Response 1 – TannerM

I. What is New Media?
Describe the hallmark characteristics of New Media.  How do you think this changes who has the power to “define reality” via the media?  Give an example of where this might be the case. (2-3 paragraphs)

The two big characteristics of New Media are Interpersonal and Mass medium, but they mostly work together as the New Medium can be altered by an unlimited amount of people or just by yourself. This pretty much means that if someone is able to use a vehicle of the medium then they have the power to shape and create that medium. Two big examples of this are Wikipedia and YouTube, however, one is in a way more strict than the other. For example, if you are able to change a Wikipedia page then you can put anything on that page, but it should be relevant to what the page is like if it’s about apples then you should really only be writing about apples. If you don’t though someone will probably just correct what you typed so that it’s accurate to the subject page. Although with YouTube, you’re practically free to do whatever video you to do as YouTube is a creator platform for creators to make videos on what they want. Only in extreme cases will videos be taken or removed from the site, but that only real happens when the user agreement guidelines/rules have been broken by the user/creator.

II. New Media Strategies
After reading the article, answer the following questions (you should cut/paste the questions from exercise 1 into your post, then your answer of solution B or B copying the full answer, then  your explanation for why this is the correct answer; for exercise 2, just post the single problem you are choosing and follow with your brainstorm/solutions)
Exercise 1: Which is the new media solution?
For each of the following past capstone ideas, identify which solution embodies the “many-to-many” principle and which one doesn’t and explain why in 1-2 paragraphs.
Problem: A disappearing language
Ian Larson wanted to help preserve the Passamaquoddy language from extinction.
Solution A  Create a taskforce from a select group of Native American language experts, and ask them to write down a dictionary of words and their definitions. Enter these definitions into a database and build a Web site that allows anyone to search for terms and hear their pronunciation. Hire a high-profile Web designer and marketing firm to ensure that as many people as possible learn about this resource.
Solution B  Distribute laptops with video cameras to schoolkids in the Passamaquoddy community, and ask them to record their grandparents telling stories in Passamaquoddy. Upload these to a Web site along with the grandparents’ definitions of particular words used in the story, and make these words searchable via a tag cloud.

I feel like solution B better suits the many-to-many approach because it involves more than just one group of experts. Solution B allows for the kids, parents, grandparents, the whole family to get involved with this project along with the school faculty too. Overall it includes more people/groups of an it provides a more authentic story telling aspect too.

Problem: Neglected ruins
Evan Habeeb wanted to make people aware of the beauty of abandoned buildings.
Solution A  Assemble a film crew and visit abandoned homes, factories, and other buildings. Bring lights to illuminate these spaces dramatically, and record ambient sounds like dripping water. Edit the footage onto a DVD to create a compelling account that documents these relics for posterity, and distribute copies to historical societies across the state for their collections.
Solution B  Build a Web site that allows adventurers to print stickers they can leave behind in abandoned buildings they explore. Create the stickers so they can be scanned by a mobile phone to reveal a Web site built to feature photographs taken by those explorers.

Overall I would say solution B would be the best many-to-many approach than solution A. Reason being is that solution A only allows one group of people to explore one abandoned building and share only what they experienced. However, with solution B it encourages those that want to learn about abandoned buildings to go out and seek them out themselves so that they can share their own personal experiences with others. Not to mention if someone can’t get to one location they could look up and maybe connect with someone who has, which therefore encourages a community to be made too.

Problem: Misunderstanding computer animation
Ryan Schaller and Jason Walker wanted to help people understand the many layers required to create a computer-animated film, including wireframe, textures, and light effects. As a case study, they created an animation depicting a cartoon archeologist digging for ancient artifacts.
Solution A Design and build a touch-screen interface that allows viewers to “rub” away layers of the film with their hands to reveal previous stages of the animation as it plays.
Solution B  Create an iPad application that documents each stage of the animation process, using stills from the archeologist film as illustrations. Explain techniques such as ray tracing, motion capture, and morphing. Include links to companies that create animation software such as Autodesk.

Personally solution A sounds way better than solution B. Solution B could work but it seems that it would be just information presented to you and not really taught. While solution A is an interactive experience that allows the user to get more hands on with the experience overall giving more of a digital classroom vibe.

Problem: A broken fountain
Danielle Gagner wanted to renovate the waterfall fountain under the skylight in the middle of the University Union, which had fallen into disrepair.
Solution A  Repurpose the existing plumbing to irrigate a garden planted in the former fountain. Research the types of plants that would grow well together at different levels of the fountain, and meet with dining hall staff to find out what herbs or vegetables they might add to salads and other offerings. Then plant these in collaboration with the sustainable agriculture club on campus, and invite students to pick the resulting parsley, strawberries, and other fare from the garden for their lunch.
Solution B  Use Google Image Search to download photographs of natural bodies of water such as streams, rivers, and the ocean. Combine these with nature footage from sources like National Geographic and the Discovery Channel to create a multichannel video installation that projects images of flowing water and rippling waves onto the fountain, which has been covered with theatrical screening. Supplement the moving images with the sound of a babbling brook emanating from surround-sound speakers mounted on the ceiling.

Solution A seems way better than solution B. Solution B has the student getting her information through the internet and videos, where as solution A has the student communicating with a vast community of people on campus in setting up the fountain, therefore creating the many-to-many approach.

Exercise 2: Invent your own many-to-many solutions
Pick one of the following problems and brainstorm a solution that embodies a many-to-many approach. Describe your solution in two or more paragraphs.

The oceans are dying
How can you stimulate students to learn more about the oceans?
Example: Alex Lessard and Greg Jones, ROV Labs.

The approach I would take to create a many-to-many approach would be first to collect data from college classes that deal with the ocean or have an association to the ocean from students that would be interested in a club that’s about helping oceans and making them cleaner. Next would be to organize field trips to go to the ocean or labs that specialize in helping the ocean mostly for the club, but can also be for the classes too if possible. With finally in addition to all of this have scientists that are on the front edge of trying to help the oceans and have them talk to the club/class, while providing interactive experiences and ways for the students to start making a difference.

III. Theater of the Oppressed
How does media oppress people in this article, and how does Boal try to give that power back to people? How does he use humor to do this? (2-3 paragraphs)
Media oppresses people because it always makes them a spectator to what they are seeing/reading with people not having witnessed/experienced what had happened. The way that Boal tries to give that power back is by letting people experience different forms of theater. For example it could be by letting people freely speak what should happen next and then letting them act it out or by having the people change and direct the performance. Boal is letting the people have full control of the event by having them freely express how they feel about the situation/event. He also, does this humorously by allowing anyone to chime in so in reality you never really know what’ll happen next. The story could be told by an adult or by a young kid, it could go anywhere.

How can New Media accomplish similar goal?  give a few examples. You can add projects we review in class, but you might want to start by trying to think of some yourself. (2 paragraphs)
Honestly I feel like New Media already has with Social Media. A prime example of this is YouTube because, as I’ve mentioned before, you can practically make any video you want and upload it to the site, talking about whatever you want. Whether it’s funny or serious, you can share it.