are the pros and cons of Email Lists versus Discussion Boards?

Email Lists and Discussion Boards can be described as continuous discussions on a particular topic. Information posted to Email Lists are not maintained on a single server and is open to everyone on the web, whereas information posted to a Discussion Board is “kept on a single server maintained by the owner or originator of the discussion board” (Tyson n.d.).

Both Email Lists and Discussion Boards are effective forms of communication when an immediate answer is not required; you want a discussion with more than one person; you want to be involved in a discussion with a group of people interested in the same topic; need/want to provide extensive information about that topic (Tyson n.d.).

From the limited experience that I have with Email Lists and Discussion Boards, I would suggest that the positives and negatives of these forms of communication are:

PROS

Email Lists

• Contributors appear to be enthusiastic about their topic
  
• Other contributors email addresses are easily found
  
• Emails can be sent to a lot of people at once instead of individually
  
• An email can be sent to an individual rather than the whole group
  
• Great for hobby enthusiasts

Discussion Board

• Topics are ordered, participants respond to a particular topic
• Able to select which topic to read
• Email address is kept confidential – unless participant actually gives it out

CONS

Email Lists

• Topics all over the place, not sorted into sub-topics
• Clogs up email inbox
• Lot of irrelevant messages to sort through
• Digest email sent as an attachment – problems with opening attachment
• Need a lot of time to sort through the emails

Discussion Board

• Threads sometime appear to be disjointed
• Cannot reply to a single person without the whole community being privy to your message
• Unable to add attachments

From what I could see Email Lists and Discussions Boards were quite similar in many respects. They both “serve to connect people with shared interests so that they may form kinds of communities based on that interest”(Module Two readings). Both have negative sides, but the positives would appear to outweigh the negatives.

Personally I do not think I will stay subscribed to the Email Lists that I joined as I find that the volume of emails coming through is very laborious. I have tried the Digest function but have had difficulties in opening the attachments. However, I would have no hesitation in looking for or joining an email list if I was after some very specific information.

I do enjoy the participation of the Discussion Boards, but again will probably dropout, as time is a huge factor in keeping up-to-date with what has been said and responding.

Are there certain kinds of communication or purposes more suited to one than the other?

Information sent to an Email List or Discussion Board becomes public property/information, and as stated earlier this is great if:

• you do not require an immediate answer;
  
• you want a discussion with more than one person;
  
• you don't mind being involved in a discussion with a group of people interested in the same topic who are likely to give you heaps of different answers to your question/request;
• need/want to provide extensive information about that topic (Tyson n.d.).

Are there certain kinds or communication/purposes more suited to one than the other? - hmm, that is a hard one! I guess so but I am not sure how to define the differences. To me the Email List seems like a good idea for general interest hobby type stuff where there may be no correct way of doing something but lots of good suggestions on how to get the task done. Whereas the Discussion Board seems to be more targeted toward the serious discussion/debating type topics.