Week 10 Final Blog (Social Media)

Students See The Positives In Social Media

            When I slow down this fast pace life that I am living and take a good look at how positively Social Media and the connection with others has influenced my education I am in awe. It has shaped my life to be a more productive one that has answers at my fingertips, just waiting to be read and understood. Although we could talk about some of the negatives that Social Media has on society I am here to tell you that if properly maintained and monitored then social media can have all kinds of different avenues to explore a positive education through. Just like anything there are going to be the people that strongly disagree with social media and the efforts that it has made to connect people. But it is a direction that we are heading in and cant be stopped. We must embrace the fact that it is happening and now look at how it can positively affect our lives. By going against the grain and opposing something that is inevitably going to happen is only going to leave you behind.

            How exactly does social media shape our lives? Social media can shape ones life very easily. When I am presented with a homework assignment that I am supposed to work with a group on, social media has made it so easy for all of us to stay in contact. If you have ever heard of Google docs, or Google slides then you know what I am talking about (Harris, D). I am able to work on assignments from wherever I may be with my group members. We can see who’s working on it currently, who has worked on it, and feed off one another in order to achieve or end goal of a great project. With everyone having busy schedules and busy lives these days, especially when trying to get a degree in higher education such as college, it makes it that much more difficult to meet as a group and complete assignments. Having these tools over the Internet makes it so we can be in the same room with one another without physically being in the same room. Social media gives us students the opportunity to work on assignments, communicate with our teachers, and refer back to previous assignments in seconds. This shapes our lives into a more fast pace one and with technology so advanced it really shows us that anything is possible. We are more self aware because of social media (Varner, H). A lot of the information that is put out there is open to the public. When we as students are trying to build our social network we want it to be perfect, with no spelling or grammar mistakes. We want to it to be catchy and to attract people whom are looking for similar ideas and so on.

            With all the positives that come with having a social media platform, it is inevitable that lives have and will continue to change for the better. We all have an entrepreneurial spirit and want to live a comfortable life. Some want to live a more comfortable life than others financially but we all learn at one time or another that it isn’t going to be handed to us on a silver platter. Social media gives students the chance to stay up to date and informed on political issues all across the world in the touch of a button. This keeps class discussions interesting and relevant to things happening around the world today. Because of this we also accept diversity and welcome it into our lives. We see more diverse peoples lives and the news prepares us for everything. Social media also has opened up a whole new world of communicating. I know that writing has been around forever but students are now writing more than every before.

            For example, look at the use of instagram for some people. Some will post pictures daily if not multiple times a day and everyone can see what they are up to. Pictures of people working out and changing their eating diets have also become very motivational for others to see. Texting, emailing, chat rooms, and so on give students the chance to communicate with friends and family without having to make that phone call. Staying in contact over a period of time has become extremely easy and socially acceptable. On the flip side people tend to think that they are owed a response when trying to contact others. This causes problems because someone may have seen the text or email but might be too busy to reply to it right away (Turkle, S).

            How exactly do I want social media to shape my life in particular? This is something that I started long ago without even realizing it. Luckily I do my best possible work wherever I may be. This is how I was raised and have grown to only want to give 100% in what ever I may be doing. When my name is looked up on the Internet some will see my action sports accomplishments, but you can also see my educational accomplishments that I am very proud of. When one sees some blogs I have made for other classes as well as for this class, online magazine writing I have done, and so on I give off the impression that I want to. It shows future employers that I am well rounded and have accomplished many different tasks through school as well as outside of school. This is how I want to be seen through social media and is a prime example of how you can promote yourself through the Internet.  

            The effect that social media has on the Santa Barbara society as an Antioch student is great. Antioch is a school that has so many connections within the community. They can give students the opportunity to intern for all sorts of different companies as well as have opportunities for students to get involved in at Antioch (Antioch University). When looking to apply to a university after completing Santa Barbara City College I was very indecisive on where to go. I was from Santa Barbara and had been here all my life but I was unsure that I was going to be able to stay in my hometown to finish out my BA degree. Antioch gave me the opportunity to complete my degree and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Already in the one year that I have been here I have earned so much and social media has made it so I can stay in contact with new friends and work on projects as they come up. Networking is something that I have come accustomed to am continuing to build my group of people that I can refer to for advice and guidance, as well as people in the industries that I want to eventually work in.

            Even though we may think that we are always connected through social media, we are actually very much disconnected. We think that because someone is only a phone call away that we are constantly with someone. This is not true because we as human beings will never lose what that human interaction has to offer. It cannot be replaced with the Internet or anything else for that matter. Being in the presence of another human has zero replacement and as long as humans or any other mammal are living on this earth. There are a million other things that words cant give justice to that being in the presence of another and exchanging words can.

Works Cited

1. Antioch University. (2016, June 7). Retrieved on June 10, 2016Retrieved from                       http://www.antiochsb.edu/2016/antioch-university-santa-barbara-interpretation-services- commencement/

2. Harris, D. (2013, February 9). The Man Behind Google Docs Is Now Trying To Reinvent The Web App At Box. Retrieved on June 9, 2016. Retrieved from https://gigaom.com/2013/02/09/the-man-   behind-google-docs-is-now-trying-to-reinvent-the-web-app-at-box/

3. Turkle, S. (2013, April 19). Connected, But Not Alone? Retrieved on June 10, 2016.               Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rv0g8TsnA6c

4. Varner, H. (2014, November 7). 9 Ways Social Media Has Shaped Our Lives For The

Better. Retrieved on June 9, 2016. Retrieved from http://elitedaily.com/life/9-profoundly-positive-effects-social-media/823608/

Week 8 Social Media and Discussion Questions Assignment

1) After reading our lecture 8 items and watching The Curly Fry Conundrum, discuss the term "self regulation".

This can mean a few different things but I think the main point is that we are in control with what others see us as. Online can be a very scary place but if we do not want it to be a place where someone might be able to find out negative things about us then we should regulate what we share. Sometimes it can be difficult because others might post something about us and then others can see it that way. The only answer to this would be to not put yourself into situations where you are not comfortable explaining it to a future employer. 

2) Currently, there is a huge battle between 1st amendment privacy, information sharing, and data mining online. In your opinion, should we do away with online privacy and self regulating? Or should the government step in and start regulating online content?

I think the internet is amazing and at the rate it has progressed is something I dont think we ever knew was going to be possible. With that said there are sometimes going to be things out there about us that we do not like. It is open for virtually anyone to access and edit. I think for the most part the internet can be private if you want it to be. For people who are famous I know it is much more difficult to be private because people sometimes have nothing better to do than to spread drama. 

Week 6

1. Examine pros and cons of technology use in education. Student and Teacher use of technology in classrooms.

There are many pros to technology in the classroom. For one we have information at our fingertips in seconds. Anything that we may have needed to look up in a book for instance prior can be accessed immediately. Having virtually any kind of information accessible in seconds allows for student to learn at a rate that in the past was much slower. 

A con to having such advanced technology for students is that there are certain types of information that we now disregard and do not take in. We see it as a non-priority to remember certain things because we can just look them up on our phone. We are too reliant on the easy access of information that remembering certain phenomenon’s becomes obsolete.

2. Look at issues such as the Digital Divide (haves and have nots). People who cannot afford and have no access to technology or media are left out? Are schools assuming that we all can afford technology and requiring the use without taking into account affordability or accessibility?

This is a subject that I have never really given much thought until not. People that do not have technology in the world do have less information available to them, obviously. Nevertheless I believe that their quality of life is much more pure and their connection to others and the world is more meaningful. They are not attached to their cell phones and they really look at life differently.

As far as people that want to go to college but aren’t able to afford the technology that’s is necessary for certain courses in my opinion isn’t an issue. Schools usually will have the resources to get one through college successfully and even though it may take a little more effort to find what one may need in the library and what not, it can be accomplished. Having the latest and greatest phone and computer is a luxury and not a necessity.

3. Propose for more media literacy or more technology or media training.

Having the capability however to have access to a computer and a cell phone does make life for a college student much easier. Having that technology at your fingertips does make it so we have access to information and can accomplish things at the click of a button.

4. How about more education and training for both students and teachers in terms of proper use of technology.

Slowly but surely people are getting the hang of using technology and the core purposes of the advanced technology that we have today. Kids nowadays are so technologically advanced that they are teaching the adults how to properly look up and browse the internet and accomplish daily tasks online. It’s just like anything, the more you practice the more comfortable on will get.