Religion in Cyberspace

The vast majority of content related to religion and the online world are centered on western religions, most notably Christianity. This article focuses on the affects of cyberspace on several religions, including Christianity, as well as Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Shinto, Taoism, Animism, and some forms of Buddhism. It studies the scope of the migration of these religions to the online environment, and the things that hinder their migration.

There are many religions that are wary to allow worship in an online environment. Some ancient Japanese religions have not seen enthusiastic participation from their followers in cyberspace, and some point to that as proof that religion and technology do not mix well. Others take the view that, these same religions are mostly practiced by older believers and the younger more “Internet-savvy” do not affiliate themselves as much with the traditional religions. Another good point that this article makes is that people who live in an area where they belong to a religious minority are more likely to embrace online worship of their religion because they may lack the sense of familiar religious community in their offline environment.

I believe that this article does a great job of arguing the benefits as well as detriments to online religion. In most cases it works well and its followers have a place to worship and communicate together. Though there are a few cases where a religion is hindered by embracing this technologically advanced form of worship, I believe that most religions are capable of finding a way to make it work well for their followers without harming their moral values. The author seems to agree with this point when he says, “In short, contrary to 1990s prophesies of its imminent demise through the emergence of CMC (and related) technologies, religion appears to be here to stay. It is not only surviving but thriving in our "post-post-modern" world, both offline and in the venues provided by CMC.”

Ess, C. (2007). Cross-cultural perspectives on religion and computer-mediated communication. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(3), article 9. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue3/ess.html

Including contributions by: Akira Kawabata (Osaka University) and Hiroyuki Kurosaki (Kokugakuin University)

-Christopher

The Construction of Away Messages: A Speech Act Analysis

Jacqueline Nastri
Department of Communication
Cornell University

Jorge Peña
Department of Communication
Cornell University

Jeffrey T. Hancock
Department of Communication and Faculty of Computing and Information Science
Cornell University

Research suggests that "away messages" in instant messaging express informational and entertainment communicative goals while displaying a users' identity. This study investigated the extent to which these communicative goals are reflected in the language structure of away messages, by examining the speech acts performed through the production of 483 away messages crafted by 44 participants. The messages were also analyzed for the use of non-standard orthography and humor. The results show that the messages were constructed primarily with assertives, followed by expressives and commissives, but rarely with directives, confirming that away messages tend to reflect both informational and entertainment goals.

While some messages provide information about one's activities and others focus more on personal beliefs and mottos, what these messages all have in common is that they provide information regarding a user's current communication status (e.g., online/offline), activity, schedule, emotional state, etc., potentially offering cues for impression formation and the maintenance of social links. Through posting away messages, users can express their identity and maintain their sense of connection to their friends and family by providing them with a window into their lives.

Litmus Test for Website Diversity

Mapping Diversities and Tracing Trends of Cultural Homogeneity/Heterogeneity in Cyberspace

Elad Segev School of Politics, International Relations, & PhilosophyKeele University Niv Ahituv The Faculty of ManagementTel Aviv University Karine Barzilai-Nahon The Information School University of Washington


This article looked at the notion that increased internet and mass media usage would result in a loss of individuality, specifically cultural individuality, because of the tendency to create sites that appeal to the broadest segment of the population. Studies done by researchers attempted to compare and contrast the sites of companies that had a presence in several countries, seeing how they represented local culture.

They used a variety of measurements of colors, graphics, and other site features to gauge how each site was customized for it’s audience. Large U.S. based companies homepages were examined, and the findings were very interesting in some instances, denoting differences in presentation but not much in the way of a true reflection of the local preferences in how to be communicated to. The study then concentrated on MSN and Yahoo, citing that Yahoo’s high reliance on advertising may lead it to be more homogenous than MSN, which has a much lower advertising reliance.

Part of what the article touched on was how these two companies fared in detaching themselves from their U.S. based websites in terms of both appeal and content. Although the look of both of the sites differed in other countries, MSN had done more of the homework required to reflect true local tastes and customs, incorporating more of the dominant trait (masculinity, high-context, low-context etc) as it related to the geographical location. This ability to be able to customize more deeply may lie in fewer sponsors to please, and suggests that even in cyberspace control will eventually lie with the one who pays the most.

The article was primarily a research paper, with charts and graphs that showed how the information was obtained, but still raised some relevant points about which way we can expect to see the Internet going in the future, as more globalization pushes marketing closer to the native comfort zone. Questions about just who represents local customs will also have to be answered, further narrowing the focus and tailoring the message to cultures within the cultures.


Diana

Can we be friends? Developing friendships through Cyberspace.

“Making Friends in Cyberspace”
Malcolm R Parks, University of Washington
Kory Floyd, University of Arizona

Human relations in Cyberspace, what a concept! Looking back at the introduction of the World Wide Web I often wonder if the founder could have even imagined for a moment how this new environment would evolve. According to Parks and Floyd there are over “5000 Internet discussion groups today" and growing rapidly. This study reviewed cyberspace and friendships and they came up with four questions to lead their research. “How often do personal relationships form in Internet newsgroups, who has them, how close or developed do they become, and do relationships that started on line migrate to other settings?” (Parks, Floyd, pg1)

First question that was tested was how often relationships formed. Test conducted sampled different newsgroups by randomly selecting participants that were involved several times during a certain time period. A survey was emailed to those individuals and the results were then studied. Only 33% responded but of those 60% stated that they had formed a friendship through Cyberspace.

Second and third questions looked at “Who” has or is looking for a personal relationship through Cyberspace and how involved did they become. This was interesting, as in the past, often it was believed that those participating were either socially unlucky or extremely shy. Study showed this was not the case and in many ways was just the opposite. Study also showed that as one became more and more involved with a group of one or more they also began to self-disclose more personal information. It appears that these relationships were very real and friendships seemed to be evolving rapidly. Additionally individuals from all walks of life are getting involved. According to the Parks and Floyd, “It may be that developing personal relationships on line is more a function of simple existence than it is of demographic or personality factors.”

Last question, “Do on-line relationships migrate to other settings?” (Parks,Floyd, pg 9) Answer from this study was, yes they often do. 63% reported that at some point there on-line conversations eventually went off-line. Forms of communication ranged from the telephone, postal service and 33% met face-to-face. Authors note that assumptions about on-line relationships remaining on-line are incorrect and many times do lead to other forms.

Both authors agree that more research needs to be conducted to really determine exactly how broad human relation’s has become through Cyberspace. It is however apparent that communicating through cyberspace has become another way for people to meet others with like interests or just to be social. Even using basic email has become very personal through the use of idioms and images.

Opinion:
There are many ways in which each of us can become involved. Have you explored any of these opportunities? As I was doing this project I thought about what life would be like without Cyberspace and the ability to communicate with others through it. Are we losing value in having a face-to-face conversation? In many ways I don’t believe we are. My opinion is that communication through Cyberspace is just another method of interacting with others.

Parks, Malcolm, University of Washington & Floyd, Kory, University of Arizona. (1996) Making Friends in Cyberspace. Journal of Communication 46(1). http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol1/issue4/parks.html

Nicole Johnson

Impression Formation in Cyberspace: Online Expectation and Offline Experiences in Text-based Virtual Communities

Impression Formation in Cyberspace: Online Expectation and Offline Experiences in Text-based Virtual Communities
David Jacobson
Department of Anthropology
Brandeis University


“You know how we do, just give me my fried chicken and watermelon!” What comes to mind when one reads a statement such as this? Well that depends on your cultural upbringing, attitudes that were instilled in your youth or nothing at all. As the saying goes, “ Perception is everything”. People form, subconsciously or consciously, impressions through textual and auditory cues in a virtual environment. In short, we are all guilty of stereotyping in some way, shape or form and that plays a vital role in how we communicate with people as a whole, particularly with online communication.
Jacobson describes different theories of categorization as it relates to communication. With a classical theory, there are like commonalities that exist within the virtual group. Any person in that group without like qualities of the majority makes the classical category incomplete. So here I ask the question, are there any true or clear-cut classical theories? I would argue not. But a gentleman by the name of E. Rosch does a great job of naming the clearest case of category membership entitled prototypes. It is a person’s ratings of how good an example of a category another person is judged to be. In my terms, I would call this character profiling or loosely put, stereotyping. The common person is well aware of social stereotypes because they are typically used in the media or in public forums such as the media or Internet. Examples are “Uncle Tom, Princess or stud” There article goes on to discuss how exposure to differing stereotypes can ultimately alter our perception of those stereotypes.
We also form opinions of others simply by the way others write. For example, we may label someone ignorant simply because that person unknowingly failed to use the spell check function on the keyboard or we may think someone is acting in an urban fashion or “ghetto” if someone writes the sentence that I mentioned in the first paragraph.
And lastly, we may inadvertently visualize what people look like based off of their usernames online and as a result communicate with them in a particular way because of it.
So my point in this blog is to never judge a book by its cover because online, people will only reveal to other what they choose to.

Nicole Nyabiosi

Internet Social Interaction

Psychological Predictors of Internet Social Communication

Sarah A. Birnie and Peter Horvath Acadia University, Canada

This study was focused on the relationship of traditional social behavior to social communication via the Internet in a completely wired campus where every professor uses computers in classroom teaching, each residence is wired to the Internet, and every student is issued a laptop computer. The goal of the study was to see the differences in social interactions through internet communication versus verbal interaction, thus seeing if the two mediums were different in outcome. For those people who are more shy, this study targets them to evaluate the chances that they become less shy when social interaction is not a part of the matrix.

I found this study to be interesting in the arguments that were presented. A handful of the arguments were as follows: Do people interact more with friends and family via online resources, or verbal interaction? Does the internet supplement traditional means of social behavior? Is speaking the same as writing, in the context of social interaction? Has online communication broken the traditional assumptions given by personal interaction?

After reading the article, I found asking myself questions and what the definitions I would give them were. I asked myself, “What do I define as a friend?” “How active am I in my family?” “Do I value online communication versus traditional means of communication relative to my own established methods?”

The first question of study, the interaction of friends and family with online methods or verbal methods, is answered by the definition I would give for a friend. I do not think that anyone can have too many friends, but at what length do I consider a person a friend? I think that a true friend is someone who would do exactly what I would do for them. I want to know that I can rely on my friends in a time of need, just as they would of me. The level of support does not warrant exhausting forms of wealth or time, but a two way street of acts that people who care about each other do for each other must apply. I know that my friends will watch my house if I need them to and I know that my friends will be there if something horrible happens to myself or other family. I know that in times of joy and happiness, my friends will be there to bare witness and share in these times. All of these acts I would do for a friend as well. If one wishes to be truly wealthy in life, the measurement of worth is found in what one person calls a friend. The stock invested in those we choose to surround ourselves with is shown by the return when the time comes for need.

I do not interact with friends online as much as the study would indicate for the target study group in the experiment. I chose to have a higher level of standards for my definition of friend. This does not mean that other people’s friends are not true friends, but for what I call friend is contingent solely on my own terms. Family interaction is also along the same lines of friends in my mind. Blood runs thicker than water, but in my own thoughts, my friends are an extension of my family. I have family by blood that will never come close to the friends that I have. For this argument, I interact with those whom interact with me. If family does not involve themselves with my life and I do not involve myself in their lives, than we are at a wash for interaction. Perhaps I have a warped sense of reality.

When the study is asking if the internet supplements traditional social behavior, there is a mixed feeling when I approach my answer. I do not think that it supplements the entire traditional social behavior because no matter what a person can do hiding behind a computer, there is still going to be a need to build confidence in the world we are surrounded in. Unless we manage to completely hide in our homes, we will still have a need to have traditional social interactions. For the purpose of this study, I can be reasonably confident that the internet supplements traditional social behavior. I caveat this statement that it is for the purpose of this study that I agree with the argument.

In regards to the question of speaking being the same as writing, in the context of social interaction, I think it does in the area of when one was brought up in regards to time. Grandparents are probably less likely to send an email as opposed to writing a letter, Parents are more likely to call as opposed to write a letter, and the current generations, (with fuzzy lines of intersection) will most likely send an email versus a lengthy conversation. A “norm” is contingent once again on the time that something can be defined as normal. Visiting and writing were perfectly normal when these were the modes of communication readily available for the time eras in which these lines of communication were present. Once the phone began to replace a large amount of letter writing, this was more normal than writing lengthy letters. The progressions of less timely methods of communication have been exponentially increased with the digital age.

Has online communication broken the traditional assumptions given by personal interaction? I believe that in large, it has. While I would prefer to write a letter or call someone on the phone, this does not lessen the social interaction that my future children will have with friends. Grammar, diction, and other literary skills are still fostered by manners of speech and books. The means in which one speaks to another has no less impact as if it were done ten, fifty, or even a hundred years ago. I would like to see more grammar in interactions, but this is a personal wish. What is given in a transfer of information is valued at what level the transaction was given, as well as to the audience received.

I would recommend anyone to peruse this article. It raises a decent amount of questions within a person’s thoughts. I think that anyone would be surprised to discover what one comes up with for their own definitions on communication and the level of social interaction we chose to endeavor upon.

http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol7/issue4/horvath.html

Good-bye!

Classmates of COM 215,
Thank you for all your information that you have shared with me this last 8 weeks. For being a nurse this class has been a difficult one because most of it was new terminology. Thank you for making the process easier! Good luck in your futures!
Janice

Community or group of individuals?

'Beyond The Community Concept: A symbolic interactionist perspective on online social relations' by Jan Fernback New Media & Society, Feb2007, Vol. 9 Issue 1, p49-69, 21p

This article starts with a thought-provoking comparison of what community means, and, in particular, what online community means. The idea of technology being the great despoiler of community is debated very effectively, offering an alternative look at how instead of ruining it, it has enhanced and, in many instances, created and nurtured it where none existed before. At the same time, it questions whether the term 'community' should be applied to an online group at all, arguing that the word itself is too suggestive of a preordained concept.

The article further explores the nature of 'real' versus 'virtual', stating 'The distinction between the real and the virtual has become much less useful as the internet is firmly ingrained in daily cultural existence.' The author goes on to cite several studies that demonstrate how community is achieved in cyberspace, and how it is being utilized by the people who participate in things like chat rooms, blogs, and the like.

The purpose of the article is to give the results of the study that precipitated it, where members of different online communities were asked to give their feedback and answer questions about what they thought of the online experience. The information that was gathered shows the contradictory way people think about the internet, and also the way it reflects their own ideas about community.

Relax. They're Just Words :)

This, like most of you, is my first time actually blogging. On the other hand, I have read a few blogs along with the comments that follow. Because of a simple misunderstanding, these comments can become extremely intense. Without facial expressions or voice inflections words can easily be misinterpreted. The article ‘Lower the Temperature When Blogging Turns Heated’ briefly gives suggestions on how to steer clear of nasty fights with words.

Sometimes it is obvious that there is no logic behind what people write. They post it just to be nasty. Responding to these types of posts only gives them fuel to continue. Rather than retaliating simply ignore it. Keeping silent, however, is not always the correct response. In some cases you do have to respond so that you do not leave a bad impression. A war of words can become civilized “if approached with wit and a spirit of fair play" (Goldsborough, 2007). The argument becomes a game when the responses are not diminished to personal attacks. The following is a list of a few suggestions the author has to keep the game interesting:

Bring research & logic to arguments
Look for inconsistencies in opponents arguments
Concede when necessary
Praise opponent for impressive tactics
Regard it all with amused detachment

The web address for the Blogger's Code of Conduct (http://blogging.wikia.com/wiki/Blogging_Wikia) created by Tim O'Reilly was given. Here you can add what you think is missing or make changes to the current Blogger's Code of Conduct entries.

Goldsborough, R. (2007, September 10). Community College Week. Lower the Temperature When Blogging Turns Heated. 20(2). 15.

Is There a Social Cyber Class?

Who knew there was such a variety of Social Network Sites (SNS) other than the infamous MySpace? Apparently, there are several others, and in her article "Whose Space? Differences Among Users and Non-Users of Social Network Sites"(http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1hargittai.html), Eszter Hargittai sets out to address the question of the potential systematic differences between SNS users and non-user, as well as why users choose one site over another.

In February and March of 2007, over 1,000 first year students from the University of Illinois participated in this study to evaluate how different kinds of people use online social network sites and their services. Not surprisingly, 88% of the participants are regular SNS users, and 74% use at least one particular site often. In fact, only one student in the survey had never heard of any of the six sites referenced in the research study. The six sites are Facebook, MySpace, Xanga, Friendster, Orkut, and Bebo. However, because of extremely low usage, Orkut and Bebo excluded from the data tables.

Facebook is uniquely different from the other sites in that it initially restricted membership to people with an affiliation to an institution of higher learning, clearly leveling out the demographic landscape. However, just recently, Facebook opened its membership to all users, perhaps to better compete with the newer and popular MySpace.

The results of the study showed that Facebook, MySpace, and Xanga sites have the highest hours of Internet usage. It also revealed specific relationships between race, ethnicity, and parental education as predictors of SNS usage. For instance, Xanga and Friendster are ranked as the leading SNS with Asian and Asian American students, perhaps due to their popularity in the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysian, and Indonesia. In this study sample, Hispanic students are significantly more likely to use MySpace than their White counterparts. But most interestingly, students whose parents have lower levels of education are more likely to use MySpace, while students whose parents have higher levels of education are more likely to use Facebook as their social network.

To answer the question of whether or not there there is a Social Cyber Class, I would say there definitely is. Factors in deciding social network sites are no different than choosing the school one wishes to attend, or the person to date or marry, or the car to purchase, and so on. I agree with Eszter Hargittai that our online persona is merely a reflection of our offline identity.

Yvonne

IM Relationships - Intimate Relationships or No?

Friendships through IM: Examining the Relationship between Instant Messenger and Intimacy. Yifeng Hu, Jacqueline Fowler Wood, Vivian Smith, Nalova Westbrook, The Pennsylvania State University.

As the world of technology evolves, communications in face-to-face interactions is being replaced with the use of many cyberspace devices. This article focuses on the relationships that can be formed using the tool of Instant Messenger (IM).

Although Instant Messenger is more popular with the traditional college student than any other sector of society, its use continues to grow in all sectors and cultures in society. The traditional personal relationship theory suggests that communicating through the use of IM would lead to more uncertainty in a relationship because you have a higher degree of uncertainty in how to behave or how your partner may behave. Additionally, theories of relational development specify the importance of the physical appearance, especially in a romantic relationship.

An additional challenge to communicating with Instant Messenger is the lack of non-verbal language. Some challenge that since you can't literally read tome or view facial expressions, the communications can't be as intimate as a face-to face interaction. : ) Contrary to this belief the study demonstrates the opposites through a survey of college students using IM. The study indicates that relationships through IM actually allow for more self disclosure and encourage making a face-to-face meeting more interesting.

Opinion:
Based on the information presented in this article, and the fact I have college kids, I believe that IM is an excellent instrument by which you can maintain long distance communications, as well as develop intimate relationships. Although you lack non-verbal gestures in the conversation : ), once you have established a relationship that you know your party well, you can "read between the lines" while communicating in cyberspace.

http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol10/issue1/hu/html

Save money by reaching out to more people!

Over the past 20 years, advertising and marketing have had a dramatic facelift; it was common place to view advertisements in your favorite magazine or on billboards passing by. Nowadays however, it is more common to see them spread throughout the World Wide Web. The Web is home to every topic imaginable and contains videos from music to “do-it-yourself.” Video hosting websites are the new rage and receive hundreds of thousands of hits each day. Youtube.com alone adds 65,000 new videos daily, equivalent to sending 75 million emails.

Thomas Clark of Xavier University and Julie Stewart of the University of Cincinnati decided to take advantage of this new medium to promote the Xavier Entrepreneurial Center (XEC). Some of the reasons Clark and Stewart were attracted to this idea was because video can be created fairly easily, there is minimal cost to created and upload, free hosting of the video, and more importantly, there is free distribution. Clark and Stewart were aware that videos have become superior to text by the mere fact that watching a video is more impressionable then reading text.

They began with a five minute video and after having it approved by their Board of Trustees, uploaded to YouTube.com along with three other video hosting websites. Within the first week, they received 700 viewings, ranking it 83rd for most watched videos that week. They then added the link of the University’s website and in the next three months, received 1,300 more hits.

With such a positive response to the video, the Development and Admissions Offices contacted their department to ask for more information and to obtain copies of the video to pass out to use as a marketing tool for the University. They began to show the video at many different events and it continued to impress. Over time, they realized that the video could edit the video to include up to date pictures, interviews, and news. In the video, they included alumni award winners and would have a short review of each recipient. One of the awardees’ was so impressed with the recognition he and his family received from the video, that he was prompted to give $3 million to the entrepreneurship program.

Clark and Stewart credit three areas for their success. The first is placement of the video link on the website. By making it easy to navigate to, it was less of a hassle to get to. The second is the planning of the video shoots. By mapping out specifically when the video should be updated, it was easy to keep it up to date. Finally, they credit how cost effective and innovative this medium is for them and everyone else. Their message was displayed to those would normally would not open their mail.


Conly Davidson

Cyberspace and Self-Disclosure - Who am I?

“Degree and Reciprocity of Self-Disclosure in Online Forums”

Barak, Azy & Gluck-Ofri, Orit (2007). Degree and Reciprocity of Self-Disclosure in Online Forums. Vol.10. Cyberspace & Technology.

The article I chose to write a review on focuses on an area that I find to be quite relevant and real in today’s world. As Barak and Gluck-Ofri state, “Cyberspace has become a social environment in which people interact and operate in many ways.” Within this environment the question that many have, including the psychology world is how one interacts in a virtual world. Is self-disclosure easier to convey in an online environment than in a face-to-face interaction?

The study they conducted looked at two social environments, discussion forums and online support groups. Types of disclosures closely researched consisted of what types of information, thoughts and feelings were conveyed through first messages and responses received. The study group used included both a male and female gender, however were not age specific. Results indicated that of the participants more respondent’s self-disclosed information in an online support group than in discussion forms.

Online communication emerges in all facets of life. Psychologists understand that this is a market of great value as well as an opportunity of influence if more individuals move towards utilizing an online social environment.

Questions still remain however as to how well we know how individuals really self-disclose personal information in a virtual world. The authors agree that more thorough research needs to be conducted before determining that this environment will benefit from that type of forum. I could not agree further. We need to be extremely careful in making an assumption that online environments are safer for disclosure than in a face-to-face interaction.

Nicole

Who is watching your kids?

Technical means is on the fringe of the communications bubble, but I find it relevant in the sense of the capabilities it has to offer. The article I chose covers the wireless internet and the attachments that come with the data and it's placement on the web. One aspect of the article is to equip schools with wireless internet hubs in order to reach the students and provide access to the internet without running cable and hardwiring the schools with gear that will eventually have to be replaced.

The other points in the article have to deal with equipping students with smart card technology in order to, in a sense, track the students whereabouts. This is a double edged sword in the sense that not only will the administrators know the students whereabouts in time of emergency, but also if the neffarious little deviants are smoking in the parking lot.

There are some great issues that this article raises in the advantage for going wireless in the school. The ability to go mobile releases the constraint of having computer equipped rooms as opposed to rooms that have no access. As the times change, so does the class environment. This eliminates the need to restructure classrooms and allows for the ability for every classroom to be computer enhanced when the time comes.

Another plus for a wireless environment is the student population control. If each student is issued a smart card, than the access for each class room is controlled to the appropriate students and faculty that need to be there. In terms of security, there is a limited number of avenues for an intruder to cause havoc because if you deny them service to an area they are limited to where they can roam. Just look at the number of school shootings and we can see how the limitation of access could have prevented even one loss of life. On the flip side of this coin, in the event of a disaster, the location of students can be limited to the nearest work station as opposed to a full sweep of the environment. This cuts down time in reaction and also a certain level of confusion given the need for evacuation.

The disadvantages to this capability is the ability for an outside entity to exploit the capabilities. No matter how secure a network is, a broadcasted RF signal can be intercepted and depending on the dedication of those intercepting, any algorithm can be broken. This not only defeats the purpose of security, but also gives the intruder an advantage. Knowledge is power, but sometimes it is too much power. Any denial of service attack on an institution renders the intent of security null and void.

Secondly, students are not going to be perfect candidates for a "Big Brother" minded operation. Just because the smartcard is telling the administrator it is in class does not mean that the student is physically present. In order to enforce this concept, the traditional mindset of role and accountability needs to be altered to ensure the full number of components are in place. It would be simple to have one student hold on to a badge while another is out on the football field professing their love to another. Another downside to presenting wireless internet to schools has to do with location and construction of physical entities. If the school has one type of construction as opposed to another, the full ability to transmit might change based simply on concrete versus stick build. A school located in an urban environment might suffer interference as a school located in a highly dense RF surrounding might suffer dropouts on the transmission.

Budget also as a large say in the implementation of a wireless environment. A traditional landline capability might benefit any school more simply because the quality of service is relatively stable. Some districts just might not be able to afford a wireless environment, even with federal support. Overall, this is a great point to debate as technology becomes more and more present in our daily routine. Only time will tell as to where and what the future holds for schools and the never ending need to prepare the students of today with the abilities of tomorrow.

The Cyberspace Deceivers

I chose the article, “Deception in Cyberspace: a comparison of text-only vs. avatar-supported medium."

Have you ever wondered if the person you are communicating with online is being honest or deceitful? This article studies the common tendencies of online liars, scam artists, and predators. It is not focused on the common email virus and phishing scams, but is centralized around a less expected form of deceptive cyberspace behavior. It focuses on the differences between their actions using text-only based communication, like a chat room or instant messenger, as well as avatar based communication, like a multiplayer game or an online world, such as Linden Labs’ Second Life (www.secondlife.com). An avatar is an online representation of a person, such as a character in a video game (3D avatar) or a graphical representation in an instant messenger (2D avatar). Since the internet is becoming a haven for scam artists and sexual predators, being able to spot these modern day deceivers could be very beneficial for the average cyberspace user.

The author conducts an experiment with a large group of undergraduates to determine several differences between deceptive personas and truthful personas across different online mediums. The results of the study conclude that a deceiving person will experience much higher anxiety levels when communicating via text-only platforms, and are extremely less anxious when communicating through an avatar. This proves that a deceptive person is much more comfortable deceiving someone from behind “a mask” and is also more likely to choose or design an avatar that looks less like them. The average user seems to be more likely to trust someone that is portrayed by a three-dimensional avatar such as in an online game, but their level of trust did not change between someone using no avatar, or using a two-dimensional avatar in an instant messenger. A common tactic used by a deceiving male would be to create a female avatar, which for many people can seem more trustworthy.

This article has brought several things into question. How can someone ever really trust a stranger online? Is the comfort level of a deceitful person using a three-dimensional avatar, such as those found in online video games, dangerous for our children? How can you tell the difference between someone that is being truthful and helpful, from someone that is being deceitful and attempting to scam you? I guess these are just some of the sacrifices we have to make to be able to have such personal freedom in cyberspace.

Galanxhi, H. & Fui-Hoon Nah, F. (2007). Deception in cyberspace: A comparison of text-only vs. avatar-supported medium. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, 65, 9, 770-783.

-Christopher

"Culture in the Online Class: Using Message Analysis to Look Beyond Nationality-Based Frames of Reference" by Anne Hewling.

"Culture in the Online Class: Using Message Analysis to Look Beyond Nationality-Based Frames of Reference" by Anne Hewling.

in an online classroom, we are , in essence, able to combine our work and educational lives. Because of this, the typical student can vary in educational, cultural, national or even international backgrounds and circumstances resulting in a possible strain or confusion in the virtual classroom. The online classroom is an up and coming third culture and it typically seen as a “doing” culture. This culture is an on-going process and is normally judged on how much one contributes to the class. It is an ongoing and active process. It is measured by enactive work such as posting to forums, adding to discussions and editing our work in an acceptable manner to our classmates and instructor. Message analysis and the rules of engagement are thoroughly explored as it typically adds or deducts from the perception of the person writing the message. To properly analyze the message, researching the culture in the online classroom is paramount. Topics such as power distance, uncertainty avoidance, and individualism verses collectivism should be explored if students and teachers seek to better understand one another in the online environment

There was a study done by and Australian university whereby two classes were based in an Australian university with face to face interaction in addition to a large number of distance students. Identical teaching materials and the same tutorial team was used. Some students were of Australian nationality and some were not. Other lived around the world. The results showed that online activity regarding postings seemed too much higher for non-Australians. With some variations, the non-local participation was consistently higher than local groups. The study suggests that students sharing a common nationality would also share some common communicative practices. discusses the need for a new approach for the transnational globally recruited online class and questions how culture in the classroom is understood and explored if we already have our own ideas of what that culture is. How fitting is it that we “played” our personas to better understand how culture plays a vital role in the learning environment. We are already on to that approach! I believe this article breaks down preconceived notions about online communication that we all carry, consciously or sub-consciously.

Right To Remain Silent With A Keyboard?

Miranda Rights and Cyberspace Realities:
Risks the "Right to Remain Silent"

What constitutes the right to remain silent relative to cyberspace? This article focuses on person's rights in cyberspace and whether the World Wide Web carries the same legal rights as the US Constitution demands, persons rights under the Miranda Law to remain silent. Part of the controversy here is who owns the rights to the information when you are on the web. If you are practicing unethical or illegal behavior from your office, then technically your organization owns the right to anything you do or say in cyberspace. In other words, you don't always own the "evidence" that could be used against you in a legal matter.

Since the law provides that other means of communications must have a court order to monitor conversations and violate privacy for the protection of society, the question arises as to whether or not cyberspace communications should hold the same protocol. People using the Internet assume their conversations are private when in fact all Internet activity can be monitored.

Opinion: Our world as US citizens has dramatically changed since September 11, 2001. In order to protect the majority of society our government has been forced to invade our privacy in many facets of our lives. Although I do believe that the FCC should enforce the laws surrounding Internet privacy, I also recognize the opportunity to catch predators, terrorists, and criminals in general. People who use the Internet for these purposes should be smart enough to know that just about anything is traceable on a computer.
Criminals give up the right to remain silent when using the Internet, it is just another form of speaking, using a keyboard.
Ann M Olney

Cyber Therapy?

I chose to review “The Art of Blogging” by Kate Anthony, Counselling & Psychotherapy Journal, Nov 2004, Vol. 15 Issue 9, p38-39, 2p, 1c. The title of this article may lead one to believe it would include helpful information for potential new bloggers to hone their blogging skills. On the contrary, the article should be titled “The Art of Blogging in Counseling and Psychotherapy”, as the author aims “to demystify blogs, and show how important they may become for the profession and the future of therapy from theoretical, ethical and legal standpoints.” The author suggests that practitioners should use other avenues rather than the traditional face-to-face communication with their patients, such as the Blogoshere (the area in cyberspace used by bloggers). While the article provides an interesting and somewhat humorous insight into the prospect of using this form of counseling and psychotherapy, I can’t help to consider some disastrous effects.

First, my obvious reaction is that if a patient is unable to effectively communicate issues with their therapist, perhaps they should find a new one. But a much bigger concern is the type of feedback and advice users will receive. Another consideration would be a self-destructive personality my draw others into their world, or vise versa. The negative possibilities seem endless, but perhaps, if the therapist continually monitors the feedback and postings, this may be a viable alternative to traditional counseling session. However, the article provides little information on the research conducted to support the effectiveness of this form of therapy. Without additional trials and research on the concept, I would be cautious to have clients participate in this type of therapy.

Yvonne

Is this the real world or just cyberspace?

The article I choose was: How an Issue in Cyberspace Shifts to the Real World: Three-Stage Cyber-Issue Diffusion (CID) Model. Shin, Hochang. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, 2005 Annual Meeting, New York, NY, p1-25.
This article is about a study conducted to show the characteristics of communication in cyberspace with the focus how an issue is formed, diffused, and amplified to the extent that is arouses collective action in the off-line world.
The study was to show that issues brought up in the offline world were fueled by mass media that set the tone of the issues that are influential or important to that society and collective action is taken on most of issues. In the online world Internet users bring up the issues in cyberspace and only a handful are amplified into real action. The article asks the question if it is possible that if cyberspace has a life cycle like one in the off line world.
The Three-Stage Cyber-Issue Diffusion (CID) Model was then created. The three stages are issue forming, diffusion, and action. In the forming stage, an issue is raised by an individual. The issues is not limited to anyone or anything. Diffusion, the issue is diffused to websites or freeboards, and then amplified by other mass media websites. Off line begins to take on the issue now for further amplification. To the mass media, the issue is taken as not important issues and may fade away. Action, issue is amplified that it facilitates real collective action in the off-line world. The issue is amplified because of active involvement and increased interaction between cyber-media and mass media. Therefore, to make the long story short, off-line mass media like the news or a newspaper are the most influential media type that affects the issue throughout the overall issue cycle.
My thoughts: The internet has a wealth of information.. But with the news being broadcast and the newspaper in front of you, it would be more difficult to tune those out. On the computer, just press close and you are done with it.
Janice

Giving up a portion of your freedom

Johnson, Dan. "Anonymity and the Internet." The Futurist (July 2000):12.Acedemic OneFile. Gale.BCR Regis University.10 Oct 2007

The right of privacy on the Internet is a clear problem not only for underage persons but also for the average user that does not want big brother watching. The director of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), Mark S. Frankel, clearly agrees on this point although anonymous communication is fast becoming a problem. Frankels view "The consensus view of the conference was that the positive value of anonymous communication more than offsets the dangers of abuse…" Although he agrees that abusers that impersonate, give false information, spread viruses and engage in other criminal acts are a problem, he gives ideas on how to solve the problem. Suggestions like monitoring with a warrant and "Inoculate the public" seem a little scary but probably necessary because of the obvious resources that criminals can and are feeding upon.

Opinion: Firmly in favor of strict privacy laws, I am at odds with the potential intrusion that inevitably would happen if legislation were put in place to monitor chats or blogs. I have to conclude that in order to protect our freedom we must give up a portion of it. -Teresa

Misspellings too?

Teleki, Margot W. "Lost in cyberspace. " New Jersey Law Journal. (Nov 13, 2006): NA. Academic OneFile. Gale. BCR Regis University. 20 Oct. 2007

This article is written as almost an advertisement for lawyers to have a web site with specific features. If it weren’t for slightly critical remarks, one would think this is for an advertising firm. Rather, it tells of the content that people are looking for in this rushed and impatient world. The author, Margot W. Teleki, says that the key to a successful site is the key words that it contains. This is a view that makes sense, but I personally have never thought. Of course the person that is looking for an attorney would first use a search engine to find one. Key words such as the location or kind of attorney would be the logical place to start. If the site does not contain these vital words than of course the site will be skipped and business lost. She comes across in a matter-of-fact kind of way that caught my attention from the start. Teleki also states that one should include common misspellings of the firm’s name and the misspellings of the attorney’s names also. Clever girl. Blogs were also mentioned as a use on an attorney’s site. This would be very interesting to see although I have never seen this on an attorney site. I like her ideas, and I would bet that one would be smart to follow them. -Teresa

Factors Affecting Student’s Decisions to Use Distance Learning: Research Study

Most throughout the world recognize the value of education. Few of literacy dispute the intellectual power and freedom of expression that knowledge provides. Although, for many, attendance at traditional brick-and-mortar institutions is not an option. For these individuals, employment of click-and-mortar via distance learning remains the only viable option. Although, debate continues relative to pros and cons surrounding both the value and application of this medium as a means both of dispatching and acquiring a quality education.

For many, distance learning remains the only viable medium through which to acquire an education – dispute relative to quality notwithstanding. This fact remains a simple mechanism of geographical, social, and economic condition. Scribing a boundary around treatment of this topic, distance learning remains openly defined as that learning characterized by the separation either in time and/or in space either of the teacher and/or the student as facilitated, in modern times, by technology.

One may make the case that distance learning commenced with the exchange of songs in antiquity. One could also make the case that distance learning commenced with the exchange of written information via the exchange of scrolls in ancient times. Although many modern scholars would rather flatter themselves into thinking that distance learning began more recently with advertisements listed in the Boston Globe in 1728 (Everett and Pershing, 1989). Regardless demarcation pursuant to the beginning, distance learning has matured over time. Shiao-Chuan (2002) suggests that some of these advancements include:
• Broadcasting “School over the Air” in 1966 with radio
• Broadcasting “Junior College over the Air” in 1977 with television
• Broadcasting as a medium, with Television and radio remaining a core staple of distance learning throughout the ‘60’s to the ‘80’s.
• Time delayed collaboration via networked classrooms emerged in the ‘90’s
• Flexible internet-based distance learning emerged strong post 2000

Among the pros and cons of distance learning, the research survey sought to quantify and qualify myths, perceptions, and assertions. The study spanned gender. As well, the research crossed boundaries of those working full time as opposed to those who were full time students – including a mix thereof. The principle objective remained the production of output sufficient to quantify and qualify specific areas of focus relative to improving the quality of education for distance learners.

Assertions going into the study related the “good” with alternative methods to acquire knowledge, availability for working adults and others through the progression of distance learning to higher education for which previously no viable alternatives existed, the ever increasing audience of individuals participating in distance learning. Suppositions entering the study led researchers to postulate an outcome – for which they awaited output of the survey against which to match.

Equally, assertions going into the study related the “bad” with a perception that programs are driven by individuals focused on the technology rather than the absolute educational requirements, curriculum development being led by individuals whose focus remains technology-driven as opposed to being driven by best practice and educational requirements of the students, and finally a difficulty in knitting together social and cultural needs around best practices to be later shored by technology in delivery of distance learning.

With this framework at hand, researchers set out to document statistical facts surrounding the assertions. Among those, a focus area was that of students who work full time while attending school; seeking therein to determine if these individuals held a higher priority surrounding time flexibility and physical location vs. students who do not work full time. Another focus area was that of students working full time and attending school; seeking therein to determine if these individuals had a higher value for the reputation of the institution and its educators. The final focus area was that of students who already expend an inordinate amount of time on the computer; seeking therein to determine if these individuals had a divergent perception surrounding the application of technology relative to distance learning vs. a student with minimal existing exposure.

Researchers found that motivators for distance learning include career development, collaboration with other students possessing diverse backgrounds and socializing with those individuals in pursuit of studies, and the vast increase in supplemental material that becomes available to students beyond the confines of that which remains immediately available. Output of the study suggests that these motivators are, in fact, valid elements attracting students.

Not surprising, researchers found constraints exist which influence the decision of prospective students, principally among them: Time, distance, and finances. Again, the flexibility of time surfaces; albeit in this instance, time flexibility remains a constraint heavily influencing a student’s decision of whether to attend a traditional brick-and-mortar institution or seek the alternative of distance learning by means of click-and-mortar.

Another finding of little surprise was a fact that gender issues exist. Responses to the research remained consistent with norms of geographical demographics. As output of the survey, those responses suggest that females focus on cost, time flexibility, and reputation of the school more than do males. This is not to say that males do not hold those elements in high regard; albeit, the study suggests that females hold the same elements in yet higher regard, overall.

Outcome of the research study remains quite fascinating. There exist no disputes that for many, distance learning remains the only viable medium through which to acquire an education, disputes relative to the quality notwithstanding. The study suggests that many elements are of great influence, including: Culture, institutional reputation, reputation of educators, the social setting of the students (home life), subject matter provided by the institution, and values the institution and its staff place on time flexibility.

Debate shall continue relative to the pros and cons surrounding both the value and application of the internet and other technology mediums as a means both of dispatching and acquiring a quality education. Although for individuals for whom choices remain preordained, employment of click-and-mortar for distance learning remains the only viable option. Most throughout the world recognize the value of education and for many, attendance at traditional brick-and-mortar institutions is simply not an option. Yet in the end, few of literacy dispute the intellectual power and freedom of expression that knowledge provides.






Works Referenced


Everett, C. and Pershing, JA. (1989). Distance Education and its Implications for Vocational Education. A VES Monograph, Vocational Educational Services, Indiana University – Bloomington.

Shiao-Chuan, Kung. (2002). Factors that Affect Students’ Decision to Take Distance Learning Courses: A Survey Study of Technical College Students in Taiwan. Educational Media International. Volume 39, n3-4, pages 299 – 305. Database: ERIC. Persistent Link: http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=EJ661478&site=ehost-live



- David

Peer Feedback in Online classes, are we qualified?

This article debates whether peer feedback in online classes is a quality based instructional tool. Many of the test subjects felt that they needed to make sure their answers were clear enough for the other classmates to understand. This meant that they had to research the topic more and really know the subject before posting.

On the other hand some of the test subjects felt that the feedback was shallow and superficial. In these cases, people felt that the feedback was only given because it was required and it held no substance or credibility. They felt that any instruction should come from the facilitator, the person responsible for instructing the entire class.

I believe that peer feedback is totally acceptable and welcome as the comments are well intentioned and can spur good discussion. I also believe that getting many insights from people with different experiences can only help others grow scholastically and personally.



Using Peer Feedback to Enhance the Quality of Student Online Postings: An Exploratory Study

Ertmer, P. A, Richardson, J. C., Belland, B., Camin, D., Connolly, P., Coulthard, G., et al. (2007). Using peer feedback to enhance the quality of student online postings: An exploratory study. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(2), article 4. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue2/ertmer.html


Viki

Live Blogging

Live blogging; interesting concept, what choice would you make if instead of attending a 3 day convention or training? People are now taking advantage of what is referred to as "Live blogging", this is where one person will attend an event and keep other remote people informed of the proceedings through a blog. The attendingperson remains logged on to the blog consistantly and uses it to update other people who are also logged on.

This allows the remote people to take in the experience and multitask in other parts of thier job or life They are able to catch the "cribnotes version" of the event.

Outside of the positive revenue impact for companies of this trend there is the issue that people are taking the information that is being delivered, and interpreting it based on thier own experience and views of the importance. This activity runs the risk of loosing the true meaning or essence of the message getting lost in the perception of the "editor".

http://web.ebscohost.com.dml.regis.edu
Fernando,A (2007) Communication World,Sep/Oct2007, Vol. 24 Issue 5, p13-14, 2p, Retrieved on September, 17, 2007

Posted by Viki

Online Support Groups

What are the advantages and disadvantages of online support groups? The article I read covered this topic and provided some answers to the question. I thought this was an excellent article to share with all of you because I have noticed many of our fellow employees expressing their concerns about blogging. I know that online support groups and blogging can be two different methods of communicating over the World Wide Web. However, I'm fairly certain that these online support groups are designed in a very similar manner as a blog.

The author of this article, Mary Ann Bell, gave several examples of when she personally used online support groups to get her through tough situations in the past. She found that the support groups she used were very useful and she discovered that the groups were extremely effective. She completed her own survey by asking others that had experience with online support groups whether or not their experiences were worth while. The majority of the responses were positive. The author also conducted some research finding many benefits to online support groups. Ms. Bell provided some negative aspects of using online support groups such as the possibility of group members misrepresenting themselves and overly negative groups. Mary Bell's final statement in her article "Online support groups are examples of positive uses of the Internet whose benefits greatly outweigh possible problems." concluded her findings.

References Bell, Mary Ann. "Celebrating Communicating: Online Support Groups." MultiMedia & Internet@Schools 14.4 (July 2007): 37-38. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=25912210&site=ehost-live>

Learning Aspects Enhanced Online

What aspects of education are found to be superior when delivered in an online environment as opposed to a traditional classroom? Stephen L. Baglione and Michael Nastanski conducted extensive research and analysis on this question and many others in order to provide us with the answer. The first step in their research involved the development of three separate hypotheses. They made some assumptions based on learning characteristics proposed as being critical to effective educational growth.

The first assumption was that online discussion “facilitates more substantive discussion than the traditional classroom” (Baglione & Nastanski, p 4). This assumption is based on logical ideas also provided in the article. The next assumption was that a significant number of professors favor teaching online over the traditional method. They will also show that teaching online is very enjoyable for the professors. The last assumption didn’t seem to be as important to substantiate the message being delivered.

The authors sent invitations to over 300 professors with a fairly good response rate of 122. Each of their assumptions was validated with the results of the completed surveys tallied. They also recognized that further research was necessary to expand on the idea that online learning is superior to the traditional classroom experience. Research will need to be completed on the side of the student experience in an online environment. One suggestion was that a good method to measure the effectiveness of online learning can be obtained through the same testing of students that already occurs.

References
Baglione, Stephen L., and Michael Nastanski. "THE SUPERIORITY OF ONLINE DISCUSSION." Quarterly Review of Distance Education 8.2 (Summer 2007): 139-150. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=26266357&site=ehost-live

A Breach in Confidentiality?

In April 2007, a survey was conducted by Harris Interactive Healthcare News. The results of this survey showed most internet users would rather communicate with their doctors online in regards to making appointments, asking questions, refilling prescriptions, and receiving medical test results. Those in the medical field are not on board just yet. “….most physicians have serious reservations about giving patients their email addresses because…of concerns about reimbursement, privacy of patient information and potential malpractice liability.” (This according to the author’s of the survey). Thought this is a reasonable concern, those surveyed feel differently.
The article goes on to say that a little over one-third of those surveyed would be willing to pay out-of-pocket to receive more online services and communication from their physicians. Those in the medical field may not be on board just yet, but because of the internet’s ability to provide constant communication and information, it won’t be long before doctors are on board.



Vogin, Gary D. (2007, April 10). Patients Want Online Communication With Their
Doctors. Medscape Today. Retrieved October 3, 2007, from
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/431849

One Stop Shop For Small Business

One Stop Shop For Small Business

By Greg Eich

A one stop shop for small business. Is it to good to be true? Business with less then 500 employees make up 99.7% of the business today. Information is a must have but in particular with small business.The author is attempting to educate small business owners and let them know there is help out there. Business.gov provides information on compliances with government regulations,OSHA EPA and Uncle Sam. The site has received over 11,000 visits per day since October 2006.

The hope to make it easier for businesses and to streamline through red tape in a quick manner. They continually have focus groups to look at ways to improve the website. Business owners who visited the site said they saved 25 hours by accessing the website.

Occupational Hazards, March 2007 v69 i3 p39(2)
(Small Business Safety)(www.business.gov)(Small Business Paperwork Relief Act of 2002. Sandy Smith


http://galenet.galegroup.com.dml.regis.edu/servlet/BCRC?vrsn=160&locID=regis&sgcmd=MAIN&srchtp=art&c=1&sub=%2522Business+%28Website%29%2522&ste=21&tab=2&tbst=tsAS&atp=SG&docNum=A161601244&art=business&bConts=0
Article A161601244

Cyberspace War

Cyberspace War by Gregory Eich

Most of the world learns of conflict through stories on the web. Nearly 1 billion people are now connected digitally. At the same time, the digital realm of cyberspace has its share of rapscallions and scoundrels. Internet users have to develop a skeptical as well as a discerning eye, particularly about information coming out of war zones from sources that have chosen sides. When verified as truthful, images potentially have a sledgehammer impact on viewers' opinion formation by creating iconic images of an event (Perlmutter & Wagner, 2004.
Readers are urged to contact journalists directly with their comments via email links, and to offer their opinions by way of message boards. Some large news organizations, like Fox and CNN, weave these comments into some of their programs or present them as opinion blocks. During the 2003 Iraq War, comments all along the political spectrum brought out many disputes that may have changed people's perspectives on the war. These perspectives changed the main stream of people based on information from the web or even bog sites.

The personal flow of information can be transferred by cutting and pasting as well as sending large folders of information through email. Some may have discarded the original posting and forwarded it anyway. Many views can be influenced because of sites such as Google news. It captures news minutes after it has happened and people can access and download and forwarded the information to family and friends.

Berenger, R. D. (2006). Introduction: War in cyberspace. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(1), article 9. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue1/berenger.html

How many Bloggers are there? Any idea?

Israel discusses the Gartner Group’s chief fellow Daryl Hummer’s predictions, “that blogging would reach an apex of about 100 million bloggers worldwide around June 2007 and then level off” (Israel, 2007, para. 1). Admittedly, there is no real method to accurately count the number of people blogging on the internet.
Estimates for bloggers in China range from a low of 50 million to a high of 200 million. Add to that the number of bloggers on MSN, YAHOO, and GOOGLE. According to Israel, “MySpace will be 200 million strong by year-end” (Israel, 2007, para. 8). Most MySpace users are Internet savvy users under the age of 25.

There is no doubt that Hummer’s predictions are extremely conservative. Looks like “Blogging” is fast becoming the preferred method of communicating with others around the world. Emails limit your intended audience, but bloggers join together to comment on common interests and ideas. It appears that bloggers have found a means to collaborate with others they would otherwise not have access to in developing and discussing topics of interest to them.


Reference: Israel, S. (2007, May). Why Gartner's blog estimates are shortsighted. Communication World, pp. 48,48. Retrieved October 6, 2007, from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.

Ain't he just so cute?

My grandson is computer savvy at three, and he spends time with me every week. He like to sit on my lap and "help" me with my homework. He likes my COM215 course, because we get to surf the internet and look at bunches of pictures, and I am helping him to learn to read. Great tool.

More importantly, he has taught me more than any classroom, ever will, about communication. He never settles for a very direct answer, always wanting to know more. This forces me to have to look at the world though his eyes and his mind to communicate. When I don't, it all seems to become dribble.

Cyberspace War

Most of the world learns of conflict through stories on the web. Nearly 1 billion people are now connected digitally. At the same time, the digital realm of cyberspace has its share of rapscallions and scoundrels. Internet users have to develop a skeptical as well as a discerning eye, particularly about information coming out of war zones from sources that have chosen sides. When verified as truthful, images potentially have a sledgehammer impact on viewers' opinion formation by creating iconic images of an event (Perlmutter & Wagner, 2004.
Readers are urged to contact journalists directly with their comments via email links, and to offer their opinions by way of message boards. Some large news organizations, like Fox and CNN, weave these comments into some of their programs or present them as opinion blocks. During the 2003 Iraq War, comments all along the political spectrum brought out many disputes that may have changed people’s perspectives on the war. These perspectives changed the main stream of people based on information from the web or even bog sites.
The personal flow of information can be transferred by cutting and pasting as well as sending large folders of information through email. Some may have discarded the original posting and forwarded it anyway. Many views can be influenced because of sites such as Google news. It captures news minutes after it has happened and people can access and download and forwarded the information to family and friends.

Berenger, R. D. (2006). Introduction: War in cyberspace. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(1), article 9. http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue1/berenger.html

Introduction: War in Cyberspace
Ralph D. Berenger, Guest EditorJournalism and Mass Communication The American University in Cairo