My Final Thoughts on Social Media

Winter term at the UofA is wrapping up, as is ALES 204. I did not know what to expect going into this course, but I am leaving it with a better insight on the different forms of communication/social media. 


Firstly, I have definitely become more exposed to blogs/blogging. By starting my own for ALES 204, I have been intrigued by the concept of blogging in a more professional and informative manner, and have done some searching for blogs that relate to my discipline (interior design). I came across a few well-known and inspiring home decor blogs that give tips, ideas, etc. for people interested in the field. I think reading these blogs will come in handy for me in the rest of my schooling and for my future career, as they include current trends and give new ideas that I likely would never have thought of. I think more people should explore blogging because they never know what they could stumble upon that is relevant to their life!


Now I would like to discuss Twitter. I must admit, I was skeptical about it at first. It seemed rather pointless since it is so similar to Facebook. That's just it, though. It's similar to Facebook, but it is quicker, more concise, and I think things can be shared more easily. I will continue using Twitter even after ALES 204 is finished because I am able to connect to people, companies, celebrities, etc. in a different way than through Facebook. However, I will always be a user of Facebook because it has been a part of my social media usage for so long. It connects me to most of my friends and some of my physically distant family, which is important to me. After learning about professional Facebook pages in ALES 204, I also plan on using the social media tool in the future to promote myself as an interior designer. Since Facebook is continually growing, I think it will one day be a key component in job searches and being a successful professional, which is a major goal of mine!

Reference: Retrieved 12/04/12 from http://www.socialmedia.biz/

In conclusion, ALES 204 has reinforced to me the idea that social media has become so important in today's society in so many ways. There is always something new being created or developed to make connecting, networking, communicating, informing and sharing with others an easier, more enjoyable experience. I think social media will continue to grow and will always be a helpful tool for people in personal and professional ways (I know it will for me)!


Here is an interesting website with articles about all sorts of social media topics: http://socialmediatoday.com/

Lastly, click here to see one of my classmate's ALES 204 blog/e-portfolio! For her chosen topic post she wrote about Human Ecology, which is also my program.


Thank you for reading!


-Samantha

Here are links to 5 comments I have made on fellow students' blog posts from throughout the term:
1) http://ales204humanecologystudent.blogspot.ca/2012/01/introductory-post.html#comment-form

2) http://paipowers.blogspot.ca/2012/03/wikipedia-writing.html#comment-form
3) http://paipowers.blogspot.ca/2012/01/professional-facebook-page.html#comment-form

4)http://lmcsporran.blogspot.ca/2012/01/introduction-to-my-blog.html#comment-form

5) http://rkmillerales204.blogspot.ca/2012/01/intoductory-post-january-20th.html#comment-form

The Uses of Tumblr

Tumblr is a blogging website that is primarily for blogging/reblogging photos. I discovered it a couple of years ago and was intrigued by its unique concept. People of all ages and from all over the world share photos that they have taken themselves or have found somewhere else on the internet. The photos can then be reblogged by others (who 'follow' the original poster) onto their own blog pages. Most photos have their source linked with them. Although the majority of posts are photos, users can express themselves through other multimedia like text and videos.


I chose to join Tumblr because it allows me to create a picture-blog that represents my interests and style. I get to post pictures that I find beautiful or relevant to my life. I find it to be very inspiring, as I follow several home decor blogs that have similar tastes as me and feel that I'm growing as an interior decorating student by being exposed to new ideas. 


An aspect about Tumblr that I think is appealing and user-friendly is their 'Explore Tumblr' option. It  displays all of the topics that are offered throughout the website, such as Fashion, Science, Art, Food, Sports, etc. Once a topic is selected, you are then led to posts that have been tagged under the topic and you can browse them, reblog/favorite a post, or go to a user's blog who posted a certain photo or other multimedia. Overall, Tumblr is a fun blogging experience, but can also be very educational and informative depending on what you look for on the website.

Reference: A screen capture I took of the Tumblr Explore page, showing popular tags used. Retrieved on 10/04/12 from http://www.tumblr.com/explore

Here is an example of a interior design Tumblr blog that I follow and get inspiration from: http://homeandinteriors.tumblr.com/


Here is a fellow student's ALES 204 blog with a post about her point of view on Tumblr: http://mcleung1.blogspot.ca/

I hope you enjoyed reading about my views on Tumblr!

-Samantha

Using and Editing Wikipedia

Wikipedia is a huge source of information currently used by internet dwellers. By learning how to edit a Wikipedia page, I have gained knowledge on how unreliable the free online encyclopedia is. Although our assignment was based on sharing reliable, academic information, it is clear that anyone can add anything to a Wikipedia article, and it should not be used as an in-depth source of information for school work, academia, or other professional situations. However, I will likely still find myself using it for a quick reference for superficial topics not relating to school work.

The process of editing a Wikipedia stub was relatively simple once I had found a stub to add to. Since I am a textiles and clothing/interiors student, it was difficult to find stubs that could have a decent amount written about like science topics do. I ended up choosing to edit the stub for recycling cotton. Sustainable fashion has become a bigger trend and it is an interesting topic, so I felt that adding more information to the recycling cotton article could be beneficial to many people as they explore sustainability. 

Reference: A screen capture of the Wikipedia article I edited. Retrieved on 23-3-2012.

Getting into the nitty gritty of editing the article was actually quite straight-forward. When I was younger I played with html coding a lot, so it came back to me quickly. The only issue I had was with one of my references. The website was blocked/protected from Wikipedia, so I had to remove the url, leaving the reference without a link (the title can easily be searched through a search engine, though). Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed searching and learning more about recycling cotton, and then sharing it with the internet. I hope people find my addition to the article interesting and helpful, but I sure hope people know that Wikipedia is not always reliable!

Here is the link to the recycling cotton article that I edited: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recycling_Cotton

Here is a link to my friend Angela's blog post about her experience editing a Wikipedia stub: http://ales204humanecologystudent.blogspot.ca/

-Samantha

Facebook Use in the Professional World

In part of promoting myself professionally and learning about communication in ALES 204, I made a more formal Facebook page that highlights what is important to employers and to assist myself in searching for a job. Much like a resume, employers can view my job history, educational history/achievements, skills, and career goals. Although my personal Facebook page does not contain anything inappropriate, the information on my public figure page gives them a much more professional and respectable first impression if they choose to search my name on the internet.

Reference: A screen capture of my Facebook page

Facebook has become such a huge part of society, so it is a great idea for people to connect with others not only on a personal level, but on a professional one too. Many companies and public figures now have Facebook pages where they are able to share information with customers, fans, or anyone interested in what they have to offer. I hope more students decide to create their own professional Facebook page to promote themselves academically as it may help them get a great job!


Here are some Facebook pages of professionals that I admire:
Sarah Richardson (Interior Designer)
Tommy Smythe (Interior Designer)

Lastly, a fellow student's professional Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ales-204-Human-Ecology-Student/288001091253953?sk=info

Thanks for reading!


-Samantha

Introduction

Hi there! I'm Samantha Stevens, and I am a third year Human Ecology student majoring in Textiles and Clothing and minoring in Interiors. I would like to be an interior designer after graduating. Communication will be very important in my career because I will have to clearly get ideas across to clients and also be able to understand their wants/needs.

I currently use Facebook as my main form of communication. I rely on it to get updates from friends and family that I see everyday or ones that live on the other side of the world. I enjoy viewing and posting photos, statuses, and links. Besides Facebook I have recently joined Twitter for ALES 204 and actually find it to be a fun and faster way of communicating.

I think communication is vital in today's society. It helps people stay up-to-date with current affairs, family/friend matters, and also helps with many professions. When it comes to the interior design profession, communication lets designers and consumers know what current trends are, bridges the gap between a designer and a client, and even helps consumers do their own interior design projects. Overall, communication is important in sharing knowledge in various aspects of life.

Here are some interior design blogs that I enjoy:

http://mocoloco.com/
http://decor8blog.com/

Lastly, here is my friend Angela's ALES 204 blog who is in the Human Ecology Family Studies program: http://ales204humanecologystudent.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading my introduction! I look forward to creating more blog posts and sharing my thoughts on communication/social media.


-Samantha

Reference: My own personal photo