Category Archives: Readings

Next week: non-text and alternative media; readings for Monday 2/9

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Today we discussed some aspects of digital text-based media, including the Wayback Machine‘s efforts to archive the internet and how reading from a screen differs from reading from paper. We also investigated corporate media ownership and discussed whether digital forms provide meaningful alternatives to traditional print and broadcast media. Do we need alternatives?

On Monday, February 9, we will discuss non-text media, including audio, images, and multimedia. Please read the following:

Meikle & Young pp. 13-27 (distributed in class; contact me if you didn’t receive a copy)
Brna, “Vinyl vs. CD/MP3”

Your blogging assignment is to write one reading response blog post. You all surely know a lot about music, video, and multimedia, so be sure to share your existing knowledge and comment on what new information you gleaned from the readings. To receive full credit for your blog post, be sure it is posted by the beginning of class.

~Prof. Leonard

Can I have both?

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In the article “The Reading Brain in the Digital Age”, Ferris Jabr writes about the unique advantages of reading on paper and the disadvantages of reading on digital screens supported by research studies across the nation. The results of these studies show that, because of the taxation on the brain from reading on screens we do not gain as much understanding when compared to reading on paper. The article also talks about how reading on screens may be better for scanning or short readings of digital texts while books are better for in depth reading. But why are we comparing when we can have both. Just like having CDs and digital music, the concept is the same, where CDs are like books and digital music is digital text. With that in mind, it’s been a while since the introduction of digital music and yet the CD is still relevant, so we see that nothing can take away the good old school–but to add on it because of the ever changing world. An example of this is given in the  article “The Cobweb.” by  Jill Lepore. Just like the famous library of Alexandria we now have a web of all webs which is a sort of digital version of the library of Alexandria. Thanks to this Internet archive there is now an alternate and/or additional way of storing, researching and finding information. Notice also that this Internet archive does not take away from a traditional library but uses it as a blueprint to create new avenues in this modern technological age.

NY times and chapter 1

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While reading the NY times article and chapter one of research strategies I couldn’t help but think that these articles are telling nothing but the truth; when it comes to technology which has become people’s life. An essential part of our lives which if we were not to have, we wouldn’t know what to do. I say this because I myself use my phone for everything, whether if it’s for work, checking the weather even though I could watch it on tv, and I even do my homework on it. The article on NY times speaks about how traditional life will be changed because of “teletext” and “videotext”. The fact that we use technology for everything and we cannot even have a Normal conversation face to face but instead we text. Another thing we are so attached to is the social media (facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc) “Friends, peer groups and alliances will be determined electronically, creating classes of people based on interests and skills rather than age and social class.” Now a days there are even companies who have their page on one of these social networks which they are constantly updating. This world is now a technology world, technology that nobody can live without.

Reading & blogging assignments for Wednesday, February 4

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Hi everyone,

Today we discussed the information cycle [video], reviewed a timeline of information innovations, and discussed concepts from chapter one of Research Strategies by William Badke, especially peer review, open access, and gatekeeping. On Wednesday, we’ll discuss digital text, especially the differences between information that is “born digital” and online versions of print media (are these differences important?)

For Wednesday, please read the following:

Jabr, “The Reading Brain in the Digital Age” and Lepore, “The Cobweb.” Both are somewhat longer than the typical readings I’ll assign, so be sure to give yourself enough time to get through both articles in their entirety.

Your blogging assignment is one reading response blog post. Don’t forget to tag your posts with 2-3 relevant and descriptive keywords.

See you Wednesday!

~Prof. Leonard

The Impacts of Technology

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In chapter one of Research Strategies by William Badke there is a strong account of how the emergence of Technology has influenced how the public goes about accessing and sharing information. This change is brought about by the existence of the revolutionary World Wide Web. In addition, an article published by New York Times entitled, “Study Says Technology Could Transform Society” by Robert Reinhold talks about how electronic information technologies such as video and teletext will transform our way of life in the future. Despite the many positives of these new technologies, we cannot deny the negatives that come with them. The cons include and are not limited to: the availability of poor quality information such as articles or websites written by non experts in the field, the existence of child pornography and terrorist websites and the gradual abandonment of traditional means of doing things. We can argue that the world is already approaching the era spoken about by Reinhold because people can earn a degree in the comfort of their homes as well as shop with just a click. Careful assessment must be made about the drawbacks to these innovations before implementation because they can indeed bring about positive change.

It’s February already?! Assigned reading & blogging for Monday, February 2

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Hi everyone,

For Monday, February 2, there are 2 assigned readings, one from the required textbook and one online:

Chapter 1 of Research Strategies by Badke (required textbook; download or order here)
Reinhold, “Study says Technology could Transform Society” (The New York Times, 14 June 1982.)

Your blogging assignment is to write one 100-word minimum blog post in response to these readings. If you can’t buy or download a copy of the required textbook in time, remember you can get it on reserve in the City Tech library with this call number: Z710 .B23 2014.

On Monday we’ll talk about traditional print media, including a brief history and an overview of the lifecycle of print media.

Please get in touch via email or OpenLab message if you have any questions about signing up for the OpenLab or joining the course. I’ll send reminders to anyone who isn’t signed up within a day or 2.

Glad to have met you all and looking forward to an interesting semester!

~Prof. Leonard