e-mail address: wonglind@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu
Original Home Page
Other Students' Lab Reports
Instructor's Weekly Comments
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
GO TO Indexical Home Page This is a complete listing of all the topics within the labreports and links to those anchors.
1.WEEK 1
. . Getting Started
. . Pressure!
. . The first time

2.WEEK 2 & 3
. . Time
. . Emacs
. . Glossary

3.WEEK 4
. . Hypertext
. . Navigation
. . Pessimism
. . Depression
. . Lost
. . Strategies
. . Advice

4.WEEK 5
. . Accomplishments
. . State of Mind
. . Self-witnessing Reports
. . Suggestions
. . Hello?
. . re:Hello?

5.WEEK 6
. . Pre-jitters
. . Just Do It
. . Round 1
. . Youth Music/Youth Culture
. . Ok-next!
. . The Cursor
. . Still Crawling
. . Do Over
. . Look! There's ME!
. . Keep Trying
. . Using Veronica
. . Gopher Jewels
. . I give up!
. . Reassurance
6.WEEK 7
7.WEEK 8
8.WEEK 9
9.WEEK 10
10.WEEK 11
11.WEEK 12
12.WEEK 13
13.WEEK 14
14.WEEK 15

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Pressure!
When I first got on the computer without an account, my goal was to reach the syllabus. It kind of freaked me out at first that the syllabus was online and not passed out on a tangible piece of paper. I felt a lot more pressure to get started on the computer and figure things out. Barry Kwock explains how he felt the same kind of pressure.

The first time
My first experience on the computer felt like a little roller coaster. Some commands would work and I felt like I was getting somewhere, and then the next second another command wouldn't work and I was stuck. All in all, what I learned from this experience was that IN THIS CASE ONLY, it was more important for me to NOT ask for help from the lab attendant. Trying to figure it out myself, experimenting, getting a feel for the computer, and realizing that nothing catastrophic will happen if I push the wrong button was an important first lesson. Sitting with the feeling of not knowing what to do can be very uncomfortable and it was challenging to stay calm and focused (especially in the Keller lab where everyone around you is rattling away on their keyboards at the speed of light and the sound of clicking computer keys seems to be getting louder and loudER and LOUDER). The happy ending is that I did finally reach the syllabus using the Open Location command (rather than Go) and my accomplishment felt that much sweeter.

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emacs
When I first began to create my three files using emacs, I ran into several problems. The biggest and most frustrating one was when I would try to save the file. From the information in my notes, I would type C-x then C-c. After typing C-x, the bottom of the screen would show "C-x". Then when I would type C-c, it didn't say anything about saving and would just kick me out of the emacs. Ugh! So I would try again and again and again and the same thing happened. Other people seemed to be having a similar problem as well. See Grant Harada's lab report on page 7. I immediately emailed Dr. James and Kevin and luckily Kevin was in the CLIC Lab too! In a matter of minutes, and just in time because I was about to give up and leave, Kevin came over and suggested that I use pico instead. The speed and convenience of email amazed me and saved me. It was great! Dr. James also addresses this problem in his Weekly comments file.

glossary
It has become very apparent to me why we are creating our own glossaries. To the apprehensive novice, the computer lingo plays a major role in intimidation. It can make one feel stupid, lost, or at least excluded("I have no idea what they are talking about"). It can also be frustrating. Sometimes I feel like saying, "Slow down or speak English!!" Maintaining our own glossaries and learning from others' helps us grasp a concept and feel more familiar and comfortable using this new language.

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hypertext
When I want to locate information in the syllabus or the Instructor's Weekly Comments File I can first go through my home page. By typing "lynx wong.html" at the WWW prompt, I go straight to my home page where I have links to the Syllabus and Weekly Comments. If I am reading a document for the first time I go through it page by page and skim or read it. If I am searching for something specific then I page down using the space bar till I find what I am looking for. Another way is to press the slash key "/" , enter the word or subject and press return. This will create a search string and look for the word mentioned anywhere in the document. It takes you to that search and underlines the word every time it is mentioned. Dr. James mentions this handy device in his weekly comments file.See it? Carol Alamares has some comments on the usefulness of this method.

navigation
When I'm going through the syllabus or weekly comments file I like to use the links to go from one subject to the next or to get more detailed information on a particular topic. However, sometimes I get carried away and forget what I was really looking for in the first place. This does not seem uncommon. See what Allison Asahina has to say about her experience. I would recommend to try to stay focused and disciplined when going through links. However, it is a relief to know that there are ways to undo your links. Just press "u" and you are back at your previous link. Also, you can use the right arrow key --) to follow a link and the left arrow key (-- to retrace a link. Navigating through the course files can be fun and easy if you know how to do it quickly and successfully. This gives you a sense of control over where you are and how you can get to where you want to be.

pessimism
The times when I feel pessimism consumes me, which were frequent in the beginning, I usually take a break and get as far away from the computer as I can. Taking breathers can help to not only clear your mind but give you a bit of motivation to try again. And honestly, for a good part of the time what sustains me is anxiety over getting this stuff done. Particularly in the beginning I saw this course as I view most others: homework-do it-study-exam-grade. However, I am learning to truly see and appreciate the value in what we are doing here. What really helps in the defense againt pessimism are those small but meaningful accomplishments along the way. For example, when I finally did my home page and created my three files, I felt a great sense of accomplishment and a renewal in the belief of many possiblities. What also feels good is if I try to create a link and it actually works! Creating a successful link never ceases to surprise me.

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depression
Pessimism is a close cousin if not the founding father of depression. If you allow the pessimistic thoughts that keep ringing in your head to rule your cognitive view of the situation, then eventually you are likely to feel depressed. What helped me was reading other students' lab reports. It reminded me that we are all in the same boat (although some of us may have jumped overboard). This helped affirm that the frustration and anxiety that I was experiencing was normal and okay. It can also help to remind yourself of the goal. If I ask myself, "What am I going to get out of this?" it helps me realize that the benefits of this experience outweigh the bumps and potholes in the road along the way.

lost
Funny that the question was "Do you 'get' lost?" When I first began this class I felt like I started at lost and the goal was to find my way. I think in a class such as this one, when the information is quite overwhelming and intimidating, 'lost' is more like the starting point. I think to diffuse this feeling takes time and endurance. I hope that with practice and the sheer number of hours spent on the computer I will feel more comfortable and confident about my computer abilities.

strategies
One strategy that has helped me when I don't know how to do an assignment is to observe how others have accomplished it. At first I felt like this was cheating or something, but then I realized that one of the main objectives of this class is to learn from eachother. Tina Smith mentions in her lab report that she had similar feelings.

advice
I guess the main piece of advice that I would give in dealing with routine frustration, uncertainty, and information shock is to not take it personally. It may sound simple, but it goes a long way. Not taking the problems personally helps you to accept whatever obstacles come along and gives you a clear mind to challenge them. This is also an important ability in becoming information literate.

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Accomplishments
For the Generational Curriculum assignment I read the lab reports of Tim Oien. He seemed to have accomplished a lot in the course of one semester. He used e-mail, Veronica, Gopher, Turbo Gopher, Mosaic, lynx, and even participated in an interactive forum using e.World. He was able to print out some of the information that he found such as info on sex roles in society, Martin Luther King, and the Gopher software licensing policy. Though he was able to access information for other classes, he frequently stated that he wanted to do more and learn more. I think he tried to do what he could but acknowledged that there was a lot more to discover and still more that he could accomplish on the internet.

state of mind
Tim began as apprehensive and often became frustrated, but it seemed like his accomplishments gradually built up his confidence. He mentioned several times that he knew and understood the importance of computers and the vital role the internet will play in the future. I think this realization helped him get through the initial intimidation and kept him going when he ran into problems. In one of his later lab reports he stated that he viewed his difficulties as minor inconveniences and hurdles that he could overcome. Cheryl Remata read the other half of Tim's lab reports and has her comments and interpretations.

Self-witnessing reports
It was helpful for me to once again be reminded that other people were experiencing much of the same anxiety, frustration and doubt that I was when beginning this class. However, I think the most beneficial aspect of the self-witnessing reports was actually witnessing someone go through the experience of the class and seeing the changes in their cognitive and affective processes as they became more familiar with the computer. By the end of his lab report Tim was still a novice, but he had gained enough confidence and skills to keep him moving forward. Allison Asahina also relates similar benefits of reading a previous generation's labreports.

Suggestions For Future Generations
To be totally honest, right now is not the greatest time to be asking me for suggestions. I still have tons of questions myself!! I am still very much in the depths of this anxiety-ridden process. Though I have experienced some highs in this roller coaster ride, right now I am in the pit of confusion and doubt. So all I can say is - ask me later!!

Hello? Is Anybody There?
Recently it occured to me that because my last name, and therefore my file, is at the VERY BOTTOM of the class list maybe my files aren't getting read as much. I know that when I enter the list of labreports the computer takes me right to the top and so out of convenience that is where I start each time. Then as I go down the list reading other's labreports I inevitably run out of time and have to stop. I only get as far as halfway through. This process then repeats itself when I get on the computer the next time. I noticed there were some files near the bottom of the list, like where mine is, that I had never read yet. With this realization, I am going to make the extra effort to read all of the files equally and to sometimes start at the bottom of the list. If anyone has any comments on this possible bias affecting the viewing of the class files, please link it to this paragraph and email me. My mail box is empty! Thanks!

re:Hello?
I was very pleased to get some email and responses very soon after I posted my Hello? paragraph. Trudy Moore says that she realized she had a similar routine of viewing the class files and this lead her to neglect the people at the bottom of the barrel. Ryan Higa also responds to this common trend. An illustration of how this whole link-thing works is that Carol Alamares stumbled upon Trudy's file and comment, the one that I just linked to, which led her to my file. Through this she realized that she had similar viewing patterns. I understand the inadvertant (did I spell that right?) neglect because I recently became aware of my file viewing patterns. I know that I probably wouldn't get a chance to read my own files if it wasn't for the fact that I'm the one making them! Thanks to everyone who responded! :)

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Week 6 Homework Description (from Instructor's Comments file)

Pre-jitters
Before I even began the homework assignment for week 6 I felt another wave of anxiety, much like the tsunami of angst in the first few weeks of class. Just when I was beginning to think, "ok, I think I can handle this" I knew that the next assignment would be challenging. I didn't know what to expect with searches on the net, and I figured I would have to download this and upload that and put this file here and then there and then move it to this account and that account and- oh my god! I thought. Unfortunately the level of anxiety about undertaking this task made me put it off a bit, which of course doesn't help at all.

Just Do It or at least Try!
When it came down to the wire, I knew I had to do this. I figured I would at least try and see what happened. Well, I did!! And here's what happened . . .

Round 1
First I clicked onto the Web addresses to explore on the Instructor's Home Page. This is a Scout Report listing a sampling of the new and best Internet resources. I think this would be helpful if you are just browsing for new and interesting stuff and you don't have anything specific you have to find. I skimmed through the addresses and didn't find anything on traffic. However, I saw some cool stuff like the Youth Music/Youth Culture page.

Youth Music/Youth Culture
This caught my attention because it sounded very intriguing. It explores music and its influence on culture. There are on-line magazines, song lyrics, audioclips, and more! Rayson Noguchi also found this page and has some comments on it. Unfortunately, I didn't have time to actually explore the link because I was very concerned about looking for traffic related stuff, but I made a note of it and plan to check it out soon. If you would like to check out the Youth Music/Youth Culture page, here goes nothing!

Ok-Next!
The next search I tried was using the Webcrawler. I got to the Webcrawler by clicking on the link in the Instructor's Weekly Comments File. I clicked on "Image" to read more information about this search tool. I think the Webcrawler searches articles or files by content, so this is very useful in a topic search. It can also provide you with mega-tons of information that you don't need, so to get the most out of it, be specific with your search words. See what Carol Alamares has to say about this.

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The Cursor
A minor difficulty, but major pet peeve, was trying to figure out how to get the little cursor thing where I wanted to be. The cursor was at the very top of the page on "Image", but I wanted to get to that nice blank line that was just calling for my search words. I tried to put the mouse on the blank line and click, but that didn't work. Then I just tried to type, but of course that doesn't work either. I just ended up with a command line at the bottom of the screen. It was a bit frustrating to see where I wanted to be on the screen, but not know how to get there. After a few sighs and grunts and trial and errors, I stumbled upon the down arrow key and it worked! Yippee! It seemed so easy and obvious but had managed to escape me.

Still Crawling
At the nice big blank line I typed in "traffic", arrowed to SEARCH and pressed return. The search found 1197 documents and (thank god) only returned 25. Of the links to the various files, I clicked on "Server Traffic Summary", but the image could not be done on the screen. So I clicked on where it said "here", to get more information. Unfortunately, the information was just a lot of statistics and tons of numbers numbers numbers that I could not figure out. After going back (using 'u') and then clicking onto the "WWW Traffic Summary" and the "San Diego Traffic reports" I got much of the same boring numbers and statistics.

Do Over
I started thinking that I was doing something wrong because somehow I got in my head that we were supposed to find TRAFFIC PSYCHOLOGY stuff. I kept finding traffic traffic, as in cars, files so this triggered my gradual downward spiral. I decided to try the search again entering "traffic*psychology". The '*' means 'and'. The search found 39 documents.

Look! There's ME!
As I was looking down the list of files to view, GUESS WHO I SAW. There was a link that said "Psych 409 Individualized Student Home Pages". Wow, I thought. This was very exciting. Right next to our file there was "Leon James Home Page Hawaii". It never really hit me that whatever I type is somehow put out there and is accessible to anyone who is interested. I am still trying to understand and grasp the magnitude of the net, but I think right now it is bigger than I can even imagine. Finding our class in a Webcrawler search was very exciting and mind blowing. Talk about going full circle. "Wow. That's us," I thought. Hi Mom!

Keep Trying
I clicked on a few other psychology related links but didn't seem to find what I was looking for. There was information on psychology departments from universities in California, to name a few. However, the belief that I was doing something wrong was mounting. I decided to try the Instructor's old bookmark entries One of the searches I tried was searching gopherspace using Veronica. I clicked on "How to compose Veronica queries" which was very helpful in understanding how veronica works. Veronica searches for words in titles, and does not do a full-text search by content. Depending on the kind of information and scope you have in mind, this could be helpful or inadequate. I highly recommend taking the time to read files about how a program works before jumping in with both feet. I took the time to read about veronica and felt more confident, comfortable and knowledged of it when I was ready to use it. One thing it said about veronica that I did not understand was that veronica is not case-sensitive. I do not know what that means but when I find out I will add it to my glossary and link it to this paragraph.

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Using Veronica
When I was finally ready to use veronica, I felt more comfortable because I had read some information about it. I noticed a big difference in my affective responses when I took the time to become knowledged a little bit first. I clicked on a search of gopherspace (veronica) via the University of Pisa. You can choose among several Universities to search from and the're all supposed to be about the same. There may be some minor differences but they can vary on the time it takes to make a connection and access information. At the bottom of the screen I entered the search string "traffic and psychology". Unfortunately it said, "Your search on 'traffic and psychology' returned nothing. This added to my earlier feelings of doing something wrong. Just when I was going to try a search string the computer said, "**Too many connections- Try again soon." Ugh! Now I was not just bummed but a little pist.

Gopher Jewels
I figured now I would go to the next in line. This was a search using the Gopher Jewels Menu. Once again, you can use this by going through the Instructor's old bookmark entries. I clicked on a "Jump to Gopher Jewels Main Menu". This focuses on locating information by subject. Next I clicked on the "Search Gopher Jewels Menus by Key Word(s)". I entered the string:"traffic and psychology" and they had NOTHING! Then I tried just "psychology" and it returned psy-related info. I clicked briefly on a link to the University of Ottawa, but was already kind of pessimistic about finding what I thought I needed.

I give up!
By this time I was totally convinced that I was doing something wrong. I had tried all, or at least most, of the search tools indicated on the instructor's week 6 hwk and I couldn't find anything related to traffic psychology. I would get stuff about traffic OR psychology, but not traffic psychology which I somehow interpreted as the assignment. I left the computer lab in frustration and disappointment thinking, "I must be doing something wrong. How come I can't just get the information I need? Why isn't it like the searches on the computers in the library?" I was frustrated but immediately I knew that my next strategy would be to read other student's lab reports and see how they accomplished the assignment. It was incredibly reassuring to know that help in the form of candid first-hand experience was available at my fingertips.

Reassurance
The value of the Generational Cyberspace Virtual Learning Community is immeasurable. After feeling like I was totally stuck on this assignment, the next opportunity I had I read other student's labreports. From reading a few of the reports I realized that I wasn't doing anything wrong. I was fine. The problem was that I misinterpreted the assignment and assumed we had to find traffic psychology stuff instead of just traffic stuff on anything. This was an incredible boost for me. I had been doing okay all along! I felt a surge of self-confidence in my abilities and understanding. I realized how valuable the learning community really is. It helped me get through the assignment and realize that I was on the right track.

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Back from a Hiatus
Well, I have not been on the computer for an entire week and I feel very rusty. I keep looking down at my hands while I type and constantly glancing at my notes and second-guessing myself. I was even a little fuzzy about making links and anchors! Yikes! Just before the week break I knew the commands like the back of my hand. What a difference time can make, even if its just a little bit. Hopefully it will just take me a bit to refresh my memory and get my motor running again.

Using Netscape
For the week 7 homework where we have to read other students' files, I decided to view them through Netscape to kill two birds with one stone. (What a gruesome way of putting it. Sorry. Where did that saying come from anyway?) That way, I can read the other files and also become familiar with Netscape at the same time. On a Macintosh, I first clicked on "Programs" and another window appeared. In that window I clicked on "Internet". After a smaller window appeared, I clicked on "Netscape" and again clicked on it after a smaller Netscape box appeared. It takes a while to connect. Hum de dum, de dum. Then the screen said, "Welcome to Netscape" with a cute dinosaur picture. I remember the first time I saw the dinosaur picture I was amazed and thought it was soo cute. Of course, after seeing it a few times, its still kinda cool, but slowly losing its thrill.

Net Search
After gazing at the cute dinosaur for a while, I clicked onto the box that says,"Net Search". A screen appeared that was titled, "Internet Search" and there was another picture of a dinosaur but this time he had a flashlight. Apparently, he was investigating the three thumps he heard on his bedroom wall that had nearly knocked down a picture frame and seriously concerned him when he found out that it wasn't an earthquake. (Ooops. A little OJ trial flub in there. I mean c'mon, is there anyone who's not watching the trial?) I then clicked on a "Webcrawler Search" which allows a search by the document title and content. It is maintained by the University of Washington.

Searching the Web
Now a screen appeared with the title, "Search the Web" with a picture of a spider. It indicated that this database is indexed by content. To get my cursor in the box where I could type in the search words, I simply (Well okay, now I can say its simple because I've had some practice and I kinda know what I'm doing. But how quickly we forget those days of yesteryear when we screamed and cried in frustration from the inability to perform such minor tasks. Ah, those were the days. It seemed like only yesterday. Probably because it really was only yesterday. If you want to take a trip down memory lane, just remember to come back. Press here on flashback.
Oops-caught me daydreaming. I actually forgot to finish my sentence. So, as I was saying, to get my cursor in the box for search words, I simply (big ego now) moved the arrow with the mouse to the box and clicked. Now the cursor was alive and breathing exactly where I wanted it to be.

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Finding Myself
Sorry to disappoint, but this is not some deep, introspective, medidative journey to unlock the key to my true inner self and deepest fears and desires, it just means getting to my home page. In the search box, I typed "Linda Wong" and it returned 19 documents. Of the links provided, one was "Psych 409 Individualized Student Home Pages". The truth is, I've gone down this road before, but the last time I did was for week 6 homework and I stumbled upon our files by accident. It was extremely exciting to find it by accident. Want to see it? No? Are you sure? Really sure? Its as easy as a push of a button. (In this business, you must learn shameless self-promotion.) Ok, last chance. Going, going, gone!

Oops! Wrong Program
Interesting thing happened when I was in Netscape. I had followed a link and wanted to go back. I just automatically pressed "u" without giving it much thought and waited a second expecting the screen to go back. After nothing happened, I pressed "u" about two or three more times thinking, "Okay, c'mon, c'mon". After a few seconds with a "Huh?"-look-on-my-face it hit me. Ouch! I realized that in Netscape to retrace a link you have to use the mouse to go to the upper left hand corner box that says, "Back" and then click with the mouse. I didn't realize how accustomed I was to lynx and the "u" key function in that program. I had become so used to it that I automatically used it in Netscape. It was almost as if my cognitive processes were working so quickly since I had become used to the lynx program, that my sensorimotor action happened without even thinking about it. This really showed me that I had been learning and progressing on the computer even though sometimes I don't realize it.

Found it!
I clicked on the link to "Psych 409 Student Home Pages" and there we were. Wow! The graphics are so much nicer and it looks more professional and official. I then looked at my home page. Hey, I did that? Cool, I thought. Some of the differences I noted between the view in Netscape and the view in lynx is that in Netscape the links are blue and the anchors look the same as the rest of the text. Also, whatever you put as the *title* (where the * is actually brackets) appears at the very top heading of the screen immediately below the command line. This identifies the file you are looking at and is very informative and useful. Underlined words were italisized rather than underlined. It was so great to look at my home page and lab reports and see them up there on the Web. It made a lot of the hard work, long hours, and emotional traumas worth it.

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Labreport Listing
When I went to other people's home pages through the list of Home Pages, I was able to access the file. However, when I tried to go to the labreports through the list of student labreports, none of them worked. The computer said, "404 Not Found" and the requested URL, along with the whole address, was not found on this server. So for some reason beyond my comprehension and understanding, some of the links for our files do not work in Netscape. When I have more time, I can look at the specific problems further.

The Links
Well, here is the meat and potatos of the homework. When I read the labreports, which as of yet, I have not been able to read all of them, I made it a point to practice what I preach. I started from the bottom of the class list and worked my way up. It had occured to me a while ago that there was a possible bias in the frequency of viewing certain files because it depended on where your name was on the list. I don't think this is always the case, but I noticed that I was doing it myself! I had identified this problem previously in my Hello? paragraph. Here I go again on this topic, but someone's got to stand up for us people at the bottom of the barrel!

Beyond My Control
In Tina Smith's labreport, she realized that she can't always do things the way she wants to on the computer because so much of it is beyond her control. Allison Asahina also expresses her reaction to the many elements of this class that are beyond her control. This is exactly how I felt more in the beginning of the semester and still do somewhat now. When this thought first hit me, I felt kind of panicked. It was scarey to have a class in which a good grade felt beyond my reach no matter what I did. I felt like so many elements of this class was beyond my control. There was only so much time I had to spend on the computer. There was only so much competence and abilities I had to get the work done. I felt like I had neither the time nor skill to be successful in this class and that was very scarey. I felt extremely limited in time and deficient in my abilities. Since then, I can say that those feelings have substantially lessened. With more practice and experience on the computer and the sheer number of hours I spent rattling away on the keyboard, I now feel much more confident that I am attaining the skills I need to become successful in this class. I feel like I have regained a sense of control, the ball is now back in my court. Of course I still have a ways to go and there is a lot I don't know about and am unfamiliar with. But the huge difference is that now I can really see the possibility of success. Now I actually believe that I can do this. The time factor is still a challenge, but since my speed has increased with experience, I am able to use my time more efficiently.

The Pressure to Know
In Lisa Runyan-VanDyer's labreport, she said that she felt too embarrassed in class to ask questions and thought to herself, "Aren't we supposed to know everything already?" First of all, I can relate to this. I tend to hesitate from asking questions because of that same voice that tells me, "You are supposed to know this. If you ask, people will think you're dumb." I am still struggling with that voice, but I think it also brings up another point that needs to be made. In our society, we are taught that its not okay to not know and that ignorance equals stupidity. There is a PRESSURE TO KNOW. Its not a coincidence that so many of us felt in the beginning of the class that we must be stupid for not knowing how to function successfully on the computer even though many of us had very little previous experience. For some first hand, candid examples check out excerpts from the labreports of Carol Alamares, Dellia Badua, Nicole Gustie or Grant Harada. Or, just randomly select a labreport off the class list and chances are that you will find someone who admits feeling stupid at one time or another. Remember the saying, "There's no such thing as a stupid question"? Well, unfortunately, in reality a lot of people don't practice that. So for me, if I can tell that demanding voice inside to go take a hike, it frees my mind to concentrate on the task at hand.

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Expectations
Related to the above paragraph on the pressure to know, is something I read in Cheryl Remata's labreport. Near the beginning the semester, she expresssed, "1) I don't know how good I should be at this and 2) I am still unsure of what is expected of this course." Bingo! My thoughts exactly. With this uncertainty I felt at the realities of this course compounded with the pressure to know that had been mounting since the beginning of time, its no wonder that I was practically paralyzed with fear and anxiety. I would procrastinate working on the computer which only intensified the pressure and anxiety. Since then, I can say with a sigh of relief, I do feel like I am understanding the course and its objectives. In fact, now I love it! Its fun, its cool, and mentally stimulating. And I feel like that's only the tip of the iceburg. I have had a total change of heart. I would highly recommend this class for a number of reasons. Its like a roller coaster ride. One minute you're crying, the next minute you're flying!

Some Sound Advice
In Ryan Higa's labreport I found some helpful advice for dealing with the all too familiar pessimism and depression. He expresses the important reminder that this class is very new and challenging and "I shouldn't expect myself to pick this up immediately." I would say that is one of the most important pieces of advice. HAVE PATIENCE WITH YOURSELF. Of course, for many of us that is not easy because we may expect a lot from ourselves. Though these high expectations can help us achieve great heights, in new and intimidating situations these pressures can make us feel worse. These negative feelings can then hinder the process of learning itself and make it more difficult to accomplish the task. Keep in mind that everyone, even the person who created the computer programs, started out once as a novice, a beginner who knew nothing.

Instructor's Article
I found the Instructor's article on the previous generation's experience very informative and interesting. It helped me understand the purpose of the class and the reasoning behind what we are doing. To see the article in its entirety, click here.

Open to the Public
The method section of the article "Taxonomic Inventory of Affective and Cognitive Behaviors While Learning the Internet" explained in detail the rationale behind the generational learning community. I admit, on the first day of class I felt a bit intrusive about reading someone else's papers from the previous semester. Then I felt even more uncomfortable knowing that someone else will read my reports next semester. I felt very awkward about this at first. It felt like an invasion of privacy. Knowing that my work would be sort of "open to the public" made it difficult to write the labreports in the beginning. I had to adjust to this new concept. Reading other people's labreports helped me realize it was okay to be blunt and honest about what I was feeling and thinking. Also, I have become more confident with my abilities on the computer and am actually kind of excited to share my experiences with others who will be going through much of the same thing. It is quite exciting to know that someone else will be reading my labreports and will hopefully learn and benefit from them. For a full description of the purpose and reasoning behind the generational learning community click here.

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Self-Confidence
I can definitely say that this class has helped boost my self-confidence with computers. It took a lot of time, hard work, and patience, but it is beginning to really pay off. It is comforting to know that the struggles and emotional traumas are somehow worth it. Rayson Noguchi has similar feelings on the rewards of this experience. The instructor mentions that self-confidence is one of the learner variables that results from this experience. To see it, follow this link.

Exploring
Another learner variable that I can identify with from the instructor's article is personalizing. To see it in the article click here. When I had the time(which is almost never!) to just explore on the Web and do searches for topics purely out of interest, I felt a personal use for the computer. It was also fun to just browse, looking for humor or cool pictures. I felt a real personalization of the Internet for my needs and interests. This added to the increasing attraction I felt towards using the computer. To see 'attraction' as mentioned in the article as a learner variable, click on this.

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Traffic Psychology
I remember reading a description of Psy 459 class when I was registering for classes and I thought the topic sounded very interesting. In fact, I had considered taking the course but I couldn't fit it into my schedule. I think its an area of study that warrants attention considering the number of traffic fatalities every year and the fact that just about everyone drives or experiences some form of traffic.

A Vehicle to Vent
In Nicole Yoshimitsu's labreport, she mentions that in class they discussed the fact that many people adopt a "persona" once they sit behind the wheel. This is not surprising. Speaking for myself and other people I've observed, this phenomena is not uncommon. But why? What is it about the driving (vehicle) situation that elicits certain behaviors (often negative) in people? When I first heard about a traffic psychology class, it got my wheels turning on this topic. I think one aspect of the situation that allows this kind of behavior to come out is the impersonal nature of being on the road. When I'm in my car, windows rolled up, radio on, and my mind wandering, I feel like I am in my own world. In a sense, everyone is in their own self-contained world when they're in their cars. For some its a time to relax, reflect on the day, or think about tomorrow. Its exactly like the video "Everybody Hurts" from R.E.M. Everyone has their own lives and thoughts spinning in their head, yet they share something in common- they're all stuck in traffic- together. Anyway, when I am in my own little world, its easy to see other people on the road as just a bunch of cars. Its pretty impersonal. The car becomes the person, the person becomes the car and their driving is like a form of expression. Therefore, if someone cuts me off, I may get really pist and take it personally, yet express my anger (honking the horn or cussing) impersonally. I wish I could take more time to explain this, but unfortunately I don't have the time. I gotta move on!

Driving
(Ok, so that anchor name kind of sucks, but I have to think fast and sometimes it takes too much time to think of a clever name for an anchor.) I read portions of Tod Takitani's labreport and found them interesting and entertaining. He mentions the importance of not only being aware of other drivers, but also letting them be aware of you. For example, you should make your signal before you turn so the driver behind you knows why you are slowing down. Ah yes, I am aware that I am quite hypocritical on this. I get irritated when other drivers don't put their signals on, but I am guilty of doing it myself sometimes. I guess its one of my pet peeves. But I try to keep it in mind when I am too lazy to put my signal on. Don't forget to check out Tod's report. Just click here.

Sidewalk Traffic
In her labreport, Terri Slaughter talks about pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk, a topic that I never really gave much thought to till now. She talks about three categories of people who walk on the sidewalk and slow things down. I could relate to the groupies category. I am not one who does it, but I can identify with the frustration when a group on people hog the sidewalk and walk at a leisurely pace. It is kind of annoying, particularly when I'm in a hurry.

Dr. Jeckyl/Mr. Hyde
In Michelle Ota's labreport, she mentions how she adopts a different personality when she sits behind the wheel. She also says that she yells or says things to other drivers in the privacy of her own car. First of all, I do this too. But I think it relates to the whole impersonal thing I mentioned earlier(when commenting on Nicole Yoshimitsu's labreport). Not knowing anything about the other driver, knowing that you probably will never see them again, seeing their car as an extension of the driver him/herself, and being in the privacy and security of your own little self-contained world, all makes it easier to vent the frustrations you may have been holding in from the day. Driving becomes a chance to vent all the negative energy or frustrations that you may have felt earlier, but in a face-to-face interaction couldn't express them. I think when people step into a car they bring with them all their "baggage" and are ready to spark at anything. For some people driving is such a big ego thing. Sometimes I am like this, but I am working on not exhausting so much of my energy on something as minor as a driver not signaling before turning.

Invisible Effect
Another interesting thing I read was in Kendall Matsuyoshi's labreport. He talked about the phenomenon that many people feel invisible to the outside world when they are in their cars. I admit that sometimes I talk to myself when I'm in my car and have had a long day or a lot on my mind. I feel like I'm in my own space and my own little world. I think many people feel that their car is like an extension of their home. (Hopefully it is not the entire home itself!)

A Gender Difference?
In Joleen Lai's labreport she discussed a possible gender difference in the way we drive. From her experience she noted that female drivers were more aggressive. I don't agree with putting a gender division in driving styles. For me, my driving style has more to do with my mood at that moment or from the events of the day. Some days I'm a calm driver and other days I'm a stressed out maniac just waiting to explode at any little thing. From my experience I haven't noticed a significant gender difference in the more aggressive drivers (ok, the jerks) on the road. I don't see it necessary nor productive to make generalizations, particularly with respect to gender. Haven't we had enough of that?

Week 9 Homework Description (from Instructor's Comments file)

Socializing Files
Our homework for this week consisted of reviewing the 1991 Course-Integrated Online Socializing Files. When I first went into the files it said "85 pages". Holy @*#! I thought. So I spent some time making a dent in reading the files. What was weird was that when I went back to the file two days later, the file was different. First of all the content was different and it didn't have any of the same comments I had read earlier. Also, this time there was 58 pages instead of 85. I thought I was seeing things. But then I said the why or how the file got shorter didn't matter, what's important is that it just is. YES! (This slacker mentality has just become exacerbated due to the fact that it is almost the end of the semester and I am totally behind it is not funny.)

My Reactions
It was a little confusing to follow the comment to the next comment because it seemed to go here then there, then back here, etc. But basically I could follow that the comments were coming from a particular topic. It was interesting to read other people's thoughts, but in a way it felt a bit invasive. I felt like a was eavesdropping on a very boring conversation. Just kidding! I honestly found some of the comments very interesting. I especially liked the comment by "pm jakobovits" on the importance of the affective state in learning. I think participating live would have been fun. I was in a discussion group on the computer for one of my other classes and it was really fun. It was a very cool way to not just socialize but exchange thoughts and ideas with people that I would have probably never had a chance to actually talk to in class.

What's Considered Educational?
A topic that was discussed was whether or not their experience on the computer as a part of the class was educational. The majority of the responses were that their computer experience was useful more for socializing, but not very educational. I disagree. What exactly is "educational"? The same old textbook crap that is regurgitated over and over again? Isn't there more to education that just that stuff in the books? I don't mean to knock textbooks and that knowledge, I do believe it is important and there's a place for it. I just think that there's more to learning than just that. And so much of the time that is all that we do get. I think we should broaden our outlook of the term "educational" so it isn't just the narrow-minded view of facts and numbers from a book.

I really agreed with the response of jakobovits(Response 23 of 23 to #19 on page 21 of 58). He made the imperative point that one's emotional state (affective) has the ability to limit or expand one's mental (cognitive) learning. I totally agree and speaking from experience I can attest to that fact!

Instructor's Article on PLATO
I found the instructor's article detailing the requirements and explaining the reasoning behind the PLATO integration of the course very interesting and informative. To see the article in its entirety, close your eyes, take a deep breath and say "Shalom". Oh yeah-and don't forget to click here.

Change of Heart
It seems like as much as you hate the computer and anything remotely resembling it in the beginning of the semester, invariably by the end you will experience a change of heart. Speaking from first hand, personal experience I know what its like. Dr. James also talks about this common experience with respect to the students who went through the PLATO files. To see it, blink twice, wiggle your nose and click here.

The Notes Files
The description of the five types of files the students had to participate in sounded like fun. There was a file for socializing but also files to discuss current social issues such as abortion and euthanasia. I think the variety in the files helps make for a well-rounded experience that combines just the right amount of work and fun. After reading it, it made me wish I could have participated. To see the note files description in the instructor's article, click here.

Week 10 Homework Description (from Instructor's Comments file)

Constructing the Pages
After battling with a little more angst than usual with this weeks homework, I plunged right in and began creating my alternate home pages. To create the three new files, I went back to my notes from the second day of class. I used emacs to create files for my standard home page, indexical home page, and my creative home page. It was easier this time because I remembered emacs and the problems it created in the beginning of the semester. I was prepared for any difficulties. I ran into a little stumbling block because it would kick me out sometimes, but I figured out how to make the system work. In any case, the anxiety level was less this time. For a flashback to my first encounter with emacs, close your eyes and press here.

Making the Standard Home Page
Creating the Standard Home Page wasn't too bad. I think the explanations are necessary for people who might stumble across our pages and think, "Huh?" Standard Home pages are very helpful and useful.

Making the Indexical Home Page
Ok, this one was a real pain in the ass (excuse my French). I mean, my labreports are so long and I have like a million anchors that I thought I was brain dead when I finished typing all the links. A recommendation: Baby steps. A little at a time. Don't be a nut and do it all at once because next thing you know your seeing double and its like your fingers are rattling away at the keyboard and your brain is somewhere else. Its a really weird mind body separation thing. I wouldn't recommend it.

Making the Creative Home Page
When I finally figured out how to do those little pictures and stuff, this one was really fun. At first it was frustrating because instead of getting little pictures I had typed in, I would get these gray questions marks. But after observing how other people were able to put the pictures in their files, I kind of figured out how it worked. It was very exciting when the pictures were actually there. Please check out my Creative Home Page. Don't forget to look at my Brief Pictorial History of this Class.

My Preference
Of the three types of home pages, my preference is Lo'real. Actually, of course its the creative one. Its more fun and interesting. However, I think the standard home pages are very useful and informative. I guess it depends on what your purpose is and what you're looking for. If you're looking for information and articles, then of course the standard or indexical is your cup of tea. But if you're just fooling around, have nothing else better to do or want to see some cool pictures and neat colors, then the creative home page has got your name on it.

Home Page Shopping
I looked at other people's home pages in the class to get an idea of how to do mine. I liked Allison Asahina's home page and ,Carol Alamares. It was neatly organized and had nice little pictures and stuff. One thing that I noticed is the importance or the courtesy of not making your home page too long or with too many kilobytes. It takes a while to load, and if you have to keep coming back to the home page for the links, then you have to wait several seconds each time. It can get a bit annoying. All in all, making a home page is kinda fun. Its a chance to express yourself and do it however you want.

Drainage
After my marathon hours on the computer (3 hours or more) I am usually exhausted, starving, and sucked of my mental and physical energy. Its like the computer drains it all out of me. My jaw is tight, my shoulders and neck are stiff, and I have to literally peel the back of my thighs off that plastic orange chair like natural velcro. I'm not sure what it is or what causes this. Maybe I concentrate too much while sitting still for a long period of time. Despite this, I almost always feel some sense of relief because I know that I accomplished some of my work. There's also a part of me that wants to go back for more. Why?! Why?! Why?!

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Week 11 Homework Description(from Instructor's Comments File)

The Process
After reading some of the book, I was surprised at how much it affirmed my own search process. It made me feel better knowing that most people experience the similar anxiety or intimidation when seeking information. Reading about the studies and the stages of the process helps me anticipate any feelings I may have when doing research. Knowing what to expect and that its normal, helps me understand and cope with the unpleasant feelings in the beginning.

Remata's Comments
Cheryl Remata had a good, concise description of what the Kuhlthau book was about. To see it press here. I also felt that the book had similar benefits for me as it did for her. She says that the book helped her accept her feelings and know that she was not alone. All I can say is, me too.

Explosive Class Discussion
In one of our classes there was a heated debate on where the responsibility lies for the breakdown in the search process. Who is more responsible-the student, the professor, or the librarian? I think all parties play a role in this obviously. To try to put the blame on any one group of individuals is pointless because, as we all know, each case is different. Sometimes the student should have done more preparation before seeking help, sometimes the teacher should have been more clear about an assignment, and sometimes librarians could be more helpful and understanding. I know I'm sitting on the fence, but I believe we can't point the finger at one party. Also see what Trudy Moore has to say about this.

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Week 12 Homework Description(from Instructor's Comments file)

The Goal
Part of the discussion was meant to achieve an understanding of why there is evil in the world. Participants had various ideas. I think one of the purposes for the discussion was that even if you totally disagree with the other side of the debate, you do find supporters of your stance. Therefore, I think the benefit is not so much for both sides to come to a consensus, but for each side to find their allies. Finding people who agree with your view can be very relieving and can help give you stronger conviction.

The Real Hell
The discussion on good and evil brought up comments on heaven and hell. Hell is this, hell is that. Want to know what hell is? I'll tell you what hell is. Hell is Walmart on a bad day. I went there last night and couldn't find a damn thing I needed. They were either out of it or just didn't have it. And I walked from one end of the mile long store to the other and back again. Then the lines. They are so deceiving. Oh sure, they look short and fast, but don't hold your breath. The guy buying ten roles of toilet paper in the line next to you will be outta there before you can blink. And the so-called "Express Line" is for suckers. I always get in that line because I have only a few things and find myself behind some wildly deviant guy with more than double the amount of items. Ugh! Just had to get that off my chest. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

My Visit
I'm not sure whether or not my visit to this cyberspace area was useful. I found some of the comments interesting and thought-provoking and others way out there. I guess it would be kind of different if a was actually participating in it rather than just reading it.

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Week 13 Homework Description(from the Instructor's Comments file)

Maintenance
This weeks homework is maintenance work on the files. You would be surprised how much time this sucks from your schedule. I try to do my files exactly the way I want it before I move on. Part of that is the perfectionist in me. But making sure you have no spelling errors, all your links work, and things are just how you want them, helps reduce the maintenance job later.

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Week 14 Homework Description(from Instructor's comments file)

Making Anchors and Sub-headings
Anchors and sub-headings should also be short and concise. I try to make my anchors sound interesting or clever but sometimes it takes too long and I say "to hell with it" and have some really bland and vague anchor name like "Driving". To see that actual paragraph, press here. In the beginning of the semester a lot of people's anchor names did not match what was on the screen. This was annoying and an inconvenience if you wanted to make a link to that anchor. You had to backslash to see the source, then search string the document. It is very important to have a system everyone agrees on and follows. I'm glad that now it is a standard that what appears on the screen is the anchor. It really helps and saves time.

Figuring Addresses
Figuring out other people's HREF addresses is really quite easy. When I'm in their file (in lynx), I just press the "=" key and it has their address. With respect to making links in the class' files, you need to know where their file is in relation to yours so you know how many "../" or up directories you have to type. This can seem confusing at first and it took me a while to get a grasp on it. I have to mentally picture the branches of files each time to figure out how many directories to go up.

If I'm in Netscape and I want the URL address of a particular document, I put the mouse on FILE at the top of the screen and mouse down to "Document Information". This provides the complete URL address for that file and whether or not the file is secured.

Suggestions(file names)
The only suggestion I have right now is that you will get the hang of it. At first the URL addresses were so long I freaked out and felt very intimidated. After a lot of practice and just the sheer number of hours doing it, I understand parts of the address more and have gotten used to it. It's really not so bad after you become accustomed to it. Give yourself time and patience.

Instructor's Article on Titles
The instructor's article on the Psychology of Titles was a very detailed account of the cognitive, affective, and sensorimotor processes with respect to titles. I never gave it much thought before, but I agree that there is a definite affective characteristic of titles. If I'm in a bookstore and there are a myriad of books on the shelf, an interesting and especially clever or humorous title definitely catches my attention. The "sensationalism" (as described in the article) also holds true for my personal experience with the Web pages. For example, when I was surfing the net under "Escapes", I decided to try a link to the "University of Bath". It sounded wet and slippery. Of course, it turned out to be a university in the UK, but it was interesting anyway. They had information on their campus television station and it was through their home page that I got the link to the "Strawberry Pop-Tart Blow-Torches." It's on my Creative Home Page.

Titles definitely have that affective component that is often the key to grabbing one's attention. However, sometimes it is manipulated or exploited to achieve that effect. I think it helps to be aware of this aspect of titles so you don't get sucked into titles that play on the fears or judgments of society.

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Week 15 Homework Description(from Instructor's Comments file)

My Accomplishments
To accomplish all of my Web pages took a lot of time (There's that word again. If I had a nickel for everytime I said that word...) and typing. This took a lot of hard work, energy, and mental, emotional, and physical stamina. Through all the blood, sweat, and tears there is no doubt in my mind that it was well worth it. I feel like I have gained so much from this experience. Its so cool to hear about the net on tv or the radio (I swear its everywhere) and say, "hey, I know what they're talking about!" It feels great and I don't feel as intimidated or threatened by the computer technology.

To the Future Generations
My suggestion to future generations is once you register for this class, drop all your other classes and quit your job, you are going to need all the time you can get. Actually, just anticipate difficulties, especially in the beginning, and give yourself plenty of time to work on it. Other than that, I hope you read my files and everyone else's in the class and benefit from our experience. Contrary to how you may feel in the beginning, it really is fun!

From Start to Finish
Compared to where I started I know I have come very far in this class. However, I also feel like there is a lot I didn't do or didn't explore. Part of that was due to a lack of time ($.05) and also to some residual anxiety and information shock. If I could do it differently, I would give myself more time and not get behind. Once you fall behind its difficult to catch up.

Final Thoughts
I think this generation's files should be maintained on the net for the benefit of future students. I myself am a bit excited thinking that students next semester will be reading our hard work and will hopefully learn from it.

I am happy with what I accomplished. However, once you get hooked on this its like a computer bug. You always want to do more or make it better. You're never fully satisfied. Though I feel some of those feelings, (which means I must have turned into a computer geek!) I like what I have done so far. I hope to continue to explore the World Wide Web. Its so addicting! In the beginning I kept thinking to myself, "Are we having fun yet?" Now I can say a definite...almost. So often I felt as if I'm on the brink of fun. It was a mixture of excitement and high anxiety. In conclusion, what I would say is that the whole experience is beneficial and yes, it is fun, but you have to pay your dues for it. Well, its time to say goodbye, goodnight, so long, last call. It's been great, we'll have to do it again sometime!

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