CARS model

Many people including scholars as well as elder and youth generations would be interested when I say that the digital divide that occurs between generations is extremely broad. Everything in the world of technology has intensified and we continue to see a generation gap in technology. My question to you is will this generation gap ever be bridged? Do you think the division will ultimately get bigger? These questions are two opposite sides of the spectrum. Some authors and researchers believe the division will get bigger. They say that there is no way the division will get smaller. There will always be a big division. While some authors like Sutherland-Smith, Servon, and Kolodinsky would say there are ways to make this division smaller, just with a lot of people’s help. The authors that believe the division will get smaller are exactly correct. My main purpose of this essay is to convince you that the digital divide between generations will ultimately get smaller. All my sources are the best examples that most clearly showed the side I support. I start off with the methods I use when researching, then I will discuss the results of Sutherland-Smith’s journal article, Servon’s book, and Kolodinsky’s study. Over the course of my research, you will understand that it is vital to bridge the digital divide so that no one gets left behind in the heap of technological knowledge.

Chapter7&8 Quiz

The many supplemental articles I use are not necessarily argument of fact or argument of definition. I use both arguments of fact and arguments of definition to really make my point in Core 4. The authors of the articles I read in my research are there to help me better understand and argue my topic. I use a lot of factual evidence to back up my opinions. I argue that the generation gap in the digital divide will get smaller as the years go on. I did literature reviews of the many of the arguments that Kolodinsky, Sutherland-Smith, Newburger and Servon use. In the journal article “Bridging the Generation Gap Across the Digital Divide: Teens Teaching Internet Skills to Senior Citizens,” teens in 4-H clubs in different states tought elder people how to use a computer. The study showed many things including that there were many positive outlooks on the generations and it was a great learning experience for both generations. This study is one reason how the generation gap can be decreased. With the help of the younger generation we can try to bridge this division. Newburger is another example of argument of fact. His pdf file from the U.S. Census Bureau states many facts and different things about computers in households and how readily available they are. I used these facts as a basis to shape my opinion in how the younger generation will help in the division becoming smaller.

Sutherland-Smith though is more an example of argument of definition. She really tries to coin the term web literacy. She argues that the standard definition for the word is wrong and says the main goal of web literacy is so that students become proficient in accessing and analyzing information, so that a level of understanding can be reached. When this has been achieved, information has been converted to knowledge and can be used by the student to fulfill tasks or [it can be] stored for future reference. The implication for us as teachers is clear. If students do not gain these skills, they are disadvantaged and may, perhaps, suffer exclusion from global literacy communities (663).” Sutherland-Smith gave a lot of what Lunsford would call definitions by examples when she talks about the different teaching methods that can be utilized from her research.

Lastly, Servon is an example of both. She does exactly what I do in Core 4. She utilizes factual evidence when necessary to back up her argument of definitions. She mainly tries to reshape people’s minds and redefine digital literacy. She goes well into detail about the exact dimensions of the digital divide as in what communites people live and have access to the internet every year since 1994. Most of her evidnce was a lot of what I saw Newburger talking about in the census. Her “analysis was supported by empirical data resulting from extensive fieldwork in U.S. cities (277).” She finally talks about her recommendations and things for the future.

Overall I feel that my research fits very well together. I have a lot of different things to piece together and make it just right. By using the articles of different arguments making them into one argument. I feel my argument isn’t really argument of fact or definiton. When told to look more into what I thought my paper was and going into chapter nine and ten I feel that my paper is more of an evaluation. I am evaluating the different authors and reporting what I feel about them with my own definitions.

Inclass4/7

My research to date has been very substantial. My main thesis is arguing that the digital divide will get smaller over time. With the help of the authors Servon, Sutherland-Smith, and Kolodinsky supporting my claims I was able to argue that many people can help the division among generations. All the authors feel that there is many ways to make this division smaller.

The conversation between the authors really takes the stance that there is a digital divide and it will eventually get smaller with the help of many. Kolodinsky did a study that showed how 4-H club members went and taught elder people how to do certain things on a computer. The study ultimately showed there was help for both generations. Another author who had a great study was Sutherland-Smith. She sat in on web classes and library classes of grade six classes in a coeducational private school in the suburbs of Australia. In the library she reveals that the children tend to have a more leisurely attitude towards reading; during the web classes she found that they tended to think it was way faster and all about speed. With her findings she revealed many different teaching methods that would have worked for this new concept of “web literacy (669).” These new teaching methods will help not leave the kids disadvantaged or excluded from the “global literacy community (663).”

My only concerns with my research are that some of it may not make a whole lot of sense. I really need to focus in on tying everything together. I feel in some places I go into way to much detail when it is not really necessary. I also feel that without a few more authors supporting me it all won't make very much sense.

Core 1

Lizzy Cole

Professor Moody

8 February 2009

ENC 1102

Technology is becoming more dominant in our society. New innovations and digital technologies are found every day. Some people appreciate these new technologies, while others would say technology is just a burden. Pursuing a degree in Digital Media requires me to be very technologically savvy, and have a wide variety of skills in various software programs. According to Jesse Matos, a Harrington Group Simulation Engineer-Sr. Flash Developer, "The most important quality a person must possess is a willingness to learn, and continue to learn. Technology is an ever changing thing. Something useful learned one year maybe obsolete the next. So if one is serious about a career [in a technological field] they must be prepared to commit to staying in touch with what's going on in the world of technology” (Matos, 2009). Technology shapes my degree path in digital media, while at the same time social networking hinders my concentration and the technological trends that worry as well as excite me.

Choosing a major is one of the most important decisions a person has to make in their life. It ultimately leads students to a career that will support them for the rest of their lives. For many people making a decision on a single major is difficult. Taking web design classes all throughout high school helped me in my decision making process. These classes influenced me to choose a major that involved imaging and expressing my individuality through the digital world, hence the words Digital Media. According to Digital Media Alliance Florida, digital media is “the creative convergence of digital arts, science, technology and business for human expression, communication, social interaction and education." This major completely won me over because it involves so many of my passions.

Being in a field with digital technology, you must be able to cope with change; new technology is coming out constantly while old technology is trying to reinvent itself. Trying to learn about these advancements and how they work is what I do best. For instance, when a new program comes out that I really want to try, I will work hours on end just trying discover new things in it. Digital Media not only requires you to understand that technology is constantly changing, but it requires you to have a variety of knowledge in various programs (Matos, 2009). For example, a web administrator with a Digital Media B.A. should have an extensive knowledge in coding language, HTML, xHTML, CSS, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, Illustrator, and any other program used in creating and testing web pages (O*Net, 2010).

In Brandt’s essay College Communication and Composition, she talks mostly how communication is unavoidable and it is everywhere. She is completely right! Most people probably would not say they rely solely on technology, but I do. I take notes on the computer, I always have my cell phone and I’m always logging into my Facebook to check recent updates. Sometimes it is hard to actually get work done when these things are around. When you are taking notes in class you are just so tempted to click the “little E” on your toolbar and go on Facebook and chat with your friends.

Another thing that causes a hindrance is my cell phone. I love it, but at the same time I hate it. I love the fact that I can just shoot someone a text telling them where I am. But, I hate when people constantly text you and it is like they have nothing better to do. In a sense I feel that we rely solely on technology but it is not in a bad way. We all use technology everyday it is just a matter of how addicted some people get.

Some people on social networking sites get so caught up that they forget the concept of privacy. They will post anything to make them look cool, but if it is pictures you wouldn’t want posted on a newspaper they could actually harm you. Nowadays, jobs actually look at your Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, etc. to see what kind of character you have. Do you think a prestigious company would want to hire someone who is drinking underage and posting pictures of it? Do you think they would want to hire a girl who is drinking sloppy and is taking pictures on top of guys at a bar? The answer to these questions is No. No one wants to hire an underage drinker who tries to make him or herself look “cool” on a social networking site. They want to hire a reserved person who doesn’t have a bad reputation in the community.

Lastly, many people have some sort of technology trend that really excites or worries them. Whether it is a role playing game like World of Warcraft or a Facebook Application like Farmville they all have their common worries and excitement. A trend that worries me most is the intensity of role playing games and the amount at which they are played. Studies have shown that people will sit and play these games for hours on end until that is all they know. People often have a hard time distinguishing between reality and fiction, which often leads to violence.

Although these games can be intense people do not realize how exciting it is to actually sit and play one of these role playing games. For example, in Call of Duty, Modern Warfare 2 you can take the persona of someone else and complete missions as if it was yourself. Although there are a lot of people worrying about these role playing games, there is also controversy with Facebook applications like Farmville. In this game, you create a virtual farm in which you help your friends, harvest, plant and plow crops to get money so you can level up. All of these games evolve with different editions and newer prototypes just like technology does. Everything changes and you always need to be ahead of the game.

Overall, technology is an ever changing thing. If one is serious about a career in Digital Media they must be prepared to commit to staying in touch with what's going on in the world of technology. I have told you how technology influences my career and degree choices, how social networking and technologies hinder concentration, and how some technological trends worry and excite me.

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Works Cited

Brandt D. College Composition and Communication. Vol.49. No.2 (May,

1998). pp.165-185.

Digital Media Alliance Florida. DMAF. 6 February 2010 .

Matos, J. (2009, December 5). Harrington Group Simulation Engineer-Sr. Flash Developer. (E.

Cole, Interviewer)

O*Net Online. O*Net. 5 February 2010 .

Audience Analysis-Lizzy and Madison

Audience Analysis and Persuasive Writing at the College Level
By: Kathleen Black
According to the article, “research suggests that audience awareness, consciously using ideas about an audience to create or revise text could be a key factor in helping explain differences in writing ability.” The article is a study that gave half the participants given information about the audience and not to the other half. The results showed that the higher audience analysis the more persuasive. The author claims that higher levels of education with more audience analyses leads to higher level of persuasion present.

Audience Analysis and Persuasive Writing at the College Level. Kathleen Black. Research in the Teaching of English, Vol. 23, No. 3 (Oct., 1989), pp. 231-253. Published by: National Council of Teachers of English. Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/40171145

Core 1 Part 2

Jesse Matos, a Harrington Group Simulation Engineer-Sr. Flash Developer states "the most important quality a person must possess is a willingness to learn, and continue to learn. Technology is an ever changing thing. Something useful learned one year may be obsolete the next. So if one is serious about a career in this field they must be prepared to commit to staying in touch with what's going on in the world of technology." With this being said, my future endeavors require me to technologically advanced, and I am up for that challenge. Creating webpages, videos, and other digital things require me to have a well developed knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite, Flash and many other programs. In the digital industry it is vital to have a well diverse knowledge of many programs because that is one of the many things employers look for.

Core Part 1

If you were to ask anyone related to me they would tell you that I am technologically talented. I personally think I have a lot of room to improve, especially pursuing a Digital Media BA degree. As of this point in time I know a lot about the Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Word as well as other multimedia design programs. I love communication tools such as facebook, myspace, and the telephone.
For the future years to come I hope to have more knowledge on the New Adobe CS4 program. I hope to learn a lot about flash, After Effects, Fireworks, Final Cut and other design programs I don't know a lot about. I would love to broaden my horizons with programming tools like C++. Now, I know a little about Quick Books. If I want to open my own design company one day I will need to know a lot more in depth about this massive program. My road-map to success will include continuing my education and pursing my career diligently with good grades and internships. Then, I will have conquered my technological challenges and reached the goal that set out.