Mormon Message - Final Project

So, I have been delegated the website. It was actually bit more difficult than I had originally thought to make the website more appealing.

So there's a quick looksie at what our website is.

I actually had to create a whole new Google site because our original site wouldn't let me change the background and all that type of stuff. So our new link is https://sites.google.com/site/davearielshuan/
***Is it possible to change the URL?? If so, help please!***

There is more to be added still. I just put up some pictures of the cute kiddos and of the whole team. Hopefully by this weekend, we'll have a short teaser clip of the Mormon Message so we can get others excited too.

As far as connecting with other people, my Hall RA is actually a Film major and we all agreed that to have a connection like that would be useful seeing as to how we are trying to create a video. So I'm  hoping I'll be able to catch her sometime this week to tell her about our project, ask for some advice and tips, and invite her to our presentation.

The clock is ticking faster and faster it seems!!

Two Point. Oh!

Does anyone remember classrooms with chalkboards?

Has anyone NOT seen or used a SmartBoard?

Web Traffic

So the basic idea I've gathered from Web 2.0 is trying to "harness the power of the crowd", which seems to mean creating a web traffic jam. Trying to gain a large audience to whatever a user decides to put out on the web. I'd like to demonstrate this idea by comparing it to "vlogs" [video blogs].

A video blog concept is typically the same as any old blog like this one. But vlogs have seemed to expand to mini webisodes for entertainment and not just a cataloging of knowledge and ideas.

An example of a vlog webisode series would be the popular Youtubers --- SMOSH
Each video they post is intended for entertainment and they gain a huge audience with these videos that many people are interested in.

An example of a vlog that shares knowledge is Michelle Phan's make-up Youtube series. Although what she shares with the world isn't necessarily life-changing (to most) and will help solve the world's problems, she gets an enormous amount of traffic. Many people go to her Youtube page to learn how to do certain styles of make-up and she is very well-known in the web world. As I skimmed through her various videos, her view counts went from 500,000 to 3 million.

Popular blogs/vlogs that generate a big audience basically have those readers/watchers in the palm of their hand. I have a friend that basically religiously watches Michelle Phan's videos and gets all her makeup advice/tips/aid from her.

I found it amazing that regular, run-of-the-mill, ordinary people could become basically big stars.
I'm sure many have heard of the "teenage dream" - Justin Bieber [insert groan here], his career was launched by Mr. Bieber posting videos of himself singing online.

The main principle behind trying to gain a wide audience is to be consistent and diligent. If you were to look at any big blog/vlog, you'll notice that they consistently and regularly post.

Web traffic isn't a difficult thing to accumulate, it just takes the determination to get it. 

Little Kiddies

So last Saturday (November 20), David and I headed up to Salt Lake and got to interview his little niece and few neighborhood kids. Might I say how much fun little kids are! They just have a wonderful, different perspective of the world and their innocence is so sweet.

As David got the camera all set up and was making sure the sound was working, we explained to his niece of what he would ask her.

The funny thing was that she was talking all excitedly beforehand but once the camera turned on, she clammed up. It seems that all kids are a little camera shy. But David adjusted really quickly we were able to help warm the kiddies up a bit more.

It was such a great experience and it makes me more excited for our project.

Now, we are trying to decide on a name for our project...
I don't know why but the phrase "Let's play house!" keeps popping up in my head. Does anyone remember being young children and wanting to play house with a mommy and daddy and maybe even a cat or dog. I'm not sure if it matches exactly with our project but I suppose we'll discuss more later.

Tech Babies

Dalton's blog reminded me of this comic.Interestingly enough, this is what typically occurs with kids.
Another interesting thought that came to mind as I read his blog is how the different generations of youth was influenced by the media.
In high school, I would think each year how the new "freshies" seemed to get worse and worse each year. As I examined how the media has changed throughout the years, I've come up with a theory as to why those "freshies" seem to digress. Whatever is played on the radio, shown on TV, or put on the internet, kids WILL somehow be influenced. If the younger children actually think what is in the media is how the older 'kids' act, then they will idolize that particular behavior. Now, some of the media-inspired behavior does exist through all ages but those behaviors will become more wide-spread, as time has shown. Just a theory..

Baby It's Cold 'Inside'

Did you know the Romans innovated a cooling system for their outdoor theaters and even the Colosseum?
Sure, they were just awnings, but they fact they worked in an awning for the entire Colosseum is impressive.
It was known as the valerium. It consisted of a canvas-covered, net-like structure made of ropes, with a hole in the center. This roof covered two-thirds of the arena, and sloped down towards the center to catch the wind and provide a breeze for the audience. Sailors, standing on special platforms, manipulated the ropes on command. 

Ingenious.  

How's it going? -- the Final Project

So for our final group project, we are creating a Mormon Message video.

Here's the link to our Google Site --> Mormon Messages Final Project

After much discussion, we have decided that we will focus our video on Family. More specifically, love in families. We plan to interview little children and ask them certain questions and record their responses. David and Ariel found a wonderful talk by Henry B. Eyring, "Our Perfect Example"
David showed us "Out of the Mouth of Babes" today and it got me excited for the plans we have for this project.

On a side note, I'd REALLY like to thank David and Ariel for listening to my ideas and not immediately casting them aside. As a freshman in this course, I've felt farther behind than my peers and I feel that my group is very welcoming of my thoughts and ideas. I don't think they even know how great it is that I'm not immediately just labeled as that "dumb Freshman".

Neopets!

So I realized that I haven't done much "Create" digital labs. I looked around for different things I could create online but didn't find many that were of much interest. Then, I suddenly remembered...NEOPETS!
Note: I have not played this game in YEARS but even after years of inactivity, I signed back on and had the time of my life and probably wasted precious homework time to play the games to gain neopoints. Well worth it.
Neopets is a website where users can create these "neopets" that are basically weirdified versions of real-life animals.

The Wonderful Workings of Katherine Chipman

So my designated peer's blog to evaluate is Katherine Chipman
Her blog is: Learning...Expanding My Horizons

Another Reflection

Unrelated question: does anyone else think of the song from Mulan anytime someone says "Reflection??"

So the time has come again for me to reflect the past few weeks of Digital Civilization.
I've found that I have enjoyed some of the topics more than the last midterm. For example, the Industrial Revolution was a period I really had fun looking up facts for. Something I've realized as this class has continued, I can look for things about the historical periods that I'd actually be interested in studying and learning about more.
I think the problem I have sometimes is that I will spend 2+ hours researching and learning about the different class topics, but I won't be able to come up with anything I would be remotely be interested in blogging about. I figure why should I write a whole blog post about something that I really have no desire to blog about. I suppose I should still write something but how can I expect anybody to read my post if I have no interest in the topic at hand. For example, the Atomic Age, the most recent topic. While most would probably call me crazy for not finding anything interesting about it, but to me the Atomic Age = science. And I have no passion or the slightest interest in the science. I looked up how the Atomic bomb came to be and how Einstein helped progress the invention of it. I researched how the Atomic Age molded society into what it was today. But it didn't spark any fire in me to write anything about it.
I love the freedom that this class gives to allow me to research topics so that I can look for details that I would enjoy reading about. But sometimes I don't know how to relay the topics that I haven't seen any interest in.

As for computing concepts, it's been really interesting learning about all the different info Dr. Zappala has researched on. I find it really entertaining to see that he enjoys what he is teaching so much and it makes my learning experience that much better. Same goes to Dr. Burton with digital literacy and historical concepts. It's really nice to see teachers truly enjoy what they are teaching.

I think I am still trying to understand how I actually learn the best. Even though the class is more than half-way through, the process to understanding my self-directed learning is going to take much more than a semester. But I do believe that this class has helped speed up the process a bit.

Money Money Money...Must Be Funny

There is really nothing about economics that appeals me. I didn't even know what it really was until I took a personal finance class in high school. As I read the different articles about different economy theories, I realized that my misunderstanding of the economy is perfectly A-OK.
I had always thought that the economy was just there. Laissez-faire policy, literal translation: to leave alone or allow to do. The government just allows it to run on its own unless a national crisis occurs (kinda like now..). Well I noticed that throughout our nation's history, the economy has drifted to and remains heavily in control by the government. It is a constant debate in politics and many Americans vote based on how the candidates will help improve the economy.

Example:

Reaganomics::

President Reagan promised to lower taxes and domestic spending. He produced the 4 pillars to his theory

1. Reduce government spending,
2. Reduce income and capital gains marginal tax rates,
3. Reduce government regulation,
4. Control the money supply to reduce inflation.

The main idea behind Reagan's ideas is that "big-boss" companies and corporations were hampered by government intrusion.
While his general ideas were good, in reality, deficit spending increased greatly. The national debt went from 700 billion to over 3 trillion US dollars. Government spending had been cut but most of these cuts came through social programs like Education and Welfare.
Reaganomics did create income growth and that fact is now used to argue the plan worked and should be returned to.

What if...

Before my dreams to become a teacher, I had once hoped to become a psychologist. Mainly because I like to know, understand, and help with others' problems. I hadn't realized how much actually went into psychology.
There is SO much that goes into psychology, a lot of which is interesting. I will try and contain some of my excitement and try to inform only what is necessary...