Week Twelve - 19th May

Social and Ethical Issues

Tutorial
During the tutorial this week we were asked to visit the following website for the Australian copyright council. (http://www.copyright.org.au/) and look under 'copyright information' and then we were then asked to choose five information sheets that are relevant to ourselves as an undergraduate, then read them and then record your findings. The five information sheets I chose were as follow:

1. Education and teaching
This information sheet detailed education and teaching copyright information it explained the different types of copyright infringement and the following: music, notices and training materials.


2. Art, photography & design
This information sheet detailed the copyright when it comes to art, photography and design such as logos, maps and charts, photographs, indigenous artists and much more. It explained what to do and what not to do when you are dealing with certain aspects. It went into alot of detail about the legal protection of art, photography and design.

3. Websites, Internet, software, databases
This information sheet explained the different types of legal protection and copyright when it comes to websites, the internet, software and datbases. It included broadband content, computer software, Databases, compilations, tables & forms and copying and downloading.


4. Film, video, multimedia and TV
When it came to the film, video, multimedia and TV legal protection and copyright information sheet it explained the different problems that can arise with broadband, film and copyright, videos and dvd (copying and downloading) and screening in public.

5. Businesses
The final information sheet I chose to look at was the businesses legal protection and copyright information as it explained about protecting ideas, names, titles, slogans, importing, renting, logos and playing music.

We were then asked to go to the APRA site (http://www.apra.com.au/music-users/online_mobile/online_mobile.asp) and explain what you need to know about music and web.

ONLINE MUSIC, DOWNLOADING and MUSIC COPYRIGHT
When it comes the web and music you need to know the following important points:

• It may be 'free' but the problem however is that ‘free’ music means songwriters and artists don’t get paid.
• New distribution avenues for songwriters
• Including digital downloads as full length songs; mobile phone ringtones; webcasting (i.e. online radio stations); and on-demand streaming
• the reproduction of a musical work; and
• the communication to the public of a musical work.
• There are online licences offered by apra and amcos

How to Protect Yourself - Plan
Against threats of viruses, trojans and how you can protect your own personal information
Firstly you need to make sure that you have basic security for your personal information on your computer. Make sure of the following:

• That you reset your Password Often
• That you have an up-to-date virus protection service and anti-virus tools
• Make sure you have a firewall to protect your information
• Don't disclose personal information over the internet
• Beware of attachments and spyway services
• You have software against spyware

Lecture
The lecture this week we learnt about protecting yourself and your PC on the World-wide Web and the following main points:

• Risk of identity theft
• Characteristics of the Internet, information and users
• The associated problems
  • Intellectual Property
  • Copyright
  • Plagiarism
  • Security
  • Privacy
  • Freedom of Speech

Reading 1 ‘EFF's Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy’
This reading explained 12 ways in which to protect your online privacy, It said not to reveal any personal information online, to use cookie management, to keep a "clean" email address, don't reveal information to "friends" you meet online, realise that you may be monitored at work, beware of sites that offer rewards, do not reply to spammers, be conscious of web security and home security, examine privacy policies, remember that you decide who you give personal information to and to use encryption.

Reading 2 ‘Ethics in Computing - Social Justice Issues: Electronic Monitoring’
This reading explained electronic monitoring - workplace privacy and employee monitoring. It explained the types of electronic monitoring, privacy issues, suggested policies and privacy resources. It also explained monitoring abuse, basics, commerce, intellectual, privacy, risks, social and speech.

Reading 3 ‘Brown & Michael's - Overview of Intellectual Property’
The final reading for this week explained how to protect your intellectual property, the three main kinds of patents and trademarks and copyrights to do with interllectual property. It explained the use of computer software and domain names in ssociation with intellectual property.

Week Eleven - 12th May

Building Knowledge

Tutorial
During the tutorial this week we were asked to browse the following web page http://www.success.co.il/is/dik.html and use the Internet to find some dictionaries that you can look up the terms data, information, knowledge and wisdom.

These are some of the websites that I found:

• yourdictionary.com
• thefreedictionary.com
• dictionary.reference.com/

We were then instructed to compile definitions for the terms - data, information, knowledge and wisdom.

Data
(yourdictionary)
Information in a form suitable for storing and processing by a computer

(thefreedictionary)
Factual information, especially information organised for analysis or used to reason or make decisions.

Information
(yourdictionary)
Any data that can be stored in and retrieved from a computer

(thefreedictionary)
The act of informing or the condition of being informed; communication of knowledge

Knowledge
(yourdictionary)

• The act, fact, or state of knowing; specif.,
  Acquaintance or familiarity (with a fact, place, etc.)
  Awareness
  Understanding

(thefreedictionary)
Familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study.

Wisdom
(yourdictionary)
The quality of being wise; power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on knowledge, experience, understanding, etc.; good judgment; sagacity

(thefreedictionary)
Common sense; good judgment

Graphical Representation of the search terms:


The relationship between data, information and knowledge can assist your university study because you learn about each different one and then their relationships between each other and that they are all linked and once you learn how to understand each of them then it makes university study a lot easier to connect and understand the big picture.

5 organisations
That collect information from their clients or the public

• Telstra
• HBF
• ANZ Bank
• Alinta Gas
• Synergy

The collect this information from their clients or the public to find out better ways in which they can operate the company and some of them need to collect the information in order to run their operation and business as it relies on their clients and the community to give them their information in order to - run a bank or even a communications company such as Telstra.

Lecture
During the lecture we learnt the following-

• Definitions and characteristics of the search terms
• Importance and examples of the search terms
• The relationships in a business situation
• Strategies for assignment work

Reading 1 'Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom'
This reading explained the different meanings of the search terms 'data, information, knowledge and wisdom' according to Russell Ackoff and then elaborated on his definitions.

Reading 2 'Information Literacy Tutorial'
Reading 2 was about a tutorial on information literacy skills and had lessons and quiz's to do on the web page to help you out with research strategies and evaluating.

Week Ten - 5th May

Information Management

Tutorial
We had to complete the the tutorial on using bookmarks and favourites on the following website: http://www.inette.com/aibtinette/favoritesI.html. We were then asked to use the information in the tutorial to set up a favourites list that has 3 folders in it, each with at least two websites marked as favourites and then take a screen shot of it.

Screen Shot of Favourites:


We were then asked to read Negroponte's famous "Being Digital" archive online and pay particular attention to the first part "The DNA of Information".

150 Word Review On:
Considering "Being Digital" was published 13 years ago do you think Negroponte's ideas are still relevant and why.

What Negroponte wrote was published 13 years ago making it less relevant to the current day as alot has happened over the past 13 years to make the information unreliable as it isn't current, he goes on to say that he thought that his laptop computer was worth "Roughly, between one and two million dollars" and it was really only worth $2000 as it's estimated value. The prices of laptops have gone down in the past years as technology has been advanced and they are making new top of the range equipment so it’s not as pricey in the current day. Negroponte doesn’t know as much now as he claimed to have known back then about ‘being digital’ as in 1995 the world wasn’t as digital as it is now days. The use of atoms were used in 13 years ago more than the use of bits as digital wasn’t as advanced as it is in the year 2008.

PROS of using Atoms

• Exists in space, we can see it
• We can know where it is
• Easily concealed
• Easy to protect
• Difficult to change
• Difficult to copy

CONS of using Atoms

• Bulky
• Costly
• Difficult to edit
• Difficult to distribute
• Inflexible
  

PROS of using Bits

• Very flexible
• Cheap
• Easy to edit
• Easy to mass produce and broadcast

CONS of using Bits

• Privacy - Easy to copy and steal
• Authenticity – easy to fake, alter and edit information
• Unsolicited broadcast such as SPAM

Lecture
During the lecture we learnt the following :

• How to manage information
• Different ways of organising
• PROS and CONS of using Bits and Atoms
• Organising bits

Reading 1 'Grazing the Net'
The reading, 'Grazing the Net' explained the value of raising young people to think, explore and make meaning for themselves. Grazing the internet is associated with - speaking one's mind, asking for directions, asking for help and collecting on the run.

Week Nine - 28th April

Communications

Tutorial
During the tutorial we were asked to visit the Google website (http://google.com/) and click GROUPS and then search for a topic that interests you. I chose to look for Johnny Depp and some of the most relevant topics that came up with were:

• Johnny Depp to marry his longtime love
• Who is the real Johnny Depp?
• Johnny Depp - something of a pirate himself
• What happened to Johnny Depp?

After looking through the bulletin boards we were asked to view the messages posted on the topic and then record the findings.

• The sites were discussing Johnny Depp in general and different issues that have arisen since he'd stared in Pirates of the Caribbean and his recent marrying his longtime love Vanessa Paradis

We then were asked to visit a podcast hosting site such as http://podcasts.yahoo.com/, I entered One Tree Hill as my search term and listened to two podcasts on the given topic. I then looked through the libraries website (http://www.ecu.edu.au/library/services/podcasts.html)

The potential benefits of Podcasts for University Students

• Easy access for students
• Re-listen to lectures
• Easy to review on information given

Lecture
During the lecture we learnt the following :

• Communication in the world
• Communication between - individuals, individuals and organisations, within a business and between a business and an external organisation
• Chain Networks, Circle Networks, wheel networks and all-channel networks
• Four types of communication - "Place" Dependent, "Place" Independent, synchronous and asynchronous
• Merging Technology
• Net Etiquette

Week Eight - 21st April

Presentation Strategies

Tutorial Tasks
During the tutorial we were asked to view this website Laura Guertin's "Online resources for how to prepare and deliver a presentation" : http://www.personal.psu.edu/uxg3/blogs/undergraduateresearch/2008/02/online-resources-for-how-to-pr.html and list five top strategies to deliver a top-notch presentation.

Five Top Strategies

1. Speak Clearly and use volume to your advantage
   
2. Speak well paced and don't speak too fast or slow
   
3. Use the right tone to emphasise


4. Repetition on important words


5. Give eye contact to your audience
   

We were then asked to construct a PowerPoint presentation on our ideas on how to give a low impact presentation.

Click to enlarge screen shots of presentation

Lecture
During the lecture we learnt the following important points when presenting a PowerPoint:

• Do not overcrowd your slides and only dot point the most important key words
• Don't write out your whole speech and use complementary colours
• Keep animations simple and don't over use effects
• Use clear fonts and remember to use spell check
• Be specific and have a certain structure - Use Subtitles / titles
• Engage your audience and make sure you rehearse beforehand
• Use eye-contact and don't directly read off the slides
• Don't have anything too distracting!

You also have to make sure that during presentations you are:

• Engaging
• Using compelling data
• Using relevant information
• Creating an impact on the viewers

Resource - PowerPoint Tutorial
We had to view the PowerPoint tutorial resource in case you didn't already know how to use PowerPoint and it gave you a step by step guide on how to use PowerPoint. It would be very useful for beginners and children, for their first time learning how to use it.

Week Seven - 7th April

Using EndNote

Tutorial Tasks
During the tutorial we were asked to review the online referencing guide and include examples of five different types of electronic format:

Review of Online Referencing Guide

The online referencing guide is very helpful when using the APA style of referencing - it goes into detail and tells you exactly how to set the references out, showing examples to make sure you use them correctly. The guide also explains the differences between in-text and end-text referencings and when and when not to use them so that you don't get confused.

Five Referencing Examples-
Harris, R. (1997). Encouraging students to use technology. Vanguard University of Southern California.
Retrieved July 24, 2000, from http://www.vanguard.edu/rharris/techuse.htm

Mulligan, D., & Bickmore-Brand, J. (1998, July). Outreach, access and support programs for socio-
economically disadvantaged people at Curtin: A feasibility study. Retrieved November 27,
2007, from http://eesj.curtin.edu.au/local/documents/les.doc

Preston, N. (2002, May). Euthanasia: Issues and Ethics. Retrieved March 30, 2008, from
http://onlineopinion.com.au/view.asp?article=1885

White, K. (2007). ECE1120 Lecture notes. Retrieved April 8, 2007, from Edith Cowan University, School of
Education and Arts web site: http://www.edu.edu.au/fjo/ecepr/units/pff1120.html


Wilkinson, R., & Marmot, M. (Eds.). (2003). Social determinants of health: The solid facts (2nd ed.).
Retrieved December 2, 2007, from http://www.euro.who.int/document/e81384.pdf

Tutorial Tasks (Second Half)

We were then asked to go onto blackboard and complete the "Endnotev11 Exercises for Vista" and then to do "Cite while you write EndNote Exercise".

EndNote Library-




EndNote Word Doc-



Lecture
During the lecture we learnt the following:

• How to use EndNote
• Referencing
• Citation
• How to use EndNote is different programs
• The basics of EndNote
  

Week Six - 31st March

Evaluation & Authentication

Tutorial
During the tutorial we were asked to view the following website, ICYouSee Critical Thinking page (http://www.ithaca.edu/library/training/think.html) which has strategies for evaluating and briefly describe them. Then view here or here and see if there is any further tips.

Six Suggestions when examining web pages:

1. Make sure you're in the right place
2. When in doubt, doubt
3. Consider the source
4. Know what's happening
5. Look at the details
6. Distinguish web pages from pages found on the web

Authority
Who are the authors of the Web page, or who is responsible for it? What gives them their authority or expertise to write?

Accuracy
Do you have good reason to believe that the information on the site is accurate? Are the facts documented?

Objectivity
What is the author's point of view? What is the purpose of the site?

Currency
When was the information on the page originally written? Has the site been kept up-to-date?

Coverage
Does this site address the topic you are researching? Is the information basic and cursory or detailed and scholarly? However complex the language might be, is the information substantial?

Value
Was the page worth visiting? Does the site offer anything informative, unique, or insightful? Is the site free of careless errors, misspelled words, and poor grammar?

• WHAT is the publishing body of this page? The key is the domain name, located in the URL.
• WHO is the author? Does the author list credentials? Is the author an amateur or a professional in this field? Is there a way to contact the author for further information?
• WHY is this page on the WWW? Are they trying to sell you something? Is the information unbiased, or does the author "have an agenda?"
• WHEN was the page last updated? Even though currency may not be an issue for some types of information, it is important that the page be maintained. Most reputable sites will include a date of last update.

We were then asked to go onto the following website and evaluate two of the web sites that were given and answer a range of questions on them:

Web Page 1 (The Psychedelic Sixties) :



Accuracy - I believe that this websites information is accurate as it was written by people of the University of Virginia which makes the information more reliable as it is from a reliable source. It's from 1998 which was 10 years ago making the information reliable as it is reporting about the 60's so the information isn't going to change.
Authorship - Again, I believe that because it was written by people of the University of Virginia that it makes the web page seem more authentic.
Purpose - The purpose of this web page to show memorabilia from the 1960's.
Detail and Design - The detail and the design doesn't look very professional as it is in the colours of the rainbow but it goes with the theme of the 60's.
Overall Worth - It is worthy if you are interested in the 60's or you are after information from the 60's as it would be an interesting and reliable source. It's easy to understand and the layout is organised so that you can easily find what you may be looking for.

Web Page 2 (Sixties Project) :



Accuracy - It doesn't seem very accurate as the information isn't by anybody who would have studied the specific subject. It looks as though someone with some spare time made up this website for their own personal use.
Authorship - It is an unknown author making it more unreliable as they are not qualified about the subject.
Purpose - A website about stories of the 1960's.
Detail and Design - The detail and design is very poor, the layout is very basic and plain. It doesn't have very much information and it doesn't look appealing to the eye. The picture on the homepage looks like it's from clip art which makes you think that it hasn't been designed very well.
Overall Worth - It isn't really worthy and it doesn't have very much information on the given topic.

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Lecture
During this weeks lecture we learnt the following important points when it comes to evaluation and authentication (Searching & Finding Quality Information on the World-wide Web):

• That anyone can put up a web page
• There is no quality control
• Not all sites are "created equal"
• You may be measuring the content, visual feel, navigation, ease-of-use
• Suggested Criteria -
  Accuracy, Authority, Objectivity, Currency and Coverage
• Authentication Considerations
• Why's the pages been put up on the web?