Late Seminar Post

I do believe there is community on social media, but I have not noticed any. I only say this because there are many different ways to use social media, but I do not use social media for community based reasons outside of my learning community. I am aware that it exists in several ways from jobs, sports, and other branches.

My community on social media consists of music, nurses/nursing school, and #C24 members. I did not develop my first community until I started to take Freshman Seminar. However, a lot of things I learned while taking this course were fairly new to me. Communities are a way to keep your social media interactions organized and it serves as a great asset.

9 DAYS!!!

Whew, Hasn't this transition been a life changing experience for me? I've cried, struggled, procrastinated, succeed, and everything else that your typical college student does! It has all been worth it though, I have enjoyed EVERY BIT of it.. Nothing to regret! I've almost made it through my very first semster of college and I am proud of just that.

I am more amazed about the fact that I have already registered for the Spring 2014 Term and that my Christmas Break is nine days away! (excluding weekends) I must say that my first semester has been a success as I look over my grades, disregard my transition I think I have done pretty well. I applaud myself because being a First Generation College Student is sometimes hard.

Blogging? It has been a great experience and I wish that I followed outside blogs, but I cannot find any interesting ones. Putting Blogger into our 1010 class was a great addition! I was never a blogger before this, I think its a greater aspect of Social Media.

Basically, my first semester of college has been a success and I hope it was the same for the rest of you. I plan to see you all in 1020 next semester!

Love,
Mi'Keisha <3

Oh yeah, Tweet Me "Happy Birthday" on the 23rd of December guys :)

Child Development Website Review

Today, there are several different ways to obtain information. We have access to books, magazines, websites, data sources, and more. So to speak, everything is supposed to come to us viewers as a breeze, right? This is not always true, most of the time there is quite a need for advanced searching. Majority of the time searching is easier through the internet than other things. Most websites allow their viewers the right of advanced searching whether it is through a simple search or a toolbar that has separated its contents according to its groupings. However, on our websites today there are multiple advantages and disadvantages when it comes to the ease of accessing information.

   There are several different things to expect when comparing two websites like The March of Dimes, and the Child Development portion of the CDC’s website. Although both websites primary purpose is to assist new mothers with birthing full-term babies and informing them on what to expect from their new addition, the websites contrast in many ways. While both websites, March of Dimes and CDC, are helpful to mothers because March of Dimes is organized in a simpler manner, provides supplementary information, and its navigation ease from one topic to the next exceeds the dull color scheme and format of the CDC’s website.

  The design of March of Dimes is more enthusiastic than the CDC’s. Upon entering The March of Dimes website viewers are presented with a banner style slideshow, which includes big pictures of newborn babies. The photos of the infants resemble embracement for mothers making them feel hand in hand with their very own. At the same time, the CDC’s website which also has an opening banner, but a much smaller size of pictures isn’t very much appealing to the eye. Along with the opening banner, The March of Dimes color scheme is pleasant to all of their audience also because of the homepage’s very strong amount of color choices. On the contrary, the color scheme for the CDC’s website includes navy blue and white. Since the Child Development portion of this website has such an unusual color scheme it is what pushes the audience far afield. Viewers expect for things that are associated with younger kids to be presented in a lively manner, no matter the sex of the child. All in all, the format of both websites are easy for an adult to understand and gather information from, but the March of Dimes website has a basic searching method like majority of today’s sites, whereas the site for the CDC has a more complex way of searching. Therefore, due to the opening banner, color scheme, and format of March of Dimes it is more appealing to the mothers whom visit this website.

   Correspondingly, both websites have a mobile option, but the CDC’s mobile app option is much easier to understand then their desktop mode. Therefore, their topics are easier to access meaning some viewers may disagree with the complexity of the website because of the app’s simplified manner. When searching through the mobile app their main topics are right in the center of the page, whereas on the desktop mode there are some things to be found through the toolbar at the top of the page. On the other hand, the mobile app for The March of Dimes is not contrasting at all it still catches the eye of its audience just as much as it does on the desktop. The banner continuously displays different photos of infants and it still follows the same format. There is not an imbalance between the mobile or desktop option for The March of Dimes website however; there is a small one for the Child Development portion for the CDC’s website.

  Unlike the CDC website, The March of Dimes allows viewers to research the problems that threaten our babies today and how they work on preventing premature births. They also have their own community, which includes a blog posts section, for NICU families to publicize their experiences. The March of Dimes is focused on one objective which is the strive to end premature birth, covered through the breakdowns of several topics, stages, and individuals who has several NICU experiences. Rather than the way the CDC provides their advice, their website covers it’s basics through age group which only include kids from birth to the age nine. Although, the CDC provides viewers with multiple resources for mostly data searches, parenting tips, specific conditions that children may face, and the ability to subscribe to their feeds on different topics. However, they fail to cover things in depth as much as March of Dimes. The CDC fails to show a set research topic therefore they have their viewers seeking information in multiple places. Even though they both provide good information, The March of Dimes website is more informative for parents on a selected topic rather than the information on the CDC’s website which is more effective for a viewer that is looking to do more research because they provide information on a statistical base.

  The speeds of the websites are quite consistent even though they contain a few ads. However, they are not the disturbing advertisements that have associated audio, block page viewing, or off subject ads that do not pertain to the website’s information as a whole. The advertisements’ on the CDC’s, Child Development portion are very small and inform its viewers about getting health insurance or displaying reports by the CDC on Children’s Mental Health. Similarly, the advertisements on The March of Dimes website are about donating money to the NICU Family Support, related articles for your viewing topic and about receiving their newsletter. The advertisements for these websites are necessary for their proposed purpose. They both encourage the idea of ways to make our infants better through donation and ways to stay connected.

  Furthermore, for those accesses that prefer to go more in detail about either of the websites or need answers to some of their questions, they both have great relationships with the social media world. The CDC allows viewers to stay connected with them through Twitter, Facebook, Blogs, and a YouTube channel, LinkedIn, Google +, Flickr, and Pinterest. Just as the CDC allows further connection, The March of Dimes allows it viewers to stay connected also with the help of Facebook, Twitter, a YouTube channel, Email, and Pinterest.      

  Compared to the navigation style for the CDC’s website, The March of Dimes is easily understood. The A through Z index is in conjunction with The Center for Disease Control and Prevention as a whole. Although viewers may be looking for more information pertaining to the Child Development portion of the website, the A through Z index is obligated to take viewers through the websites total number of topics. Most viewers would think since they are viewing things through a particular portion of a website they should receive their search results in the same manner. After all, that is not the scenario according to the creators of the CDC’s website. The March of Dimes website grants viewers their usual opportunity to search through its website with the help of a basic search and toolbar, which first allows viewers to search through a category and then provide them with subcategories to choose from. Even though they both allow viewers the opportunity to search, the categories and subcategories is an easier way to navigate instead of using an A through Z index. The search results and links for the CDC’s website open in a different window, whereas The March of Dimes search results open in the same window. In spite of both websites giving their viewers the right to search The March of Dimes search method is much more effective than the CDC’s search method. While some viewers may look at them through the same perspective there is a difference when accessing the internet because most users may be unfamiliar with the website’s style.

 While many viewers may argue that one website is more credible than the other; they both have their pros and cons. The users’ particular use for these websites may differ which will then create an arousal in opinions. However, most of them may believe that The March of Dimes website is more presentable than the CDC’s Child Development portion because of the way information is accorded. Any viewer can tell that The March of Dimes website was created for the use of mothers’ to inform them on how to do things with their new baby while the CDC may primarily be used only for research or data sources. Therefore, The March of Dimes is a better website than the CDC.

  

Seminar Post

Although I attended Freshman Seminar once a week I've learned a lot. Social Media has it advantages and disadvantages. I've learned that social media can be very helpful compared to the way that we use it today. The way I look at it now is different from the way that I used to. Social Media isn't always for entertainment it can be used for credible purposes. This class is so different from my other classes, we don't do any papers or projects everything is based on interacting socially.

However, we have did assignments but they were through Twitter, Instagram, and Storify. We used Storify to put together hashtaged stories from Twitter results. Instagram for college picture collages and Tweetchats using the #c24mem hashtag. I enjoyed the out of class conversations that we had through Twitter.

Social media is more than entertainment, #C24 shows so!

Smile :) It's Almost Over

I'm so excited about the ending of the semester slowing approaching! I've worked hard, stayed up, did some late night snacking, and even procrasinated, but I've made the best of everything! And I didn't have to drop any classes this semester! However, I've had the best week since the first week of school. I recieved a B on both my Math and Journalism Test so I feel great about that! Now it's about time that I begin working on my compare and contrast essay, another assignment that I find very interesting.

I hope everyone is enjoying their Fall Term as much as me!! I've met plenty of people and I look forwarding to meeting more and also becoming more familar with The University and the city of Memphis. I'm sure we've all ran into some obstacles while being here, I mean it wouldn't be life if we didn't right?

 I know I'm scrambling a lot, but I'm also ready for THANKSGIVING! I mean who doesn't LOVE Thanksgiving?? I know I do! Okay no seriously... See you guys later!

What's Netiquette? (Manifesto)

   As I scroll through the white noise on Twitter and Facebook daily, nothing is surprising to me anymore! There is always an excessive amount of personal information and provocative word use on social networks today. This type of content is used daily in order for a person to argue their point or in the attempt to create a better image for themselves. Unaware of how harmful it is, we willingly grant the world the right to engage into their personal life. Nowadays the internet is used in the form. When it is appealing to our eye and the eyes of the surrounding others it makes us feel accomplished. So what do you think about the opinions of the future employers? When posting revealing pictures and consistently using infuriating words we put no thought into it. Your image is viewed more online than in person multiple times a day. However, be mindful that there are some must follow rules when accessing the internet.

  With the start of MySpace, the use of social networks expanded in 2003. MySpace happened to be the first social site we were most familiar with where no one younger than the age of sixteen was granted the right to join. Launched a year later, in 2004, Facebook was created for the use of college students in order to keep in touch with one another. Two years later, in 2006, Twitter was launched for the use of expressing feelings or informing your followers on “What’s Happening,” which is the slogan for Twitter. (Chapman)

  Furthermore, the problem that we intend to address is to be less specific when “expressing yourself” via Twitter and other social networks. It is terrible to say that we, most likely, aren’t familiar with half of the people we follow on social networks. Therefore, it is unsafe to share your personal information with anyone while conversing socially. No matter how “protected” your tweets are nor who’s follower request you have to accept because you’ve “blocked” your profile, it’s always accessible! It’s imperative to protect your personal information when interacting socially, so we are here to implant The Rules of Play for Social Media Interaction.

  The Rules of Play are the top eleven dos and don’ts. It’s important to perform these rules each time you access the internet because it creates a more enthusiastic networking experience.

The Rules of Play  (Associates)

·        Introduce yourself – Give your name, who you work for, what brings you there, and so on.

·        Participate in conversation - Comment on blogs, photos, videos; tweet and retweet; create and join groups and network.

·        Do not lie – Building a trustworthy online persona is the door to productive social media interaction.

·        Give and you shall receive – Follow a blog or Twitter feed, and there is a big chance that you will be followed back. Make comments, and you will receive comments back.

·        Get connected – Making friends online is actually a lot easier than in real life. Subscribe to RSS feeds, get connected and join groups. Share your LinkedIn profile and your Twitter account, and include a link to your blog in your emails.

·        Give credit – If you post something taken from another source, give the appropriate credit. Users like to be recognized and linked back to. Observe some basic copyright rules and never simply copy and paste content.

·        Talk like a human being – Try to avoid corporate jargon and meaningless words. Check your spelling and avoid excessive use of abbreviations that others may find confusing.

·        Respect the community – Avoid any kind of inappropriate behavior and language that may offend your followers.

·        Listen before you speak – Take time to carefully read what is being discussed and remember to establish a clear connection if you have something to say.

·        Add value to the conversation – Write something of substance, something new, something that others can learn from. Something worth reading!

·        Be creative, be fun – You must have a good sense of humor. Being witty, willing, and entertaining are ways you can ensure success.

 

    We find the most important rules to be numbers 3, 6, and 9, which are do not lie, give credit, and listen before you speak. To this generation, in particular, those rules are considered bomb threats because they thrive from dishonesty. Social networking is always a good thing, but it rarely takes place in the correct manner because everyone is busy trying to conduct themselves differently.

  Shamefully, another issue that we all tend to ignore is the fact that no one gives the proper “credit.” Every day we notice quotes and song lyrics that originated elsewhere that you all decide to use. There’s no problem with employing it, but we challenge you to “give credit when credit is due” meaning that you recognize the person from whom you borrowed it.

  In addition to rule numbers three and six, we also ask that you listen before you speak because there are many cases that we discover conversations where individuals just include themselves without any acknowledgement of what has taken place. While we may look at it as a problem others may disagree, but we address this action for the safety of future online experiences. Majority doesn’t mind the opinions of others, but it is better to contribute to the conversation with constructive criticism.

  We are aware that some may disagree with The Rules of Play and how it may improve their social experience. Most likely they will disagree with certain rules like numbers 2, 4, and 8 because users feel that they should be able to do more of what accommodates them. Therefore anyone that refuses to follow the rules will be dealt with accordingly. These eleven rules don’t ask for much they are just similar to an internet manual. The Rules of Play should be practiced worldwide, in fact, we plan to establish a federal law for netiquette, which is the proper use of the internet. Anyone that disagrees with putting these rules into play will no longer have access to any social networks.

  We were granted the right to post a copy of The Rules of Play in every library, school office, college labs and inside all the packaging of sold computers. The posting of the rules should grant everyone the chance to fix their previous netiquette techniques to refrain from being banned from social networks forever. Due to any cases of refusal there will be a fee that users are obligated to pay for disturbing the community and failure to pay the fee will result in deletion of all social profiles.
 
  Although some may argue that the eleven rules are unreasonable, We, MTP, beg to differ. Our job is to create a better social community for individuals that use the internet for important reasons and diminish those that are using it for entertainment becoming a hinderance to the others. Many believe that you should be you and do whatever makes you happy and in some cases that may be true, but when interacting socially “whatever makes you happy” brings about a different ball game. Your internet posts follow you for a lifetime so please beware of what you post!

   

Works Cited

Associates, Cambre. A Netiquette Guide for Social Media Interaction. Brussels, November 2012.

Chapman, Cameron. The History of the Internet in a Nutshell. 15 November 2009. 20 October 2013.

Words To The Wise

BE the person you love.

LIVE your life without regrets.

DO whatever makes you smile.

DON'T worry about what they think.

STOP thinking about what could happen.

START your new dilemma today.

NEVER give up.

ALWAYS pray.

WELCOME new people into your life.

CREATE more of you and less of them.

BRING new ideas to the table.

LEARN from your mistakes.

 

I created this Manifesto as a personal reference to myself because some days I wake up discouraged or maybe not in the mood to do anything. Being a freshman college student can be a hard pill to swallow, but I'm learning to live with the adjustment! However, this is one of my favorites activites so far, Professor Koester, I love creative writing! :)