Dr. Leon James,
Instructor:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy/leon.html
Instructions for
this report are at:
http://www.soc.hawaii.edu/leonj/leonj/leonpsy17/g17research.html
The above student
had the privilege of taking PSY 409 in the fall of 1996. She described her
initial Internet learning experience as something fearsome and was hesitant to
complete. Initially she states “There were times
when I felt like throwing the computer terminal on the ground because it wasn't
doing what it was supposed to do, so I thought.”
I
felt the exact same way. Many times I find myself being stuck in this stage. It
is frustrating already when you have to conquer and excel in something you have
no knowledge or expertise on. The most frustrating part for me has been
actually spending endless hours on a project, proof it and customize it on your
hard drive to your standards, then not have the report upload the same way you
had it saved. When the uploading program doesn’t “upload” as easily as I had
hoped for, the anger and hopelessness sink in.
This is the next
step that Michelle goes through. She writes, “defeated
by an inanimate object that you're supposed to be smarter than. It is awful to
think that a machine has won. A lifeless thoughtless piece of equipment has
defeated me. Just the thought of this makes one want to quit. It is as if
you’re up against something you can’t compare to.”
There is still
hope. Just take a deep breath and try to put things into perspective. Michelle
says, “When you find that your page is starting to come out the way you want
them to, you feel a little spark of confidence that can probably help you to go
further because just the feeling that something finally work may help you want
to do more and make your page look exactly the way you want it to.”
This
glimmer of light is all some people need. One thing gone well can definitely
give hope to continue in completing the task. From personal experience, I can
say that when I upload something correctly, or just creatively polish a paper
and save, I feel as though the future tasks are going to be as fulfilling and
relieving as the prior task(s) were.
Motivation can
stem from hope. Accomplishment of small tasks, are motivators for completion
and a sense of closure. Michelle wrote, “You see that you can finally make everything
work and you feel the urge to make your pages look a lot nicer than they
already do.”
As
long as there is a possibility of success and encouragement for success and
accomplishment, motivation will work its way right in. For me, motivation stems
from the knowledge that success is bound to be in end. I think this also has a
lot to do with how you perceive situations. Is the glass half full, or is the
glass half empty.
Closure is great.
It puts an end to stress, questions, and anxiety. Success is closure and sense
of accomplishment. This is the last step that Michelle took in the completion
of this task. She states, “The fact that you overcame the whole process is a
great feeling. It gives you the feeling that you can do almost anything if you
persevere.”
I
strongly believe that perseverance will always equal success. If a task is too
easy, it’s not worth doing. As with anything else in life, I gain more
fulfillment from something that took a lot of time and effort versus something
that takes a couple of hours to do. I tend to take more pride in a successful
project that was a result of endless work, time, sweat, and at times, agony.
Fear is a basic and most common human reaction to the unknown. When you don’t know about something, you tend to have questions, doubts, insecurities, and hopelessness. You are put in a situation (at the start of class) where you are hesitant to ask you peers (other students) because one you don’t know them, and two, they might be just as lost as you. Now frustration begins to kick in. There are deadlines set, new computer programs to maneuver, and new topics to research all at once. All this is overwhelming as it is without the issue of hardware problems arising. It is very frustrating when you try vigorously to complete your final project/creation, and the darn hardware gives you complications. AHHH!!! This is the best way I can describe it.
The
above student chose to write about her Internet experiences in a different way.
She wrote about her encounter with the Internet, using a journal format.
Initially, she states, “Then I heard about going on the
Internet, I started to freak out because I tried to avoid the Internet like it
was the plague for years.” This is the initial reaction of many students when
newly confronted with a computer. Although she was frighten by the computer,
she chose to tackle her fears by facing them head on, and spending as much time
as possible developing her PC skills.
While
Carol didn’t fully state that she was frustrated because of her confusion and
lack of knowledge, she still showed some signs of frustration and anger. In
week 3, she writes, “I couldn't stand not knowing if
things went through or not.” This was a sign of mini-aggravation setting in.
This feeling of not knowing is something that many people experience at one
point or another. I felt like this at the beginning of class because I felt as
if I didn’t have a hold or grasp on the class or the material I was expected to
complete. How can I complete something if I’m not fully knowledgeable of the
task?
Defeat
We all reach this
phase. This is the-I’m sick of the constant confusion so I want to quit–stage.
In her efforts to upload new material and refresh, she states, “Than something
happened, I got stuck and started to freak out because I had screwed up and
didn't know what to do.” In a sense, this stage motivates us to strive to
continue. Eventually, we get tired of being “stuck” and want to take charge of
moving forward.
Here
is the vision and speck that gives us hope. Carol says, “I
couldn't believe it, I had finished one file, my homepage. I was so happy,
relieved, and satisfied.” I know exactly the feeling she is talking about.
There is this huge weight lifted off your back. You feel like, hey, maybe I can
go through with this. If I can create this, I can do the other stuff. I felt
like going out and celebrating when I successfully completed and uploaded by
homepage.
The
Glimmer of Light sets precedence for motivation. When people have something positive
occur in their life or the task they are working on, the motivation to continue
in that path is there. At one point, she states, “I
accomplished the five files I had to make and I'm almost finished with my topic
on Police Liaison site.” This is a prime example of her
motivation. She strived to complete 5 files and working on another task. I went
through this phase right after I completed my homepage. I was ready to take on
the next assignment with a positive outlook and without anxiety.
Once
this phase is reached, the assignments and tasks are more easily handled and
accomplished. The sense of completion and closure set in. Carol ends her
explanation of her Internet experience by saying, “I'm
so shocked that I came from knowing nothing about this computer age and wanting
to drop this class, to getting so much more than I ever imagined to achieve in
this course. I found that the challenges within this course made me work harder
at getting a grasp at what this computer technology has to offer me.”
Again,
the first step to overcome is fear. The frustration stems from not being able
to have control on the situation. Lack of knowledge and experience in certain
areas lead to stress and eventually defeat, if only for a short moment in time.
I feel that we all go through these patterns when working on a difficult task.
When we come across problems and obstacles during an assignment, the first
thing we want to do is get rid of it and continue. When this doesn’t happen,
these phases start to set in. The most difficult phase to overcome is the
defeat phase. Many people get stuck in this phase throughout their life. So
long as they can attain that glimmer of light, the end result will be that of
success.
Christine
also experiences the previous students developmental phase. Her report, though,
takes on more of a self -help and positive affirmation twist. Christine was
able to use other student’s experiences and quotes to confirm the stages she
went through. She engages the reader in her report by initially asking them
questions about their individual experience with the computer and the
psychology class as a whole.
Frustration and Anger
This
is common, and is to be expected. Christine explains that, “I experienced
frustration when my links weren't working properly, and then when my icons
wasn't loading up correctly.” Does this sound familiar? You give the computer a
command and it doesn’t do it. Now what? It’s not like it is an animate object
that you can talk to; well may you do talk to your computer, but believe me, it
won’t talk back. After endlessly trying and no luck, the next phase begins.
Christine
uses examples from other students to illustrate the stage of defeat. She
writes, “Cy Yun
from Generation 3 also stated, ‘While on the Internet, it seemed pretty
complicated, somewhat confusing, frustrating, and difficult to find particular
topics and items, especially when there's no information given on the "how
to do something" functions. I mean there were the help commands on the
screen, but the wording is sometimes too darn complicated to understand.’” This
is where it begins. This machine has beaten me, and I can’t even ask it for
help. This was my experience and thoughts when I was trying to create my
homepage. All I was thinking was that this help menu isn’t worth a darn!
The
time has come to take a break, take a breath, and put things into perspective.
Something positive has to happen; it’s inevitable. After things
go bad for a long time, the tables have to turn eventually. We all experience
this glimmer of light in different ways. Christine quotes another student’s
experience and her glimmer of light by writing, “Christine
Huisman's adventures upon getting her Unix account. "I hated computers
and their jargon and suddenly I felt very anxious and scared. The terms on the
paper were something like rm, mv, ls-al, cd, cp, dir, etc. By this time I was
lost-so lost I thought I was going to drop the class. We were assigned to go
and get a UHUNIX account if we didn't already have one and practice using the
terms on the paper. Well, wouldn't you know I did have a UHUNIX account when I
came to the new student transfer workshop but I never used it!!"
Our
glimmer of light is our motivation. Without it, we stay trapped in defeat.
Christine begins explaining this section by providing the reader with some
words of encouragement and hope. She lets the reader know that they are not
alone in their journey through the making of their report and Internet
experiences. She says “Don't Worry! You're Not Alone!” When you feel a sense of
support, it has a tendency to motivate many people to continue. At least this
was the case for me. Every time I would walk into class, us students would talk
about our own individual experiences we had working on our assignment the week
prior. Calming other students down and providing them with useful tips would
motivate me to continue with the assignment. I guess by being able to help out
others, I would subconsciously be motivated to find more useful tips so that I
can help them in the future.
By acknowledging fear and frustration, we can arrive to the other phases more rapidly. This is what Christine seemed to do. By being aware of the things that were frustrating to her and putting it all into perspective, she was able to seize her assignments and obstacles in a more positive and productive manner. I believe we all have to go through these transitional/developmental phases when assigned with new things. Some phases have more of an impact on us than others, and some of the phases just pass us by without us even noticing them. I think we all handle our stressors and situations differently depending on our personality and coping skills. Some of have the type of personality that overreacts to every situation, and some of us see an obstacle and deal with it without having an aneurysm. Our personality and coping skills depict how we will carry on through the phases.
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All the data
collected for this research project based on Annotated
Bibliography, was via the Internet. Instructions for the Bibliography
Report were given, and can be found by clicking on the link above. The
instructions for the Forum
discussions were given to us
(students) on the first day of class through the access of the class homepage.
Since the majority of this class was based on the Internet, I decided to do all
of my research for my assignments and weekly taskings using only the Internet
for sources. Searching for information and material through the Internet was
the most feasible way for me.
I’ve used
Internet resources in the past to complete other school assignments, and I use
the Internet for resources on a daily basis due to the nature of my job. I was
comfortable and relieved with the knowledge that solely using Internet resources
was acceptable for this class. From previous classes, the sole use of internet
resources was not acceptable, and I would have take time out of my schedule to
go to the library and use books, magazines, journals, etc. for resources. With
my schedule being what it is, at times this was not possible and often time
consuming. This aspect of research was possible for me, and definitely a relief
as far as saving time was concerned.
Since I was able to do all my research on the Internet, I did the majority from the comfort of my own home. It was relief that I didn’t have to take the time to go a library to obtain information. Cyber space being what it is today, I was able to gather resources from the library via the Internet. What a wonderful world we live in! Most of my research was done late at night when I would get home from work around 12 midnight. I was able to search during the day sometimes when work was slow, or during the weekends when I didn’t have to get to work until 3pm. Prior to the commencing my research for my Annotated Bibliography Report, I decided to quit “dial-up” Internet connection, and use “high-speed” cable connection. What a drastic change and time saver this was! For those of you that are impatient with the computer like myself, this is a must have for your household.
My process, as
far as obtaining research material, was not very frustrating for me. This was
the easiest component for me. My stress level during my searching sessions were
very low, and usually would take no longer that 30 minutes to 1 hour to
complete. The next step after that was having to fill out the forms before,
during, and after my sessions. I have to admit, I was really not enthused about
having to do this portion. Filling out the forms probably took longer than
actually finding information. I was hesitant to fill out the forms, but I
eventually talked myself into doing it. I saw it as a tedious and useless task
initially (I’m glad I think stay with that frame of mind, or else I wouldn’t be
able to complete this Research Report).
After completing
a few forms, it began to be like second nature to me. The more comfortable and
experienced I became with filling out these forms, the easier things appeared
to be. From going back and reviewing my forms, I noticed that the accuracy
level was on point. The timing was correct, the levels of stress levels and
frustration levels were accurate, and I would usually feel comfortable and
confident by the end of my sessions.
My
levels of anxiety, frustration, irritation, and rage where almost always low,
due to the fact that my searches were not too time consuming and bothersome. I
tended to find material quickly, and in great quantity. The search engines and
databases that I used for my Annotated Bibliography Report where both credible
and reliable resources. My tasks were usually top priority to complete because
I have a tendency not to quit until I finish what I set out to do. I noticed
that as long as I found the information that I needed, I was confident in my
success.
I
was very comfortable in maneuvering through the search engines and databases
because I had previous experience in using them. Searching for information
didn’t take too much effort for me because I was familiar with my resources,
and thus able to find information in a short amount of time. All of the
information I found was relevant for my report, therefore I didn’t have the
feeling that I wasted my time on the computer. I also noticed that I didn’t
rely on luck, but on my dexterity and the reliability of the databases and
search engines. I was confident in myself more than anything else. I believe
the best part of my experiences was that I was able to work and make progress
without having to leave my home. My searching experiences were usually the
same, carried the same pattern, and valid to what I was going through. The
information that I provided for myself from the numbers and averages
complimented the information I provided in my explanations.
I
was able to conclude a few things about my information behavior. First, I
noticed that I am very impatient when it comes to the computer. When I don’t
find what I need in a short amount of time, I get frustrated and angered with
my computer and the time I spend on the computer. As long as I get what I need
in a short amount of times without having to go through too many obstacles, I
feel fine. When this isn’t the case, irritation and frustration set in for me.
Having cable connection to the Internet alleviated many of these feelings for
me. I don’t think I would be feeling this way if I still had dial-up. I’m use
to having quick Internet access because this is what I am accustomed to at
work. So I guess in a way, I got spoiled at work, and I didn’t expect anything less
than that at home.
Secondly,
the computer and search engines, which I used for my assignments, were very
useful and practical. The tools were reliable and effective in my endeavors to
complete these assignments. The data showed that I was very trusting and
comfortable with the devices that I had at my disposal. My technical and
tactical proficiency in the use of automation extremely decreased my stress
levels in comparison to other students. Although I consider myself competent in
using the computer and search engines, I can say that this experience has
taught me more about my equipment, and the various ways I can make it more
useful in my future projects.
The Hamilton Library Research Project was something that I was initially a bit skeptical to engage in. We (the class) were given a paper to sign up for a day that we would go and participate in the research project. I made sure that I signed up with someone I knew (classmate) so that I wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable going into this. I got there early, along with the classmate I signed up with. The facilitator greeted us, and she explained the process of the research we were going to do for that time period. She was very patient and explicit with the directions for the session.
First, we were instructed to sign a waiver stating that we consciously agreed to engage in the research project. We were given a pre-research project questionnaire that covered our views and ideas about the upcoming research project. The questions given to us by the facilitator were similar to the forms that we were instructed to fill out for our weekly searches on the listed research topics. Once we completed filling out the questionnaire, we both proceeded to the computer and began the session. She gave us a form with questions, and we had to fill them in based on the information we would soon gather from our computer search. We had to use the search engine titled Vivisimo for this project.
As we searched for the items listed on the paper, we answered the questions, and proceeded through at our own pace. The facilitator was observing our interactions and behaviors behind us while we surfed the Internet for answers. Upon completion, we were given another questionnaire regarding that recent search experience. The tasks we were given were easily comprehendible and attainable. There were no results given to us based on our research, and it seemed more of a data collection process for the facilitator. I learned about a new search engine to use for future projects, which was pretty useful for me. I also picked up some pointers from the facilitator on how to conduct and observational study, just from watching her interaction with us, and her observation of us while we used the Internet.
I think future students would benefit more from this
study if it were done during the first weeks of the class/semester, instead of
when students have already had to perform online searches for projects. Not
only can it be a learning tool for novice PC users, but I will also introduce
and inform advance users on the type of searches and projects they can expect
to be doing for the remainder of the class/semester.
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The instructor
(Dr. James) discussed the various aspects of Internet learning and growth experienced
by each generation. There are quite a few phases that students will encounter
and often overcome while enrolled in an Internet-integrated college course. The
author states that “there is the creation of a social learning community
through the metaphor of ‘generations’.” According to Dr. James, there are three
phases of Internalizing Learned Online Skills. He states that students will
experience Level 1, Achieving Focus on
Internet, Level 2, Achieving Engagement, and Level 3, Personalizing. Upon
reaching this level, students will “begin to accept Internet by contextualizing
and personalizing it in the presence of feelings of attraction and the desire
for task completion.”
There are two
principles, which fall under the Online Generational Community-Classroom. The
first principle is the Mining Hypertext as a Learning Resource, in which the
hypertext environment “provides the medium in which students can practice
authorship, critical analysis, and social development through community
integration.” The second principle titled Creating Community-Building Forces
Among Learners, describes how students “find motivation in group solidarity as
well as in competitiveness.” Dr. James also explains how generational students
build and enhance their leadership and citizenship skills through the use of
cyberspace. For more in-depth information on this article please click on Creating
An Online Learning Environment That Fosters Information Literacy, Autonomous
Learning and Leadership: The Hawaii Online Generational Community-Classroom by Dr. Leon James.
I
believe that I had achieved level 1 prior to taking on the sub-tasks of the
class, due to my history and experience with computers at work, and search
engines. I was half way through completing level two of the three phases, only
because I hadn’t completely mastered the file management techniques on the
computer up to this point. Presently I am still in level 3 as far as personalizing
and having a desire for task completion. As far as the two principles are
concerned, I do see my as being able to practice authorship and critical
analysis. In regards to the social development under this principle, I would
have to disagree with the author. I don’t believe I have developed socially
through the Internet community integration, but rather through the physical
social interaction I obtained when speaking to my classmates in this course.
In principle 2, there is a reference made to group solidarity and competitiveness. I feel a sense of group solidarity, but I didn’t perceive competitiveness towards my classmates. I don’t feel that I created my work with an intent to compete with others, but rather to successfully complete assignments put in front of me. I viewed Information Literacy as a complex term. I found an accurate definition to this phrase: Information Literacy is defined as the ability to know when there is a need for information, to be able to identify, locate, and effectively use that information for the issue or problem at hand. More information on this terminology, and other discussions on topic, can be found here. This definition and further insight on this phrase can be found here. Throughout this research report, and my previous report, I noticed that I went through the process of “Information Literacy.” I believe computer users experience this on a daily basis. I see how information literacy is involved in our daily use of the computer. My report could be tied in to some of the descriptions provided in the generational curriculum, and I definitely was able to experience “information literacy” throughout my research experience.