MEanderthal

While perusing the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History, I came across the most intriguing, and comical, exhibit activity: MEanderthal. The line was extremely long for the actual kiosk activity, but alas, there was an iphone app. There was no question in my mind whether MEanderthal would be entertaining or not; I downloaded the application in .58 seconds.

Just like that, my face was virtually morphed into that of a Female Homo Floresiensis. The caption read:

“You lived just 95,000 to 17,000 years ago on an island in what is now Southeast Asia. You are very small…with a brain only about a third the size of modern humans. You stood up and walked. You made tools and hunted. …Scientists call you a Hobbit. Your modern relatives didn't know you existed until 2003, when they found your small skull and skeleton on the island of Flores in Indonesia.”

My first reaction: “Great, I’m considered a hobbit; my life is complete.” (Insert sarcastic tone here)

Second reaction: “Wow, this interesting. I do not know much about early humans. I want to read more.”

Although ridiculous is many ways, this application stimulated my interest about a scientific topic I was previously unaware and uninterested about. Users can transform face-pictures into different versions of early humans. Additionally, this application provided engaging resources to learn more about human origins.

When discussing innovative methods to reach the science- illiterate public, applications like MEanderthal and other examples can serve as models that promote an active approach to learning—one that attracts public interest.

In Virtual museums, a survey and some issues for consideration (Styliani et al., 2009), research identified key features of online interactive tools. A few of them included:  “Good instructional design; pro-active learning contexts; good balance between learning and leisure; no text-heavy pages to interfere with the learning experience.” Considering these feature, mobile device applications can used to promote learning in and outside the museum experience. For the purposes of off-site education, applications can be used as platforms to obtain and interact with information in engaging ways.

It’s Tyrannosaurus Rex- Smithsonian’s Prehistoric Pals, for example, integrates entertainment with education. By simulating a bygone world through games, a usable interface, and attractive content, users can experience remarkable graphics and sound effects.

The user begins on a placid, pre-historic journey with the typical birds chirping and leisure creatures roaming around plentiful vegetation. Then…IT comes; with loud stomps and thundering noises, the T-Rex disrupts the peaceful habitat. Users take a tour with the T-Rex on his expedition: looking for dinner. With every creature the T-Rex encounters, the application illustrates information and features of the creatures. Additionally, the user can read the text or listen to professional narration of the content.

What makes this application so intriguing? The oh-so desirable combination of fun and learning, two words that are often unassociated with each other. I propose this model can serve as a framework for scientific communication. Public awareness can be promoted through engaging mobile device users with scientific information and entertainment.

When discussing the myriad of issues surrounding the disconnect between science comprehension and general public knowledge, innovations can be devised to assist in ameliorating this disparity. There are four reasons that support why the model of mobile device applications serves as a suitable method for an increasing the public awareness: accessibility, usability, and engagement. By reaching out to the consumers, getting on their level, the scientific and communication community can reach a large, diverse population; feeding this opportunity to consumers can facilitate their decision to learn more about science. Secondly, the use of mobile devices is spreading rapidly and has evolved into a crucial part of peoples’ daily lives. As people become more accustomed to technological advancements, the way they seek and disseminate information is largely influenced by this phenomenon. Usable applications will make learning convenient. Finally, engaging material and features of applications can highly influence consumer motivation. Making science interesting and comprehensible has proven to be a challenge, but there is great potential for finding ways through application features.

Models of successful applications that promote learning and engagement have set a framework for future innovations. Now, the prime question posed: What’s next? The future is demanding more education to influence policy decisions made by an informed public. The hot (no pun intended) topic of global warming poses an exemplary opportunity. Concerned interest groups, scientist, and citizens can create fun and pro-active learning content for applications. If such applications become popular among the mobile device community, scientific awareness will have a greater presence in the American population. It is time for concerned citizens to develop ideas surrounding the most important issues, key facts that need to be understood, and methods to make applications accessible, usable, and engaging. 

Dawson, Greg. BC APP ATTACK. http://blogcritics.org/scitech/article/iphone-app-review-its-tyrannosaurus-rex/#ixzz1QOyFcewn

Guess Who? Anonymity and the world of blogging

 “Is your mystery person a guy or a girl?” I ask my sister, Mary, while playing our favorite childhood game: Guess Who?

“Dude,” Mary says, “My turn...Is your person bald?”

“Nope” I reply, “Does your ‘dude’ wear a hat?”

“Yeah…” Mary replies, this time with less excitement.

“I know who it is…BERNARD!” I enthusiastically declare. She always picks Bernard, I thought.

In this guessing game, two players try to determine the identity of their opponent's mystery character. A player begins with no information or clues; they only have the opportunity to inquire facts based upon characteristics. After each question, the feeling of frustration—caused from the unknowing—subsides as each player gets progressively closer to discovering the mystery character.

Guess Who? is based on one primary objective: the elimination of anonymity, which is the state of being un-identifiable. In this digital era, the ever-expanding capacity of the Internet has promoted an increase in blogging. Used for both personal and professional purposes, blogging has influenced the way in which we construct, acquire, and disseminate information. I am interested in discussing the role and affects of anonymity in relation to blogging; specifically, I want to explore the influence of anonymity on citizen journalism.

Anonymity on the Internet allows people to be virtually unnamed, remaining a mystery. We are left to guess who users are; where they come from; and what organizations or things they represent. I consider the anonymity of Internet users to be a freedom with a cost. Have you ever read a blog and wondered something of the sort: “Who the heck is IHateGoats467? And, why do they always bash my posts?” If that example does not apply to you, then maybe you have heard of (or experienced…I won’t judge) a dating website in which users create virtual personas that are absurdly erroneous. Dream_Guy_411 is not a 28 year-old, dark and handsome CEO of a major corporation in California; but he can claim to be online. Anonymity allows this.

I believe there are two primary motives for anonymity. First, users can write about their perceived truth and participate in public discussion—with security in knowing their identity is concealed and protected from harm. Second, users can make deceitful and repugnant remarks without serious repercussion. Anonymity grants users to initiate influence, but their motives play an integral role in the affects of such communicative behavior.

In relation to citizen journalism, anonymity allows the voices of people, anyone from anywhere, to be heard. According to this week’s reading from Citizen Journalism, communication is ultimately “unedited” and “uncensored” in the constructs of citizen journalism. For example: through blogging, suppressed civilians in Palestine were able to express ideas and reflect on their troubling environment. The peoples’ voices—normally silenced by misrepresentation in the media and negligent political leaders—were publicized on an open forum. The ability to be anonymous or not allowed users to experience personal and political liberation. Even with a corrupt government, Palestinian citizen journalists widened pubic participation. Their intentions were not malicious; rather, they wanted the world to know the dark reality of economic and social suppression in Palestine.

In China, another case of citizen journalism and anonymity were observed with attention to a severe earthquake. Civilian participation on Tianya Club, a national blogging community known for tolerance on liberal ideas, challenged the authority and censorship of the Chinese government. When the high-scale Wenchuan Earthquake hit China, causing devastation and many casualties, citizen journalists were the first to report on this natural disaster. After people started questioning the government’s rationale for not alerting China’s people of a potential quake, online public discussion blew up like the Hiroshima bomb. Anonymous bloggers posted discussions that challenged the government’s authority. Soon the government intervened and began to erase civilian posts. Additionally, anonymity enabled the government to hire bloggers who disguised themselves as civilians in support of government’s actions. People were confused and in an uproar. In this case, anonymity allowed the government to establish a false identity and conceal their culpable practices.

The intricacy of anonymity stimulates an invigorating debate. The affects of this online, communicative freedom must be acknowledged. As consumers of digital media, we must be careful about the source of content and motives of people who communicate with, or at us online. Guessing who is no longer a childhood game, it is a fact of life. 

Bridging the Gap

The issue of inequality has dominated public discussion and concern for centuries. A history of combating this problem has lead to great strides in establishing equal treatment and opportunities for the fellow man. This progression is acknowledged and reflected upon; however, inequalities still exist.

The modernization of society has influenced a shift in inequalities that can be observed through the opportunity and ability to use technological systems.

Over the past two decades, disparities between advantages afforded by information and communication technologies have raised great concern among interested groups. The hefty obstacles of unequal opportunity and ability to use technological communication systems, otherwise known as the “digital divide”, concurrently challenge the economic development in countries with greater populations of non-users.

As technology activists race to develop more innovations, hurdles will impede the balance between advancements and equality across a diverse, worldwide population. 

In order to bridge the gap between those who have and have not, we must understand the reasons and affects of the digital divide; additionally, we must brainstorm strategies and implement policies that aim to provide vulnerable populations with access to such communication devices.

In Blurring Lives and Livelihood, Jonathan Donner explores modern-day issues of the digital divide. According to Donner, “There is enough evidence linking mobile use to productivity and economic development to bring us to…the questions of access and affordability.” With current research support, we can unpack the reasons behind the digital divide: access and affordability. The patterns of technology diffusion have influenced the adoption of 4 billion mobile subscriptions; but even with the pervasiveness of these technologies, a vulnerable population of non-users exists due to lack of access and/or affordability. Donner claims that “economic constraints” and “physical isolation” are common, negative forces that influence the adoption of communication technologies.

Through understanding the roles of access and affordability, we can explore the affects of the digital divide. Who is most affected by digital divide? Unfortunately, the poorest populations—which are in most need of socioeconomic development—suffer the most from lack of access and affordability. Even though this population could improve and flourish from positive outcomes of communication technologies, they are less likely to adopt such devices.

Dr. Royal Colle, former Communication professor at Cornell University, has devoted much of his career towards ameliorating disparities linked to lack of access and affordability. He spends an extensive amount of energy and effort attending to a specific need: meeting the challenge of the digital divide. Dr. Colle claims that deficient access to communication technologies can negatively affect the development of economy, agriculture, and education among more vulnerable populations. If people are given opportunities to use and understand the capabilities of communication technologies, they can build the knowledge and skills required to improve productivity. In an example provided by Dr. Colle, a farmer in Zambia used the Internet to research agriculture commodities. As a result, he learned about sunflower seed cultivation and began a successful operation. In Zambia, corn is the primary commodity grown because it is familiar; farmers are not aware of other opportunities and do not possess the knowledge to pursue other agriculture ventures. With access to the Internt, farmers can contribute to their country’s socioeconomic development.

As more policy makers, country leaders, and researchers become aware of the digital divide, we can explore potential policies that will meet the demand of existing inequalities. Dr. Colle suggests there are three characteristics crucial to effective policy. First, communication technologies must be attractive to the non-user. Second, motivation to gain skills and knowledge must be present. Third, active learning through practical application must take place. It is now in the hands of those able to assist in the promotion and implementation of policies, which aim to improve the access and affordability of communication technologies.