Procrastination Station

This will be my last blog post, since they are due tonight at midnight. My original plan was to have them all done weeks ago, but of course with everything around me, I waited until the last day to finish. I would like to blame facebook, myspace, twitter and online shopping. Without this social networking sites that I have become obsessive and dependent on, I believe I would get a lot more done and not have so many excused to lead me to procrastinate.

With so many distractions, it's easy to see why studies have shown that people who are connected with social networking sites get lower grades than those who don't have online accounts. A study held at Ohio State University conducted by a graduate student Aryn Karpinski, found that users in her study that were one facebook had average gpas of 3.0-3.5, while students who werent on facebook were in the 3.5-4.0 range. That may not seem like a huge difference, but when it comes to getting into graduate school or applying for a job, the use of a facebook might work against you. Facebook users also avereaged a study time of 5 hours per week, while non-facebook users were studying 11-15 hours per week.

Althought students themselves may not admit that these sites are reaking havoc on their education, it is apparent in the many studys that have been done that they are. When you are on a site like facebook or myspace while trying to write a paper, you are constantly going back and checking your page. A simple paper that should take no more than an hour ends up taking three hours, all because you couldnt focus. There are even facebook groups about facebook runing their concentration or i'd rather be facebooking than studying. What once started as a site for just college students to encourage studying and maintaing relatinships, has now spread to everyone, including young junior high and highschool students. Are these sites setting a bad example for study habits in the present and future? If high schools students are already going down hill with their grades, will it get worse in college?

Parents also worry about their kids not getting a full education because of social networking sites. Although they do bring friends together, they don't bring grades up. I can think of countless times where I have been in the library on my computer studying, with a seperate tab logged on to my facebook page just in case I got a new update. Instead of researching for a particular subject, I research friends pages. Hours at spent wasted online instead of studying. In my generation, we were all brought up with these sites. Facebook and myspace started when we started going to highschool and college. We have been in the habit of using these sites for the beginning, and now its getting worse.

With sites like twitter, that is being called the best marketing and pr tool, it might even affect our jobs and what we do. Since workplaces now encourage using these sites to connect to people and get a product or idea out there, it gived workers an excuse to use these sites even if its not for work.

Procrastination also comes when studying with friends. Not only are friends together studying, but they are both on facebook chatting with eachother and other friends. In this case, It helps interpersonal relationships because study groups form. Although they are not using their time wisely, they are together and interacting to somepoint while attempting to study. Social networking sites are good for making plans and keeping up with friends, but for your academics, it can be lethal.

Webkinz

Throughout this semester, I have blogged about how technology is ruining interpersonal relationships. What I haven't written about is interpersonal relationships with children and how technology might be affecting them.

Webkinz, which are similar to stuffed and plush toys, except they come with a secret code. This secret code that is printed on the specific toy provided access to a virtual "webkinz" world. Children can input this code on the webkinz site and have a virtual version of their toy and have a virtual life for them. They virtually "adopt" this stuffed creature and control its life online.

Webkinz have their own economy online, where users receive money called kinzcash by playing different games, adopting new pets and other daily activities allow opportunities to accrue this virtual money. Once the users accrue enough money, they can use it in the "W" shop, where they buy different accessories, food, clothing, and even furniture for their virtual houses.

Goldfarming comes to mind when reading about the W shop and the virtual kinzcash. Some of these kids that play in this virtual world spends hours trying to adopt different pets and creating different home and environments for their adopted friends. Although they are not trading this virtual cash for real money, they are using to buy more useless things online for their toys. Parents are worried about their kids who spend to much time siting that they are afriad their child will become addicted to this game. An innocent stuffed animal or a ploy to get the younger generation using internet?

Although our generation is becoming more accustomed to and dependent on technology, is it safe for children under the age of ten to also become dependent? At a young age, will their communication skills and interpersonal relationships suffer from an innocent stuffed animal?

I believe these children will become reliant on the internet not only for their virtual friends, but also in the future. If they learn how to use the internet at such a young age, think of the different applications and technologies they will become accustomed to by the time they are teenagers. Virtual reality and pets are not only replacing face to face interaction, but also toys! Children rather play on the internet than play with a barbie or g.i. joe.

I wouldn't be surprised if sometime in the future, toy stores will be completely replaced by the interenet, where children only order and buy toys from online. They might not even need a toy to satisfy them if they can play with them online. We will have to wait and see. I will make sure to give my kids an insane amount of toys in the future to keep them away from the internet until they are at least 13 ;)

Under the influence of texting

Texting has become a form of communication that we all use. Studies even show that in the future our thumbs will evolve and grow larger because we use them to much, especially in text messaging. Texting is a quick and easy way to send messages without having to use your voice or even see the person. It was become the number one way that people communicate with eachother, especially teen and young adults.

I have a group of great girlfriends and we always get together for girls night out. Problem with that, is once where together, everyone is glued to their phones. We will watch a jazz game, or have a wine and cheese night, but instead of having a constant conversation, we are interrupted with silence and staring down at moving thumbs. Sometimes my friends will text eachother while in the same room! It has gotten to the point where we have to call them out and actually ask them to put away their phones, how sad is that! One of my friend's reply, "i'm just playing brick breaker!"...yea, sure.

With Utah's recent law banning cell phone texting while driving, I find myself being more and more aware of it around me. At stop lights, I look to the drivers next to me and see their heads looking down and texting or even changing music on their ipod. I also casually check my phone to see if I've recieved any messages. I have gotten so good with text messaging that I don't even have to look down at my phone anymore. Although I am more aware of the road, I still check my phone when I get that message alert!

I am very against texting and driving, but I find myself occasionaly being part of the problem. You don't realize what a big deal it is until someone you know gets hurt or even dies. I had a familar aquanitance who passed away two years ago because a driver who was texting went through a red light ending up killing her. Since then, I am very careful and try not to use my phone at all while driving, unless maybe i'm at a stop light.

Texting and having a cellphone has become an addiction to our generation. It is rare that you go anywhere or meet someone who doesn't own a cell phone. My boss at work just recently added text messaging to her plan and I was shocked that after all this time, she has never had it. I told her, "welcome to the dark side." Researchers have actually said that texting is almost like having an alcohol or drug addiction in that they share the same characteristics as those who are addicted to drugs. If my cell phone dies, and I can't charge it for some hours, I go crazy. Not that I am constantly getting calls or texts, but the thought of not knowing honestly gives me anxiety. When I went to europe and couldn't use a cell phone for two weeks, I just about went nuts not knowing what my friends were doing around me. I got used to it after a while, but the minute I stepped out of the airplaneback in utah, I turned on my cell phone to see what I had missed.

Although texting enables us to stay communiticated with those around us, it has been a hazard to personal relationships. We lose that face to face time. When you just text, there is no way you can get to know someone in a 140 character message. And it creates awkward tensions when you actually do talk to the person face to face because you are so used to talking to them via text message. Texting has also become a problem with illiteracy, with newers generations actually used text lingo such as "lol", "omg", "ttyl" and even "fml" in real life conversations.

The other day I was just talking to a friend when I made a joke and instead of physically laughing , he commented with an lol to me face. He literally said "l.o.l" I paused for a moment, and left that conversationg. It's sad to me how we are becoming so dependent on technology and loosing our ability to actually communicate and carry a conversation.

I fear for the years to come and our children's generation. By then, talking might be replaced with only text. I hope not!

Social Capital

Social capital are the resources we gain through our relationships with others. Thinking about how many people we are all connected with you can't imagine how many different opportunities you can gain through knowing people. In our day and age, this is becoming more and more relevant as word of mouth is one of the most effective ways to promote or advertise.

Today in my strategic communication class, we had a guest speaker come and talk about just this topic, although he never mentioned "social capital." He gave us advice for the real world, that when we graduate and are looking for jobs in different areas and agencies, to not ask for a job, but to ask for advice. When you are asking for advice, you are talking to an individual who has connections, and once you make a connection with that person, they will connect you with others. Putting our foot in others peoples doors gives us an opportunity to make an impression on people and expand our social circle which in turn will lead to this social capital. To make it anywhere, you must build relationships with others to increase chances of moving forward and succeeding.

Social networking sites enable the use of social capital. On my facebook alone I have upwards of 900 friends, who most of which I know personally or have met one time or another. All these peope are constantly updating me with not just personal status, but of different ones concerning jobs, entertainment ect. Just the other day I was on my friends profile, who updated her status as "Does anyone know how to fix a bug in a computer" Immediatly after she posted that, there were already about 5 comments from different people sayin they know how. She now had about 5 different people that could help her with her problem. She gains knowledge from these people after one single post online.

Digital Divide

The digital divide is something we always face when it comes to technology. there are always those who are computer and technology guru's and then those who don't understand nor really want to learn how to use such technologies. This is part of the reason for there being a digital divide. The laggards or the ones who don't care as much or don't really know how to use digital media need to learn how to do it. Just providing computers to everyone will not solve the problem because the real problem is they don't know how to use them.

In Warshauer's reading, he states that we need to "focus on the transformation, not the technology." If we follow this, we could being the long process of bridging the gap that is the digital divide. Setting up systems and programs that educate users on how to use the product they purchase will further their knowledge on such technologies.

My dad, who is a software engineer/computer programmer is quite the innovator/early adopter. He is constantly using new software and updating current software on our computers. Since he has so much knowledge on this product, he is always helping me and brother, causing us to also be in the early adopter category. It's a much different case when my dad bought my grandparents a computer and phone line so they could stay current and keep in touch with our family back in Russia. Not only does my grandpa barely speak any english, he is also 83 years old. Now my grandfather is a very smart man, which a PHD in mathematics and still does it to this day. My dad sat my grandpa down for about two hours to show him how to use the basic applications, nothing complicated and my grandpa barely got passed signing in a password to log on.

After constant calls every day asking my dad on how to use a certian application or connect to the interenet, my dad said it almost wasn't worth it. Not only does the digital divide include owenership, but also language barriers, small text and most of all patience. Both my grandpa and dad didn't have enough patience for eachother , and my grandpas computer is currently collecting dust rather than data.

I believe there should be different types of technologies and computers for different demographics. Age plays a big factor and all that goes with it may deter from picking up on how to use these certain technologies.

I love my grandpa, but him and computers were just not meant to be. We recently bought him a cellphone, and he has been doing better with that, but I am constantly getting pocket calls from him because he hasn't figure out the lock feature yet :)

Social Networking

When I first graduated high school, I was excited to be able to finally mesh with the college world and create a facebook. Back in the day, facebook was only accessible to those who belonged to a college network. Nowadays, just about anybody, including my younger brother and my best friends mother are on facebook. Social networking sites and becoming more and more popular as technology and web 2.0 evolves. The question that comes us is it it affecting the way we communicate with others? Are we loosing the personal touch of communication to the internet?

The big issue is the digital divide. Although more and more people are becoming accustomed to the internet and using it more in their daily routines, there are those generations and people classified as "laggards" that do not wish or can not use the internet. The internet is a very complex medium, but with constant evolving technology, it is easier to use and friendly to those that are computer illiterate.

Bugeja argues that social networking sites are almost like death to interpersonal communication. He believes it is the evil source that is hurting face to face communication. He also states that people are so engulfing in new media and web 2.0 that they begin to confuse it with real life. Where does reality and virtual media meet and end? It is in our subconcious minds that we begin to forget how to interact and put aside the computers to live our every day life.

Facebook and other social networking website such as myspace and twitter are almost a routine in many peoples' days. Umbiquitous computing is something that I even do and don't realize. As I am blogging, I have my facebook page open on a seperate tab, and getting twitter updates sent to my phone via text message. All these different mediums are part of my life and routine, and when I don't get to check my facebook at least once a day, I get anxiety. Luckily, my blackberry phone has facebook access so I can get my fix though that. Sadly, I realize how reliant I am on technology and how badly it affects my life.

I sometimes can't get to an assignment from school because I am so engaged in the different types of social networking sites , I let it subconciously take over and get in front my real obligations. However, I choose to stay on these sites so it's my fault if I don't get one of my responsibilites done. Facebook to me lets me stay in touch with all my friends that went out of state for school and keep up with them all. I don't use it to meet new people because I already have such a steady group of friends. We all share pictures, laughs and memories through it. My facebook alone has over 1500 pictures, and I wouldn't dare get rid of mine because of the thought of loosing all of those memories. Virtual picture book that would cost me hundreds to get them printed, so I leave them online :)

Social networking sites enable people to connect, make relationships and also ruin them. Those who feel they need facebook or what not to communicate feel it is easier to talk than in person. I prefer interacting face to face, and later commenting on facebook. As technology excels, we will be seeing more and more sites like these and influential people using them to get their word out. Instead of advertisements, they could do word of mouth, but more like word of facebook to get their message to others.

Crowdsourcing

The term "crowdsourcing" was something completely new to me. After reading the Brabham article, I was really intrigued. The idea of having the websites users actually be the main source of problem solving and be a part of the site is brilliant. They get thousands of different point of views and opinions to help their company out. If only we could do that in real life. It's like employees thousands of workers to help out without having them on a pay roll. I'm sure some of the crowd sourcers want something out of it, but getting the satisfaction of helping a company succeed should be a bit of an incentive.

I checked out the popular threadless.com to see what it was all about. Immediatly I was overwhelmed at the amount of apparell they sold. After narrowing my search to women, size small, I looked through pages and pages of shirts designed not by the site's creaters, but by people like me, customers. I got so many ideas from all the shirts I saw, I wanted to create my own. Unfortunatly, I didn't have the correct adobe program, and didn't really have time to download it, so I scrapped that idea. But, the idea of the website is genuis! Winning t-shirt designers can win upwords of $2000. That is alot of money for one design! Having the option of "I'd buy it"gives the customers the chance to vote on what shirts they like the best, and gives new designers an idea of what shirts are in and what kind are not.

More and more sites are using the idea of crowdsourcing that I go to. Even sites life facebook and myspace gives you the option of making your own applications and having other users download it to their pages. It give the sense that everyone is putting in their share to the site they belong to. People get motivated when they feel they have added to something big like all of these popular websites. It gives a feeling of authority and power as well.

As far as crowdsourcing relating to interpersonal relations, I think it helps in many ways. Not only are users contributing their own thoughts and idea, they are working with these companies to produce these ideas. Of course it is all online, but it can lead to big things. The site creaters could like the customers idea so much, that they want to meet inperson to discuss an actual career with the company. Or, it can get people together by creating different teams to help the certian website. It is really easy to get to wrapped up in technology that people forget how to deal with others. Allowing users to help and contribute sites makes working together and communicating more easy. Although it is online, working for a purpose seems alright to communicate virtually.

All in all, I believe the internet is severely hurting our societys ability to communicate and keep relationships face to face. The internet is convienent and anonymous in a way the users don't have to be exactly who they really are. As in the reading says, "Everybody knows something", everybody contributes and thus works together. Crowdsourcing could be the answer to online interpersonal relationships where it doesn't actually hurt face to face relationships. The more people work together and communicate, the easier it is.