As I was reading this article two things came to my mind.
1. Is what Steve doing, going around spots in the city to get CafeNet coverage, a form of or is stealing? or is CafeNet a free service to everyone?
2. It reminds me of about seven years ago when wireless wasn't that well used, down here in Motueka, A friend of mine had it and he was always wondering why they were going through their data usage so fast until, by chance looking out his window, found tourist sitting out the front, in their vehicles, with their laptops using the wireless connection! He ended up getting rid of the wireless and going back to broadband.
Wireless is something that I have considered doing as it would make it much easier to study with as I would be able to sit anywhere in or around the house to use it but it would cost too much to get our second computer wireless compatible as it is about eight years old.
Sunday 23 October 2011
Skype
This is a technology that I am familiar with.
I first started using Skype when I first brought my laptop almost two years ago as it was already installed.
I have to admit at first it was a little bit daunting and it took me about three goes until I worked out how to hear the other person and them to hear me.
I only ever talk to two people - my sisters, one who lives in Auckland with my five year old nephew and the other who lives in Dunedin. I think it is a great way for my sisters to be able to talk my daughters, so they do not feel like they are missing out so much of them growing up and so I can talk to my nephew as well. Also it is a great way for my five year old also to talk to her cousin whom she has a close bond with.
We do not do it as often as I would like as we all have busy lives and often have to text a head of time to arrange a time to do it.
I have found it interesting how my girls have reacted to using Skype. My three year old, for ages presumed that Aunty Leti was always in my computer. I would walk into the living room, to find her, sitting at my computer, talking to the screen and when I asked her what she was doing, I would be told that she was talking to Aunty Leti!
My five year old on the other hand, while talking on Skype, would keep getting up and looking around the back of the computer, as if to see who was there!
I wonder though is it going to become more popular than just talking on the phone? It would certainly be cheaper.
I first started using Skype when I first brought my laptop almost two years ago as it was already installed.
I have to admit at first it was a little bit daunting and it took me about three goes until I worked out how to hear the other person and them to hear me.
I only ever talk to two people - my sisters, one who lives in Auckland with my five year old nephew and the other who lives in Dunedin. I think it is a great way for my sisters to be able to talk my daughters, so they do not feel like they are missing out so much of them growing up and so I can talk to my nephew as well. Also it is a great way for my five year old also to talk to her cousin whom she has a close bond with.
We do not do it as often as I would like as we all have busy lives and often have to text a head of time to arrange a time to do it.
I have found it interesting how my girls have reacted to using Skype. My three year old, for ages presumed that Aunty Leti was always in my computer. I would walk into the living room, to find her, sitting at my computer, talking to the screen and when I asked her what she was doing, I would be told that she was talking to Aunty Leti!
My five year old on the other hand, while talking on Skype, would keep getting up and looking around the back of the computer, as if to see who was there!
I wonder though is it going to become more popular than just talking on the phone? It would certainly be cheaper.
Saturday 22 October 2011
My first thoughts about Twitter were that it was something used by the rich and famous to let all their fans no what they were up to every minute of the day.
Not something I am terribly interested in!
But I can see the uses in it. It is a great way to spread something around really quickly, if needed, which can also work in a negative effect as well.
As I mentioned in a post, in the polytech forum, I saw an episode of Greys Anatomy, where twittering was going on during a surgery, which led to me wondering whether it was something that is widely done these days?
After a post from a fellow student, and some online research of my own, I discovered that this is something that is becoming more and more popular in hospitals and also with medical students. Apparently they are seeing the benefits for uses of Twitter, in this way, to with the learning of a medical student. This I found interesting:- http://www.shockmd.com/2009/01/23/twitter-and-doctors/
I only hope that when surgeons, doctors etc tweet about their patients they have their permission first!
Not something I am terribly interested in!
But I can see the uses in it. It is a great way to spread something around really quickly, if needed, which can also work in a negative effect as well.
As I mentioned in a post, in the polytech forum, I saw an episode of Greys Anatomy, where twittering was going on during a surgery, which led to me wondering whether it was something that is widely done these days?
After a post from a fellow student, and some online research of my own, I discovered that this is something that is becoming more and more popular in hospitals and also with medical students. Apparently they are seeing the benefits for uses of Twitter, in this way, to with the learning of a medical student. This I found interesting:- http://www.shockmd.com/2009/01/23/twitter-and-doctors/
I only hope that when surgeons, doctors etc tweet about their patients they have their permission first!
Wednesday 19 October 2011
Facebook and YouTube
Facebook
I have been a user of Facebook for coming up two years. I became a member first because everyone else I knew was one. So I guess, you could say, I joined because it was a fad.
At first I was on it every day, befriending just about everyone who asked to be my friend and playing all the games, owning my own farm etc. But as time has gone on, and the more changes they make to Facebook, I have become less interested in it.
I have found myself ignoring peoples friends requests, unless I actually want to know about their life, and deleting those that I don't really care about.
For me facebook has become about being able to keep in contact with friends and family that I wouldn't of keep in contact with otherwise.
I wrote a blog, earlier in this course, about an article I found on social networking. To read it click on this link.
YouTube
I think YouTube is great for entertainment.
It seems to be an ongoing fad, especially for young adult/teenagers who want their five minutes of fame. Remember all the planking episodes which were always on the news a few months back? and a little more recently kiwis stopping on pedestrian crossings, all over the world, to do the Haka?
So for those wanting their five minutes of fame its an absolutely brilliant way of doing it. Who knows maybe a few will be spotted and become famous!
My daughters have what we refer to Kids internet - KidZui - which is internet for kids. It is absolutely brilliant for all the entertaining YouTube clips, that my girls watch, and as its kids safe they can't accidentally click on a YouTube clip for an older audience. And they can be entertained for hours.
I have been a user of Facebook for coming up two years. I became a member first because everyone else I knew was one. So I guess, you could say, I joined because it was a fad.
At first I was on it every day, befriending just about everyone who asked to be my friend and playing all the games, owning my own farm etc. But as time has gone on, and the more changes they make to Facebook, I have become less interested in it.
I have found myself ignoring peoples friends requests, unless I actually want to know about their life, and deleting those that I don't really care about.
For me facebook has become about being able to keep in contact with friends and family that I wouldn't of keep in contact with otherwise.
I wrote a blog, earlier in this course, about an article I found on social networking. To read it click on this link.
YouTube
I think YouTube is great for entertainment.
It seems to be an ongoing fad, especially for young adult/teenagers who want their five minutes of fame. Remember all the planking episodes which were always on the news a few months back? and a little more recently kiwis stopping on pedestrian crossings, all over the world, to do the Haka?
So for those wanting their five minutes of fame its an absolutely brilliant way of doing it. Who knows maybe a few will be spotted and become famous!
My daughters have what we refer to Kids internet - KidZui - which is internet for kids. It is absolutely brilliant for all the entertaining YouTube clips, that my girls watch, and as its kids safe they can't accidentally click on a YouTube clip for an older audience. And they can be entertained for hours.
Saturday 15 October 2011
First Mobile Broadband Experience
As it is the school holidays, and our family is going on the first real family holiday we have ever had, I thought I should get myself a mobile broadband stick of some sort so I could continue my study while I was away.
Last monday, at 7.50pm, I went to the furtherest corner of the Duntroon domain, where according to the Vodafone lady, I should be able to get reception.
I plugged in my Vodafone Mobile Broadband USB Stick and thought I would be away.
But it seems it was not as simple as that.
I only ever got brief reception which did not allow me to do much at all. It spent 5 minutes trying to log into Second Life so I could meet with my team mates.
Then I kept getting a message saying that I could not connect to the internet as I had no mobile connection.
In the end I had to admit defeat and had to send Tobin a text to say that I would not be meeting the team tonight, hoping that when Thursday came around I would be in Dunedin and should hopefully have no problems with reception there!
Last monday, at 7.50pm, I went to the furtherest corner of the Duntroon domain, where according to the Vodafone lady, I should be able to get reception.
I plugged in my Vodafone Mobile Broadband USB Stick and thought I would be away.
But it seems it was not as simple as that.
I only ever got brief reception which did not allow me to do much at all. It spent 5 minutes trying to log into Second Life so I could meet with my team mates.
Then I kept getting a message saying that I could not connect to the internet as I had no mobile connection.
In the end I had to admit defeat and had to send Tobin a text to say that I would not be meeting the team tonight, hoping that when Thursday came around I would be in Dunedin and should hopefully have no problems with reception there!
Sunday 2 October 2011
Activity 11.1.1 - NewsGroups
At first glance of Google Groups I could see that this could be more beneficial than the previous lurking we did on Topica -it seemed more up to date.
I spent the first day looking around at all the different topica wondering which one to join and decided to try and find some New Zealand owned groups to narrow my search, which I found under the Oceania section.
From here I spent ages trying to settle on a topic as I wanted to join one that was always having stuff added to it and so I decided to join Ruby or Rails Oceania as I am doing this course because I want to be doing Web Design.
So from this I found out:
I spent the first day looking around at all the different topica wondering which one to join and decided to try and find some New Zealand owned groups to narrow my search, which I found under the Oceania section.
From here I spent ages trying to settle on a topic as I wanted to join one that was always having stuff added to it and so I decided to join Ruby or Rails Oceania as I am doing this course because I want to be doing Web Design.
So from this I found out:
| Members | 1031 |
| Activity | Low (thats what it says but on average its about 12 a week) |
| Description | Everything Ruby or Rails in Oceania. Ask a question, solve a problem, show off your work. |
| Language | English |
| Categories | |
| Access | Anybody can view group content Only members can view group members list Anyone can join Only members can post Messages from new members are moderated |
Activity 10.4.1 - SIP
I do not think I fully understand what SIP actually is. It has been explained to me and I have researched it a little on the web but it still kind of confuses me.
What sort of etiquette do you think will develop to cope with this 'always available' capability? and is it a good thing that work will expect you to be always available?
We discussed this as a team and it seems we are in an agreement that, hopefully, people would be sensible by not trying to contact people at ridiculous hours. Which we realise doesn't always happen. Some bosses do not seem to think about how they should not be calling their employees at 11 O'clock at night! I think that everyone should be allowed to switch off from work when they leave at the end of the day. But I guess this can not always happen and those who are in high powered should, I suppose, expect to be taking their work home with them.
On the other hand there are some jobs that need this 'always available' capability like midwives and the on call doctor. I am not sure what maternity care is like in other parts of the country but here, in Motueka, being able to get hold of your midwife, no matter what the time, is essential as we do not have a maternity hospital nearby which has open at all times.
I think if the 'always available' capability doesn't get taken advantage of and employers and employees only contact each other, outside of work hours, in emergencies then it would be a great thing but no one wants to be answering a phone, in the middle of the night, only to be told something that could have waited till morning!
What sort of etiquette do you think will develop to cope with this 'always available' capability? and is it a good thing that work will expect you to be always available?
We discussed this as a team and it seems we are in an agreement that, hopefully, people would be sensible by not trying to contact people at ridiculous hours. Which we realise doesn't always happen. Some bosses do not seem to think about how they should not be calling their employees at 11 O'clock at night! I think that everyone should be allowed to switch off from work when they leave at the end of the day. But I guess this can not always happen and those who are in high powered should, I suppose, expect to be taking their work home with them.
On the other hand there are some jobs that need this 'always available' capability like midwives and the on call doctor. I am not sure what maternity care is like in other parts of the country but here, in Motueka, being able to get hold of your midwife, no matter what the time, is essential as we do not have a maternity hospital nearby which has open at all times.
I think if the 'always available' capability doesn't get taken advantage of and employers and employees only contact each other, outside of work hours, in emergencies then it would be a great thing but no one wants to be answering a phone, in the middle of the night, only to be told something that could have waited till morning!
Tuesday 27 September 2011
Module 10 - Voicemail
I did not start this module very well. I started by reading section 10.1 - Voicemail. I went to take the voicemail tour and found the link was a page of, what seemed like, adds about web hosting and I could not find the tour link anywhere.
Never mind I thought and I carried on to see what Interactive Voice Response was all about, only to find that, that link also failed. So I decided to set about finding out about it myself by browsing the web.
IVR - a telephony technology in which someone uses a touch-tone telephone to interact with a database to acquire information from or enter data into the database. IVR technology does not require human interaction over the telephone as the user's interaction with the database is predetermined by what the IVR system will allow the user access to. For example, banks and credit card companies use IVR systems so that their customers can receive up-to-date account information instantly and easily without having to speak directly to a person. IVR technology is also used to gather information, as in the case of telephone surveys in which the user is prompted to answer questions by pushing the numbers on a touch-tone telephone. (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/IVR.html).
I also found a short tour at this web location http://www.callwave.com/landing/other/mvvTour.aspx?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=290&width=710.
But most information I found on this was all about Blackberry, so my question is, is it only a Blackberry that can do this or do other phones do it as well?
Never mind I thought and I carried on to see what Interactive Voice Response was all about, only to find that, that link also failed. So I decided to set about finding out about it myself by browsing the web.
IVR - a telephony technology in which someone uses a touch-tone telephone to interact with a database to acquire information from or enter data into the database. IVR technology does not require human interaction over the telephone as the user's interaction with the database is predetermined by what the IVR system will allow the user access to. For example, banks and credit card companies use IVR systems so that their customers can receive up-to-date account information instantly and easily without having to speak directly to a person. IVR technology is also used to gather information, as in the case of telephone surveys in which the user is prompted to answer questions by pushing the numbers on a touch-tone telephone. (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/I/IVR.html).
I also found a short tour at this web location http://www.callwave.com/landing/other/mvvTour.aspx?keepThis=true&TB_iframe=true&height=290&width=710.
But most information I found on this was all about Blackberry, so my question is, is it only a Blackberry that can do this or do other phones do it as well?
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Fax via Email
Fax via email?
I didn't even realise this option existed!
I was also surprised to see that the fax was invented in 1843!
Intrigued I was eager to find out how to send a fax via email.
It turns out that there are many services that will let you send fax via email. Some services you have to pay for and some that are free. Some require that you send and receive electronic mail, or that you have Web access while others require you to install special software on your computer.
And most services allow you to receive faxes as well. When you receive a fax at a special number, it is delivered via e-mail address or available for viewing on the Web and some commercial services include bulk faxing and other special features.
As I do not have a fax line I was not able to try this for myself but it is still something I would like to give a go.
This topic got a bit of a discussion in the forum with John metioning that he tried to send his mother a fax this way but because his mother had run out of paper in her fax machine it continued to ring for hours. Which led into another discussion about not being able to cancel a fax when something like this happens. I always thought that if a fax just continued ringing you would be able to cancel it or stop it. Maybe you can with faxing from a fax machine but not via email or maybe its just that its something that isn't being taught when learning how to send a fax via email?
Either way I think there is some room for improvement with the whole sending fax via email!
I didn't even realise this option existed!
I was also surprised to see that the fax was invented in 1843!
Intrigued I was eager to find out how to send a fax via email.
It turns out that there are many services that will let you send fax via email. Some services you have to pay for and some that are free. Some require that you send and receive electronic mail, or that you have Web access while others require you to install special software on your computer.
And most services allow you to receive faxes as well. When you receive a fax at a special number, it is delivered via e-mail address or available for viewing on the Web and some commercial services include bulk faxing and other special features.
As I do not have a fax line I was not able to try this for myself but it is still something I would like to give a go.
This topic got a bit of a discussion in the forum with John metioning that he tried to send his mother a fax this way but because his mother had run out of paper in her fax machine it continued to ring for hours. Which led into another discussion about not being able to cancel a fax when something like this happens. I always thought that if a fax just continued ringing you would be able to cancel it or stop it. Maybe you can with faxing from a fax machine but not via email or maybe its just that its something that isn't being taught when learning how to send a fax via email?
Either way I think there is some room for improvement with the whole sending fax via email!
Friday 16 September 2011
Fun in Second Life
Met with my team mates, team Roughnecks, a few nights ago, as usual in Second Life and at the end of our meeting we all started playing around with the gesture controls.
I never knew my team mates had such dance moves!!!
It was a lot of fun to give all the dance moves and gestures a go.
It was something that I hadn't really played around with in Second Life and it felt like a nice way to end the meeting.
Maybe I am like, what I am in real life, as I am in Second Life - it always takes me a few drinks, or being completely comfortable with others, to be able to dance around them, or with them.
Who said you couldn't mix work with pleasure?
I never knew my team mates had such dance moves!!!
It was a lot of fun to give all the dance moves and gestures a go.
It was something that I hadn't really played around with in Second Life and it felt like a nice way to end the meeting.
Maybe I am like, what I am in real life, as I am in Second Life - it always takes me a few drinks, or being completely comfortable with others, to be able to dance around them, or with them.
Who said you couldn't mix work with pleasure?
Sunday 11 September 2011
Activity 8.2.2
Met to discuss Activity 8.2.2, with Craig and Tobin, in Second Life. We decided to consider the example in the activity and decide what technology would not be the one to use.
Example: A senior manager is on an urgent business trip by road from Tarawera to Wellington, and is attempting to remain in contact with her PA.
My first thoughts were
Example: A senior manager is on an urgent business trip by road from Tarawera to Wellington, and is attempting to remain in contact with her PA.
My first thoughts were
- Is she driving herself? and
- What is the reception like?
Friday 2 September 2011
Textese
I have never been one for abbreviations in my texts, on my phone, preferring - now that I now how to use it - to use my predictive text on my phone. I only abbreviate words when my phone wants to send more than one text. I therefore find it frustrating, and time consuming, when I get a text from someone who knows all the texting lingo as I can not understand it.
It was interesting then to see all the abbreviations on this website - http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp and to find out what they actually mean.
I had no idea there was soo many!
It was interesting to see that some abbreviations could be interpreted as different things, depending on where you came from or who was sending them to you.
For example:
55555 Can be Crying your eyes out (Mandarin Chinese text messages) or Meaning Laughing (In Thai language the number 5 is pronounced 'ha'.)
88 Can be Bye-bye (Mandarin Chinese text messages) or Hugs and kisses. Which I suppose are similar if its someone you are close to.
AA Can be Alcoholics Anonymous, As above or Ask about.
AAF Can be As a matter of fact or As a friend.
These are just a few examples, if I was to write them all it would become a really long page. But it shows my point that they can be interpreted differently.
How would you know if when someone sends you 55555 that they are laughing or crying?
If it was me, I would be sending more texts to find out exactly what the actual message was and therefore using more money on my phone, which was the original reason for abbreviating texts in the first place!
I have still yet to be convinced that abbreviations provide the same functionality as the numeric codes used in early Morse code transmissions. Morse code had a serious purpose to it whereas textese seems to be more fun.
Maybe I am a bit of an old fuddy duddy or maybe its simply because I haven't used abbreviations with my texts enough to understand the full benefits it could bring!
It was interesting then to see all the abbreviations on this website - http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp and to find out what they actually mean.
I had no idea there was soo many!
It was interesting to see that some abbreviations could be interpreted as different things, depending on where you came from or who was sending them to you.
For example:
55555 Can be Crying your eyes out (Mandarin Chinese text messages) or Meaning Laughing (In Thai language the number 5 is pronounced 'ha'.)
88 Can be Bye-bye (Mandarin Chinese text messages) or Hugs and kisses. Which I suppose are similar if its someone you are close to.
AA Can be Alcoholics Anonymous, As above or Ask about.
AAF Can be As a matter of fact or As a friend.
These are just a few examples, if I was to write them all it would become a really long page. But it shows my point that they can be interpreted differently.
How would you know if when someone sends you 55555 that they are laughing or crying?
If it was me, I would be sending more texts to find out exactly what the actual message was and therefore using more money on my phone, which was the original reason for abbreviating texts in the first place!
I have still yet to be convinced that abbreviations provide the same functionality as the numeric codes used in early Morse code transmissions. Morse code had a serious purpose to it whereas textese seems to be more fun.
Maybe I am a bit of an old fuddy duddy or maybe its simply because I haven't used abbreviations with my texts enough to understand the full benefits it could bring!
List Servers
Over the past one to two weeks our task for our teams have been to join, and observe, a discussion on Topica and to then discuss our experience of this with our team.We were to answer the following.
1. The hypotheses are that list servers
1. The hypotheses are that list servers
limit the number of active users
limit the number of topics under discussion at one time
force the participants into a linear discussion.
Do you agree with these hypotheses?
2. As a team, determine up to 10 characteristics of a list server discussion. What research can you find to support your characterisation?
3.Bearing in mind the mediums characteristics, what business purposes would the team recommend for this medium?
I was not able to make the team meeting (see my previous blog) but sent my team mates an email answering these questions and in the end they also decided to write there ideas in an email also.
For question 1: Do we agree with these hypotheses?
It seemed we were all pretty much in an agreement that, as far as we could tell from using Topica, we do not agree with the hypotheses that the number of active users was limited. Neither was the limit on the number of topics that could be discussed at any time and as for the participants being forced into a linear discussion? I would say the word force would be incorrect. At times the participants seemed to be in a linear discussion but it was something that easily changed, for example if someone changed the topic.
For question 2: 10 characteristics?
We came up with
- Informative
- Debates
- Questioning
- Conversation
- Resultive
- Collective
- Inclusive
- Potentially limiting (as the written word can be mis-interpreted)
- Research
Whoops that was only nine! I will have to think of another and add it to this list.
For question 3: What could business purpose could this medium be used for?
My thoughts were that business could use it to debate stuff, especially those business' which are spread out globally, so they can include every ones opinions.It could also be a way of brainstorming ideas.
It was also mentioned, by my team members, that it could be used to do the following:
Could be used for engineers to discuss design specs.
Production managers based in NZ to discuss issues in China.
Any business that values and uses collaborative work – especially where people are spread, eg geographically - would benefit.
My overall thoughts on discussion lists? They could have the potential to work well for business, students etc if you could find an active, up to date one, to join. Topica was so out of date that, I felt, it was almost pointless using it as a basis for our discussion. As far as I could tell no one on our course could find an up to date discussion.
Monday 29 August 2011
Team Meetings
It was good to finally meet Tom, last week, in Second Life and to have a meeting with all four of us present. But still no Cindy! I have the feeling she may have given up on the course.
I am feeling disappointed with myself today as, for the first time, I am not able to make it to a team meeting in Second Life as I have a work training thing to attend to tonight between 7pm and 9pm. Our team was to meet to discuss our findings for activity 7.1.2. But I have sent everyone an email to inform them that I will not be making it to the meeting and also to give them my thoughts on the activity so far. Hopefully they will be fine with it and will not feel that I have let them down.
I have also asked that someone takes minutes for me to read, either tonight or tomorrow so that I can see what went on and I can keep up to date with the group.
I feel that because we are a team it is important for me to inform the rest of the team, if I can not make it to a group meeting, so they can get on with the meeting and discussing the tasks we need to do with out wondering if or when I am going to turn up.
I am feeling disappointed with myself today as, for the first time, I am not able to make it to a team meeting in Second Life as I have a work training thing to attend to tonight between 7pm and 9pm. Our team was to meet to discuss our findings for activity 7.1.2. But I have sent everyone an email to inform them that I will not be making it to the meeting and also to give them my thoughts on the activity so far. Hopefully they will be fine with it and will not feel that I have let them down.
I have also asked that someone takes minutes for me to read, either tonight or tomorrow so that I can see what went on and I can keep up to date with the group.
I feel that because we are a team it is important for me to inform the rest of the team, if I can not make it to a group meeting, so they can get on with the meeting and discussing the tasks we need to do with out wondering if or when I am going to turn up.
Friday 26 August 2011
Topica
For one of our latest activities we have to select and join one of the most active discussions lists on Topica. We are then to watch, without participating, in a topic that is of interest to both myself and at least one other member of our team, for a period of one week.
Sounds simple enough.
But my first problem was I had problems straight away when I enlisted for a topic I was told I could not do it untill I had confirmed my new membership through a confirmation email I had been sent. I checked my inbox of my email but there was nothing so clicked on a link to have them send it to me again, just in case they hadn't actually done it. Checked my inbox again - nothing! I must of done this four times before it occurred to me that my email might be sending the confirmation emails straight to spam. So I checked my Spam folder and there they all were.
This problem sorted I went looking for a topic of interest.
Second problem? Everything was out of date. The latest discussion I could find was last written at the start of last year but most dated back to about 2005/2006.
How could we observe an active discussion if none of the discussions were actually active?
When this was asked at our last team meeting Craig suggested we just read the old discussions and observe it that way.
But it still leaves me thinking :-
Is there a more up to date discussion list we could join to do this activity? and if not there should be.
Could we make the discussions active again by posting a comment ourselves to get it going?
Sounds simple enough.
But my first problem was I had problems straight away when I enlisted for a topic I was told I could not do it untill I had confirmed my new membership through a confirmation email I had been sent. I checked my inbox of my email but there was nothing so clicked on a link to have them send it to me again, just in case they hadn't actually done it. Checked my inbox again - nothing! I must of done this four times before it occurred to me that my email might be sending the confirmation emails straight to spam. So I checked my Spam folder and there they all were.
This problem sorted I went looking for a topic of interest.
Second problem? Everything was out of date. The latest discussion I could find was last written at the start of last year but most dated back to about 2005/2006.
How could we observe an active discussion if none of the discussions were actually active?
When this was asked at our last team meeting Craig suggested we just read the old discussions and observe it that way.
But it still leaves me thinking :-
Is there a more up to date discussion list we could join to do this activity? and if not there should be.
Could we make the discussions active again by posting a comment ourselves to get it going?
Activity 6.5.1
This was the first real task for our team where there was numerous emails going back and forth between us all.
Activity 6.5.1 - Implications of feedback using email in large groups.
I wouldn't call our group large but we definitely found implications!
Craig started by sending us all a group email which nominated each of us to find advantages and disadvantages of each type of email - HTML, Rich Text or Plain Text Email. Craig and Tom were to research the disadvantages and Tobin and I were to research the advantages.
It started out fine enough, or so I had thought. I started researching straight after I received Craig's email (on the Sunday) and emailed what I had found onto Tobin asking him to look it over and add or delete what he liked so we could forward it onto Craig by Tuesday.
First glitch:- By Tuesday afternoon though I still hadn't heard from Tobin, so decided to email my findings on to Craig. That evening I received a text from Tobin to apologize for missing the last meeting we had and wanted to know what he had missed. I asked if he had checked his emails lately and told him as we were working on activity 6 he needed to do so. I then went on to tell him what task had been delegated to us and that I had emailed my findings to him.
Second glitch:- By Wednesday we found out that we had Tom's email address wrong so he wasn't receiving any of the group emails.
But still our team did well getting this activity done, even with the few glitches we still managed to come up with the following findings:
Activity 6.5.1 - Implications of feedback using email in large groups.
I wouldn't call our group large but we definitely found implications!
Craig started by sending us all a group email which nominated each of us to find advantages and disadvantages of each type of email - HTML, Rich Text or Plain Text Email. Craig and Tom were to research the disadvantages and Tobin and I were to research the advantages.
It started out fine enough, or so I had thought. I started researching straight after I received Craig's email (on the Sunday) and emailed what I had found onto Tobin asking him to look it over and add or delete what he liked so we could forward it onto Craig by Tuesday.
First glitch:- By Tuesday afternoon though I still hadn't heard from Tobin, so decided to email my findings on to Craig. That evening I received a text from Tobin to apologize for missing the last meeting we had and wanted to know what he had missed. I asked if he had checked his emails lately and told him as we were working on activity 6 he needed to do so. I then went on to tell him what task had been delegated to us and that I had emailed my findings to him.
Second glitch:- By Wednesday we found out that we had Tom's email address wrong so he wasn't receiving any of the group emails.
But still our team did well getting this activity done, even with the few glitches we still managed to come up with the following findings:
Advantages | Disadvantages |
| Plain Text email 1. Can be read by everybody, regardless of email software 2. May apeal to verbal learners 3. Quick to create 4. Can be edited and reused 5. Can be read off line. *6.It's smaller and therefore faster - Plain text email is pretty much that - plain text. There are no embedded tags or codes to be sent, nothing beyond the most basic formatting, no colours or background pictures. This means the email is smaller and therefore needs less time to send or receive. *7.It's more compatible - These days more and more people read email when out of the office, often using a Blackberry or similar device. By using plain text you can guarantee that your message will be readable (No guarantee that it will actually be read however...). HTML/Richtext emails can contain formatting that renders them unreadable on some platforms. Another benefit of being smaller is that that mobile users need less bandwidth and battery power to download your email. *8. It's more secure - You cannot get a virus from reading a plain text email, nor can the sender track the email to see who has opened it. Reference: *http://www.itlifeguard.com/Plaintext.htm | Plain Text email 1. Text can appear plain and boring |
| Rich text or simple HTML email 1. Text may be coloured, highlighted, bulleted, numbered, aligned. 2. Different font and sizes can be used 3. Can be edited and reused 4. Better for visual and global users 5. Quick for recipiants to download 6. Can be read off line *7. Widely Readable - All major word processors and many other types of programs can read RTF text. *8. Preserves Basic Formatting - Font information and text styling selections are preserved in RTF. *9. Offers Security Advantages - RTF is a more trustworthy format than .DOC, and it doesn't leave an "edit trail." *10. Smaller File Size - Because it doesn't save document history data, an RTF file is smaller and therefore easier to send as an email attachment. References: *http://www.page-house.com/clippings/benefitsOfRTF.html | Rich text or simple HTML email 1. Only people who use Outlook and Outlook Express can see rich text formats. 2. Can't insert tables, columns, forms or graphics |
| HTML email 1. Bright, modern, visually appealing 2. Allows pictures, diagrams, tables, forms and charts 3. Allows movement 4. Great for visual or global learners 5. Can be edited and reused. *6. Include tracking scripts or invisible visitor counters, which enables you to receive reports on message viewed or click through by recipients *7. Insert interactive hyperlinks that take users to webpage or site of interest *8. Code to automatically opens the browser and connect to the webpage *9. Pop-up windows to grab viewer attention *10. Embedded sound, movies clips and images that download automatically from your webpage when message is viewed--this way you can speed-up sending emails because the images need not be included when sending *11. Include banner Ads with and navigational links to sites *12. Allows you to include images, graphics, multiple columns, various fonts and colors and lay out the message like a web page *13. Include survey FORM tags with submit button, sponsorship links information, forward to a friend links, subscribe and unsubscribe links and more.... References: *http://www.mailsbroadcast.com/email.bolts&nuts/html.or.text.htm | HTML email 1. Some email clients can't read HTML and will attempt to convert it into text, which can result in formatting problems. 2. If a client is reading your HTML email in offline mode, the images from an HTML email will not show up. Also, there are some blackberries and smart phones that do not read HTML e-mail as well as they can read plain text email. 3. HTML emails take longer to load http://www.ehow.com/list_6191837_advantages-html-plain-text-e_mails.html 4. HTML emails have more chances of having a trojan horses, viruses and etc. Some email clients have blocked the downloading of external content (images, scripts). So a reader will not see a HTML messages as it suppose to be when they first see it. http://www.freemarketingzone.com/email-marketing/html-email-pros.html |
I thought this activity was great for us as a team to work out how to work together to get something done. Yes, we had a few glitches, but hopefully, over the next few weeks, we'll be able to smooth out these issues and start working more smoothly as a team, so that by the time the Assessments, for this course, come along we will be working well together as a team.
I have high hopes for our team. If we can still get an activity done and posted in the forum with the few glitches that we had then once we start working more smoothly together we are going to be AWESOME.
Go Team Roughnecks!!!!
I have high hopes for our team. If we can still get an activity done and posted in the forum with the few glitches that we had then once we start working more smoothly together we are going to be AWESOME.
Go Team Roughnecks!!!!
Saturday 20 August 2011
Readings For Section 6.1 - Cultural Value Orientations and How OAI Characteristics Contribute To Intercultural Adjustment
This was an interesting read, written by Dina Denim, and I couldn't help but try and figure out where New Zealand fits in and what would be my cultural baggage?
I had never considered myself having a culture. I am a NZ European, with a little bit of Scottish ancestry, and have always considered those who have a Maori heritage or someone who immigrated here e.g. from Germany or Asia, to be the ones who had a culture. But I guess looking through their eyes, or from the eyes of anyone in a different country, at myself, I probably do have a culture. But I think it would be hard to put New Zealand, as a whole, into one culture because we have become such a multi cultural society that we would work in all different ways probably depending on factors such as who runs the company, who owns the company, what the company is etc. I would like to think that New Zealand is a very adaptable country.
The following is what categories I think New Zealand falls into:-
Environment: Harmony - Harmony cultures believe that people are an integral part of nature, and as such, their actions and thoughts should facilitate harmonious relations with nature and with others.
Time: This one I was unsure of but I would think that we would fall into more of the Polychchronic as Polychronic cultures tend to perform multiple tasks simultaneously with a higher commitment to relationship building than to task completion or meeting deadlines.
Action: This I also found hard as it probably depends on where you live in New Zealand. If you lived somewhere like Auckland or Wellington people may be more Doing as Doing cultures stress achieving goals and improving standards of living. But living in Motueka we tend to be more Being as Being cultures stress their affiliations and personal qualities and greater value is placed on quality of life and relationships than on task accomplishment.
Communication: High Context as High context cultures communicate meaning through words as well as through voice tone, body language, facial expressions, eye contact, speech patterns, use of silence, past interactions, and status and we are good at Saving face and avoiding shame are very important so conflict is dealt with indirectly through a mix of conflict avoidance and third party intervention.
I also think, based on the Maori culture we have, we would also be Formal as Formal cultures value social customs and rituals and respect rules and procedures and formal cultures have a strong sense of history and tradition.
Power: Equality as in my working experience managers are consultant figures more so than authority figures, often seek participative decision making among their employees, and give employees a substantial amount of leeway in implementing plans and performing tasks
Individualism: I found this one hard as New Zealanders seems to pride themselves on being individuals so I would have thought we would fall into the Individualistic culture as Individualistic cultures value individual identity and independence over groups or shared identity but then we also seem to be in the Collectivistic as they tend to conform to group standards, policies, and procedures is expected and motivation is affiliation and security based and relationships are more important than tasks.
Competitiveness: In this one I also think we could fit into both as when it comes to sports we are a very competive country, especially rugby and achievement, performance, and the acquisition of money and material goods are high motivators for us, which would mean we would fit into the Competitive cultures but we also value quality of life, sympathy, nurturing, and relationships like Cooperative cultures.
Structure: I would think we would be more of the Flexible culture as Flexible cultures are more tolerant of ambiguous situations, unknown people, and new ideas. Conflict and change are viewed as natural and inevitable rather than threatening. Although I am not sure that we actually like conflict. I think that conflict is something we try to avoid.
Thinking: I am really not sure where New Zealand fits in here but my guess would be that we are more Inductive as Inductive-oriented cultures prefer to derive principles and theories from amassing facts and analyzing data.
I must express that these are the cultures that I think New Zealand falls into but I would like to challenge you to read the article and debate my findings and tell me what you think?
I have copied and pasted text out of the article fromthe following webite: http://www.tuckerintl.com/general/readings/culturalvalue/CulturalValueP9.html
which was written by Dina Denim
I had never considered myself having a culture. I am a NZ European, with a little bit of Scottish ancestry, and have always considered those who have a Maori heritage or someone who immigrated here e.g. from Germany or Asia, to be the ones who had a culture. But I guess looking through their eyes, or from the eyes of anyone in a different country, at myself, I probably do have a culture. But I think it would be hard to put New Zealand, as a whole, into one culture because we have become such a multi cultural society that we would work in all different ways probably depending on factors such as who runs the company, who owns the company, what the company is etc. I would like to think that New Zealand is a very adaptable country.
The following is what categories I think New Zealand falls into:-
Environment: Harmony - Harmony cultures believe that people are an integral part of nature, and as such, their actions and thoughts should facilitate harmonious relations with nature and with others.
Time: This one I was unsure of but I would think that we would fall into more of the Polychchronic as Polychronic cultures tend to perform multiple tasks simultaneously with a higher commitment to relationship building than to task completion or meeting deadlines.
Action: This I also found hard as it probably depends on where you live in New Zealand. If you lived somewhere like Auckland or Wellington people may be more Doing as Doing cultures stress achieving goals and improving standards of living. But living in Motueka we tend to be more Being as Being cultures stress their affiliations and personal qualities and greater value is placed on quality of life and relationships than on task accomplishment.
Communication: High Context as High context cultures communicate meaning through words as well as through voice tone, body language, facial expressions, eye contact, speech patterns, use of silence, past interactions, and status and we are good at Saving face and avoiding shame are very important so conflict is dealt with indirectly through a mix of conflict avoidance and third party intervention.
I also think, based on the Maori culture we have, we would also be Formal as Formal cultures value social customs and rituals and respect rules and procedures and formal cultures have a strong sense of history and tradition.
Power: Equality as in my working experience managers are consultant figures more so than authority figures, often seek participative decision making among their employees, and give employees a substantial amount of leeway in implementing plans and performing tasks
Individualism: I found this one hard as New Zealanders seems to pride themselves on being individuals so I would have thought we would fall into the Individualistic culture as Individualistic cultures value individual identity and independence over groups or shared identity but then we also seem to be in the Collectivistic as they tend to conform to group standards, policies, and procedures is expected and motivation is affiliation and security based and relationships are more important than tasks.
Competitiveness: In this one I also think we could fit into both as when it comes to sports we are a very competive country, especially rugby and achievement, performance, and the acquisition of money and material goods are high motivators for us, which would mean we would fit into the Competitive cultures but we also value quality of life, sympathy, nurturing, and relationships like Cooperative cultures.
Structure: I would think we would be more of the Flexible culture as Flexible cultures are more tolerant of ambiguous situations, unknown people, and new ideas. Conflict and change are viewed as natural and inevitable rather than threatening. Although I am not sure that we actually like conflict. I think that conflict is something we try to avoid.
Thinking: I am really not sure where New Zealand fits in here but my guess would be that we are more Inductive as Inductive-oriented cultures prefer to derive principles and theories from amassing facts and analyzing data.
I must express that these are the cultures that I think New Zealand falls into but I would like to challenge you to read the article and debate my findings and tell me what you think?
I have copied and pasted text out of the article fromthe following webite: http://www.tuckerintl.com/general/readings/culturalvalue/CulturalValueP9.html
which was written by Dina Denim
Thursday 18 August 2011
Readings For Section 6.1 - Differences in cultures
Today I have been catching up on the readings I need to read for this section.
I started with reading 'Differences in cultures' . It made think about the one and only time I went overseas. Seven years ago, my partner, some of our friends and I went to Thailand for a four week holiday. I brought a Lonely Planet guide and became very aware of most of the cultural differences between their country and ours. For example the fact that it was frowned upon for women to show a lot of skin so when we first arrived, even though it was extremely hot, I was very paranoid of wearing singlets and short, shorts. I soon discovered though, that even though, the Lonely Planet guide told me this, it became clear that it was not strictly true. But one culture difference that did become clear to me was that every time we entered a shop or restaurant we were expected to take our shoes off and leave them at the door. Even if they did have dirt floors!
I think it is a very important thing for people, when they are visiting another country, to take note of the culture and respect it. I also, living in a very tourist orientated town, expect it of people from other cultures, to respect ours when they come here, even if I do give them a bit of leeway because of the culture difference. It is not hard these days, with Internet access etc, to find out about culture differences before going to another country.
At the end of the reading 'Differences in cultures' there was this quick experiment that I gave a go:
Start by reading this:
My first count was three. When I went back I realised that I had missed all the F's in the words OF. Is this what the anglos do? So why do we miss them?
I started with reading 'Differences in cultures' . It made think about the one and only time I went overseas. Seven years ago, my partner, some of our friends and I went to Thailand for a four week holiday. I brought a Lonely Planet guide and became very aware of most of the cultural differences between their country and ours. For example the fact that it was frowned upon for women to show a lot of skin so when we first arrived, even though it was extremely hot, I was very paranoid of wearing singlets and short, shorts. I soon discovered though, that even though, the Lonely Planet guide told me this, it became clear that it was not strictly true. But one culture difference that did become clear to me was that every time we entered a shop or restaurant we were expected to take our shoes off and leave them at the door. Even if they did have dirt floors!
I think it is a very important thing for people, when they are visiting another country, to take note of the culture and respect it. I also, living in a very tourist orientated town, expect it of people from other cultures, to respect ours when they come here, even if I do give them a bit of leeway because of the culture difference. It is not hard these days, with Internet access etc, to find out about culture differences before going to another country.
At the end of the reading 'Differences in cultures' there was this quick experiment that I gave a go:
Start by reading this:
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RESULT OF YEARS
OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
OF SCIENTIFIC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF YEARS
Now, quickly count the number of "F"s in that sentence.
On average, anglos find fewer F's than do others. Why?
Tuesday 16 August 2011
The New/Late Comer
For the last few weeks team Roughnecks has consisted of just the three of us - Craig(our leader), Tobin, and myself. We have known that there should have been another two - Tom and Cindy. But none of us had heard anything from them since our class had been divided into teams of five.
Where were they?
What had happened to them?
Had they somehow been held back from enlisting?
Or had they been captured by the enemy before they could meet with us?
Then yesterday I was doing my daily email check when I noticed Tom had contacted me, with an explanation for why he had not been able to join us. It turns out he had been away and now that he was back he was asking me to brief him on team Roughnecks activities and to offer some input.
How do I feel about this new or late comer to our team?
My first reaction was "cool Tom has finally got in touch, he is still about".
I automatically emailed him back with what Roughnecks had so far done and when and where we were meeting next. He came through with some good ideas that I think we should look into and seemed to have had a good explanation for not being in touch sooner.
I admit before Tom contacted me I wasn't feeling very happy, with the two team members that hadn't bothered to make contact, but as soon as I got Toms email I was happy that I finally had an explanation for at least one of them. I suppose its because I am quite a forgiving person.
Now I am wondering how the rest of my team members are feeling.
Are the excited as I am that we now have a new team member to bounce ideas off?
Are they feeling hesitant about whether he is going to stick it out?
or do they hold bad feelings towards him?
I guess we will find out.
Where were they?
What had happened to them?
Had they somehow been held back from enlisting?
Or had they been captured by the enemy before they could meet with us?
Then yesterday I was doing my daily email check when I noticed Tom had contacted me, with an explanation for why he had not been able to join us. It turns out he had been away and now that he was back he was asking me to brief him on team Roughnecks activities and to offer some input.
How do I feel about this new or late comer to our team?
My first reaction was "cool Tom has finally got in touch, he is still about".
I automatically emailed him back with what Roughnecks had so far done and when and where we were meeting next. He came through with some good ideas that I think we should look into and seemed to have had a good explanation for not being in touch sooner.
I admit before Tom contacted me I wasn't feeling very happy, with the two team members that hadn't bothered to make contact, but as soon as I got Toms email I was happy that I finally had an explanation for at least one of them. I suppose its because I am quite a forgiving person.
Now I am wondering how the rest of my team members are feeling.
Are the excited as I am that we now have a new team member to bounce ideas off?
Are they feeling hesitant about whether he is going to stick it out?
or do they hold bad feelings towards him?
I guess we will find out.
Sunday 14 August 2011
Emoticons, Typographical Symbols and Abbreviations.
Emoticons: I have always thought of emoticons being a fun thing for texting my friends or something to lighten the mood. I always saw it as being unprofessional and possibly even juvenile. I had never really thought about using them while chatting to someone over the internet, or texting someone I don't really know, to help with setting the mood for what I was trying to say. But the reading I have done this week has definitely made me see it in a different light.
I did not even realise there was so many of them. I have always stuck with the :-) (happy) , :-( (sad), ;-) (winking). I may have to learn more of these emoticons to use and see whether I can come up with ones of my own!
Typographical Symbols: This is something I have noticed I do a lot when texting, posting comments on face book etc. I think it helps set the mood to what I am saying.
Common ones that I use are:-
???? at the end of a sentence which basically means to me WTF? or "what the F!@#?".
...? is used to say "I'll let you make up your own mind".
I often also use xxx to close friends and family as kisses.
It would be interesting to see how other people would interpret these typographical symbols and whether they would use them in the same context or what other ones they use?
Abbreviations: Not one I use a lot. I use to all the time when I had my old cellphone but with my new one I use predictive text so it writes the word out in full and I only ever shorten a word if my phone wants to send more than one text.
I find it hard to interpret what some people have to say when they abbreviate words. I guess it is something that more of the younger generation do now a days, than when I was a teenager.
When I was at school it was really only those kids that wanted to be journalist that learnt any form of abbreviating words or short hand.
As for it being believed that cyber shorthand is widely understood, I can't help wondering that if it was, would I be able to not only understand it while reading it, but also be able to write it as well if it was? or is it just that I am behind the times and need to catch up?
I did not even realise there was so many of them. I have always stuck with the :-) (happy) , :-( (sad), ;-) (winking). I may have to learn more of these emoticons to use and see whether I can come up with ones of my own!
Typographical Symbols: This is something I have noticed I do a lot when texting, posting comments on face book etc. I think it helps set the mood to what I am saying.
Common ones that I use are:-
???? at the end of a sentence which basically means to me WTF? or "what the F!@#?".
...? is used to say "I'll let you make up your own mind".
I often also use xxx to close friends and family as kisses.
It would be interesting to see how other people would interpret these typographical symbols and whether they would use them in the same context or what other ones they use?
Abbreviations: Not one I use a lot. I use to all the time when I had my old cellphone but with my new one I use predictive text so it writes the word out in full and I only ever shorten a word if my phone wants to send more than one text.
I find it hard to interpret what some people have to say when they abbreviate words. I guess it is something that more of the younger generation do now a days, than when I was a teenager.
When I was at school it was really only those kids that wanted to be journalist that learnt any form of abbreviating words or short hand.
As for it being believed that cyber shorthand is widely understood, I can't help wondering that if it was, would I be able to not only understand it while reading it, but also be able to write it as well if it was? or is it just that I am behind the times and need to catch up?
Sunday 7 August 2011
Readings for Section 4.1
Managing Virtual Teams
I must say that when I first read Managing Virtual Teams, at the start of last week, I was rather surprised to learn that so many companies were now doing virtual based meetings. I knew a lot of companies did Skype type meetings but to have a meeting in a virtual world?
But as the week went on and I thought on it some more I started to understand. Why not meet everyone in a virtual world? It would make getting everyone together, who live all over the world etc, a lot easier and cheaper. And lets face it, it is where the world is heading. It would not surprise me if some day in the future hardly anyone, well at least anyone who worked in an office type environment, would even have to leave home to go to work, which would definitely appeals to me as I would be able to work around my children being at school etc.
I was very interested to read about the $8 billion energy company who gave 200 participants access to an online computer conference which they could access via the World Wide Web and how well they did. Not only was it easier for the participants to join the on line discussion but it also changed the nature of every one's conversations when they bumped into each other, they felt like they had something interesting in common to talk about.
I am looking forward to the day when I get to work somewhere where I get to have meetings like this!
Mastering the Miles
I could not help, while reading Mastering the Miles: 7 Secrets for Building Successful IT Project Teams Across the Hall or Across the Ocean, feeling like these 7 steps were familiar and wondered is it what our course tutor is trying to get us to do?
When I finished reading it I felt all these steps is exactly what he is trying to get us to do so that the teams we are in will be successful and work together well.
I wonder has anyone in our course actually worked like this?
Had Virtual Meetings within their work place?
I would be interested to know if they have and to find out how well it worked.
I must say that when I first read Managing Virtual Teams, at the start of last week, I was rather surprised to learn that so many companies were now doing virtual based meetings. I knew a lot of companies did Skype type meetings but to have a meeting in a virtual world?
But as the week went on and I thought on it some more I started to understand. Why not meet everyone in a virtual world? It would make getting everyone together, who live all over the world etc, a lot easier and cheaper. And lets face it, it is where the world is heading. It would not surprise me if some day in the future hardly anyone, well at least anyone who worked in an office type environment, would even have to leave home to go to work, which would definitely appeals to me as I would be able to work around my children being at school etc.
I was very interested to read about the $8 billion energy company who gave 200 participants access to an online computer conference which they could access via the World Wide Web and how well they did. Not only was it easier for the participants to join the on line discussion but it also changed the nature of every one's conversations when they bumped into each other, they felt like they had something interesting in common to talk about.
I am looking forward to the day when I get to work somewhere where I get to have meetings like this!
Mastering the Miles
I could not help, while reading Mastering the Miles: 7 Secrets for Building Successful IT Project Teams Across the Hall or Across the Ocean, feeling like these 7 steps were familiar and wondered is it what our course tutor is trying to get us to do?
When I finished reading it I felt all these steps is exactly what he is trying to get us to do so that the teams we are in will be successful and work together well.
I wonder has anyone in our course actually worked like this?
Had Virtual Meetings within their work place?
I would be interested to know if they have and to find out how well it worked.
Wednesday 3 August 2011
Team Meeting in Second Life
Two evenings ago we had our first Team meeting of the Roughnecks.
Three words... So Much Fun.
I met Craig, who I have previously met before on Koru, and met Tobin for the first time who I have to say took me by surprise, by being different and was not a person but a Tiger(?).
As the Open Polytechnic meeting place, on Koru, had disappeared it was a great opportunity to go travelling, as a team, to find a new meeting place. We decided to try military or army places to go with our team theme.
I felt we got on really well and also communicated well. We discussed where we were to go and where to meet if someone got lost and we told each other what we were doing.
I had a lot of fun exploring as a team. It was more fun and less stressful than when I had tried exploring Second Life by myself.
I hope this is a sign of what our team is to be like as it was a great start and I am really looking forward to meeting them again.
Three words... So Much Fun.
I met Craig, who I have previously met before on Koru, and met Tobin for the first time who I have to say took me by surprise, by being different and was not a person but a Tiger(?).
As the Open Polytechnic meeting place, on Koru, had disappeared it was a great opportunity to go travelling, as a team, to find a new meeting place. We decided to try military or army places to go with our team theme.
I felt we got on really well and also communicated well. We discussed where we were to go and where to meet if someone got lost and we told each other what we were doing.
I had a lot of fun exploring as a team. It was more fun and less stressful than when I had tried exploring Second Life by myself.
I hope this is a sign of what our team is to be like as it was a great start and I am really looking forward to meeting them again.
Friday 29 July 2011
Body Language
I wasn't at all surprised, to learn, that 93% of the meaning contained in a message was in the voice tone and body language. I didn't realise it was quite that much, but I have always thought that the way people say something and how they move, while saying it, said more than the words that were spoken.
I do not know whether it is because I have spent many years working in retail and tourism or whether it is because I have always been an observer, or maybe it is a mixture of both?
I have also found with experience it is not just humans who do it. I have had to learn with our dog, for example, to use a certain tone in my voice when telling him off about something or calling him to come to me, otherwise he won't listen.
I have also found it interesting, sometimes at work when its been quiet, watching people and guessing what they are thinking by they way they are moving, or guessing the relationships between people who walk into the store together.
People watching is actually a fun thing to do and I often wonder how many other people do it? and has anyone ever watched me while they have been people watching?
I do not know whether it is because I have spent many years working in retail and tourism or whether it is because I have always been an observer, or maybe it is a mixture of both?
I have also found with experience it is not just humans who do it. I have had to learn with our dog, for example, to use a certain tone in my voice when telling him off about something or calling him to come to me, otherwise he won't listen.
I have also found it interesting, sometimes at work when its been quiet, watching people and guessing what they are thinking by they way they are moving, or guessing the relationships between people who walk into the store together.
People watching is actually a fun thing to do and I often wonder how many other people do it? and has anyone ever watched me while they have been people watching?
Establishing social presence: Having some fun!
For an individual activity we were asked to select one cartoon, one joke with a punchline and one small sound bite and to make sure it was something that made me laugh. Not one for telling jokes (always messing up the punch line) I decided to take this as a challenge.
Now I say 'not someone for telling jokes' but this does not mean I am not a joke sort of person. I can turn a lot of situations into something to laugh about, I am just no good with actual jokes. I find the most simplest things can bring a smile to my face and the one thing that never fails to put a huge smile on my face is the sound of a laughing child/baby. I am not sure why but it gets me every time, no matter what my mood is.
So that was my sound bite, a laughing baby.
Now the cartoon? I had to trawl the Internet for this and found the following, which I think shows, because of the simplicity of it, how easily things can make me laugh.
Now I say 'not someone for telling jokes' but this does not mean I am not a joke sort of person. I can turn a lot of situations into something to laugh about, I am just no good with actual jokes. I find the most simplest things can bring a smile to my face and the one thing that never fails to put a huge smile on my face is the sound of a laughing child/baby. I am not sure why but it gets me every time, no matter what my mood is.
So that was my sound bite, a laughing baby.
Now the cartoon? I had to trawl the Internet for this and found the following, which I think shows, because of the simplicity of it, how easily things can make me laugh.
I also found the following which I thought was funny, considering the course I am doing doing.
Now for my joke with the punch line?
This one was hard because as I mentioned jokes with punchlines do not work with me telling them so I decided to go with a invoice, I received from www.1-daysale.co.nz, which I thought funny and thought absolutely brilliant, as it was so unexpected. I mean I was expecting an invoice but not what was written on it.
Your product's been delicately removed from our shelves and has just been sent on its merry way! Our staff are rather distraught over its departure, Billy's smiling in these photos www.1-day.co.nz/billy or www.1-day.com.au/billy, but truth be told we've given him a few days off to attend a counselling course for 'emotional and psychological detachment'. He's currently putting on a brave face and holding it together - he reassures us his undies are changed daily and he's focused on the next task at hand.
Ray on the other hand, Billy's right hand man and our Warehouse Head Honcho, jumps for joy every time a parcel leaves the building - it frees up space for all the new stock! He was so excited when your parcel left today that he accidentally put petrol in his diesel Ute and stuffed the mechanics. Luckily your package won't be travelling with him - it's with Courier Post - a far more reliable source, and it's on its way today, to your home or workplace.
Ray on the other hand, Billy's right hand man and our Warehouse Head Honcho, jumps for joy every time a parcel leaves the building - it frees up space for all the new stock! He was so excited when your parcel left today that he accidentally put petrol in his diesel Ute and stuffed the mechanics. Luckily your package won't be travelling with him - it's with Courier Post - a far more reliable source, and it's on its way today, to your home or workplace.
It just seemed so random, but makes me want to buy more off them in the future. Which also makes me think why don't more companies do stuff like this?
Saturday 23 July 2011
Learning Styles and Group Roles
I have come to some realisations about myself this week, some I already knew about, and others that have been kind of surprising.
The one I knew about was the way I learn. I found out while at high school, many years ago that I had to see things being done to be able to learn them myself, that I couldn't learn from listening to instructions or by simply reading words on how to do it. I would have to be seeing it or hearing it and physically be doing it at the same time.
It was something that, at the school I went to, the teachers wanted us to find out for ourselves which way we learnt. Not that it made much difference to the way the teachers taught us once we did find out.
So I have always known what I need to do to make myself learn. Thus being the reason I feel like I struggle a lot while studying, over the past year, and usually end up asking a lot of questions.
What surprised me about myself, while studying over the past year, is my role within a group. I am usually the shy one in the group. The one who sits and listens to a group discussion, nods my head, and generally goes with whatever the group wants and doesn't add much until the group has broken up and then I may mention something to someone. I do not particularly like speaking in front of a lot of people and presenting stuff. I had a fear of people openly rejecting my opinions.
But while doing courses, through the Open Polytechnic, I have come out of my shell. I have found myself working within a group and pushing the group forward when needed, adding my opinions, and getting the job done when it has to be done. I ask questions, when I do not understand, with the risk of looking silly. I like to keep on track, so I guess if it means I have do go ahead and do things so we can, then I do.
It makes me wonder what my future group roles will be. Will I be able to carry this kind of confidence over to my every day life or will it stay being an online personality?
The one I knew about was the way I learn. I found out while at high school, many years ago that I had to see things being done to be able to learn them myself, that I couldn't learn from listening to instructions or by simply reading words on how to do it. I would have to be seeing it or hearing it and physically be doing it at the same time.
It was something that, at the school I went to, the teachers wanted us to find out for ourselves which way we learnt. Not that it made much difference to the way the teachers taught us once we did find out.
So I have always known what I need to do to make myself learn. Thus being the reason I feel like I struggle a lot while studying, over the past year, and usually end up asking a lot of questions.
What surprised me about myself, while studying over the past year, is my role within a group. I am usually the shy one in the group. The one who sits and listens to a group discussion, nods my head, and generally goes with whatever the group wants and doesn't add much until the group has broken up and then I may mention something to someone. I do not particularly like speaking in front of a lot of people and presenting stuff. I had a fear of people openly rejecting my opinions.
But while doing courses, through the Open Polytechnic, I have come out of my shell. I have found myself working within a group and pushing the group forward when needed, adding my opinions, and getting the job done when it has to be done. I ask questions, when I do not understand, with the risk of looking silly. I like to keep on track, so I guess if it means I have do go ahead and do things so we can, then I do.
It makes me wonder what my future group roles will be. Will I be able to carry this kind of confidence over to my every day life or will it stay being an online personality?
Thursday 21 July 2011
Social Networking
As I was flicking through, last weeks New Idea, at work, a few days ago, I came across an article which had the title "Is social networking a must-have tool for women?".
Just the title had my attention. It made me wonder if social networking was considered a must have tool for women.
I had never considered whether I could live without it. I mean, I have lived without it in the past, but could I live without it now that it was part of my every day life?
Could I cope if my phone and internet were cut off?
My answer? Yes I could cope without it. I would probably miss not keeping in touch with all those friends and family members that I wouldn't be in touch with if it wasn't for Facebook, but I am old enough to remember the days of writing and posting letters. So I think I would cope.
I went on to read the article, which asked two New Zealand identities, how they felt. One said that after resisting Facebook for years, she decided to just as an experience and she is now hooked. While the other, who has never joined a social networking site, feels she is not missing out on anything and doesn't feel the need to ever join one.
It leaves me wondering if the second was asked to just trial Facebook or Twitter for a month, would she still feel the same? would she be able to shut down her page and never use it again?
Just the title had my attention. It made me wonder if social networking was considered a must have tool for women.
I had never considered whether I could live without it. I mean, I have lived without it in the past, but could I live without it now that it was part of my every day life?
Could I cope if my phone and internet were cut off?
My answer? Yes I could cope without it. I would probably miss not keeping in touch with all those friends and family members that I wouldn't be in touch with if it wasn't for Facebook, but I am old enough to remember the days of writing and posting letters. So I think I would cope.
I went on to read the article, which asked two New Zealand identities, how they felt. One said that after resisting Facebook for years, she decided to just as an experience and she is now hooked. While the other, who has never joined a social networking site, feels she is not missing out on anything and doesn't feel the need to ever join one.
It leaves me wondering if the second was asked to just trial Facebook or Twitter for a month, would she still feel the same? would she be able to shut down her page and never use it again?
Tuesday 19 July 2011
Second Life
My Second Life experiences have gone much smoother and relaxing since the first time I had a go at using it.
I have since figured out how to find Koru and the Open Polytechnic meeting place, after playing around with all the icons, logging in, in advanced mode and generally being nosy about everything. It was definately a feeling of relief when I not only discovered how to get to Koru, but I also made my first friend from the course - Kezia Burnell, who, in her own words, saw me and decided to stalk me. Which if she hadn't I would've walked all over Koru wondering where I was suppose to be!
I have since met three others and I am looking forward to meeting everyone else and I am even more, with excitement, to the day when I turn up and everyone from our course has made it there at the same time.
Second Life, I can see now, does have its advantages when doing courses, as it gives you a chance to meet everyone and feel like you know them a bit better. It almost gives me the feeling I get when I am in an actual classroom, being able to see my classmates and having course related discussions with them.
And if I can feel like that about a course why wouldn't it also be helpful for doing meetings for work?
Could it also, like Facebook, be a great way to meet up with family and friends, who you do not often get to see and talk to?
I think I could do more with Second Life than I had originally thought.
I have since figured out how to find Koru and the Open Polytechnic meeting place, after playing around with all the icons, logging in, in advanced mode and generally being nosy about everything. It was definately a feeling of relief when I not only discovered how to get to Koru, but I also made my first friend from the course - Kezia Burnell, who, in her own words, saw me and decided to stalk me. Which if she hadn't I would've walked all over Koru wondering where I was suppose to be!
I have since met three others and I am looking forward to meeting everyone else and I am even more, with excitement, to the day when I turn up and everyone from our course has made it there at the same time.
Second Life, I can see now, does have its advantages when doing courses, as it gives you a chance to meet everyone and feel like you know them a bit better. It almost gives me the feeling I get when I am in an actual classroom, being able to see my classmates and having course related discussions with them.
And if I can feel like that about a course why wouldn't it also be helpful for doing meetings for work?
Could it also, like Facebook, be a great way to meet up with family and friends, who you do not often get to see and talk to?
I think I could do more with Second Life than I had originally thought.
Saturday 16 July 2011
My first Second Life Experience
Second Life, a second world where you can create another life for yourself and do things, be someone who you are not in real life. It is something that I have never done before and had never even considered doing before.
My very first experience with being in Second Life was a bit unnerving.
I had created my avatar, Kristjana30, and was wondering from island to island wondering how on earth I was suppose to find my fellow students in a place called Koru, as it wasn't part of the destinations offered.
I was getting random friendship requests, which I wasn't accepting, and then something happened which spooked me out and made me wonder whether I really wanted to be doing this whole Second Life thing.
I had just landed at some destination when some guy asked me if I wanted to take this to the bedroom!!!
I very quickly replied "No Thankyou" and was starting to think about getting away from there when he went on to explain that he wasn't talking to me - his wife was also there.
Whoops.
It left me wondering, is this what alot of couples do to get romance back in thier lives?
Is this what role playing was now becoming?
What else do people get up to here?
and do I want to be apart of it?
My very first experience with being in Second Life was a bit unnerving.
I had created my avatar, Kristjana30, and was wondering from island to island wondering how on earth I was suppose to find my fellow students in a place called Koru, as it wasn't part of the destinations offered.
I was getting random friendship requests, which I wasn't accepting, and then something happened which spooked me out and made me wonder whether I really wanted to be doing this whole Second Life thing.
I had just landed at some destination when some guy asked me if I wanted to take this to the bedroom!!!
I very quickly replied "No Thankyou" and was starting to think about getting away from there when he went on to explain that he wasn't talking to me - his wife was also there.
Whoops.
It left me wondering, is this what alot of couples do to get romance back in thier lives?
Is this what role playing was now becoming?
What else do people get up to here?
and do I want to be apart of it?
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