Reflection on NET11

When we started the course I found many of the initial tasks annoying, as I would already have considered myself an 'advanced internet user'. Many of those Mod 1 tasks I was already very familiar with as I started using computers over 20 years ago.

I tend to have a very hands on approach to maintaining my personal computers. This means I have often had to research and learn many of the aspects we covered in the early modules. On reading many threads on the discussion board, I was, not exactly surprised, but maybe perplexed, by many other students who found these tasks either challenging or very enlightening. I should know from my own experience in helping people, that many computer users turn on their computers and never want to know what goes on in the background. Incidentally, it is these people that keep my brother's business busy and continually growning.

Usually they are frightened by the fact that they don't know much about how computers operate. I have come to believe NET11 or a study program like this would be good for a large part of the population that need to use computers, particularly in the work place. Ignorant computer users in the work place cause many lost hours of work, because they're unwilling to learn how to do the basic tasks that we covered in Modules one - four.

Some of module three and all of module four is where the unit became interesting for me. Particularly Boolean searching etc, probably because of my library background.

IM chatting was not something I have ever been interested in but I did push myself to do a little with MSN and I will continue to make an effort when it comes to continuing my NET studies.

Nor I have ever been interested in having my own blog previously, which is why I chose do two blogs: one for my resource assignment as required and obviously one for my learning log. I found it easier to use blogger for the convenience. However, I will look at a different blogging tool for the local community house website, which want to have an interactive aspect to their site.

To continue extending my comfort in blogging I am going to record my studies in creative writing and my creative arts course in a blog http://jmurraywritingart.blogspot.com/ while I take SP1 off.

Until SP2

ciao
Jennifer

Module Five - Info-Communication Concepts

The concept of an information ecology wasn't surprising to me, but I hadn't actually thought about this too much. In my working life I have always been involved in an educational information ecology. With a library background, particularly in the education sector, I have always just accepted the different information ecologies that the internet & web have or comprise. Long before the Web became commonplace, I studied Information Ecologies, yet that term was not used. Therefore, I have always viewed the internet & web in that light. For me it has meant easier access to those sources of information that we find in 'the deep web', 'the invisible web'. I have always known it was there as I was creating and typing up abstracts for databases twenty years ago.

Info-Communication - P2P
I no longer have an involvement in P2P networks, but I did back in the day when I wore a patch on my eye and had a parrot on my shoulder. That was many years ago. However I am interested in Freenet. With the time that I have in SP1 I am going to spend it exploring the Freenet P2P system. I want to learn more about the use of P2P in Academia.

Info-Communication - Publishing
I have read The Age and other online newspapers and magazines, both Australian & overseas for at least the last four & five years. I buy and use e-books all the time.

I am excited by the changes and growth in the social information exchange. In large part, this is why I am studying, so that I can combine my library history and knowledge and advanced studies of an academic nature in knowledge management. With a deeper understanding of the Internet gained through this study, I want to be able to guide this generation and the next generation of secondary students to be able to think beyond Google.

Module Four - Evaluating the web

Barker, J. (2006) Finding Information on the Internet: Table of Contents. Retrieved 29, 2007 from
http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/FindInfo.html

As a prominent university library site, the reliability and authority of this site is fairly high.

It covers several broad areas of the Internet that are of important interest to academic students. It explains cleary what the Internet is and what the World Wide Web is. It clarifies for those who may confuse the two that the Internet and the Web are two different, but complimentary services, and without the Internet we couldn't have the web. It covers the different categories of search tools, different search engines, meta-search engines, subject directories, the how and why of web page evaluation, citation, plagiarism and a glossary of Internet & web jargon is detail, as well as providing further links to explain terms.

The site page "About this tutorial" gives information on the history of the site and the why of the Teaching Library created it. The objectives of the site are spelt out quiet clearly.

This site is an excellent resource for all Internet Users. It is clear, concise and gets the information across to the reader without confusion.