Reflecting on ALES 204

Reference 1. Social Media

Throughout the semester in ALES 204, I have learned so much in the field of social media and professional communication. As a young, somewhat tech savvy university student, I thought I knew my way around the online world but this class gave me a better idea of the different types of social media and it changed my opinion on many of them. For example, before this class I was very anti-Twitter; it seemed self-indulgent and unnecessary. However, in the first few weeks of ALES 204, I quickly realized the useful purposes of Twitter and how much easier it made connecting with the class. I had immediate updates from our professor and could read how other students in the class interpreted certain lectures or labs. There was an article (Johnson, 2009) I read that discussed similar skepticism regarding Twitter. He soon realized how important and innovative it was when he attended a conference and everyone was tweeting so that others who were not invited could know what was going on. This article somewhat parallels my experience with Twitter. I was against it at first, however when ALES 204 taught me how it can be used to share information, I quickly changed my mind. This is only one of many things I have discovered through this class and I am excited to learn more on my own.

My favourite assignment for this class would have to be the Wikipedia assignment. I have always used Wikipedia and always wondered what it would be like to create or update a page. This assignment allowed me to explore the site that I used frequently and understand how few pages would receive "good article status." I enjoyed researching the topic of my choice (EDNOS) because eating disorders have always interested me and I was shocked to see the limited amount of information on the Wikipedia page. It was fun to research and create the Wikipedia page and then also reflect on the experience in my blog. Although this was the most enjoyable assignment for me, the most useful thing I learned in ALES 204 would be the Pecha Kucha style of presenting. This innovative and simple form of presenting information is something that I can use in the future with school or work. It reminded me that long, dry and heavily worded power points are quite ineffective and the best way to catch someone's attention is to have simple slides that are engaging and thought provoking.

Reading other students blogs throughout the semester has really helped me understand concepts better and see them from different perspectives. For my final blog comment I was reading Lindsay Gervais' blog and I appreciated her message about this generation being more careful about how we conduct ourselves online. We tend to forget that what is said on the internet stays on the internet and that one inappropriate tweet may cost you a job. I think that taking a course similar to ALES 204 should be mandatory in university to give students tools for appropriate and professional online behavior. I have commented on four other blogs besides Linday's because I felt that these ones caught my attention and triggered critical thinking:

• Lindsay G.
• Danielle L.
• Jenna P.
• Sarah H.
• Rosie T.

To conclude, I have learned so many valuable tools in ALES 204 that I can carry on to the future. I am able to communicate better, more efficiently and more professionally.

References:

1. Social Media (Digital Image). 2012. Retrieved on April 12, 2012 from http://www.youneedwebtraffic.com/social-media/
2. Johnson, S., (2009, June 5). How Twitter Will Change the World. Time Magazine. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine

Kony 2012: Make Him Famous

Photo Reference 1

Although there is no blog post due for this week, I wanted to bring attention to something that has a direct connection to what we are learning in ALES 204. As most of you have probably seen, the Kony 2012 campaign has blown up over all forms of social media. This post is not meant to promote or defame the campaign; my sole intention is to mention how social media has been used in such an extraordinary way.

For those of you who don't know, the Kony 2012 campaign's mission is to make everyone aware of Joseph Kony - a Ugandan warlord and leader of the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army). Invisible children, the organization who created this campaign, wanted the mass population to support their cause so that the US will continue to keep troops in Uganda and help their government capture Joseph Kony. Despite your position on the organization and their cause, there's one thing that is difficult to refute: the large scale use of social media to connect the youth and raise awareness.

A few weeks ago I'm sure most people my age were not aware of Kony or the organization Invisible Children. However, through Facebook and Twitter, the campaign's video was broadcast worldwide and shared numerous times. This was the intent of Invisible Children. They wanted to connect with the youth of the world and social media was the best platform for them to do this. This is exactly what we're learning in ALES 204. We have used social media for many purposes and we have discussed the scale at which information can be shared. We have also discussed how fast information can be shared. Whether it's sharing your research about a new virus strain or raising awareness of a Ugandan warlord, social media provides an extremely efficient vehicle to reach mass audiences.

My friend Brenda makes a very good point in her blog. She mentions that Twitter enables people to share their passions worldwide. This is exactly what the Invisible Children organization intended to do. Brenda also mentions how hashtags are a great way to group information. Perhaps someone watched the Kony 2012 video and wanted to see what more people were saying about the cause. They could search #Kony2012, #InvisibleChildren or #JosephKony and see much more information to become more informed. I think the use of social media in this campaign was well thought out and very successful. I have added the video here, however before you decide to donate I highly encourage you to look into the cause more and educate yourself!

Photo References:

1. Kony 2012 Poster [Digital Image]. 2012. Retrieved on March 19, 2012, from http://www.sabotagetimes.com/life/kony-2012-why-im-opposed-to-the-campaign/

The Facebook Era

It used to be that an employer would look at a potential employees resume, interview them and make a decision on whether or not they would be suitable for the position. However, in the new age of technology, there are more opportunities for individuals to connect with employers and to promote themselves. This is what this week's ALES 204 lab is addressing. An employer can easily Google someone's name and their Twitter alias, Facebook page or LinkedIn profile may show up. This creates an opportunity to present yourself in a professional manner to these employers. It can be used as an online resume to highlight skills, previous work experience, and academic history and achievements.

Of course there are some guidelines to follow when making a Facebook page for your career. You want to remain professional and keep it separate from your personal profile where employers might find some not so professional things. I recently came across an article discussing the benefits of a professional Facebook page and how to use one appropriately. Facebook can be a wonderful tool when it comes to connecting with businesses and employers but, if it's not used responsibly, it could be quite detrimental to your career.

While looking through some of the ALES 204 Facebook pages I came across a fellow students blog that I would love to share with you. I thought she made a great point about how Facebook is versatile in that you can have a personal profile to connect with friends and share things while also having a way to show yourself in a professional manner. The Facebook page that I personally made contains false information because I wasn't comfortable with publicly announcing that information. However, "Samantha Smith" is a similar person to me and the page reflects a student looking to advance their career. Here is a screenshot of my page but to see the all of the information you can click here!

Photo Reference 1

Photo References:

1. Facebook Page [Screenshot] 2012. Retrieved January 26, 2012. Taken by me