Bits & Pieces

Before this course, I had no idea Web 2.0 existed along with the other versions of it. I only thought of this space as the "interweb." In addition, my experiences with Web 2.0 caused me to formulate certain opinions of the platforms I interacted with. Somehow, the positives were eventually replaced with some negative aspects of Web 2.0.  My experience in this class has changed my preconceptions of Web 2.0. When the affordances of technology and online communities are considered, learning, networking, and performance can authentically take place using Web 2.0. Many of the tools used in this course had been introduced to me at some point. However, I never learned the "why" for using the specific tool. This hindered me from ever considering these tools for learning purposes...I didn't know how to authentically embed them. This course changes a lot for me.  To extend my experience with the things I have learned, I plan to stay up-to-date with Web 2.0 technologies an

This was the first class that encouraged students to add each other on LinkedIn and it didn’t feel weird to do it. (Maybe other courses do this as well but it’s only my third semester). To elaborate on the previous point, EME6414 made socializing with other students outside of Canvas easy. Helped me improve my writing skills on different platforms. Different platforms serve different purposes so becoming familiar with what works/what doesn’t work, condensing information and the opposite was helpful! EME6414 changed my prior conceptions about social media and overall Web 2.0. It really can be a powerful tool! It helped me see the “why” with platforms like discussion posts and other tools. Seeing Dr. Dennen blogging and engaging on social media with us. It’s nice to see professors interacting with us and doing the work!

I consider myself multicultural...born and raised in the U.S. to immigrant parents from Nicaragua and Costa Rica. During my Facebook days, I would share or repost news from the U.S. that my families from Nicaragua and Costa Rica would share, adding my opinion/thoughts that they would eventually read, translated, of course (thanks, Facebook!). The same would happen vice versa. My families from each respective country would post news I would then repost and share with my U.S. contacts.  We see discussions of barriers existing on the web. In my previous post, I discuss how although Web 2.0 has broken down language and geographical barriers, users still consume content regional to them. However, content and news make it at the global level. How so? Is it thanks to our multicultural individuals that help communicate the information for us?  Below is another interesting read discussing global news-making practices on Twitter from multicultural individuals. Here is a small excerpt: "Thos

While researching language and social media, I stumbled upon this interesting article, reference below. Good read, by the way! Discusses BTS being an exception since they became a global phenomenon.  The article discusses that although the Internet has enabled information to overcome barriers of language and geography, users consume content from the region they reside in. Interesting to note that regions that share borders and/or speak similar/same languages tend to share similar content. The study found that global social media usage on both YouTube and Twitter is even more heterogeneous and driven to a larger extent by language and geography than global website traffic.  Is it because of the communities of users that are created regionally? Like-minded individuals consuming the same regional content? What are your thoughts? Ng, & Taneja, H. (2023). Web Use Remains Highly Regional Even In The Age Of Global Platform Monopolies. PloS One, 18(1), E0278594–E0278594. Https://Doi.org/10

As you may have seen, Twitter/Elon Musk has decided to ditch the iconic blue and white bird logo and replace it with the letter "X."  Twitter is a huge part of pop culture. The blue and white bird logo produced the popular term "tweet." This made its brand so memorable. If you were to show people the bird logo, most would immediately recognize it as Twitter.  So why the change? According to The New York Times , Elon Musk hopes to turn Twitter into an “everything app” called X, which would encompass not only social networking but also banking and shopping.  However, this change is not being received well by Twitter users...even me, a former Twitter user. I think all of the changes after Elon Musk acquired Twitter have not been received very well. This change coincidently comes after its rival, Meta, released Threads...or was it all a plan from the beginning? Who knows. What I am curious about with platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram is what drives their c

Teens are using social media to diagnose themselves with ADHD, autism and more. Parents are alarmed article . This course has definitely helped me see the "good" side of social media and all the benefits it can bring. While we discuss new tools and their benefits, negative aspects of social media are heavily discussed in our current news. One of the most significant topics relates to social media use by teenagers.  This topic stands out to me because I was a former educator that worked with middle schoolers. Yes, I saw many of the things this article discussed. I look back at my teenage years and consider how these terminologies were nonexistent. Would it have been different if we had access to online information like today's youth? Absolutely. Is it a bad thing? I don't know...it's very complex. School districts and parents have filed lawsuits against major social media platforms Is this why digital citizenship is essential? How can we teach teenagers healthy soc