Module Two Completed

Unit Work

Description

I've completed this unit except for the newsgroup exercise but I will get it done. I'm finalising an assignment for another unit at the moment and have fallen behind a little as a result.

Concerns

Within the unit work I have few concerns except perhaps that I have fallen behind somewhat.
I've gone into great detail about newsgroup earlier in this blog so I wont go on here except to say it ate up a fair bit of time. Also juggling two units for the first time needs a little fine tuning.

Evaluation & Analysis

I learned so much in this module. My email has a newly implemented organisation system derived from learning about manipulation of meta data to save me time in searching for messages. I noticed that I am more aware of how I use search engines - I discriminate more with the words I use (being aware now of how meta data can be manipulated to attract searchers) and am braver in using advanced search options I'd never have bothered with before because I didn't know how they worked or whether they would achieve different results.
I'm starting to see all that I have learned being implemented into my daily use of the Internet.
Also. during this module, I got to chat real time with other students during the ICQ task. That was a great experience because in a real time chat I picked up on elements of their character and got to know them a little better and share some achievements and concerns with them.
The low point of this module was the newsgroup task about which I have said enough.

I also need to manage my time between units more effectively. It seems once something is near due date in one unit, the other suffers. I'm sure this is normal but I need to shave off about a week of "lagging behind" time on one while attending to the other.

Conclusion

If I did this module over again, I wouldn't spend so much time on the newsgroup task. I'd have left it til later (which I've done anyway) and attempted it again with more greater skills, a better understanding and a fresh approach.
I have already applied the knowledge I have gained on email filters and meta data as well as learning about some new real time chat programs and IM managers. I've established a better understanding of some of my fellow students and feel more comfortable reaching out if I needed to.
As for juggling the two units, I just need to devote some time to both regardless of what is due in one. This is easier said than done! I'll get there. It's only my third unit in this degree.
Overall, this was lots of fun and very valuable in the information it provided.

Assignment One, Annoted Bibliography Guidelines

I developed the following assignment guidelines to assist me in preparing this assignment.

Assignment 1, Annoted Bibliography

Description

Develop an annotated bank of resources and tips on ‘Being an advanced Internet User’. The final version must be presented as an electronic source – either a web site or a blog.

What is an Annoted Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Tips

• The URL provided to reach that format must be a direct link.
  


• The resources (helpful sites) you should include or record in preparation for assignment one are to be of a helpful nature to someone undertaking this unit. You are not limited in any way to skills or software-based sites. In fact, you are encouraged to provide resources that might help someone with the conceptual nature of the information provided in the curriculum.
  Example: have you come a cross a site that critiques information ecologies?
  Or a site that considers the possibilities of human computer interface?
  


• Make one sentence or so available at the end of your annotation to
  mention one of the concepts you think is relevant to that source, state why.
  


• Annotations include a summary and evaluation of a source - these ones
  should be at least 200-250 words each in length
  


• Avoid "lists" the summary should be in your own words.
  


• You should not be quoting in your annotation - you have limited word
  space so use it wisely.
  


• Worry more about the content than the navigation of how it is presented
  - too much navigation can be difficult for reading!
  


• Most importantly read the example link provided in the
  assessment details.
  


• This assignment is designed to both put in practice the skills you have developed in searching for and evaluating information online; and to demonstrate your understandings of how best to communicate and make information meaningful online.
  


• For each of the modules 1-4 you will list at least two sites (not from the course readings), which you think provide further valuable information or resources to assist in completing that topic. (Or indeed information on a topic or subject that you feel has been omitted).
  

You should also provide an annotation for each site in your own words that does not merely summarise the information available, but states how and why this site might be useful. For each resource, identify (where possible) which 'concept' or concepts they relate to or illustrate. (This encourages you to start reading and thinking about the concepts document in preparation for your final assignment.)

Starting points

1.Decide on your format.

2. Collect your sources. These can take a number of forms:
Whole websites (such as howstuffworks.com) - however make sure the site, as a whole is relevant. Don't refer to magazine/newspaper site (eg Wired) if it contains useful articles, for example; or blogs articles from online magazines, newspapers or journals (you may also include articles that are available through library databases that can be accessed electronically)

3.Read and investigate each of your sources carefully, putting into practice the search and evaluation methods you have been practicing. Make notes as you go along. Refer also to the concepts document as you read and analyse your sites (hint: follow the links to specific concepts listed in each module. However feel free to refer to any concepts you think appropriate).

4.Write the annotations for each source, keeping in mind what you have been learning about the most effective technical and stylistic presentation of content.

5.Your annotations should state in your own words what information the source provides, perhaps comment on the authority and validity of the source, and clearly state how the source is useful. Where appropriate, state which concept/s the source relates to or illustrates. You should also provide full bibliographic details for each source, not just the URL (our faculty uses APA referencing, however you may use another reference style as long as you are consistent)

6. Decide on the structure of your final site/blog and begin adding content

Submission

Your report should be submitted electronically through the assignments drop box, giving the URL of your finished site or blog.

Example (in APA format)

Waite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and
the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51, 541-554.

The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

Module Two: Email Lists Task

What are the pros and cons of email lists versus discussion boards?

DB seem more accessible to me than email lists. The speed of reply is faster on DB's. Topics are easier to scan. Email lists take some time to show your topic posting. Whereas Db's are instant (or require you to refresh your browser). The Internet affords its users alot of time saving features. As many statistics show, users want their desires or requirements met ASAP. DB see to do this much more effectively than email lists.

As a student, thie unit DB has been invaluable to me in answering questions or getting me 'unstuck' so I could move on at any hour of the day. It makes available archived messages at a glance and a click. I guess email lists could do this to. I dont think many ppl would use their personal email address for an email list so by the time you log in then find the topic you're after, a DB could have answered several questions. That's just what I think. I could be way off like I was with newsgroups (well not way off....they are a bit....draconian)

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

I dont see an email list being as useful a tool as a DB for student in our position (for the reasons listed above). Perhaps email lists are useful for private groups...trying to think of an example that doesn't involve porn......a group that requires membership, perhaps a subscription to a journal where the subscribers want to discuss journal issues.

Module Two Email Task

1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took, can you glean from an email message?

Email messages can contain the following information:

• Address of sender and recipient/s


• Subject.


• Date and time the message was sent.


• Message size.


• The user name and mail server of sender and recipient/s (in the address)


• The original author of the message.


• All recipients of the message if it is forwarded CC (carbon copy) to those recipients.


• Otherwise, the recipient marked as the BCC (blind carbon copy) recipient can not see all the addresses the message has been sent to. These recipients will see only themselves as sole recievers of the message.


• Can also contain a digital signature verifiying authenticity.
• I think it can also contain (in the meta data) the number of packets and their sizes.

2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all functions of email?

CC would be useful if the sender wishes to forward a copy of a message to all members of a particular group such as fellow employees or interest groups.
Eg: I want to send the minutes of the weekly meeting to all members of my work place via an email. I would forward this email by "CCing" all fellow employee's.

BCC would be useful if the sender wanted to forward a copy of a message to many recipents and wanted a select one or few to be aware of the "bulk-forwarding" perhaps in order to keep private some recipients email details.
Eg: If I wanted to share information in an email I recieved without sharing their email details I would mark all recipients except the last as BCC.

Re BCC

Because I have never used BCC forwarding, I was initially unclear how to apply a BCC forward in an example. After discussing it with friends who use BCC in a proffessional capacity, I understood its application. It's quite easy if I think of it in terms of its name: 'blind carbon copy', a recipient of a BCC is recieving a blind carbon copy of the message - it's a copy that is 'blind' to its original source. Light bulb on!

3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver?

Firstly, if the attachment is text, including it in the body of the email message instead of as an attachment. It is easily received this way because it doesn't require an attachment to be opened. If it is not a text attachment, it will be formatted somehow and certain mail servers may not support that format. Keeping the formats simple will make the attachment smaller in size. For example JPEG image files are smaller than tiff. or gif. files. Sending large attachments without prior permission doesn't assist in ease of receipt as the recipient may not have broadband or may have a limited amount of download space which a large attachment will max out - not to mention it's a bit rude. If a large attachment must be sent, winzip or stuffit can be used to zip the file making it smaller to receive.
Smaller attachments are easier to receive for several reasons: they upload faster and the recipient wont use alot of download space.
Overall, it's a good idea in life and online, not to make assumptions-in this case, for ease of receipt of attachment, on the recipients computer capabilities and time.

4. What sorts of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose?

"Notify me when important messages arrive" on normal importance setting for the key words "OUA" "Curtin" "Monash" "University". It notifies me with a lil banner saying "uni mail".

"Exception List" for junk mail and things I'm sick of but once were fun and now they wont go away. I've set these emails coloured grey and straight to the junk folder.

Because my email address is mainly for personal use, I have left the set up as it was when I got it apart from the above mentioned.

5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why?

My email folders are arranged into six sections:
1/ Social -Family and friends.
2/ Work - As well as work emails, this folder also includes emails from groups I participate in that are work related: YBI (youth business incentive), YSP (youth suicide prevention), YSN (youth service network), Police youth liasons officer etc.
3/ Uni- all emails from Curtin, Monash and students that have this address. Also included are any emails from uni-books and second hand textbook sites, HECS. I also have a sub-folder in this section for fellow students emails-these are cut and paste from my hotmail addy plus emails from the the few students that have this addy.
4/ Business - Banks, Tax office, RTA, utilities, broadband account, mobile phone etc.
5/My Groups - groups I subscribe to like quickflix, hotmail, YouTube, online mmorpg's, mirc, skype and my newsgroup etc
6/ Other - anything that doesn't fit into the above five groups. Also all groups I subscibe to initially go in here until I decide I really want to stick with them.

Within the folders, the emails are sorted by date because that is an easy way to see the most recent.

This is the way I have always set up my email folders. It seemed the most obvious and effective at the time. The email management information in this unit regarding the best ways to sort folders has made me consider that it's perhaps not the most efficient so this arrangement may change. My concern about changing the folder arrangement is potential confusion and time consumption searching for emails in a new system.

To start my new folder management system, I will re-sort the emails within each folder alphabetically to group them in name. This is an easy change to make and good place to start a more efficient system.