13/10/07 WK 12 Social and Ethical Issues

Week 12 Lecture

Social and Ethical Issues

Due to the open protocols of the World Wide Web, where anyone can publish any type of content comes a certain amount of security risks. Security relates to the protection of your personal information and your computer can be sabotaged or stolen if certain security measures are not taken. Simply put, there are a lot of ignorant people who use the web and a lot of very intelligent people who use the web as well, who may try to take advantage of the weaknesses of others.

Issues to considered include, Intellectual Property (the right to have your own ideas protected), copyright, not all content is free as some is subject to copyright. Plagiarism, there are people who will ignore copyright and plagiarism laws and look to steal your ideas. Privacy when searching the web, every time the Internet is used a 'digital trail' is left. Some companies then use this information to target you for their products and may publish your details. This poses a real challenge to privacy protection. Freedom of speech, the right to publish what you want without retribution. Security, when a network of computers is connected and passwords and information are able to be seen from other terminals, without the users knowledge in places such as Internet cafes.

Problems with security include probe attacks concerning content and password theft, virus contamination where malicious content may be inadvertently downloaded with software or emails and also spam, junk email and spyware, which is potentially benign but accesses your usage and exploits your privacy.

Measures can be taken in protecting yourself and your computer from harm. The installation of a firewall which protects against probes and unsolicited monitoring. Some of these include ZoneAlarm and Sygate Personal Firewall. Another type of protection for your computer is Antivirus software, which unfortunately is only as good as the last know virus. Common sense should be used when opening foreign email which should be avoided. Some antivirus software include avast and AntiVir PE. Also being familiar with at risk file attachment types such as .exe and .com and to know which file types can be trusted such as .jpg and pdf.

Some tips when protecting yourself include knowing what content is spyware how to make use of protective tools, allowing protection software to be updated when prompted and to turn off the preview window in outlook.

Workshop Summary

Make a list of the relevant copyright information that will be valuable to you as an undergraduate student.

As I intend to study Contemporary Fashion in 2008, these are some the copyright sheets that are relevant to fashion.

• Fashion design and costumes G076
• Artworks G033
• Artworks: Getting permission G086
• Copyright in Australia: information sources G004
• Craftworkers (professional) G073
• Craftworkers (hobby) G021
• Creative Commons licences G094
• Designs for functional articles G027
• Graphic designers G075
• Logos G028

Write a summary of the case US vs.Sankas.

John Sankus, Jr was charged and sentenced to jail time for conspiring to violate the criminal copyright laws. Sankus was the head of a software piracy group known as DrinkOrDie, which acquired new software and made it available over the Web, such as the latest movies, games, software and applications. He plead guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. As DrinkOrDie operated over the Internet it's workers believed they would never be caught and subject to prosecution. Law enforcement has had to adapt to digital ways of law breaking and is beginning to find ways to arrest and prosecute for crimes committed on the net.

Write a plan to protect yourself from attacks on your privacy and security.

• Purchase a original copy of windows and allow for automatic updates.
• Purchase, install and regularly update an antivirus program.
• Acquire antispyware software and keep up to date.
• Run manual virus scans once a week.
• Re-install Windows quarterly.
• Visit the Microsoft website and read the information on viruses and spam. Research pages that inform of the latest viruses and Trojans to become more aware of symptoms, preventions and cures.
• Turn on the 'always ask' feature in Windows before downloading.
• Set browser settings to a medium to high security setting.
• Avoid opening email from unknown senders.
• Avoid downloading programs by unknown authors.
• Stop downloading pirate music.

Week 12 Reading

EFF's Top 12 Ways to Protect Your Online Privacy

McCandlish has compiled a list of tips which are aimed to ensure the protection of privacy. The areas covered include, being sensible and not giving out personal information over the net. The use of cookies management software in a Web browser, limiting the amount of people that your main email address is shared with, don't reveal details to people you have never met face to face. Don't access unsolicited material on work computers, be weary of sites that ask for personal details, do not reply to spammers, be conscious of web and home security and use email encryption software.

Ethics in Computing Social Justice Issues: Electronic Monitoring.

This site discusses the monitoring of computer usage of employees. It shows the different ways employers can monitor their staff and the issues that may arise with such monitoring. It's purpose is to assist employees who think they are being monitored and what they can do about it.

Computer Viruses and the Internet

This article covers the history of computer viruses and the connection to the World Wide Web. It explains what viruses are and the ways in which they appeared and were created. It explains that because of the open protocols of the web virus creators can produce these electronic 'diseases'.

Brown and Micheal's - Overview of Intellectual Property

This article instructs on ways to protect your ideas from others passing them off a their own. First, it explains that ideas can't necessarily be protected but the expression of an idea in the form of a product can be copyrighted. The type of protection needed will depend on whether it's the way of doing something, a logo or an artwork. Respectfully either a patent, trademark or copyright might be needed. This is a great source of information for people who might have an idea for an invention who would be considering these sorts of issues.

Music, Copyright and The Internet

This site covers the who, what, when, why and how of copyright laws surrounding music. It is a good source of information as it covers many areas the average person might not consider when they are downloading pirated music. It covers what can happen if caught for breaching copyright and ways on how to protect yourself from unwillingly downloading protected content.

Email Attachments and Viruses

This article discusses the dangers of opening email attachments. It lists the file types that should be avoided and the ones which are safe. This is good article as it is straight to the point and easily to read and understand.

16/10/07 WK 11 Building Knowledge

Week 11 Lecture

Data, Information, Knowledge

Data is facts, figures and words that alone don't have meaning until placed together to form information. Data that is collected together than enables patterns to be seen and conclusions to be drawn. Eg. Weather temperatures listed in an Excel spreadsheet allow for trends to be seen. Data is a factual, non-judgemental and is transient (where figures can be used for different meanings). Data can be in the form of statements, statistics, writing or charts. It is summative, dimensional and valuable.

Information is a cluster of collected data which then contains meaning and is available for use. Information is the process between knowing for the short term and learning for the long term, when information becomes knowledge. Information can be historical such as tables of data or in the form of records such as budgets and minutes of meetings.

Knowledge is when information is no longer rehearsed and repeated but learnt so that it can be expressed without having to revisit the source it originated from. Knowledge is acquired when an understanding of information has occurred and the user can then explain and express the knowledge in their own words. Knowledge then continues to be carried in the mind and can be remembered at a later date. Examples of knowledge include white papers, press releases and marketing strategies.

Wisdom is the accumulation of information through learning and experience. Wisdom is unique to information, data and knowledge as it cannot be bought, may have different meaning for different people and will only be acquired through time and experience. It is the sum of knowledge and experience.

Using these terms in relation to assignment work can assist the student in forming study strategies. Some of these include, the break down of the assignment question to understand the instruction words and individual terms. When it has been established what is to be researched, finding information in the form of facts, statistics, tables and diagrams will assist to create information by the gathering of information. Once data has been collected for an assignment it can then be used to give credibility to ideas presented. Knowledge presented in assignments is when the author can draw conclusions based on the information and data that was collected and constructed.

Workshop Summary

Create a graphical representation of the terms Data, Information and Knowledge.



Research definitions for data, information and knowledge .

Data is:

- Individual facts, statistics, or items of information: These data represent the results of our
analyses. Data are entered by terminal for immediate processing by the computer.

- Factual information, especially information organized for analysis or used to reason or make decisions.

- Numerical or other information represented in a form suitable for processing by computer.

- A collection of facts, observations, or other information elated to a particular question or problem.


Information is:

- Knowledge gained through study, communication, research, instruction, etc.; factual data: His wealth of general information is amazing.

- Is the meaning of the representation of a fact.

- Any fact or set of facts, knowledge, news, or advice, whether communicate by others or obtained by personal study and investigation.

Knowledge is:

- The fact or state of knowing.

- The state or fact of knowing.

- Familiarity, awareness, or understanding gained through experience or study.

- The act or state of knowing; clear perception of fact, truth, or duty.

Outline how and understanding between data, information and knowledge can assist in University study.

Understanding the relationship between data, information and knowledge will assist students in structuring their study habits by creating a focus of turning information into knowledge. They will be able to determine when information has been learnt as recalling it and the ability to explain it in their own words will show understanding. Knowing this relationship can assist in realising what still needs to be learnt and help in reducing stress levels as understanding the process required in obtaining knowledge will help to gain control over what information is absorbed.

Make a list of at least five organisations that collect information from their clients and provide reasons why they would need to collect information.

Telstra would collect information from their customers regarding preferences to call, usage, service and payment types and to provide a service which suits the customer and ultimately creates more revenue.

The government collects a census at designated yearly intervals. Information collected relates mainly to individuals, births, deaths, marriages, living arrangements and occupation. Data trends are able to be established in these are areas such as how many people are employed, what was the size population for that year and how much had it grown? Also how many people are studying, looking for work, what are the current trends in relation to previous years, and for numerous other reasons.

Fast food restaurants provide customer feed back forms for the purpose of maximising income by the way of a satisfied customer.

Universities and colleges ask for feedback about courses, campus facilities and teaching staff. This is in the interest for successful management of the organisation and also improved financial income.

Any organisation which provides a service can conducts surveys to gain information. The organisation usually informs the participant that it is collected to benefit the customer but ultimately it is to improve sales. Services who would gather information from customers and the public include Foxtel, Internet Service Providers such as Optus and Telstra, Mobile phone companies such as Vodafone and Hutchison and Three,The RAC and insurance companies. Insurance companies would quire information to ensure a minimisation of loss and maximisation of profit. Video stores such as Video Ezy and Civic, banks such as Bank West and Commonwealth and the list goes on.

Week 11 Readings

Data, Information, Knowledge and Wisdom

A great deconstruction and explanation of data, information and knowledge. It explains in detail with the use of examples and activities so that the user will be able to distinguish differences and be able to organise their information better. It explains that alone data doesn't contain meaning and is collected on the facts of who, what, where when and how. The 'how' of information and data when applied and the user is able to evaluate i, it then becomes knowledge,

Information Literacy

This site provides information on the development, the organisation and the application of knowledge. It demonstrates how to develop data and information into knowledge it must be classified and organised before it can be fully understood. This site is an excellent resource that gives the necessary amount of depth on this topic to fully understand and be able to apply what has been taught.

Data, Information and Knowledge - Dr Jim Mullaney

Mullaney defines and presents the meaning of data, information and knowledge. He gives examples which outline the meaning of these terms, better than a reference source would. It explains how collected and analyse data produces knowledge that then can be used to form conclusions. Although brief this document gives a clear outline of explaining these terms and encourages the reader to apply this information by asking questions about the reasons for collecting data.

9/10/07 WK 10 Using Search Engines

Week 10 Lecture

Online Libraries and Databases.

Programs found online today incorporate search options which create opportunities for locating information quicker and more efficiently than methods available in the past. Libraries and databases are online reference catalogues produced by organisations such as libraries and museums. These types of information resources hold large amounts of information including articles, dictionaries and digital data such as pictures.

Online Libraries
Using online libraries has many advantages. Some of these include convenience, as travel to a location to search a collection is not longer necessary and information is provided directly to the user who has access to a computer. Available online, these services can be accessed 24/7. They are easy to update so contain recent information and the benefits of electronic data for note taking when copy and pasting are available.

The types of libraries and databases can be classified as text repositories, which are large lists of sources sometimes containing whole texts. Online journals, which may need to be subscribed to but can provided by the organisation for the use of its patrons. Electronic books are available to be read online or downloaded, music is also available for access but adhering to copyright laws must to be honoured. Also, artworks can be viewed in these catalogues but the image of the quality may be of a lesser standard.

There are limitations to the use of online catalogues which can include a subscription, requiring the user to pay. On occasion only the reference may be supplied and access to the source may not be available. With music and art catalogues copyright and plagiarism polices need to be considered. Online libraries need to be referenced correctly the same as with acknowledging any other source. Becoming familiar with the copyright laws in your subject will be useful although most sites will list their copyright legislation's for the reader to access.

Databases
Databases focus mainly on data collection, also contain a search and browse facility and are similar in many ways to online libraries. Some of the types of online databases can include news and media, government information and statistics and/or genealogy resources. Advantages of online databases can be that they contain current information such as magazines, are comprehensive (easy to use) and as with online libraries are browsable, allow 24/7 access and benefit from electronic note taking facilities. Some of the disadvantages include subscription only, some are not indexed (not able to be found by search engines), can contain a lot advertisements making navigation difficult and may contain too much information

Workshop Summary

List 10 useful functions of the ECU library site

1. Search by resource type eg. books, journals, websites. This is useful when looking for a specific resource and making sure the titles that are found are relevant.

2. Liberty: Learning to find information. This information is to assist in making a search more efficient. It is useful situated on the library home page as not knowing how to search for information limits the user in finding instructions on how to search.

3. Getting started at the library. This is good for students new to the library who want to find our where to start. It gives a brief overview of some of the electronic support systems as well a finding help from a librarian.

4. The quick catalogue search feature is valuable to the user who knows exactly what they are after and wants to go directly to a sources information in the catalogue. This was good when knowing a book is nearby but the dewy number is needed to find it.

5. 'Extend display' button in the library catalogue allows for the campus location, author and dewy number to appear when searching by title. This is use as it allows for ease of use when looking for a source immediately. Locating a book on a subject available in the library is faster.

6. The 'Save marked items' buttons enables sources to be collected whilst continuing searching. This option is particularly useful as when viewing 'saved marked item', a opportunity to email the list to another location enable quick retrieval of already located items.

7. The 'search other catalogues' option in the catalogue window allows for quick linking to other libraries if items on a subject can not be found in the ECU website.

8. Clicking on the ECU Library Catalogue banner at the top of the page is useful to start a search over quickly.

9. The option to search past exam paper makes this available when it might necessarily not been thought of.

10. The news update heading on the library home page allows for students to be easily notified when library hours change.

Who might use the MEDline plus interactive tutorials what may they get from it?

The simplicity of information presented in the tutorials on MEDline plus is aimed at being understood by the general population. This site would be most useful for people looking for a broad over view on medical issues and would be most beneficial to children of primary school age. As medical information can sometimes be hard to find and then too difficult to understand, these tutorials would be a good starting point. Children in primary school would benefit most from the tutorials as they are the youngest demographic to which the information is aimed at. School children would benefit as they would only have limited knowledge on medical ailments. When faced with illness and disease, knowledge is power. Knowing factual information about a illnesses can help in facing and in dealing with the problem. Children who are experiencing or who know some one with an illness could use the site to help them understand.

This site would be less useful to third year medical students and medical practitioners as their knowledge would exceed the level presented in the tutorials. Although, assumedly a doctor or nurse would know more about health issues than those on this site, they may not, or find it useful for areas they are not knowledgeable in or find it useful in other areas such as helping in educating children.

02/10/07 WK 9 Using Search Engines

Week 9 Lecture

Using Search Engines

As the World Wide Web contains limitless amounts of information, searching manually through all the information that exists is impossible. There are two types of web based programs which search the Internet and return a list of results. One of these is search engines and the other is a directory. Both of these contain a search function which allow the user to type in key words and be returned with a list of results.

Information on the Web is available in three categories; either by the 'free visible web', which are the results returned when using search engines and are free to the user. The 'free invisible web', which are sites free to the user but are not accessible by the use of a search engine eg. Legal or financial sites. Or, 'paid databases.' These are commercial sites which need a subscription and the customer has paid to access this program. Such as Ebsco or the West Australian.

There are many search engines, some with similarities but many with differences. Some examples include Google, AltaVista and Yahoo. Search engines can return either global, reference, targeted, or regional based searches. Global search engines search all over the world in many different languages. Regional search engines are limited geographically so for example may only search and return pages from one country, ie. Australia. Targeted search engines a limited to a specific subject, eg. medical information. As reference engines will search a list of reference resources such a encyclopedias.

Directories are cataloged lists or indexes created by people and have less resources than the web and can be more reliable as the information listed in a cataloged will have been viewed and specifically chosen by a reputable source. Some examples include Yahoo, Looksmart and Snap.

Some problems when using search engines include too much results being returned, some returned sites can be repeated more than twice in the same results list. Other problems can include broken links, out dated results and a doctored ranking system.

There are four main query types when conducting a search.The most commonly used is the key word search. The key word search option is a good place to start for broad searches before narrowing to a more condensed search for more relevant results. Another type is the phrase search where the words to be searched are in exact order and are placed in quotation marks. Thirdly, a Boolean search includes the use of mathematical symbols to include or specifically exclude certain words. For example if searching to buy a road worthy vehicle a search may be 'cars - toys' which would exclude any results including toy cars. The fourth way to conduct a search would be to conduct a search using the advanced features of a search engine. Under the key word search box there generally is a 'advanced search' option. This will allow certain features to left out or included in the search such as limiting to a geographic region.

Things to keep in mind include not limiting yourself to using just one search engine. Always try a few and find the ones best for you. Read 'search tips' offered in the search engine page, use as many words as needed for key word searches and try to guess the URL

Workshop Summary

List four strategies that will help structure a good search.

1. Avoid the use of stop words. These are words that are short and very common. If using words in a phrase that are common use quotation marks.

2. If searching for information that fits into a obvious topic, try a search directory such as yahoo or The Open Directory before searching with Google.

3. Make use of the word 'near' for Boolean searches. The plus and minus sign are used more often because they are more obvious but when words that are searched for appear in a document apart when they need to be together, the results from the search are often useless.

4. Use capitalisationproper nouns for and read the help files in your frequently used search engines to discover their methods of searching and how you can take advantage of this.

Complete the online quiz found at Siteseen.co.uk and list the answers to the questions.

1. Inca
2. Violet
3. Birchard
4. Alfred Lord Tennyson
5. Sea shells
6. Maps
7. Giacomo Puccini
8. Volcano
9. Basenji
10. Hieronymus Bosch
11. Waterloo
12. Ant
13. Leo
14. Siam
15. Mushroom
16. Orangutan
17. Pluto
18. Benito
19. Lizard
20. Napolean Bonaparte

Discuss the strategies you used to locate answers to the quiz.

I was lucky enough to locate the answers fairly quickly from a key word search in Google. I then browsed the results list seeking the most frequent answer. For questions where the answer was slightly more difficult to locate I browsed one or two of the sites as I didn't understand the particular word I was searching for. This related particularly to question 15 and the response of mushroom. Realising the most returns were about food I then scanned for the most reoccurring ingredient in each dish. Question 5 also posed a slight challenge as 'sea shell' was a more common answer than I had expected.

The most covered area of module four has been the quality of information found on the web. The process is then to determine if information is 'fit for use.' What I was not aware of before doing this module was how to distinguish legitimate factual information from false information. I have now learnt to look for important details like the name of the author, facts, information on their expertise on the subject and the reasons why they may have created the site. I now know how easily distinguish the type of site from the URL and to be weary of bias. Using search engines has taught me the difference between Google and Yahoo, the reasons they are different and the different purposes they serve. I now know to use more than just Google for searching and how I can structure search words in order narrow a search.

Week 9 Reading

The Spiders Apprentice

This site assists with some of the difficulties faced when using online search engines. It explains the basics and would prove useful for the novice user. It covers enough information to give a good understanding of where to start when searching the Web. It suggests first considering carefully what sort of information is to be searched for in order to asses where to start before diving in. Such as, if the topic will fit into broad categories, Spiders Apprentice suggests using search directories over search engines. It also covers areas such as refining a search, explains the use of metadata and ranking, and discusses different types of search engines, which are useful and why.

Search Engine Watch Tutorial

A valuable resource, Search Engine Watch Tutorial covers types of word searches such as Boolean searches, refined word searches, extending the range of returned results and the use of related terms when searching. This site has provided a long list of annotated links to other sites relating to search engines. This site has ensured that by viewing this site all questions relating to search engines can be answered. As has been suggested this site is worth bookmaking.

Web Search Strategies

This article is an excellent resource for search engine information and tips. This site explains the Free Visible Web, Free Invisible Web and paid databases for the purpose of deciding which location to seek information from before conducting a search. It explains when to use a search database and when to use a search engines and gives clear examples of each making the information provided clear and easy to understand. It also covers expanding search words with the use of the asterisks, using related words such as the plural of a word to extend searches and explains how specific a generally terms will differ in the amount of search results. It also list useful tips such as trying to guess the name of a site, using several search tools and to read the search tip information given in the search engine help.

The History of the Internet: (Chap 4 – Search Engines)

This article demonstrates how the first search engine originated with Archie, which employed the use of spider searching, to the development of gopher in 1981 which differed but only fractionally from Archie, to Wais developed in 1991. Hosted website grew considerably each year from 1000 in 1988 to 10 000 in 1987. With the rise in sites to be used the need for faster and more updated search engines developed. Today there are many much more choices and better quality search engines and directories. Suggested

19/09/07 WK 8 Evaluation and Authentication

Week 8 Lecture

Evaluation and Authentication

When using information from an unknown source the source first needs to be evaluated in order to establish accuracy, relevance and reliability. Information found on the web can be extremely untrustworthy. The Web has no quality control and those who publish on it are able to do so without having to adhere to any standards. So the information found there must be treated with extreme caution.

There are three major areas to consider when assessing content found on the web. Accuracy, authority and coverage.

To assess accuracy, consider whether the author is biased, what the authors intentions are for publishing the site, is the author knowledgeable, when was the page last updated, are there errors and is the information supported by references etc.

When considering the issue of authority ask questions about the identity of the author, whether the author is qualified to give information on the topic, is the author contactable, who are the sponsors of the site, is information about the author and sponsors available?

The coverage of information contained in a site needs to be considered as the amount present and purpose of the site will determine whether it is factual source or one created for amusement. Also is the site relevant to your purpose? A good question to ask is, 'could better quality information and a larger amount be found in an encyclopedia?' If yes than the source is probably not a reliable one. Consider if the information gives both an argument for and against. Consider if the site is trying to persuade you to it's point of view and if the site covers enough information.

Workshop Summary

Describe in your own words the strategies covered on the ICYouSee Critical Thinking page.

• When searching for information on the web, ask yourself if it the most efficient place to be searching. If finding what you are after would be quicker another way, then wasting time searching the web is unnecessary. Not all information can be found on the web. It may be easier to search a state library for example, for historical information which may to old to be found on the web.
• Question any information found on the web and try to establish it's reliability before believing it. Check other sources to see how the site compares, consider whether there are any references for the site and check any links that are given.
• Consider who is responsible for a site and what their qualifications are. Looking at the URL can give some information on the site such as a .gov; will mean it's more reliable than one on the same topic with a tilde (~) in it's domain name as these represent a personal site. Look to see if the creator of the site is contactable and always try to establish whether or not they are experts in the subject.
• Be aware of the hidden intent of some web pages. Sometimes bias is obvious but can also be well disguised. Look consciously as that a site may be trying to manipulate your opinion. Consider the sponsors for the site and if it is their intent to sell something rather than give factual information.
• Reflect on whether the site looks professional. Dose it contain spelling or grammatical errors? Is the site serious with an focus on content rather than extravagant graphics and has put more time into the look of the site rather than the reliability of information.
• Know the difference between Web pages and pages found on the web. Always question information that you read as it may be written by an expert but still contain bias. News and magazine articles may be available online but not published especially for the web. Considering where information is from will be useful in establishing it's creator and their intent.

Evaluate two websites from ICYouSee under the provided headings.

The Almost Great society: The 1960's

Accuracy

The article 'Lecture 27' provides many dates and statistics in chronological order and provides acknowledgment of sources from which the photos were derived, including the copy write date. Errors in spelling were not detected, the paragraphs are well structured, the only discrepancy with the quality of the information is occasionally it not as formally worded as tertiary standards require.

Authorship

An .edu is present in the URL title and the end of the document contains the copyright of the University of Wisconsin. The individual author is not credited and therefore their expertise can not be evaluated. It is highly likely that this document is from the University of Wisconsin but whether a professor of student created it, is not stated. Presumably because of its origin the article is reliable but the information and particularly the dates should be checked with another reference source.

Purpose

The intention of this source is clear in it’s purpose is to educate. Links to other lectures are present and the article appears to be in a series of lectures in this site. As in it's authorship this page is hosted by the University of Wisconsin so assuming it is educational purposes would be a safe assumption.

Detail and Design

The design of this site looks less like as university class resource and more like a creative report presented by a student in secondary education. A tertiary paper for learning purposes on American history, expectedly, would use limited colour and creative flair and be presented rather in formal essay structure which seems the purpose of the subtitle of 'Lecture 27' implies. The title 'American History 102' has been creatively presented giving it the feel of a creative article or student presentation. Structured in report format, the information is presented under headings, incorporates photos witch is not like a report as a secondary school assignment and the decorative background diminishes from the formality of the topic and seems less reliable due to this fact.

Overall Worth

If dates used in this report were found to be correct this resource would be useful to a student considering how to group information. It’s presentation and lack of a credited author does not make it of academic quality and would need peer approval before using it’s information as a reliable resource.

American Cultural History

Accuracy

The accuracy in this article is difficult to determine because the information is presented in the form of a summary. There are references in the summaries provided which allows the user to gain some knowledge of the topics covered. Some of the summaries provided do seem to have drawn conclusions without factual references and appears more in the form of an account of some one who was present rather than a well read expert.

Authorship

An .edu is found in the URL of this site, which credits this site as an education facility. The authors names are present but their credentials are not given. The information is subjected to the copyright of the Kingwood College Library making information considered valuable by the author. It is likely this information is from the source that is quoted and being a library resource was probably created by a librarian, but as no credentials are sited for the author, whether the author is an expert on the subject remains undetermined.

Purpose

The purpose of the information is to provide overviews in the cultural subject areas of the 60's. This source is structured in the form of a library resource that was created to assits students in this area of research. This is evident due to the list of given resources under each summary.

Detail and Design

The design of the site and structure of the information is professional and well researched. The addition of photos may not be necessary but work well with the purpose of the information to give and introduction to the subject areas.

Overall Worth

The relevance of this site is restricted to users wanting information on cultural history. The information would be reasonably useful to anyone researching this information as linking to the different areas will bring the user directly to what they are interested in and allow them to only have to read what is need.

11/09/07 WK 7 Using the WWW

Week 7 Lecture

Using the WWW

The difference between the World Wide Web and the Internet

The Internet, created by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, is a network of connected computers linked by cables to enable information to be shared with computers all over the world.

The World Wide Web is the program that exists in virtual space to allow the the transfer and exchange of data.

The information on the Web is available to anyone with an internet connection transferred by t transmission control protocols (information sent by telephonic communication) and Internet protocols (one network to another).

The transfer and exchange of data and files is known as HTTP (hyper text transmission protocols). Information on the web is stored in HTML (the behind the scenes language structure) and the viewing of information is commonly known as ‘surfing’ where the user is directed to information via hyper links.

Identifying the type of resource on the web is done by considering the domain name system conventions or the DNS conventions.

A Web address includes these conventions and is typed into the Web address field which then directs the user to a certain location.

- www. is located in front of an IP address, also known as a Web address.

- .com; .org; .net; are international domain names located at the end of a Web address.

- .au; .nz; .ca; are abbreviations located after the domain name which define the country where the information was produced. NB: Web addresses don’t always contain the countries domain name.

Tools that are needed to access the Web include:

A computer, a modem, software for internet connection (stored on the users computer to allow a type of access, eg. dial up - a connection with reduced speed connected via a telephone socket or broadband, – a faster connection speed connected via a cable linked to the telephone exchange), a phone line, a Web browser and a search engine allowing the user to locate information.

Web Browsers

A Web browser is a program that acts as a user interface for viewing information on the Web. Some of the different types include Internet Explorer, MyIE, Netscape and Firefox.

Browsers allow the user to perform different functions whilst viewing Web pages. Some of these include searching, navigating and capturing pictures for later use.

Tools for navigation can include tab browsing, allowing multiple pages to be open in the same browser without closing the current page. Buttons, which allow the user to go backwards and forwards between pages, a button returning the user to the home page and the history button which allows the user to view the pages recently visited.

Also, key board shortcuts can allow more efficient Web browsing. For example, Ctrl + s = save, Ctrl + p = print, Ctrl + h = history etc. To discover shortcuts, browse the Web for lists or practice trial combinations.

Workshop Summary

Consider the websites Haggis Hunt and Molossia;

How have they attempted to appear authentic?

Haggis Hunt has made attempts to appear authentic with it's use of sponsors, images of real life locations, featured facts and pictures. Logos of legitimate sponsors appear on the homepage and as a prize, a stay at the Gleneagles hotel is given, giving support to a site which clearly is not authentic. The use of real life locations for the "Haggis Cams" influence the audience in assuming the site is valid. Where as fictional locations would raise suspicions immediately. Also facts such as the scientific name, history and habits for a Haggis and the depth of information appear to give the site credibility.

The Molossia homepage claims it's self as an 'Official Website' and employs writing which looks to be in another language. Images such as a photo of a real person, an emblem, national flag add in depth information and official headings such as 'Government Agencies' all give the impression of an authentic website.

Give four clues that exposes these sites as spoofs.

The 'Hunt from your computer' instruction on the Haggis website raised suspicions as to whether it was a legitimate animal as this is not how hunting usually takes place. Words used in the Haggisclopedia don't exist, such as Drumnadrochit and Meuran. A 'Haggis Fact' found on the homepage suggested the natural enemy of the Haggis is "anything with teeth" as well as the presented fact of "Haggis fur is waterproof but not shower proof" is presented as fact but causes confusion as it is illogical.

The information contained on the Molossia website establishes it as a hoax. For example, fictishous language and stories are used. The word "dastardly" and the "Dead Dog War" are intended for comical relief. The picture which accompanies Dead Dog story is accompanied by a photo which is supposed to depict a war hero but features what is the stereotypical geek. Another clue that the site is a hoax is the size of the country Molossia. It's listed to be 2-5 hectares long which is a country at all. The ridiculousness of the content contained in this is intended to illicit humor.

Consider the Martin Luther King Website;

What are you initial expectations?

The URL of this site gives the impression it is an official website which would contain information similar to information found in an encyclopedia. A URL featuring the full name of a person is generally associated with official websites. Unofficial websites URL's are more likely to be a derivative of a subjects name. With an official looking URL the expectation is that the site will factual and unbiased.

What are your first impressions?

First impressions of this website are the photo's of Martin Luther King, which appear authentic. Secondly the links on the right hand side of the page give them impression of official information. After a first glance though, seen underneath the centre photo is a link to 'rap lyrics.' Then, is a link to the new 'MLK' video titled "The Brothas' Be PeacefulIn Da' Hood." These two links then start to raise questions about official this site is.

After looking at some of the articles, what is your impression now?

The articles are heavily biased and very critical. This site seeks to destroy any credibility of the actions of Martin Luther King and seeks to manipulate the audience into agreeing with the authors. Spotted at the end of the page is the host of the website. Clicking on the link 'Stormfront' the audience is then directed to a site that contains the motto "White pride world wide." As the creator of a site about a coloured man, the author claims them self to be racists. This raises serious concerns about objectivity and is likely that author of this site is completely biased.

Week 7 Reading

History of the World Wide Web

This article is a well documented account of the development of the World Wide Web. It employs large amounts of computer jargon which may be a useful for computer science students but is not likely to be as valuable for the everyday user. With yearly and monthly updates this article covers the basics of who? Tim Berners-Lee. What? Interconnected computers coined the World Wide Web. When? The 1980’s. Where? America, and why? For the purpose of sharing research information. Some facts listed include the first media interest in 1993 to the first surfing experience for the general public in 1995 .

History of the WWW

An in depth look at the evolution of technology with a focus on the origins of computers. This site explains clearly the process of how the Internet was created. Also explained is the reasons why how the Internet developed with all information plainly put for the ease of the majority of audiences. It describes the Internet as a “system for allowing computers to communicate with each other”, and continues to inform the audience on the functioning which allows computers to communicate with each other and how the World Wide Web came into being. With the knowledge this site provides the audience is able to gain a fairly strong understanding of the existence of the online environment.

Search engine watch tutorials

Search Engine Watch Tutorial offers step-by-step easy to use instructions in the basics of effective Web searching. It covers the use of symbols (search engine math), ways to refine searches in order to limit results, as well as ways to extend a search. Instructions are given on how to find related words, how to extend words and how to find pages on similar information. The site also offers a long list of links to other sites with information on search engines and has provided simple summaries on each to enable the viewer to better seek out information. This site is thorough in its intent to provide information to the audience when maximizing their web searching.

04/09/07 WK 6 Using EndNote

Week 6 Lecture

Using EndNote

A reference list or bibliography, is a compiled list of works used when researching that is cited at the end of a piece of work. Specifically, a reference list contains only the sources referred to in the work where as a bibliography is a list of all the sources that were used when researching.

EndNote is a database used to record and save references for use in bibliographies. EndNote can be used in conjunction with MS Word, supports a variety of formatting styles and is equipped with an internal search option.

Also Covered

Marking key for blog assessment: Be aware that although the blog are assessed as a formal piece of writing a sense of the author needs to be reflected in the work. The material included in the blog needs to be consistent, date ordered with each of the entries dated and headed with appropriate titles.

Workshop Summary

Set up an EndNote Library



Week 6 Reading

EndNote Technical Support & Services - This website offers online tutorials, 'Webinars' (online seminars), online training and any form of assistance that may be needed when using EndNote. It is user friednly with all it's resources available at the click of a button.

Guide to EndNote v9 @ ECU - A 'How To Guide' on using EndNote. Equipped with the aid of screen shots this guide walks you through step by step on using the features of EndNote.

ECU Referencing guide - With reference to the APA Publication Manual, this is the style of formatting that must be followed when referencing at ECU.

28/08/07 WK 5 Infromation Management

Week 5 Lecture

Information Management

Managing information needs to be quick and easy. Books and paper are referred to as atom based and electronic content and digital formats are referred to as bit based.

Bits: Pro's - very flexible, very cheap and easy to manipulate. Con's - privacy protection, authenticity, unsolicited broadcast.

Atoms: Pro's - easy to see, locate, conceal and protect. Difficult to change and copy. Con's - bulky, expensive, inflexible, difficult to edit and distribute.

Tips on managing your bits: be familiar with file extensions, use metadata for more in depth search options, keep file names relevant to function rather than content and employ the use of a desktop search engine.

Workshop Summary

Create folders in MS IE favourites - three folders containing at least two websites marked

Write a review of 'The DNA of Information' in about 250 words

The chapter titled ‘The DNA of Information’ from Nicholas Negroponte’s Being Digital is a look at the comparisons and contrasts between Bits versus Atoms and some of the issues associated with accessing and using these formats.

Negroponte compares that the cost associated with using bit based information is considerably less and that delivery is instantaneous and essentially cost free. Where as with atom based most of the cost associated with buying books is due to shipping and returns. He uses the example of a failed delivery of atom based material compared to the hassle free, instantaneously delivery of bit based information.

Another contrast is the weight and useability of each form. Bit based is weightless to view and store, whereby atom is costly to store in size and weight and information can be hard to locate.

Negroponte promotes that atom based material such as books are ‘easy to thumb through’, have a ‘high contrast display’ and that bits are not likely to replace all atom based businesses as food and clothes are still essential items to the consumer.

While there is a sense that Negroponte preferrs bit based information, he has given a fairly weighted argument in expressing the pro’s and con’s for each side. The information contained in this chapter is informative as looking at the different areas where these two formats co-exist it’s easy to see why they are in such competition.

Week 5 Reading

Information Management and Electronic Environments - This article outlines the need for the organisation of electronic material. It suggest the use of a hierarchical structure, the employment of sub folders, bookmarks and the use of EndNote. It also favours bits over atoms but reminds that the pitfalls of bits can be an overload of information and the risk of plagiarism.

21/08/07 WK 4 Communications

Week 4 Lecture

Communications

ICT: Information Communication Technology is used in many ways in our professional and personal life; including emails, mobile phones, video conferencing, ipods, mp3's and many more.

Types of communication:

Synchronous (same time) - same time and same place or same time and different place

Asynchronous (own time) - different time and same place or different time and different place

Cyberspace
Place dependent eg. online gaming
Place Independent eg. MSN messenger

Netiquette and Email - Use formal language and salutations when contacting business associates, don't use email to air grievances as emotions can be easily misunderstood.

Netiquette and Chat - When using MSN messenger and texting ect. becoming familiar with the short hand such as emoticons and abbreviations which will allow for better and more efficient communication.

The lecturer suggests becoming familiar with the different interfaces of electronic communication. These include different email clients like iscribe and Pegasus. Other areas to be familiar with include IM clients, ICQ, Trillian, discussion boards, podcasts, blogs, wikiwebs and social networking clients such as Frienstar an Myspace.

Workshop Summary

In ECU email create a folder for each of your units



Google a topic under the search tab 'Groups'

I entered 'Gilmore Girls' as a search term and found the 'Little Corner of the World' Gilmore Girls newsletter. Within the discussion board I discovered a post called 'Favourite Memories', where fans have shared their favourite moments of the show. As a devoted fan, this notice board was of particular interest as it brought back enjoyable moments. As the show is now finished, reading posts like this is very nostalgic for me.

The next successful search term I entered was 'unlock nokia 6680' which took me to - uk.telecom.mobile group. In this forum the question ('can the phone be unlocked from the three network?') was raised which lead me to links of suggested sites to visit. I love not having to locate pages where the information I'm after is limited and difficult to find. I prefer to receive recommendations from those who have tried and tested them. Even if the information I'm after can't be found in a linked page it often gives me new search terms to use, leading me further in the right direction.

Potential benefits of Podcast for university students

• Enhance the learning ability of auditory style and disabled learners
• Time efficient (asynchronous) - wasted time such as commuting can be used to listen to a lecture. Also there are no distractions, from other students and electronic failure etc. As the published podcast is the final edit any mistakes or hold ups can be deleted from the recording.
• Once downloaded the podcast audio file can be paused, rewound and listened to repeatedly. This enables the listener to better remember the content as well as make better notes
• The podcast once saved to your computer can be referenced at a later date
• The lecture can be enhanced the use of interviews and commentary added to the podcast

Weiss, A. (2006). Podcasting Lectures: Pros and Cons. Retrieved 11/09/07, http://www.podcastconsultant.net/2006/10/24/podcasting-lectures-pros-and-cons/

Day, J. (2006). Podcasting Lectures - Pros and Cons. Retrieved 10/09/07, http://www.educateinnovate.com/blackboard/2006/02/has_anyone_else.html

Week 4 Reading

14 Email Do's and Don'ts - This instructional article of the etiquette of email covers all the vital areas that should be addressed when using asynchronous communication. Essentially it instructs: be clear - use clarification, spell out what your asking and get straight to the point. Don't use email for emotional issues and respect privacy. Also be sure an email is suited to your purpose as it can be too indirect and time consuming to use and the most important thing to remember is that you don't have to respond right away.

Essential Email Etiquette - Expresses the intricacies of the semi-informal tone of emailing. The complications of being too informal or not enough. Use a specific subject line, use peoples names, select a tone appropriate to your audience, avoid emotional innuendo's, use good grammar and spell check, be as brief as possible and don't pass on chain-mail.

The IRC Prelude - This article introduces IRC (Internet Relay Chat). It covers all areas including what IRC is (synchronous communication on the web), who is involved with IRC, eg. 'OP's (the guys in charge of each channel), where - networks such as EFnet, IRCnet ect. and the do's and don'ts of IRC etiquette - be polite and don't 'flood' or use capitals at the risk of becoming banned from a channel, the use of language like emoticons and abbreviations, as well as problems that may be experienced whilst chatting.

The Problem - This article explains the complications of the ever increasing amount of spam and the related cost to it's recipients. It demonstrates how there is an unlimited amount of recipients vs a very low cost in distribution. The presentation of this argument makes spam sound like an unstoppable monster that will some day drown out all the legitimate electronic mail. It's solution is to have an enforced legislation which prohibits transmitting spam, the tools designed to do it and compensation rights to those who are victims of it.

14/08/07 WK 3 Presentation skills

Week 3 Lecture

Presentation Strategies

Types of presentations

• Self contained eg. video, online presentations
• Written eg. essays
• Stand and deliver eg. oral presentations

Oral Presentations
- Structure your presentation into three parts: the introduction, the body and the conclusion and rehearse well.
- Be familiar with using audio visual tools including MS power point and overhead projectors
- Include strategies for audience involvement such as attention getter's, make use of pause where appropriate, remember to make eye contact and speak clearly.

Some Important Concepts to Remember When Structuring a Speech

Intro: Start with a question or a story to gain the audiences attention. State your thesis statement clearly, concisely and adapt your presentation to the audience by including why it is important to them. Preview what you are going to say and then transition from the intro to the body.

Body: Present main ideas (usually three main points), arrange your speech in some form of logical order, either chronological, spatial or cause and effect. Use connective devices to change between ideas smoothly and make reference to outside sources to show thorough research and credibility.

Conclusion: Should be brief, re-assert the thesis, review the main points and close effectively by making an impact.

Workshop Summary

My top 5 list of presentation strategies

• Keep it simple. Which means be clear, use pause and follow the K.I.S.S. rule when presenting.
• Be prepared. Which includes being well read and researched and knowing your presentation inside and out.
• Use attention getter's. Simple things like asking a question which will make the audience think. Opening with an interesting piece of pop-culture relevant to your talk. Using colour in your power point slides and limiting the words used per slide.
• Repeat key concepts. Basically Forecast what you will say, say it and then summarise what you said.
• Know your audience. From my own personal insight- audiences will be as smart as you allow them to be. As an audience member I know what bores me and that is a presentation that doesn't challenge me. So know who you are presenting to and keep it relevant to their age group, expertise in the subject matter etc.

Construct a Power Point presentation

Week 3 Reading

Oral Presentation Advice - The information under the 'things to think about' heading, was very useful in studying this module as it reinforces what was said in the lecture and covers all the necessary points when presenting a talk.

Power Point in the classroom (website) - This site is informative with great step-by-step instructions which include screen shots. I have booked marked this site to use in conjunction with the power point presentation I will be giving soon.

Also I viewed the web site (given as a reference in the lecture slides) Colorado State University - 'Writing Guides on Informative Speaking' - This site was amazingly useful as it goes into detail on every aspect involved in giving a speech. I have book marked it to use at a later date.

17/08/07 WK 2 Office Applications

Week 2 Lecture

Application Skills

Some common PC tasks to be familiar and efficient with include:

• File Handling - storing and retrieving data, file saving formats
• Word Processing - creating and using word, formatting, document mapping, templates, inserting graphs etc.
• Spreadsheets - creating and using excel spreadsheets, formulas and functions, creating graphs
• Presentations - using power point, keeping presentations appropriate to situation-K.I.S.S rule, using the notes section, electronic mishaps
• Internet Access - using multiple search engines, determining information is valid eg. recent, reliable
• E-mails - Do's and don't including email etiquette, news groups, security
• Viewing PDF's - updating acrobat, viewing and note taking, bookmarks

Skill in using these applications will be useful in all areas of life including education, professionally and socially. Whether it be word processing for reports or spreadsheets for data collection or emails for communication, becoming fluent with computers is a necessary skill.

Workshop Summary

Office Applications: Produce University standard office applications in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.

Week 2 Reading

Microsoft Word Tutorial Includes:

• Getting familiar with Microsoft Word
• Basic Features of Microsoft Word
• Working with paragraphs
• Microsoft Word tables

Microsoft Excel Tutorial Includes:

• Entering text and numbers
• Formatting text and mathematical calculations
• Numbers and calculations
• Creating charts

Adobe Photoshop Includes:

• Bitmap: the standard image format for PC's
• GIF: a compressed format to minimise transfer time, which supports moving animations
• JPEG: Common for displaying images on the internet compresses images but does loose some image quality
• Tiff: Used to exchange files between Macintosh and PC's, supports LZW compression eg. no quality is lost when the image is compressed
• PSD, PSP, SPP: Are forms of layered image formats mostly found in Photoshop and PaintshopPro where images can be edited one layer at a time

31/07/07 WK 1 Learning Computers

Week 1 Lecture

Introduction to UPC0004–Course Overview

Learning Outcome: Develop knowledge and skills for researching and interpreting data with the use of information resources.

Also Covered:

Course structure - 6 Modules including: Using computers, Communications, Information management, Research strategies, Building knowledge, Social and ethical issues

Assessment - 3 Tasks: Learning Log "Blog", Group assignment, Exam

Student responsibilities - Attend lectures, attend tutorials, complete all workshops, understand ECU plagiarism policy, check ECU email regularly, use Blackboard regularly

Communication with lecturers - Use ECU email to contact lecturers, use salutations, identify yourself with course name, code and Id

Module 1 – Basic Computing: Acquire necessary skills in order to be fluent with computers and associated programs

Workshop Summary

• Know how to use My ECU-Blackboard, SIMO, Student Email
• Set up a weblog
• Set up an account with Image Shack
• Produce a screen capture

Logging into SIMO
Login using username and password
Use SIMO for enrolment information such as class timetable

ECU email
Use ECU email to contact Lecturers and receive student information

Accessing Blackboard
Navigate using red tabs, in particular 'My ECU sites'
Down right hand side are currently enrolled units,
click on unit to access course information
Folders containing course information are displayed on green panel in new window (see below)
Including such things as announcements, unit resources and assessment

Assignment 1
Create a journal summarising the main points of each weeks lecture and workshop
Journal is worth 40% of grade
Journal will be marked in week 7 and 13

Week 1 Reading

PC and Lube - Articles explaining computer hardware, other information including papers on software engineering, programming techniques, understanding digital TVs and also areas of interest such as character encoding on the web and java script for the computer savvy.

How Stuff Works - Discusses the general components of a PC, including hardware and software; what it's used for and why. An informative article for the computer novice, especially when it comes to understanding the components most relevant to the social user. For example, what is a graphics card and where is the CPU? I could have really used this information when I began using computers, not familiar with the computer parts and lingo, I had a hard time getting assistance when troubleshooting.