7 Closure

2010-11-17T04:37:00.000-08:00

The metaphor that I chosed is The start of an end. EIR has been an incredibly long journey, even though it was only one month but to research everyday was definately not easy. When I first came into the class I thought to myself :Internet only what, how difficult can it get? The truth is, very difficult. I find myself struggling everytime Im researching and finally after one month I can safely say I do know how to do really effective internet research. Even though it is the end of the module, it is just the start of the end for me. I can take the knowledge that I have aquired over the past one month to help myself for my FYP and also to bring it along with me into the working world and many more. This skill would be with me forever and ever and ten years down the road I will still tell myself that I know how to research using invisible web and evaluating websites.

2. Write a paragraph summarizing your findings on your research topic.
I have learnt quite a handful of things on Childhood trauma. I think I can at least understand what sort of pain people go through whenever they are reminded of their past. I feel that not only this helps me with effective internet researching, I also read up more about how to raise a happy and healthy child, and I definately will apply that same technique to my kids next time. :)

Invisible web

2010-11-17T04:32:00.000-08:00

a. Do you think it is more effective to search the invisible web (databases) than using search engines, meta-search or subject directories? Why?

All of these depends, as in our course of study it is a very wide based research and sometimes using the normal search directories is easier and more useful. For the pros and cons; it is useful as it provides me with information that the search engines like Google or Yahoo do not. But I feel that it is actually more troublesome to use invisible webs like Ebesco or Lexisnexis to search for those information.

b. Will you use the invisible web (databases) for research in your own respective Diplomas? Why?

Yes it will be beneficial and I will use it. Currently as I am studying in Environment design, we often have to produce case or precedent studies of different architecture or landscape projects. Therefore with the use of the invisible web, it can really help me achieve what I need for my projects and I have a wider range of information and variety to choose and study from.

c. What have you learnt from your wiki experience during this practical?

I learnt that sharing of information is very useful as it serves as a discussion forum, where people can just add a thread about anything and we can learn more from one another in this way.

Secondlife HKpolyu campus

2010-11-16T20:05:00.000-08:00

At the end of your virtual meeting on Second Life, summarise your experience in a paragraph in response to the following questions:

i) What do you like best about this virtual experience which you cannot get in real-life?
I like that we can meet in such a big group and eventually find each other in the game because when I first landed I found myself under the sea and no matter how i tried I couldnt get my avatar to go onto the land. But after that it was very interesting to be able to talk to people through the chatting function and also the microphone where I can hear Rafie laughing. Also we cant exactly "fly" in real-life, and I quite like the flying mode because I can see everything from the sky.

ii) Do you have to observe special mannerisms/behaviours/ethics when meeting your new friend on Second Life?

Yes I do, because if we are rude or when we phrase a question wrongly, they might take it the wrong way. Also I also try to refrain from typing anything I deem vulgar because I personally do not use any vulgarities unless you consider "nak mampos" or "son of a bitch" vulgar. Hahaha but we have to be polite and also talk to them nicely in case they do not understand our intentions.

Describe the experience you had virtually meeting and sharing about yourself and your research experiences with your new friend from Hong Kong.

It was very messy in the chat room, because there was so many of us but there was very few hong kong students. And we could not get them to answer many questions but we managed to at least ask a few.

Features of Secondlife

2010-11-16T19:50:00.000-08:00

The two screen shots above are the running mode, where I got my avatar to run quickly in different directions and she can just ram herself against the wall and yet still get through. Something that obviously cannot be done in real life. But fun, nonetheless.

The second box from the left box shows the list of actions the avatar can do. There are bored, bow, chuckle, clap, count, cry, embarrassed, extinguish, fear, get lost, kiss, limb, laugh, muscle, no, pointme, pointyou, repulsed, rock, scissors, paper, stone etc. It was quite fun to make the avatar do all the actions and I had fun testing out each and every one of them. But it was too fast to do a print screen and by the time I print screened it the picture shows my bellysprout going back to normal mode.

The box on the left hand side is the part where you can chat with other people. I started a conversation by saying “hi” but nobody responded. It is a good function because it allows the players to connect with people globally and talk to each other and get to know them better. This screenshot was after I flew down.

And this is higher a little bit, so she can get a bird’s eye view of the entire area. It was very interesting trying to maneuver the avatar.

These are the features of second life where I explored the different features that Secondlife provide. This is the flying mode, where my avatar’s hands are extended out and she flaps her hands like a bird’s when she fly. The control panel there allows me to control bellysprout to move left, right, up and down.

Stoooooomp

2010-11-12T23:25:00.000-08:00

Read the article “Citizen Journalism” http://net.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/ELI7031.pdf

Visit the website http://www.stomp.com.sg/
Based on what you read in the article in (1) and using the criteria for evaluating websites, comment and justify whether you think Citizen Journalism is effective in Singapore’s context.

I feel that citizen journalism is not effective in Singapore's context. Firstly, they do not report serious news happening all over the world, rather they have news like "couples kissing while children are present" or "teenagers are starting PDA when hey are in uniforms." These news might be interesting, gossipy and everyone loves a juicy piece of comment but we as youths do not learn much from these news that are posted. And sometimes if couples wants to display public affection, why not just let them do it instead of us breathing down their necks and posting it all on the websites for everyone to see? If a parent discipline his or her child well enough, they'd grow up not doing anything they deem is not suitable for them.

If you were to create your own version of “Stomp” in relation to your research topic (eg ethics on cloning, genetically modified foodetc) : How would you apply Citizen Journalism differently?

My topic is based on childhood trauma and how they affect people's behavious. I could probably start a forum where people write in their own experiences and tell everyone how did they managed to cope from their traumas, and by doing this they help others by sharing and giving tips. People who suffers from childhood trauma often needs to know that there's always someone out there aiding them and giving them support.

What topics/services will you include to ensure that your “Stomp” effectively address the implications for teaching and learning of Citizen Journalism mentioned in the article.

Other than having all the tabs, there can be links to useful websites or images where the users can post up to help others achieve more information. Also there can be a page where refuses useless news like thos mundane "children misbehaving on the train" etc etc. Also there can be another page where people write in to advice and tell me how to make the website more usable and accessible.

Briefly reflect on lessons learnt from this practical:
I feel that this practical helps me to understand citizen journalism more and explains the need of having one. Even though some news are ugly and useless, but it also helps in providing videos and first hand news whenever we access to the website.

Which criteria did you use to evaluate Stomp.com? Why did you choose this criteria? What lessons have you learnt from this activity?

I chosed Overall from the 9 criteria because I felt that there are many things where we can evaluate Stomp from. First of all the presentation and layout of the website is eye-catching, as there are headline news and other sub-categories. The links and tabs are nearly placed at the side and on the above there are all the links and tabs to different options like "just talk lah" where people share their comments and views on any issues.

How do you feel about sharing your views via Wiki?

I feel that by sharing in Wiki, I can help to add in information and help out others who share the same topic as me. We can also learn more from each other, because some information that the other found are some Im lacking and I feel its interesting to learn from one another this way,

2010-11-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

This is my wiki collaboration post, I added a new thread inside to add in to the discussion topic that Im sharing with other people from other schools.

Second life virtual shopping

2010-11-10T08:37:00.000-08:00

Shopping in second life!
My second life avatar's name is Bellysprout Carousel, and this screenshot below was the first virtual shop that I went into, but because there was any price tags on the dresses, plus Im not a fan of evening gown so I went into another shop, where they sold gorgeous looking sandals and strappy heels.

This was the seond shop, I cant remember they name but this is the entrance of the shop. In second life the shops are very spacious and big, I like that I can move around freely and look at the shoes on display.

If I had $500 in secondlife I would buy that pair of strappy black heels on the screenshot above. It will cost me exactly 500 bucks but I would buy it because it looks very elegant and pretty. I secretly hope my avatar's legs would look thinner if she wears them.

The difference between secondlife shopping and e-shopping is that the shops in secondlife are 3-D, where you can move and roam around the shop. The shops are also huge and spacious, which is something that we cant find online, or even any shops in Singapore because of the constraint of space. I prefer shopping on secondlife because I dont feel guilty and heart-pain when I spend $500 on a pair of heels as compared to if I buy a pair of Jimmy Choos in real life, I would feel so so so so guilty and really, who would bear to spend $500 on a pair of heels?

My holiday destination

2010-11-07T07:16:00.000-08:00

I have always wanted to visit Italy when I was younger and for my holiday destination I would chose Rome. Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in 1,285.3 km2 (496.3 sq mi). In 2006 the population of the metropolitan area was estimated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development to have a population of 3.7 million.

The city of Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy. Rome's history spans over two and a half thousand years. It was the capital city of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, which was the dominant power in Western Europe and the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea for over seven hundred years from the 1st Century BC until the 7th Century AD. Since the 1st Century AD Rome has been the seat of the Papacy and, after the end of Byzantine domination, in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States, which lasted until 1870. In 1871 Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, and in 1946 that of the Italian Republic.
After the Middle-Ages, Rome was ruled by popes such as Alexander VI and Leo X, who transformed the city into one of the major centers of the Italian Renaissance, along with Florence. The current-day version of St Peter's Basilica was built and the Sistine Chapel was painted by Michelangelo. Famous artists and architects, such as Bramante, Bernini and Raphael resided for some time in Rome, contributing to its Renaissance and Baroque architecture.
In 2007 Rome was the 11th-most-visited city in the world, 3rd most visited in the European Union, and the most popular tourist attraction in Italy. The city is one of Europe's and the world's most successful city brands, both in terms of reputation and assets. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Monuments and museums such as the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum are amongst the world's 50 most visited tourist destinations (the Vatican Museums receiving 4.2 million tourists and the Colosseum receiving 4 million tourists every year).

I heard that if you make a wish and toss a coin into the Trevi fountain, your wish would come true. And I wish that I have billions of dollars because, think of the number of Maserati cars I can buy. Awesome. One day I shall visit the fountain and make sure my wish comes true.

The Trevi fountain is at the ending part of the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct constructed in 19 BC. It brings water all the way from the Salone Springs (approx 20km from Rome) and supplies the fountains in the historic center of Rome with water. The Trevi Fountain (Italian: Fontana di Trevi) is a fountain in the Trevi rione in Rome, Italy. Standing 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city, and it is one of the most famous fountains in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevi_Fountain

Construction of the Fountain
In 1732, Pope Clement XII commissioned Nicola Salvi to create a large fountain at the Trevi Square. A previous undertaking to build the fountain after a design by Bernini was halted a century earlier after the death of Pope Urban VIII. The restive sea horse masterpiece on this design. Construction of the monumental baroque fountain was finally completed in 1762.

The Fountain
The central figure of the fountain, in front of a large niche, is Neptune, god of the sea. He is riding a chariot in the shape of a shell, pulled by two sea horses. Each sea horse is guided by a Triton. One of the horses is calm and obedient, the other one restive. They symbolize the fluctuating moods of the sea. On the left hand side of Neptune is a statue representing Abundance.
The crowded square on the right represents Salubrity. Above the sculptures are bas-reliefs, one of them shows Agrippa, the general who built the aqueduct that carries water to the fountain.

Tossing a Coin
The water at the bottom of the fountain represents the sea. Legend has it you will return to Rome if you throw a coin into the water. You should toss it over your shoulder with your back to the fountain.
http://www.aviewoncities.com/rome/trevi.htm

The Colosseum in Imperial Rome
The elliptical building is immense, measuring 188m by 156m and reaching a height of more than 48 meter (159 ft). The Colosseum could accommodate some 55,000 spectators who could enter the building through no less than 80 entrances.
Above the ground are four storeys, the upper storey contained seating for lower classes and women.

The lowest storey was preserved for prominent citizens. Below the ground were rooms with mechanical devices and cages containing wild animals. The cages could be hoisted, enabling the animals to appear in the middle of the arena.

Velarium
The Colosseum was covered with an enormous awning known as the velarium. This protected the spectators from the sun. It was attached to large poles on top of the Colosseum and anchored to the ground by large ropes. A team of some 1,000 men was used to install the awning.

Bread and circuses
Emperors used the Colosseum to entertain the public with free games. Those games were a symbol of prestige and power and they were a way for an emperor to increase his popularity.
Games were held for a whole day or even several days in a row. They usually started with comical acts and displays of exotic animals and ended with fights to the death between animals and gladiators or between gladiators. These fighters were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. Sometimes free Romans and even Emperors took part in the action.

I read about this in the comic Asterix and Obelix, and was really fascinated by all the gladiators fighting and the history and architecture behind this place. And I wanted to visit Rome even more after I watched Angels and Demons, where the film was set in the Vatican City. Even though Im not a christian, I would love to see the Sistine Chapel and all the artworks done by Michelangelo and Bernini. The paintings are all exquisitely beautiful and magical.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome
3)Which evaluation criteria did you used to evaluate the multimedia websites for your dream holiday? Why?
Website: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/rome

Purpose:
The whole website is talking about Rome solely, and they have pratical informations like the weather, hotels, shops, places of interest, history etc.

Coverage:
The website is very informative, they provides the overview of Rome, getting there and how to make your way around Rome, maps of the city, the history of Rome, hotels and hostels as well as having a section for the "top picks of Rome". The links above provides me with all sorts of information that I need if I ever go to Rome. For example, when I click on the link "Pantheon in Rome", they generates the address, which is Piazza della Rotonda, Transport: Largo di Torre Argentina, the phone number:06 683 00 230, the price admission is also stated there, is is free unless you want to purchase an audioguide for €4. They also included the opening hours, which are 8.30am-7.30pm Mon-Sat, 9am-6pm Sun. Everything that I need can be found in this website and I feel that they gives all the neccesary information that any tourist would need.

Authority:
This website specializes in travelling.

Accuracy and currency:
The website can be found in twitter, which allows them to update anyone about their recent activities or special occassions. Also it is updated regularly and comments left by tourists were just recently and they had nothing but praises for the places of interest that they visited.

Accessibility:
It can be found at various search engines too. The site is very easily accessible and there is no need to log in or sign up if you want to view the content. Everyone can read more about Italy on this site.

Presentation, arragement and usability:
For this website the information is neatly categorised in different tabs and links, and one can find their search results easily. They also have clear images and they included a section on "nearby things to do", where other than visiting your place of interest, the Pantheon for example, the Trevi fountain and the vatican churches are just nearby, so instead of wasting time travelling around, the tourists can slowly walk in the vacinity and easily find another historical site of Rome.

Overall:
I like this site, I can easily access to information and learn more about Italy, without having to search through different sites. Also the presentation and the layout of the site is clear and precised. The website also provides maps and screenshots of maps as to how to get to a certain place.

Skyrise international

2010-11-02T06:48:00.001-07:00

Hello I've been missing classes for two days from monday till today because of the Skyrise green international conference which was held at the National library. Today I joined the DPA-EIR group on facebook and I must say it took me awhile to figure out how to join the group and post my answers because like I said earlier I seriously do not know how to use Facebook. Yeah I admit Im in the flinstones era and I suck at websites like Fb.

The screenshot above is my answer and I stand my ground on convincing that the internet is a good influence for youths nowadays. However as much as I like the internet sometimes I prefer not being on it for a long time. But the one thing that I hate about the internet is that it comes up with those games like Maple story or DOTA or WOW and that annoys me to no end because I have two pig of a brother at home who can camp in front of the computer for 24/7 and no matter what I say or do they literally ignore me and I feel like Im talking to the wall and that is frustrating.

Im going to start on my portfolio part 1 now, and I am actually quite lost but I'll figure it out by tomorrow.

Reflections

2010-10-31T05:12:00.000-07:00

Briefly reflect on lessons learnt from this practical by answering questions below :
a. Were you impressed by google’s search functions/features? Why?

Yes I was impressed by Google's search functions and features. Google's search functions are generally very precise and the context of my search is usually well indicated. They always highlight and bold the words that I used in my search. Not only they provide information from different organizations, they also provided links for online magazines and journals, blogs and discussion forums that generates the answers that I need from my topic. I prefer having a wide range of variety as it helps me to understand about my topic more as well as see what opinions and views others have. The forum is a great place to learn as there are people from all over the globe commenting and discussing. As for blogs, it is more personal than the organisational websites as people typed in and shared their own real life experience and it is always helpful to have a first hand experience.

b. How do you feel about participation in discussion forum? Is it helpful for your research? Do you feel anxious about talking to others you do not know?

I am having troubles logging into the website. Will reflect about it when Im done!

c. Why must you do citation and bibliography?

Citation and bibliography are very important as it gives credits to the originator. I personally feel that it is very rude to just take information or pictures out of a website and just pass it off as your own. It is the same situation as when you are a designer or an architect, and suddenly you see someone else coming up with a design that is similar to yours or using your icons and passing them off as theirs. It is disrespectful, and it goes to show how a person thinks when he/she doesnt mind copying someone else's work. Further more, it tends to make others think less of you.

d. You can also tweet about your experiences.

Personally I feel that twitter is not easy to convey my experiences as they only allow a maximum of 140 characters, which in turn I have to summarize my points and ideas into a very short message. However Twitter generally allows me to share what I have learnt so far and I can also keep track of how others is getting on with their searches and we also can discuss how we're getting along with our topics.

Site feeding

2010-10-31T04:44:00.000-07:00

For this practical, I linked two of my classmates, Nicole and Bijun on my online journal. I prefer linking my own classmates on my blog because it is so much easier to get to their website to read and catch up about what have they done rather than me trying to remember their URL and then typing it down onto the computer.

I typed in "Early effects on childhood trauma" into two different search engines, one of course it is Google, and the other I chosed Yahoo.

Both websites gave me many different options and links to the different sources, where each and every descriptions highlight the main points of the keywords that I have typed in.

I used the first link in both sites for my comparison, the above screenshot is from Yahoo, and the one at the bottom is by Google. From Yahoo's screenshot, they gave me 12100000 results found and from Google they gave me 311,000 results. I found the one from Yahoo very confusing because there was so many zeroes at the back and it made the search very wide and the layout of the website was very confusing. I personally preferred the one from Google, because the words that I keyed in made my search very precise and with the bold lettering it summarize the main points clearly and properly.

What I like best about collaborating on Wiki with other students is that there are more information available, plus there is always something that someone missed out but when you share a similar topic it gives a wider range of information and answers. Also it helps in discussions as we can always add in more information as and when we like.

If the 500 dollars was real

2010-10-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

E-shopping spree
If you had $500 what would you buy?
-Photos and descriptions of your shopping list items
-What is the purpose of the shopping website you had visited
-briefly explain what you learn today

I like spending money, and I believe every girl loves buying materialistic goods and I would be totally lying if I say I am not into branded products. Actually there's one thing that I really would like to buy if I have the money, be it in real-life or dream-like or anything. But everytime I think about it I will tell myself that it is not ethical to spend my parents' money on bags like that and that my dad's salary is only solely for providing for the family (which has 5 of us, plus my brothers eat like pigs, so I guess that's where half his salary goes to). Therefore in this topic if I have five hundred dollars, I would buy the following three items. I love dresses, especially anything with simple designs because I would feel too feminine if my dresses has floral prints, and that scares me a little.

www.lovebonito.com

Knotted front sundress which cost $27

www.lovebonito.com

Ruched toga dress which cost $28. The colour is so beautiful and it is a simple design with just one colour, can be worn casually or formally. I like the ruched details at the bottom.

http://www.google.com.sg/imglanding?q=chanel%20earrings&imgurl=http://i375.photobucket.com/albums/oo199/anonnymouse/chanel-logo-earrings.jpg&imgrefurl=http://stylesfromthestars.blogspot.com/2008/12/chanel-logo-earrings-replicas-need-not.html&usg=__UtjJCtlnKBo-hlzjsQT5S1VdlzM=&h=266&w=400&sz=29&hl=en&sig2=WIph7w03K1-HjyDNRaCM0Q&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=eB6JapsGMvxZjM:&tbnh=82&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dchanel%2Bearrings%26start%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1R2GGLL_en%26biw%3D1259%26bih%3D650%26ndsp%3D20%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=_lTNTLj1N4XRcKWawZkO&start=23&um=1&sa=N&rlz=1R2GGLL_en&biw=1259&bih=650&ndsp=20&tbs=isch:1#tbnid=eB6JapsGMvxZjM&start=27
Chanel earrings! I have been a fan of Chanel since I was 15 and I love all the designs of their earrings, and this is the particular one that I love the most. It is simple and classy, and very pretty.

These three items conclude my buys and I am extremely proud to say I still have $35 dollars left over.

Discuss the effects of early childhood trauma on people's behaviours

2010-10-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

Today I chosed my topic, which is discuss the effects of early childhood trauma on people's behaviours.

Organisational website: Wikipedia
URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_trauma
Psychological trauma is a type of damage that occurs as a result of a traumatic event. It will lead to posttraumatic stress disorder, damage may involve physical changes inside the brain and to brain chemistry, which damages the person's ability to adequately cope with stress. A traumatic event involves a single experience, or an enduring or repeating event or events.

E-magazine/journal: Uplift programme
URL: http://www.upliftprogram.com/article_ptsd.html
I chosed this website for the information and news. They had many interesting articles about how childhood trauma came about and how it affects different people's behavious differently.

Blog: Beyondmeds
URL: http://bipolarblast.wordpress.com
I chosed this link because of the information and personal experience posted by international people.

Discussion forum
URL: http://www.experienceproject.com/groups/want-to-get-over-my-childhood-trauma/250224

The above four links are the ones that I have chosen for this activity as they are the websites that provided me with very resourceful information for my topic. I personally liked the posts from wordpress because they have stories from all over the world where people shared their life experiences and talk about how they tried hard to fight their trauma and get over it within a matter of time. Also they left each other encouraging words, helping one another to get over their childhood trauma. I found this exercise very beneficial as it helps me look at not only articles from wikipedia, but from other sources that look at the discussion topic from a different angle and providing different perspectives of the topic.

So please allow me to introduce myself

2010-10-26T09:10:00.000-07:00

Hello everybody :)

My name is Yunxi, and I am from Environment Design. I had no idea what my course was offering at the time I was accepted into it and I decided to just wing it for the three years and I am glad to say that I survived two and a half years of studying it because never in a million years I thought I would know how to make a model or use Autocad. I am often mistaken for being arrogant and standoffish, but really, I am just painfully shy amongst strangers or people I dont know well.

I enjoy reading in bed on quiet, lazy afternoons, and I like to think that I can skateboard without falling off too often and hurting myself. I am almost fanatic about the number 7, and slightly even more so about Craig Owens. I like listening to Pierce the Veil because I am entralled by the way they juxtaposed their sweet and sometimes wistful lyrics with screamo, punk rock type music. I detest making small talk on public transport, and strangers who stand too close to me and encroach on my private space annoy the hell out of me.

Also, I never had facebook until the first lesson of EIR that I was told to create it so as to be able to join the EIR group on facebook. And now Im under the taunts of my very kind friends because they enjoy seeing me struggle with the buttons and applications and because I dont know how to tag people, be it in photos or posts.

Craig Owens; I love heavily tattooed guys, especially if they sing awesomely.