Talk:Digital Media & Culture: Collaborative Essay Collection 2018/Convergence/Research Question 2:/The Snow Ploughs

Hi team Snow Ploughs!

This is the discussion page for collaborative essay. Use this pages to edit in discussions, decision making, project planning, and information sharing. Invite other groups to add to the discussion, and contribute to others. Ask for advice from others and share your knowledge. This builds contribs considerably. Start off your discussion by recording your decision-making process re: your research question, email the lecturer to get approval/suggested amendments.bOnce that's done, you're away.


 * please get your team mates to get their user pages and user discussion pages sorted - still showing up as red, and they shouldn't be by now.

You can leave notifications for other users by using the reply to template (as I've used in this notice). You can also use your own and each other's discussion pages, as well as the main discussion page on the general theme page. All of this adds to contribs, which are essential to getting a pass mark for this assessment. Don't be tempted to use social media group chat or other platforms to do this. It won't be marked and really misses the entire point of the wiki.

Don't forget to use the four tildes (~) to sign and date your contribution. Every edit you make whilst signed in is still traceable, but a signature makes it much easier to track and respond, and much less likely that the edit will be mis-recognised as spam or vandalism. However: don't sign your edits on the essay page - it looks messy and is unnecessary.

Good Luck!
 * GregXenon01 (discuss • contribs) 09:33, 8 March 2018 (UTC)

Hey team just wanted to say a big well done, I think we've all done massively well. Good luck to you all!MTxPrincipessa18 (discuss • contribs) 10:50, 5 April 2018 (UTC)
 * I notice that you've started to make a couple of sections on the essay page. BUT, where is your discussion guys? - we need to see lots of discussion recorded here for you to amass "conrtibs" which are used to evaluate engagement. GregXenon01 (discuss • contribs) 12:40, 16 March 2018 (UTC)

Paragraphs
How is everyone getting on with their paragraphs? I have posted mine on the structured page I have got a few more sections to add in, give it a read and let me know what you think. Erin.mcnamara (discuss • contribs) 10:34, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Hey everyone! So I've gone ahead and set up our discussion page on the bigger, community page but figure for smaller talk we can "amass contribs" on this specific discussion page. There are places to upload your drafted essay section onto the discussion page for feedback, so please feel free to get those up there so we can start giving suggestions to one another. There's also places for you to put sources that have been helpful or just store them so we can copy and paste them over to the finished product on our real Wikibook page. I know this is a slightly confusing format, but we should have most discussions about the essay on here now instead of the group chat. Auj00003 (discuss • contribs) 11:42, 20 March 2018 (UTC)

Introduction: Everyone

Online digital media contribute to the architecture of contemporary civic spaces around which public, private, and social activity develops, by suggesting possibilities for interaction (Papacharissi, 2013). With the progression of online convergence, the world of communication in everyday life has become simpler and more accessible. Since media convergence covers a wide range of concepts, this essay will analyse convergence by dividing it into four sections.

The first section will explain the background knowledge of media convergence and define convergence in the context it will be analysed in this essay. Next, the essay will focus on media technology (please briefly explain what the para says). After that, participatory culture will be analysed within Jenkins's argument. The fourth section will explain collective intelligence, as online platforms have gained power, people are able to gain knowledge by interacting with others online which is also supported by Jenkins. Having laid out the foundation of convergence in response to advancements in technology, the final section of the essay will discuss the impact of convergence on everyday life of the media user.

What is Media Convergence? - [User: Sok00011]

Media convergence has been discussed by many theorists. However, among them, the working definition of convergence for this essay will compare Pavlik and Jenkins' view of convergence.

Pavlik (2004) said that media convergence is the union of telecommunication, computing and media in the digital environment. He argued the existing technological services are now systematically improved and their role has been changed by joining with other services. Furthermore, new innovations create convergence, Pavlik said. (Pavlik and McIntosh, 2004) Due to the innovation, Online users now can communicate internationally, also can communicate via e-mail, online forums, and other interactive media more easily and quickly with those who create and publish mass communication content. (Pavlik and McIntosh, 2004) For example, while the camera has existed for a long time, now users can not only take pictures, but also upload them on Social media directly, snapping, editing, and posting pictures all from the same place -- their mobile device. Therefore, creating visual content is no longer only for professionals, making the impact of visual content bigger. For instance, the K-pop market is now closely connected with YouTube. The K-pop fans can communicate with their band and other fans via online video streaming. By uploading their cover dance video and the video about their reaction to the commercial videos, K-pop fans can communicate with one another and their idols using a public platform. Like the K-Pop market, Pavlik is paying attention to the changes that people now use to communicate in various ways, which differs greatly from when they previously were only able to communicate textually via email or letters.

On the other hand, Jenkins (2006) saw convergence as 'flow of content'. It means media audiences have a key for the convergence while he thinks the technological development also gives huge impact for it. According to Jenkins, a huge number of private corporations and a small number of big media corporations are creating new kind of content today. A large number of individuals actively engage and socialise to create media contents, and consequently media convergence is created. Therefore, he argues convergence also allows minority groups to shout out their voice, so it can affect society. The '#me too' movement on the social media site Twitter, which has many users globally, is a good example. The movement is about shouting out with hashtag ‘#me too’ if someone has experiences of sexual abuse. By this movement, they advocate for a social issue and for punishing sexual criminals on a much larger platform than ever before, creating a new culture. Like ‘#me too’ movement accelerated new culture, Jenkins argues that convergence comes from collaborating with many other cultures and it continually creates new cultures (Jenkins, 2001). Jenkins believes that media convergence can refer to all contents; texts, images, sounds and videos are converged digitally. This convergence does not occur in just one country, but it occurs everywhere and in every industry at the same time. For example, the movie called  created benefits in various industries such as toys, movies, video games, cartoons and novels. Not only this, but the contents were sold globally. It shows that one media content can make ripple effect to other platforms in the global world, and that convergence evolves with changing media advancements.

References

Jenkins, H. (2001). Convergence? I Diverge.. MIT Technology Review. Retrieved 26 March 2018, from https://www.technologyreview.com/s/401042/convergence-i-diverge/

Jenkins, H. (2006). Welcome to Convergence Culture. Henry Jenkins. Retrieved 26 March 2018, from http://henryjenkins.org/blog/2006/06/welcome_to_convergence_culture.html

Jenkins, H. (2008). Convergence culture. New York: New York University Press.

Pavlik, J., & McIntosh, S. (2004). Converging Media: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Boston: Allyn & Bacon. You Media Technologies- [User: CRAIG STEWART95]

Participatory Culture- [User: Emmerloo112]

Technologies and the evolution of new technologies have a profound impact upon our relationships with each other, ourselves and the world (Singh, 2018). When analyzing the matter and substance of convergence within media studies, Jenkins definition is comprehensible and conveniently accessible in his book Convergence Culture. In his book, he offers three major focal points with his definition of convergence; media technology, participatory culture, and collective intelligence (Jenkins, 2006). We’ve reviewed how media technologies have impacted the definition of convergence and the ever changing ways in which new media is emerging, it is time to look at how participatory culture has become a strong force in this digital age and how media scholars have studied and researched to form their own interpretation of what is meant by “participatory culture” in aid of what convergence is and how it has influenced everyday life. In Jenkins book he states “The flow of content across multiple media forms, the cooperation between multiple media industries, and the migratory behaviour by media audiences who will go almost anywhere in search of the kinds of entertainment experiences they want” (Jenkins 2006). The part I want to examine from this quote is the “behaviour by media audiences.” The information society is the successor of the industrial society (Athique, 2013). In Athique’s book, he characterizes the information society with some key concepts; knowledge of displaces, mechanical archives, social life as data, purposeful knowledge, continuous innovation, competitive velocity, and exponential change. Athique believes that the constant progression of technological communication capabilities is a result of the evolution of online communication performed by the users and consumers. The developments of television, computers, and mobile smart phones has shifted the primary terrain of cultural consumption from public to private spaces (Athique, 2013). Building an online society and participatory culture has become so easy, especially with the growth of unprecedented online media platforms and the abundance of new entertainment experiences. The culture of reddit is a result of online forums, discussion boards, and content-sharing of specific pop culture topics separated by “subreddits” all on one social-news site. One of the founders created Reddit to be “the front page of the internet” (Lagorio-Chafkin, 2012). Since its creation in 2005, reddit and subreddit communities have been a strong example for the participatory culture and a symbol for the participation in collective intelligence. While researching, I found two articles comparing opposing views of the power of the modern day participatory culture on reddit and how it is beginning to affect everyday lives. The first article was a study conducted by behavioral scientists. They investigated a pro-eating disorder community on Reddit, an anonymous social networking platform with topical forums, to identify expression of behaviors aligned with eating disorder symptoms and support for these behaviors (Sowles et al, 2018). This negatively driven content was all compelling to the active online culture of reddit. Reddit differentiates itself from other social media sites by promoting “throwaway accounts” and pseudonyms to facilitate anonymous discourse (Sowles et al, 2018). Users feel safe behind an anonymous screen name. If we take the online gaming culture as an example, millions of users log on every day, generating a massive networked society seen on websites such as twitch and YouTube. A study conducted by group of researchers displayed results of how gamers reimagine their identities through online virtual world communities (Pinto et al, 2015). This relates back to Antique’s Information society theory by seeing social life as data (Athique, 2013). When readers who are prone to eating disorders, up to 70 million people worldwide suffer from an eating disorder (i.e., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or other specified feeding or eating disorder (Sowles et al, 2018), have easy access to an online community to discuss ways in which it is easier to perform these harmful actions to one’s self.

The second article was a more positive when describing an incident that happens on reddit every day. Online communities can provide social support to those in need and can foster personal empowerment for individuals experiencing distress (Krauss et al, 2017). Researchers analyzed 100 Reddit posts all which related to users seeking advice or companionship with their substance abuse. In the eyes of the everyday users of the internet, this outlet is 24 hours, worldwide, and a free way to express personal issues. This exploratory research highlights the potential of online communities as tools for individuals coping with addiction recovery, and future research should investigate if involvement in such communities would be a beneficial supplement to more traditional recovery practices (Krauss et al, 2017).

Collective Intelligence - [User: Erin.mcnamara]

Collective Intelligence occurs in convergence culture. This happens as information is transferred between different media platforms, different people and across multiple industries. Users engage interactively with each other and the material, therefore creating collective intelligence. It was a term first created by a French cyber theorist, Pierre Levy. He called on-line communities using collective intelligence "knowledge communities," as we begin to share more and interact there will be more ideas taking place.

In Henry Jenkins' book, Convergence Culture, he states that "None of us know everything; each of us knows something; and we we can put the pieces together if we pool our resources and combine our skills." By using the different resources and combining the knowledge we achieve collective intelligence. Jenkins thinks that collective intelligence can be "seen as an alternative source of media power. We are learning how to use that power through our day-to-day interactions within convergence culture." Due to the growing power convergence culture has created, it has allowed organisations to change their structure, such as Military, Religion, Law and Politics.

The internet is the main cause of of collective intelligence as it is changing the relationship between people and interactivity. More people are voicing their opinions which can then have an influence on other organisations such as laws. Platforms such as Twitter and Instagram allows people to express themselves which can therefore affect policies. It is easier for people to communicate through the internet, one person alone could not make a big impact however, a group of people with similar morals or point of view could create a massive difference especially when it comes to politics and laws. The disadvantage is that not many people on Twitter or Instagram are using collective intelligence to influence the way we live; instead, they use the tool to criticize others or to comment on entertainment industries. Many television programmes such as Gogglebox have not introduced their own hashtag on Twitter to enable them to see the comments and criticism about the show, which draws people in to watch and join in on the trend. However, collective intelligence, if used correctly, can alter certain rules and affect how people live. Fans are a good example of collective intelligence, and Star Trek fans gather online to share stories and thoughts about the programme. Nancy Baym has discussed the important functions of talk within online soap fandom: 'Fans share knowledge of the show's history, in part, because the genre demands it. Any soap has broadcast more material than any single fan can remember.' They may inform each other about what they may have missed previously, but no single fan can know everything about the programme to fully appreciate the series. Lexi states that within a knowledge community, 'No one knows everything, everyone knows something, all knowledge resides in humanity.' The online communities of fans allow people to "show off to each other" (Baym). For the community and online society, collective intelligence is important for the growth of knowledge. Younger generations can learn more about politics and other subjects by being involved in online groups.

Final stages
Now that we have finished our individual paragraphs it's only editing and reading through that we have left to do so we have plenty time to do that. I think the essay looks good, we have hit all the main aims. I'm going to have another read through to see if anything needs changed. Erin.mcnamara (discuss • contribs) 19:25, 27 March 2018 (UTC) Erin.mcnamara (discuss • contribs) 19:25, 27 March 2018 (UTC)

Hello everyone! I was thinking our essay will look a little dull if we don't have any external links or images, so maybe we can hit up the Wikimedia Commons to get some copy-right free pictures to use throughout our Wikibook. Thoughts? Auj00003 (discuss • contribs) 12:07, 28 March 2018 (UTC)
 * We should also think about editing the appearance of our finished wikibook to make it appear as coherent as possible. The references we refer to in our paragraphs should have links to the bottom of our wikibook page where all the sources are listed. Such an example would be using a list format [1], [23], etc., in place of a parenthetical in-text citation, where the corresponding number matches with the alphabetical list of our citations at the bottom of our page. Again, any thoughts on this matter are appreciated! Auj00003 (discuss • contribs) 14:26, 28 March 2018 (UTC)

Yes! I agree with you and I will attach images to my essay. :) And if you also have images for your essay, you can put it!! In addition, about the coherence, I also think we should make one more category for reference. But we need to wait until all members put their essays on the Wiki books for making clear reference. :) sok00011 (discuss •


 * I think that using the Wikibooks Reference page will be really helpful if everyone looked it over too! (: Auj00003 (discuss • contribs) 19:10, 30 March 2018 (UTC)

INSTRUCTOR FEEDBACK
General Feedback
 * Essays of this standard attain the following grade descriptor for the collaborative essay. Whereas not all of the elements here will be directly relevant to your particular response to the brief, this will give you a clearer idea of how the grade you have been given relates to the standards and quality expected of work at this level (although it should be noted that this work is right at the upper end of this grade description):
 * Good. Among other things, work of this standard will make a clear point in a clear way. It will relate concepts to original examples in a straightforward fashion. It will make effective use of the possibilities of the form (including links, as well as perhaps copyright-free videos and images, linked to from Wiki Commons). It may also demonstrate a broader understanding of the module's themes and concerns, and is likely to show evidence of reading and thinking about the subject material. The wiki markup formatting will be very clear.

Specific Feedback:


 * You have submitted a well written response to the brief. Here you outline a number of arguments that specifically address the theme of media convergence, and your discussion of the research evidences a fairly in-depth working knowledge of a range of scholarship on your chosen topic. The question that you have chosen to discuss your theme around fairly well-chosen because it allows you to draw from salient areas relating to other themes covered on the module (e.g. tech determinism). Ideally, I would have liked to get more of a sense of this in your essay, and one of the ways you could have done this would have been through the use of interwiki links and more embedded content in the text of the essay.


 * That said, there is a lot to like here – I really enjoyed the use of Pavlik, and the aspects of globalisation that you play around with at the beginning – this is generally underdeveloped in the field, and you are quite brave in wanting to tackle some of this here. I think there is scope to develop this into a very interesting dissertation topic. I would have liked more development of the Collective Intelligence aspects too – this is something that IS in the literature, but you haven’t developed fully. As an important side note – signatures and timestamps do not belong on the book pages, just on the discussion pages.
 * The essay is written in a fairly mature style, and your argument is well structured. You start out, and for the most part remain, critically engaged, and you have demonstrated awareness of some of the contradictions inherent in the theme itself. This is good work.


 * It was noted that the bulk of the section on Jenkins and technological convergence was added after the deadline had passed, so I’ve taken this into consideration and applied the 3% penalty for late submission. The alternative was to consider a shorter essay without that section, which would have substantially affected the mark to your disadvantage.


 * N.B.:Feedback for your Discussion, engagement and contribs elements for the assessment will be given on your individual User Discussion Pages. Grades for all work will communicated confidentially via Canvas.’’’

GregXenon01 (discuss • contribs) 11:39, 23 April 2018 (UTC)