Friday, October 3, 2008
The Wonderful World of Hannah :-)
Hey I'm Hannah, and this is my new blog :-) I'm finding it a little difficult to "introduce" myself using just a few words on a computer screen...but I'll give it a whirl. Im seventeen and I've just moved to the Gold Coast from my small home town in New South Wales. Im loving uni and I'm extremely lucky to have met some amazing new friends. My new lifestyle here has definetely taken some getting used to, but because I'm only seventeen (and I dont have the connections to purchase a fake ID) I am yet to be corrupted by the Gold Coast club scene (yet..) I love learning, and I'm studying for a Bachelor of Communication. I'm enjoying all of my subjects so far, and, given my interest in internet networking (especially on myspace), New Communication Technologies is proving to be one of my favourites. I'm a very inquisitive person, and I cant wait to see the world. My dreams for the future are quite broad. I once wrote a narrative (in year 8 i believe) on the topic of 'My wildest dreams for the future'. I failed. The teachers comment was, "This cant be your dreams for the future, Hannah. Surely you want a better life than this." I was furious. I spent hours writing that narrative, which was based on my life as a hippy, travelling around Australia in a kombi van with my boyfriend, surfing and meeting new people. I've made it my life's aim to prove that teacher wrong. Ok, yes, I'm at uni with the intention of getting a degree and working for a number of years...but I WILL fulfill my dreams of being a bum. I've always wanted to be a magazine editor..but I'm not too keen on living in the city, so I've been reconsidering my goals lately. No progress as of yet. I really have no idea what I want to be. I just know that my interests lie within the course that I'm studying, so I guess thats a good start. I'd also like to volunteer for Greenpeace one day. I have a lot of things like that that I aim to achieve in my life. Hopefully I'll get a chance to complete all of them. My favourite colour is lime green (just thought I'd throw that in there). Im a firm believer in music- its a massive part of my life. I need it everyday. I like to talk a lot, to my boyfriend, my mates, or complete strangers. I find all people interesting, which is why I choose to pick up hitch hikers. They're normal people. They just dont have cars. Good for them I say. I have never met anyone else in the world that shares my view on this topic, and I blame that on hitch-hiker related horror movies. I refuse to watch horror movies in general, so my opinion hasn't been tainted by movies like Wolf Creek and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I dont understand how people can be entertained by those kind of movies. I've watched about 3 of them in my entire life, and for months after viewing them I had to check under my bed religiously every night before i went to sleep. Yes, im soft. I prefer comedy movies that put you in a good mood and make you laugh. Life is all about laughter :-) Anyway, on that positive note, I should probably wrap this up. If you havn't noticed, this first post has been pretty much, a whole lot of pointless ramblings, but I feel its a good start. I'll be sure to elaborate further on these ramblings, in my next post.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
ESSAY :)
Name: Hannah McPherson
Student #: s2681768
Tutor: Adam Muir
Much debate has encircled the world of video games since their arrival in the 1970’s. Obviously since that time, the development of such games has been quite significant, in terms of graphics, the consoles and the games themselves. Due to the availability of new technologies, games are becoming more realistic and more accessible for young people, and have proven to have detrimental effects on those who play them; particularly in regards to violence, educational disadvantage, social development and health and wellbeing.
In comparison to the days where young children would play placid console games such as Donkey Kong and Super Mario, we are now living in a world where young people are becoming exposed to games promoting violence, drugs and death. Games incorporating such content are thought to have a severe impact on the psychological state of those playing them, and in the past, have been blamed for violent attacks including school and university shootings. This can be exemplified through the Columbine Shootings, where the gunman was believed to have been influenced by the video game, ‘Doom’. The game involves players roaming within a 3-D environment, with the aim being to kill alien invaders with arsenal guns. ‘Doom’ was allegedly a favoured game of one of the gunmen. This relates to the psychological effects that games are able to have on the impressionable young minds of those who play them. According to Sean P. Neubert, (n.d) of the Rochester Institute of Technology,
“Continually playing games in which the only positive outcome is the violent demise of enemies could positively reinforce antisocial behaviour and perhaps even cause such a psychological difference over time.”
Games no longer exist to merely entertain. They have become an obsession for many players, dominating the routines of their lives. Getting to the ‘next level’ seems to be of a higher priority than completing school work or household chores, which is sure to have a negative impact on the education of young people. If parents continue to allow their children to become emerged in the playing of video games at whatever hours they choose, their health will suffer; as will their education. Excluding a minority of educational video games; which are highly unlikely to be popular with children, all video games have the potential to become addictive to those who play them. For parents, games consoles are often viewed as a “babysitter”. The view of these parents is that if the child can be occupied and immersed in these types of games the end almost certainly justifies the means.
The health factors relating to the playing of such games are a major issue in the video games debate. This is not only in regards to psychological issues, but also physical factors, relating to obesity and poor health in general. Studies have indicated that when children play video games for extended periods of time, they are subjected to incorrect posture, as a result of sitting in an irregular position in front of the television or computer. Furthermore, video games require constant rigorous movements from the hands, and as a result, many children have experienced issues with their joints, as well as their skin. Problems have also been encountered in terms of sight deterioration, caused by hours of staring at a monitor displaying fast moving graphics. Sitting indoors in front of a television or computer does not promote positive health. There is nothing positive about young children being brought up being able to freely play these games as they wish. It is now becoming more prevalent for young people to choose to stay indoors and play against each other online, rather than go to an arcade to play each other. If children are able to stay indoors all day and play video games, their desire for outdoor physical activity weakens. New technologies have increased the laziness of players so they don’t even have to leave their computer chair to compete against players from all over the world. Moreover, with young children being incredibly advanced in their knowledge of new technologies, it is no surprise that young people are being exposed to such games at increasingly younger ages. This disadvantages young people in terms of social and physical development, denying them of a physically active childhood, which is considered necessary for an individual to function within society.
This leads to the issue of social interaction amongst young children who are obsessed with video games. For many online ‘gamers’, the social interaction they engage in online has become their social network. Instead of engaging in physical outdoor activities, players choose to remain indoors, addicted to the game they are playing at the time. With the availability of technologies allowing game players to be connected through the internet, they feel no need for social interaction. That is their social interaction. Furthermore, the heavy distribution and accessibility of such games now allows children to be in possession of a games console at any time of the day. This is made possible through the portability of compact games consoles, as well as through the improvements made to hand held consoles such as Game Boys, allowing children to have access to games at school, or on public transport. While they may seem beneficial in terms of entertainment on public transport, the distractions they cause at school make for a serious disadvantage in the classroom, with children preferring to play their Game Boy, rather than complete their work.
If parents continue to raise their children with video games being a central component of their routine, their foundation of life is more likely to be one of poor health, materialism and violence. This is not to say that all young people who play video games will be affected to this extreme; however for those who allow such games to become an obsession, affecting school work, development and psychological and physical wellbeing, the effects will be extremely detrimental, resonating throughout the later years of one’s life.
References
American Medical Association. (2008). Featured Report:Emotional and Behavioral Effects of Video Games and Internet Overuse. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/17694.html. Accessed: 27 May 2008.
Collins, G. (1985). Relationships: Children and video games. The New York Times. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/pqdweb?index=19&did=954257201&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1211800818&clientId=20824. Accessed: 24 May 2008.
Downs, E. (2006). Is playing video games detrimental? The Pennsylvania State University. http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/videogames.html Accessed: 24 May 2008.
Greensmith, M. (2008). Video games do not cause violence. Geek news central. http://www.geeknewscentral.com/archives/007883.html. Accessed: 24 May 2008.
Haines, L. (2005). Violent video games do not cause aggression. The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/15/video_games_and_aggression/. Accessed: 25 may 2008
Jenkins, H. (n.d). Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked. KCTS Television. http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html. Accessed: 23 May 2008.
Kooijmans, T. (2004). Effects of Video Games on Aggressive Thoughts and Behaviors During Development. Rochester Institute of Technology. http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/kooijmans.html. Accessed: 25 May 2008.
Newitz. A. (2002). Blame Game. Gamers say social problems, not video games cause violence. San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2002/01/14/gameviol.DTL. Accessed: 25 may 2008.
Stromberg, J. (2008). Computer/video games and your child's health. http://www.softforyou.com/articles_tutorials/computer_video_games.html. Accessed: 27 May 2008
The New York Times. (1994). Ratings for Video Games. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/pqdweb?index=5&did=966953311&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1211800417&clientId=20824. Accessed: 26 May 2008
Student #: s2681768
Tutor: Adam Muir
Much debate has encircled the world of video games since their arrival in the 1970’s. Obviously since that time, the development of such games has been quite significant, in terms of graphics, the consoles and the games themselves. Due to the availability of new technologies, games are becoming more realistic and more accessible for young people, and have proven to have detrimental effects on those who play them; particularly in regards to violence, educational disadvantage, social development and health and wellbeing.
In comparison to the days where young children would play placid console games such as Donkey Kong and Super Mario, we are now living in a world where young people are becoming exposed to games promoting violence, drugs and death. Games incorporating such content are thought to have a severe impact on the psychological state of those playing them, and in the past, have been blamed for violent attacks including school and university shootings. This can be exemplified through the Columbine Shootings, where the gunman was believed to have been influenced by the video game, ‘Doom’. The game involves players roaming within a 3-D environment, with the aim being to kill alien invaders with arsenal guns. ‘Doom’ was allegedly a favoured game of one of the gunmen. This relates to the psychological effects that games are able to have on the impressionable young minds of those who play them. According to Sean P. Neubert, (n.d) of the Rochester Institute of Technology,
“Continually playing games in which the only positive outcome is the violent demise of enemies could positively reinforce antisocial behaviour and perhaps even cause such a psychological difference over time.”
Games no longer exist to merely entertain. They have become an obsession for many players, dominating the routines of their lives. Getting to the ‘next level’ seems to be of a higher priority than completing school work or household chores, which is sure to have a negative impact on the education of young people. If parents continue to allow their children to become emerged in the playing of video games at whatever hours they choose, their health will suffer; as will their education. Excluding a minority of educational video games; which are highly unlikely to be popular with children, all video games have the potential to become addictive to those who play them. For parents, games consoles are often viewed as a “babysitter”. The view of these parents is that if the child can be occupied and immersed in these types of games the end almost certainly justifies the means.
The health factors relating to the playing of such games are a major issue in the video games debate. This is not only in regards to psychological issues, but also physical factors, relating to obesity and poor health in general. Studies have indicated that when children play video games for extended periods of time, they are subjected to incorrect posture, as a result of sitting in an irregular position in front of the television or computer. Furthermore, video games require constant rigorous movements from the hands, and as a result, many children have experienced issues with their joints, as well as their skin. Problems have also been encountered in terms of sight deterioration, caused by hours of staring at a monitor displaying fast moving graphics. Sitting indoors in front of a television or computer does not promote positive health. There is nothing positive about young children being brought up being able to freely play these games as they wish. It is now becoming more prevalent for young people to choose to stay indoors and play against each other online, rather than go to an arcade to play each other. If children are able to stay indoors all day and play video games, their desire for outdoor physical activity weakens. New technologies have increased the laziness of players so they don’t even have to leave their computer chair to compete against players from all over the world. Moreover, with young children being incredibly advanced in their knowledge of new technologies, it is no surprise that young people are being exposed to such games at increasingly younger ages. This disadvantages young people in terms of social and physical development, denying them of a physically active childhood, which is considered necessary for an individual to function within society.
This leads to the issue of social interaction amongst young children who are obsessed with video games. For many online ‘gamers’, the social interaction they engage in online has become their social network. Instead of engaging in physical outdoor activities, players choose to remain indoors, addicted to the game they are playing at the time. With the availability of technologies allowing game players to be connected through the internet, they feel no need for social interaction. That is their social interaction. Furthermore, the heavy distribution and accessibility of such games now allows children to be in possession of a games console at any time of the day. This is made possible through the portability of compact games consoles, as well as through the improvements made to hand held consoles such as Game Boys, allowing children to have access to games at school, or on public transport. While they may seem beneficial in terms of entertainment on public transport, the distractions they cause at school make for a serious disadvantage in the classroom, with children preferring to play their Game Boy, rather than complete their work.
If parents continue to raise their children with video games being a central component of their routine, their foundation of life is more likely to be one of poor health, materialism and violence. This is not to say that all young people who play video games will be affected to this extreme; however for those who allow such games to become an obsession, affecting school work, development and psychological and physical wellbeing, the effects will be extremely detrimental, resonating throughout the later years of one’s life.
References
American Medical Association. (2008). Featured Report:Emotional and Behavioral Effects of Video Games and Internet Overuse. http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/17694.html. Accessed: 27 May 2008.
Collins, G. (1985). Relationships: Children and video games. The New York Times. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/pqdweb?index=19&did=954257201&SrchMode=1&sid=4&Fmt=2&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1211800818&clientId=20824. Accessed: 24 May 2008.
Downs, E. (2006). Is playing video games detrimental? The Pennsylvania State University. http://www.rps.psu.edu/probing/videogames.html Accessed: 24 May 2008.
Greensmith, M. (2008). Video games do not cause violence. Geek news central. http://www.geeknewscentral.com/archives/007883.html. Accessed: 24 May 2008.
Haines, L. (2005). Violent video games do not cause aggression. The Register. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/08/15/video_games_and_aggression/. Accessed: 25 may 2008
Jenkins, H. (n.d). Reality Bytes: Eight Myths About Video Games Debunked. KCTS Television. http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html. Accessed: 23 May 2008.
Kooijmans, T. (2004). Effects of Video Games on Aggressive Thoughts and Behaviors During Development. Rochester Institute of Technology. http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/kooijmans.html. Accessed: 25 May 2008.
Newitz. A. (2002). Blame Game. Gamers say social problems, not video games cause violence. San Francisco Chronicle. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2002/01/14/gameviol.DTL. Accessed: 25 may 2008.
Stromberg, J. (2008). Computer/video games and your child's health. http://www.softforyou.com/articles_tutorials/computer_video_games.html. Accessed: 27 May 2008
The New York Times. (1994). Ratings for Video Games. http://proquest.umi.com.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/pqdweb?index=5&did=966953311&SrchMode=1&sid=3&Fmt=3&VInst=PROD&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1211800417&clientId=20824. Accessed: 26 May 2008
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Word exercises
Exercise 1: There were no problems encountered. To carry out this exercise was extremely simple.
Exercise 2: Again, this task was extremely easy, as it simply required some changes to be made in regards to bold, unline and italics. This is all basic stuff.
Exercise 3: For basic Word use, compared to the 2 previous exercises, this is much more advanced. i have never actually used a header/footer on any of the word documents I have ever written, so this exercise initially confused me. However, once I actually carried out the exercise, I found that it was actually quite simple, through the following of instructions. Comparatively, double spacing is extremely easy to acheive, and I experienced no problems with this.
Advanced Exercise 1: Similarly to exercise 3, initially this task confused me slightly, as I had never before used such an action. However, I found doing this was quite basic.
Advanced exercise 2: This exercise was quite difficult. before beginning this course, I had never even heard of a mail merge. The instructions for this task were quite elaborate and I found that it took quite a while to do, in comparison with the previous exercises. I didnt really have any problems, it was just time consuming and a lot more intricate than any other act8ion i've used before on word.
Exercise 2: Again, this task was extremely easy, as it simply required some changes to be made in regards to bold, unline and italics. This is all basic stuff.
Exercise 3: For basic Word use, compared to the 2 previous exercises, this is much more advanced. i have never actually used a header/footer on any of the word documents I have ever written, so this exercise initially confused me. However, once I actually carried out the exercise, I found that it was actually quite simple, through the following of instructions. Comparatively, double spacing is extremely easy to acheive, and I experienced no problems with this.
Advanced Exercise 1: Similarly to exercise 3, initially this task confused me slightly, as I had never before used such an action. However, I found doing this was quite basic.
Advanced exercise 2: This exercise was quite difficult. before beginning this course, I had never even heard of a mail merge. The instructions for this task were quite elaborate and I found that it took quite a while to do, in comparison with the previous exercises. I didnt really have any problems, it was just time consuming and a lot more intricate than any other act8ion i've used before on word.
3D worlds vs. IM
There is much disparity between IM programs, and that of 3D worlds. While IM programs simply allow for conversation through text, 3D Programs are much more advanced, allowing for conversations to be carried out using animated versions of the user. The user is able to create their profile to look however they want and to to have the qualities that they wish to have, or think would be more appealing to those they wish to converse with. The 3D chatting world makes for a more 'real' experience, with users being able to actually walk over to the person they wish to chat with, and utilise body language in order to 'spark' the conversation. In comparison, while IM worlds dont allow for this kind of interaction, they do in fact allow for display pictures to be used, as well as webcam. This means that the user is able to display a photograph of themselves, so people can see what they look like. In my opinion, this is more 'real'. Others believe that the 3D world makes for a better experience, in terms of being able to physically interact with others, through the movement of their animated person. People, or 'Avatars' are also able to sexually interact with others, and some believe that again, this experience is more real, and perhaps more fulfilling, being able to see their person kissing another, rather than describing it through text, or webcam. I dont actually understand the satisfaction experienced through seeing 2 animated characters kissing on your computer screen, but apparently, some people enjoy it. 3D worlds are more like games, whereas IM programs are more like a service, allowing poeple to comminicate with friends (or strangers) online. This relates to the gaming experience, with 3D worlds being more involved, and also more time consuming, with many worlds, such as Second Life, dominating the lives of users all over the world. The 'reality' created within these worlds takes away from the reality of life itself, disallowing the distinction to be made between the two.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Wikipedia
After researching some topics in which i am interested in on Wikipedia, I have found it to be quite useful, however in parts, it can be inaccurate. For example, while researching the film, A night at the Roxbury, I have found that most information is correct, however, wrong information has been given about crucial events which take place during the film. This misinformation given has the power to completely alter the perception of the film. In another example, the legendary life of Jimi Hendrix has been documented by Wikipedia, with some cruicial information misrepresented, or completely false. This supports the notion that while Wikipedia is useful for gaining a limited understanding on a particular topic, it should not be used as a specific source for gaining information. It often creates emphasis on certain aspects of the information, which do not require emphasis. This makes one question the intentions of those who write such information, as well as the power they inhibit in doing so.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Art
The definition of "art" is a forever changing concept. With the availability of modern technology, ordinary people with no definitive talent, are able to create what are now being referred to as works of "art". This undoubtedly creates a lack of appreciation of traditional artistic talent through programs such as photoshop, which allows individuals to edit pictures in order to give them a more 'artistic' feel. There is little skill required to do so, yet the results are often quite amazing. Photoshopper's are able to turn the most simple photograph into a work of art. Basically, anyone in possession of a computer, is able to create things that have been traditionally reserved for skilled professionals. Through the use of new age digital technology, the authenticity of traditional artworks is being destroyed. 'Art' has always been a broad concept, expanding through different forms and genres. However, in modern society, that expansion has been taken to a new level. It is difficult to predict the future for authentic art, however I believe its safe to say that the appreciation of 'real' artworks is lagging, and this will only become more prominent in the years to come.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Tutorial Questions
My tutorial task for this week is to answer a series of questions, using internet search engines other than google or wikipedia. I've never used any other search engines, so I'm just starting to realise that I take both for granted (especially google). Anyway here goes.
1.) Creator of computer virus, Lovebug?
Onel de Guzman, a twenty- four- year old computer school student from Manila, Philippines.
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/06/29/philippines.lovebug.02/index.html
2.) Who invented the paper clip?
A Norwegian inventor, Johan Vaaler, in 1899.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpaperclip.htm
3.) How did the Ebola virus get its name?
The virus gets its name from the Ebola River in Northern Congo, where its first cases were discovered. The four subtypes of Ebola are named based on their geographical location (Zaire, Sudan, Reston, and Ivory Coast).
http://www.answers.com/topic/ebola?cat=health
4.) Largest recorded earthquake in the world?
Chile, 1960.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/10_largest_world.php
5.) In computer memory/storage terms, how many kilobytes in a terabyte?
A Terabyte is equivalent to 1,073,741,824 Kilobytes.
http://www.wizbit.net/cd-dvd_production_faqs_what_is_a_terabyte.htm
6.) Who is the creator of email?
Ray Tomlinson.
http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2008/03/12/inventor-of-email-i-didnt-see-spam-coming/
Ok 6 questions is enough. Using google or wikipedia is so much easier, and quicker!
1.) Creator of computer virus, Lovebug?
Onel de Guzman, a twenty- four- year old computer school student from Manila, Philippines.
http://archives.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/06/29/philippines.lovebug.02/index.html
2.) Who invented the paper clip?
A Norwegian inventor, Johan Vaaler, in 1899.
http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blpaperclip.htm
3.) How did the Ebola virus get its name?
The virus gets its name from the Ebola River in Northern Congo, where its first cases were discovered. The four subtypes of Ebola are named based on their geographical location (Zaire, Sudan, Reston, and Ivory Coast).
http://www.answers.com/topic/ebola?cat=health
4.) Largest recorded earthquake in the world?
Chile, 1960.
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/world/10_largest_world.php
5.) In computer memory/storage terms, how many kilobytes in a terabyte?
A Terabyte is equivalent to 1,073,741,824 Kilobytes.
http://www.wizbit.net/cd-dvd_production_faqs_what_is_a_terabyte.htm
6.) Who is the creator of email?
Ray Tomlinson.
http://www.geeksaresexy.net/2008/03/12/inventor-of-email-i-didnt-see-spam-coming/
Ok 6 questions is enough. Using google or wikipedia is so much easier, and quicker!
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