Timeline Critiques

After reviewing the timelines of my class, I'd have to say that I enjoyed viewing the basic layout of the users that chose to use Timetoast to display their timeline as opposed to Sutori. However, I much rather view the information with a scroll and well categorized information and pictures, than having to click on each data set for viewing. I think Timetoast looks more simplistic and your able to see dates in one place rather than having to scroll down but I don't think it conveys as clear cut on the eyes. With that being said, I think the USAG Sexual Assault Scandal was the most informative, and easy to follow while leaving with a boatload of information.

Module 14: User Participation Projects and Crowdsourcing (Genealogy)

 User participation projects and crowdsourcing are common uses in projects all over the web. In fact, I bet you don't even realize that your part of this user participation when your inputting basic info into a chat or comment on your social media. There are so many different categories of groups on Facebook and it's amazing that we can actually put information that we have to give knowledge to others, and sometimes add it to discovering something we weren't aware of. Many times, I've seen people that I don't know, that don't know each other, comment under a post with a "Just wanted to say hi as I see we have the same last name" comment. And based on the persons personality behind the computer or phone most likely, they either say a quick "Hi" back or it turns into a discussion about family history that then transpires to their inbox. 

 I found a site that I thought was incredible and a perfect example of these called The Virginia Genealogy Society. This site is a Virginia based family genealogy site composed of many users inputting and logging history to tell stories. You can look up surnames and find their counties, research military records of family members who may have served, and personal records in public places. I like that site is based for Virginia and has good, narrowed down, informative information without having to start nation -wide or even country wide. 

Another site that I use frequently is good ol' Facebook. There are so many groups related to crime and change their name as the newest story comes in and the information that that these participants give is amazing. Like any site when people have the capabilities to give information, you can't always assume that it's correct or credible. I think that's what makes user participation so fascinating is that for one person that comments something wrong or irresponsibly, there's two more people that have the knowledge to fact check them. In fact, I have always appreciated a good biography and typically only read and watch non-fiction and where can you always find a good documentary (even if it's potentially biased)? Yep, Netflix! I watched a documentary called 'Don't F**k with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer' and even though I didn't see this on Facebook myself in one of the many crime solving groups I'm in, this was an amazing documentary to show how useful user participation can be. Now, this documentary isn't for the faint of heart and you can tell that by the title, but these people were fully involved in helping find an Internet Killer.  

Reverting back to Facebook...there are many groups and pages that are super useful for us to crowdsource and have user participation in. That includes one of the many Virginia sites you could do a quick search to find but this particular one is simply called, Virginia History. The sites' goal is to help promote and preserve Virginia history and like most anything on Facebook, it allows you to interact and share at your leisure!

 

Story mapping thoughts

 The class and I did some story mapping utilizing GIS or Geospatial Information Systems. This was way more challenging than I anticipated, and I think because of my difficulties and considering they may have experienced the same challenges, we all did pretty well.  There are so many advanced GIS websites that we viewed, that I feel like ours were more educational based than mapping. We all seemed to have equivocal maps and matching historical info, so I believe they compare well to our beginner's knowledge and for that, everyone deserves credit. But If I had to choose the best map out of all the maps the students implemented into their mapping, it would be the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, as there is a ton of data on the map, and it's the most appealing. 

Module 12: Data Visualization

 Back when we were kids, using data for comparison, whether it be to see who was the tallest in the class or which kid was likely to be school president, we used charts or graphs. These were likely to be made on sheets of construction paper using markers, but it was a fun, interactive way of learning while being able to compare data. With the growth of technology came the capabilities of being able to use digital graphing, mapping, and logging data that is there for the long haul, and didn't get wet, and smeared by the drip of lunch that you were having on top of your chart!

I had the task of finding some online data sets that I think would benefit from data visualization upgrades to making the information easy to read, and more appealing to the viewer. When I think of what I want to be looking at as a researcher, I want data that's easy to follow, easy to breakdown, and easy on the eyes! I would love to see UN Data implement data charting that were way easier to follow. There are tons of data on their site that probably has been overlooked many times due to the poor nature of the placement and lack of updates. We're talking general, social, economic, and environmental data that could be used way more pleasantly for the viewer. Next site that I think would benefit from some updates would be the NYC Open data. Okay, this site is fantastic and has a ton of information. I appreciate being able to find so much data in one place, but the layout is crammed and not updated either. They have everything from collisions to film permits, to the squirrel census! I could totally browse this site as there is so much to view but being that the data isn't very appealing, I'd get bored extremely easy! I'd really love to see this data in a different format.

I decided to look into some data visualization topics that interest me and see if there was anything that I could find worth noting. The first one I came across was a site called Charts. It's literally a site that uses data visualization to compare and analyze the charts being used for data visualization. Although that isn't super intriguing, I did think it was neat way to compare and contrast how data is being used on the web.  The next site I found, which happens to be my favorite, is about every Solar eclipse happening in your lifetime, by The Washington Post. This is by far an amazing display of data visualization using many forms to include an interactive globe, and a variety of graphs and maps about solar eclipses over the years. 

Unlike coloring a graph on scrap paper with crayons and scanning into the web, there is way more that goes into data visualization charting and it isn't easy as one presumes. If you're wondering, "How hard could it be?" We're talking creating a graph, digitizing it, and then coding it; This is by far not nearly as basic as it seems.  I won't be too hard on the sites above that have yet to implement their data more visually because after all, they do have a ton of information and it would be extremely time consuming, but comparing it to The Washington Post's data, they could definitely learn a thing or two about keeping the researching wanting more!

Module 9- Thoughts on sites and boards of fellow classmates

When you're in a class with other students, especially at a college level, you tend to learn that no two people are alike. We are all different in so many ways. We all have our own ideas, likes and dislikes, backgrounds, and learning styles. Since were generally working independently, no two styles or projects should be the same. In fact, we all have the same guidelines and requirements, but you can tell by each of our sites and boards that we have different interests, passions, views, and styles of work. 

I learned some really interesting facts about many different subjects and appreciated their view on them. I could tell, along with my sites, that they were coming from a place of personal interest, and I appreciate that. I preferred to view the boards that didn't correlate with the sites as it was another opportunity for me to learn in which I did. I didn't find much interest in the site that was about a coffee maker, even though the site is super clean, modern, and eye-catching, as it's not something that interests me; However, the board created by that same classmate kept my attention and had nothing to do with her site. I'm a partially biased learner in that I love to learn about women in history so those were the most enjoyable topics for me.  I liked the board a classmate did in regard to a city as opposed to the site of the city because it was much easier for me to see the images more clearly and personal- this goes vice versa for the site about the women in war. 

Overall, we are all learning, and I think we have a new appreciation to what goes into making our own websites and boards. There tends to be a disconnect when looking on the internet about what's behind the basics of what you're viewing without even knowing it.  I know now that there is plenty going into creating a website, blog, or board and that alone gives me a new outlook and appreciation. I've had to alter themes, colors, fonts, pictures to fit certain spaces, and verify copyright to be sure I'm not breaking any laws on the web. I'd say, we have all done a great job with the tools and knowledge we've been given in such a short period of time, and we will do nothing but get better as we go.

Module 9: Real vs. unreal on the digital web

This was an interesting unit to cover about the reality and false sense that can be given by the world of digitized history. I've never put much thought into how I actually feel about being able to view history and artifacts over the web without utilizing the very senses I was born with to do so. To me, I actually do appreciate the smell and feel of the newspaper, but I also don't seem to mind getting some of my news source from the internet. It's weird to think the world is ever so evolving into what could be a false sense of reality and without seeing something, do we actually even know if it exists. I mean, we know a newspaper exists and that it gives us some relevancy in the world in which we've grown to trust that were getting the most up-to-date and factual information out there- so the suggestion that if were to make newspapers obsolete means that were getting only false narrative on the web seems a bit far-fetched (although you really can't believe everything you see no matter where it comes from). My point on this matter seems that you can alter or change an original to fit the viewers narrative.

There was recently a video I watched on YouTube called How 3D printing can preserve history and it was actually pretty interesting and questionable at the same time. This woman took the digital images from a statue(s) that was destroyed and replicated them using a 3D printer. Those reprints are the closest thing you will see/touch/view in real time besides the digital images of the statues prior to their demise. I mean, there could be someone else who replicated them as well but that's not my point here. This woman has the capabilities, and she says this herself to some degree, to alter or make minor adjustments to keep the history alive. Okay, so you're technically not viewing the original so does it matter that any adjustments were made to fit the authors narrative? I mean it's like two people writing a book about one town but there's two different authors and two different views. Same town, same buildings, different views. I'm not sure that this could be actually considered a real replication of the statue but if that's all we have to go off of, then I guess we would think it was. 

Let's talk artifacts and museum history. I recently did a virtual tour of a museum in California called The J. Paul Getty Museum. I viewed several rooms that housed the exhibit of artifacts from Mesopotamia. This was an extremely cool visit and unlike anything I'd ever done. I've done a virtual tour in other museums and even viewed some painting in the Getty Museum as well, but this was by far the best virtual view of them all. The only critique I have is that I wish I had a bit more control over viewing the artifacts but overall, the setup was great and well thought out. I got to see some of these pieces very up close and personal, but I also had a sense of non-reality. Obviously, these items are digitized and uploaded to their site but has a hands-on person who really enjoys using all my senses, I started to question if what I was actually viewing was a web replication or the real deal?  I really enjoyed being able to see how they were displayed in the museum and having an up close and personal view but to me, I prefer to see something firsthand.  I prefer to smell and feel the newspaper. I prefer to walk the hall and view the statue and look at every detail up close and not guided by the view of what someone else wants me to see. I have such a better appreciation for something when it's there in front of me. There is an exception though. I am highly appreciative of transcriptions and digitized writings that I'm able to view from the web. This is the only exception. I appreciate the capability to view the paper up close and see the dots of lead from the pencil and the correction line of a drawing that you would otherwise miss from viewing an artifact further away or in a clear case.

 Either way, I don't feel there will ever be a clear-cut, right or wrong answer on the reality vs. non-reality of the world and digitized web. I say this because just like our learning styles, we all have different ways on which we view material and objects. I think people tend to also adapt with time and don't even give a second thought to something of this nature; Perhaps they just take whatever is given to them and go from there. There's no real substance, just view whatever it is in front of them and move along. I'll continue to read and look at everything I can in person until I can't anymore because that gives me the most value and appreciation of something at this time.