Week Twelve - Social & Ethical Issues - 23/10/2007

Lecture Summary

• The Internet is created through open portals and there are no enforceable standards. Anyone can publish information on the Internet resulting in no control over bias or unethical information. A major issue with the Internet is that there are a lot of smart people who use it but there are also a lot of dumb people who use it also.

• The major problems with the Internet are intellectual property, copyright, plagiarism, security, privacy and freedom of speech.
  

Week Eleven - Building Knowledge - 16/10/2007

Lecture Summary

• The characteristics of data are that it is factual, non-judgmental, non-inferential, transient, has no intrinsic meaning or value.

• The characteristics of information are that it is summative, relational, permanent, has meaning and an uncertain value.

• The characteristic of knowledge are that it is inferential, experiential, judgemental, subjective and very valuable.

• The importance of data is that it is a collection of valid, unbiased data. Information must inform, relational (relate to the data) and it must be meaningful. Knowledge should be clear and a justification from the data and information.

• Examples of data are price, shares, weather and exchange rates. Examples of information are almanacs, tables of data, budgets and minutes of meetings. Examples of knowledge are white papers, press releases and marketing strategies.

• The relationship between data, information and knowledge is that data can be turned into information which in turn creates knowledge.
  

Week Ten - Online Libraries & Databases - 9/10/2007

Lecture Summary

• Online libraries are useful tools as they are convenient, have access to many resources, are current and up to date, can be accessed at anytime or place and everything is in electronic format.
  

• Types of online libraries include artworks, musical, electronic books, online journals and online text repositories.

• Most libraries are by subscription meaning you have to pay for access, music and artwork collections are only copies of the original works and in some cases only the catalogue is shown not the actual collection.

• There are many copyright issues for online libraries. Examples of these issues are correct referencing, permission to copy, statements of copyright, you are solely responsible to get permission to copy and many of the resources available have copyright restrictions.

• Online databases are similar to online libraries, have a search and browse function and are focused on data collection and distribution.

• Types of databases include people searches, e-mail directories, genealogy resources, maps and atlases, news and media, portals and government information and statistics.

• Advantages of online databases are electronic format, available 24/7, searchable, browsable, current and comprehensive.

• Disadvantages of online databases are that most are only available through subscription, lots of advertising, difficult to navigate and has an information overload.
  

Week Nine - Using Search Engines - 2/10/2007

Lecture Summary

• Search engines are web-based applications that crawl the Internet indexing websites. Examples of search engines are Google, Yahoo, Altivista and Dogpile.

• Common problems with search engines are that they return too many results, it is hard to filter through searchers and information for relevancy, many links are broken and there are many useless websites.

• Common search engines are Google, Ask Jeeves, Alltheweb, Escite, Dogpile and Katoo.

• There are different ways to search a query in a search engine. Some examples are keyword search, phrase search, Boolean search and advance engine options search.

• Tips to find exactly what you are looking for are using multiple search engines, using the help functions provided to understand the search engine you are using, use more than one word when searching with keyword searches and try to guess the location.
  

Week Eight - Evaluation & Authentication - 18/09/2007

Lecture Summary

• Information quality can be defined as data that is "fit-for-use" which means that the information is relevant and cannot be evaluated from outside the reason it exists.

• The IQ context of the WWW can be good as it is quick and convenient to exchange information and anyone with a computer and access to the Internet can create content on the web. It is also bad as there is no way to control the quality or tagging system. There is no control over who publishes on the WWW, why people publish on the web or what they publish on the web.

• The WWW became like this because it was developed from the arpanet and the security of the network was not of great concern at the beginning.

• To evaluate the IQ on the WWW the first step is to identify what you are measuring then decide why the information exists, if it is fit-for-use, if it is adequate and reliable, who the author is and are they reliable and qualified, what the motive is, how current the information is, whether it covers the topic and if it is authenticate.
  

Week Seven - Using the WWW - 11/09/2007

Lecture summary

• The web is imaginary and only exists because of programs which speak to each other over the net. The web couldn't exist without the net. The web makes the net an interesting place for people by making information available without computer knowledge.


• The web was created and developed by Tim Berners - Lee in 1989. It was developed to facilitate sharing research information.
  


• The web is another word for information which is available all over the world that is stored on computers from around the world. Networks of servers are linked through a common protocol which allows access to hypertext resources.

• The WWW is a network of computers using TCP/IP to communicate with each other. It is the visible part of the Internet that uses HTTP and HTML to exchange data and display information.

• Web browsers allow users of the Internet to access and explore the WWW.

Week Six - Endnote Libraries - 4/09/2007

Lecture Summary:

- We reference our work so people who read it are able to follow up on a particular topic.

- Endnote is an application that can be used as a reference manager and a bibliography maker. It can be used as a stand alone program or it can be integrated into MS Word.

- Information in Endnote is displayed in field columns i.e. year title. You can choose which style you want you references to be displayed in.

- Endnote is useful software to use as it can keep track of a ever growing number of references. It has the option to display references in a number of different styles. Has the ability to input a number of different types of references. Provides a searchable database of references associated with specific projects. Endnote also has a helpful feature of being able to be integrated into MS Word.

- Endnote takes time to get familiar with. Use Endnote at first without the integration into MS Word, Back up your library, customise the interface to your preference and most of all have a go with the software.

Workshop Write-up:

In this weeks workshop activity we were to download a copy of Endnote and follow the intructions on blackboard.

I found this task slightly difficult as I have never used the Endnote software before. With instructions provded on blackboard and the lecture and also in the resources I was able to complete this task.

First I had to choose the APA 5th style then I entered in my refernce information, creating 8 differnt references at the end. I found the Endnote software easy to use after I had a go entering different types of references.

Week Five - Information Management - 28/08/2007

Lecture Summary:

- To manage your information effectively there are five things you can do. - Learn most common file extensions and what they do. - Name files and directories for function not content. - Use the properties function to create metadata files.

- Use the search option when looking for files. - Install a desktop search engine to find files easier and quicker.


- Throughout the years information management has changed from Atom to Bit form. Some examples of this are Email from Snail Mail, Music to mp3, TV to digital and interactive TV and shopping online.

- Bit-based information has firm set of pros and con's.

Pros;
- It makes it easy to change content between different formats.
- It is a cheap option.
- It is east to edit.
and;
- It is easy to mass produce and broadcast to a large audience.

Cons;
- It makes it much easier to copy and steal content.
- It is very ways to create fakes and change information.
and;
- The large number of SPAM that circulates.

- Atom-based information is in the format of books, paper and reports and hard copy information.

Pros;
-We can see and physically touch it.
- We always know where it is.
- It can be hidden easily.
- It is easy to keep protected.
- Harder to change or alter the information.
and;
- Harder to copy.

Cons;
- Commonly bulky.
- Costly.
- Difficult to edit.
- Difficult to distribute to a mass community.
and;
- You cannot change from different formats.

- The main way to manage information in today's society is to use computers. The best ways to manage information is in the formats of text, documents, images, web pages, bookmarks, presentations, assignments and citations and references.

Workshop Write-up:

In this weeks workshop we had to create 3 folders in our favorites and have at least 2 bookmarks in each. The screenshot to the right shows this completed task.






The DNA of Information;

Both atom and bit-based information have their pros and cons. Today people prefer to use bit-based information as it has many advantages such as being able to be sent over the web and lightning speeds with out delay or problems with customs as some atom-based information can have when being shipped physically by mail.

No matter how advanced society becomes the fact that all businesses will have an atom-based core with possible bit-based information surrounding it. There are still no ways to simply change atom-based items such as clothing and food into bit-based information so there will always be that atom-based beginning.

An example of the pros and cons of atom and bit-cased information is using a book. It is easy to purchase a book and have it in front of you whenever you need it but in reality you pay for shipping and other extra costs making it a tedious process over time, whereas a digital book is readily available on the Internet to be downloaded or read straight of the site. There is no paying for shipping or printing fees with this type of information. With printed books they have the risk of becoming out of date or obsolete but with digital publishing’s they are always up-to date and ready to read.

Although it seems that bit-based information has more advantages than atom-based, it still has its own advantages of creating revenue. An example is a video store where if an atom-based product like a video or DVD is returned late there is a penalty fine involved where if it was a bit-based product it could easily be returned on time with no late fee decreasing revenue greatly.

Readings Summary:

Favourites;

- Great way of storing favourite websites for quick and simple access.
- Go to favourite tab then click 'add to favourites'
- This creates a bookmark in your favourites column.


Information Management & Electronic Environments;

- The biggest problem today is trying to manage our information and have quick and easy access to it.
- Being an undergraduate student it is very important to be able to effectively manage your information.
- The change in information from atom to bits has greatly changed the way people manage information today.
- Internet options are available over physical ones.
- There are also risks involve with bit-based information, one Major problem being plagiarism.

Week Four - Communications - 21/08/2007

Lecture Summary:

• Information and communication technology (ICT) has resulted in communication between individuals, organizations and individuals within businesses, businesses and external organizations and networks such as chain networks, circle networks, wheel networks and all-channel networks.

• Examples of ICT are mobile phones, video and tele-conferencing, iPods, mp3, lap tops, palm pilots, email and multimedia communications.

• Major problems with email usage are the informal nature and the difficulty to convey tone and emotion, privacy and SPAM.

• ICT has its out etiquette which is used mainly on the internet and is nicknamed netiquette such as smilies and abbreviations e.g. Lol, bbs, brb

• There are many benefits to using ICT. A wide range of information and resources are available in the form of newsletters and electronic journals and podcasts. Meeting points for people who are interested in similar topics and interests such as newsgroups and forums. There are many options for real time conversations through applications such as msn, IRC and AOL and internet phone calls through Skype and VoIP.

• There are blogs and Wiki webs available as great resources of information and discussion.

Workshop Write-up:

For this weeks workshop we had to create folders in our ECU email account and practice sending emails and putting them in their designated folders. This task was easy and completed without any problems.






The next task in this weeks workshop was to go to www.google.com and click on the groups tab. I searched under the topic of 'Simpson's' and found many groups listed but only 3 groups were for the television show and in English. I found minimal posts on this group but it was insightful nonetheless.



The next task that we had to complete in this weeks workshop was to go to the yahoo podcast site and search a topic that interests us, I chose to search for astrology.







Potential benefits of podcasts being available to university students is immense. They allow access to endless resources of information and entertainment. Some of the main benefits that I can think of for uni students are;
- 24 hour access to information.
- Information on the move.
- Easily downloadable.
- Easy to copy and mass produce.
- Can be changed from different formats
and;
- Free information on a wide range of topics.

Readings Summary:

Email Do' and Don'ts;

Sending;
- Make sure that email is the right communication tool for the job.
- Get to the point right away.
- When asking a question, be sure to ask the question.
- Specify who should respond.
- Be clear about when you need a response.
- Provide context to frame your message.
- Don't forget the rules of grammar and punctuation.
- One message, one topic.
- Provide a summary when you forward an "FYI" email.

Receiving;
- Don't make any assumptions about the sender's emotional state.
- Don't escalate a conflict by sending emotionally charged response's.
- Ask for clarification.
- Use you email software's built-in tool to help organise messages.
- Remember: You don't have to respond to every message right away.


Email Etiquette;

- Think of an appropriate subject.
- Address recipients properly.
- Select an appropriate tone.
- Avoid irony and sarcasm.
- Edit your message.
- Keep messages pithy.
- Don't send Attachments to people you don't know.


IRC;

- IRC is a communication application much like msn or AOL.
- IRC has many typed commands users can use such as, /join#mp3 - joins into the chat room #mp3.
- The best way to learn how to use IRC is to simply join some chat rooms and stay for a while until you understand the basics.
- There are many smileys and jargon used within IRC.
- Users must be careful about their etiquette and how they conduct themselves in chat rooms much like in real life.
- There are many different servers and chat rooms to choose from, the choice is up to you.


Spam;

- Spam email is unsolicited email circulated around the web.
- This can become very annoying for email and Internet users.
- There is no cost for the sender to send these emails so there is an unlimited amount being sent out across the web.
- Spam wastes most email users time by having to read then delete the emails or set up a junk mail filter.
- Makes using email an inconvenience.

Week Three - Presentation Strategies - 14/08/2007

Lecture Summary:

• There are three types of presentations. Self contained presentations which include web-page, CD-ROM and video. Written presentations which include essays and papers and stand and deliver presentations which are also known as orals.
• Audiences receiving the presentation only remember 10% of what they see, 25% of what they see and hear, 40% of what they see, hear and write down and 60% of what they experience interactively.

• The aims of this lecture are to aid in presentation structure, preparation, use of audio and visual aids and strategies for audience interaction.

• The three main parts of a presentation are the introductions, body and conclusion. These are required for successful presentation structure.

• The three main tips for presentation preparation include having a professional appearance, always have a back up copy of your presentation and rehearse your talk before you present.

• Tips for using PowerPoint are simple such as Keep it Simple Stupid (KISS), don’t use PowerPoint as your only means of presentation and only add what will enhance your presentation

• Common strategies for audience interaction are; speak clearly, make eye contact, ask questions, rehearse and use examples.

Workshop Write-up:

In this weeks workshop I had to create a six slide example presentation to show that I could competently use this software. Having used this software before I found it easy enough to complete this task.

To start off this task I put a simple background on all six slides making it the same as to keep my presentation simple and neat. I then started to add the text and content to the slides in Arial font still keeping it simple and neat.

Once I had input all the content of the presentation I started with the animations and effects. I put a simple slide transition in so the presentation ran smoothly. I then started to animate my sections of text to allow the presentation to run automatically.

To finish off the presentation I added a graphic to enhance the look and feel and to get my final points across.

Readings Summary:

- Get a few points across in you presentation, Keep it simple, tell the audience what you are going to tell them and tell them what you have told them to reinforce and aid in remember the the content.

- Determine which of your audience you are going to focus on and tailor it to them but make the summary more general for all audience members.

Week Two - Office Applications - 7/08/2007

Lecture Summary:

• PC’s are used to complete tasks such as file handling, word processing, spreadsheets, presentations, Internet access, email and viewing PDF files.

• To complete certain tasks on a PC we must have specific knowledge which can include general skills, knowledge about applications and the tasks they fulfill and knowledge on how to use certain applications to complete tasks.

• Other common PC tasks include listening and watching audio and video, viewing and editing graphics and screen captures.

• To successfully complete this unit students must develop word processing, presentation, email, Internet, and application and Endnote skills.

Workshop Write-up:

For this weeks workshop I had to create a word document in MS Word. To complete this task I had to copy and paste text into word and do the following alterations;
- Adjust the typeface
- Adjust the line spacing
- Adjust the margins and alignment
- Create headings
- Keep the headings with the text
and;
- Include a header and footer.

I found this task quite easy but by using the APA guide and instructions provided on blackboard it made it much easier to complete and learn these new skills.

Also for this weeks workshop we had to create an Excel document. I found this task somewhat harder as I am not very familiar with Excel but with the guidance provided in the workshop instructions and the example page on black board I was able to complete the task.

Readings Summary:

Bitmap (.Bmp)

- Standard file format for images on PC's. The number of bits it is saved at determines the number of colours and the size of the file. You can choose a lossless compression for 4bit - 8bit images. This format is ideal for desktop wallpapers.


CompuServe (.gif)

- Designed to minimise transfer times over phone lines with a max number of 256 colours. Most common format used on the wed and online services. Supports moving frames to create animations.


Joint Photographic Experts Group (.Jpg)

- Commonly used to display images on net but retains all colour information, unlike a .GIF. As you save and reopen JPEG images you lose some data making it nonidentical from the original image, slowly losing image quality.


Tagged Image File Format (.tiff)

- File format preferred for professional printing, can be read by both Mac, IBM or Windows. Is compressed by mathematical formula and is lossless.


Photoshop Document (.psd, .psp, .spp)

- Flat images having one layer of visual data. Each layer can be edited independently.

Week One - Personal Computing - 31/07/2007

Lecture summary:

- Familiarise yourself with campus and all the resources it has to offer.
- By the end of this unit students should be able to adapt to a number of skills such as accessing the ECU website with no difficulty, work as part of a team and create a range of documents.
- The unit is made up of six modules and three assessments.
- Students are expected to attend all lectures, attend all workshops, complete all workshop tasks, avoid plagiarism and check their ECU email on regular basis and log on to blackboard regularly.
- PC's are important tools for business, leisure, personal productivity in today's society. ECU students must have access to a PC to complete research, word processing, presentations and communicating.
- With learning new skills you will find that they may take more time, be difficult at first and a little complicated.
- To be successful in this unit you will need a thumb drive, My ECU profile and an ECU email account.


- Skills to be learnt are Windows OS, Ms Office, SIMO, Blackboard, file formats, document management, Endnote and research on the Internet.

Workshop Write-up:

In this weeks workshop I was to create a blog and a photobucket account. By using the resources provided on blackboard I was able to do this successfully. To create my blogger account I went to www.blogspot.com and proceeded with the instructions given on blackboard and the prompts provided on the website itself.

Instead of using imageshack I chose to use photobucket. Creating this account was much like the Creation of the blogger account but because I chose to use photobucket I did not have the convenience of the step by step instructions but the prompts were helpful to successfully creating the account.

I also had to create screen captures for this weeks workshop. I found this task easy as I have done it before but the instructions provided on blackboard were very helpful. An example of my creation of the photobucket and blogger accounts are shown below as screen captures which also shows an example of that exercise.

Readings Summary:

PC Lube & Tune:

- PC's are made up of all different types of components from different companies with public standards for easy changeability.

- Every operating system and modern computer language uses the Graphic User Interface (GUI)

How Stuff Works:
- A computer is essentially made up of a number of components which are built around a microprocessor.

- The main components of a computer are a central processing uni (CPU), memory which comes in the form of Random - Access (RAM), Read - Only (ROM), Basic input/output system (BIOS), caching and virtual memory, a mother board, power supply, hard disk, operating system, graphics card, sound card, accelerated graphics port (AGP), small computer system interface (SCSI), integrated drive electronics (IDE) controller and a peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus.