Class 6, Assignment 2

Blog Sidebar of Peer Blogs:

Twitter Group Messages

Twitter Group Messaging is a short form collaboration tool. Unlike Google Hangout, Twitter does not have the capability of video chatting or voice calling. It is limited to a platform of direct messaging with other users on twitter. It does not restrict you from messaging with only on person however, you can be in a group message with up to 20 other people. It also allows you to collaborate with twitter users that you do not follow or who does not follow you. However, in order to make this possible, the creator of the group message must follow that other person. It cannot be totally random.

Aside from text, group messaging on twitter allows you to send pictures, links, emojis, and other tweets. This is a plus to using group messaging on twitter because it is a platform that does not have to alert you like a regular text message might. You can set your alert settings so that it does not pop up on your home screen, or so that it does, it all depends on a users preference.

You can also add users to an existing group message. So the creator may have created a group message but is not following another person who wants to be included, someone else already in the group message can invite them to join. This allows the twitter collaboration method to expand by not having to “directly” follow a user.

Google Hangouts

Google created a collaborative communication platform called Hangout that integrates messaging, voice call, and video messaging. With hangout, you are able to be in a chat, video call, or messaging conversation regardless of where you are. You can also use it from any device such as a smartphone, computer, laptop or tablet. Hangout is used for many different reasons, whether it be for businesses purposes or just to connect with friends and family, it is open to anyone with a google account.

Hangout has many collaborative features to it. Not only does it integrate audio and video, but it also integrates other google features. For example, you can be in a hangout while collaboratively working on a google doc, or a google spreadsheet. By using different text colors, you can see which person you are in a “hangout” with. This long form collaboration tool is very useful.

With hangout, you are about to collaborative effectively by working with others and even sharing screens with them. This allows communication to expand and let other people that you are working with collaborate and see exactly what you are working with. The open invitation feature that Hangout has allows you to invite other people to join your hangout. This even extends the invitation to those you may not have access to your Hangout sheet.  

The numerous collaborative features of Google Hangout allows for it to be accessed almost anywhere with computer access, or phone access. The collaboration method makes it so that coworkers can complete things together if necessary without having to send things multiple times, but instead be able to work on the same document or spreadsheet at the same exact time, while on a voice call or video call or messaging.

CLASS 4 ASSIGNMENT 5: SHARING ON FACEBOOK

CLASS 4 ASSIGNMENT 4: FRESH POSTS AND TWEETS

Updated Profile picture on Facebook of the new architecture in Boston. 

Updated cover photo from Middletown, Rhode Island

Link to the new trailer of Homeland on Showtime 

Retweet and hastags of a clip from the latest episode of Homeland

Retweet and Hashtags of patriots Tom Tuesday on Twitter 

Retweet and hashtag of Patriots tweet about Belichick on snapchat. 

Facebook "likes" vs. "friends" vs. "shares".

Liking a photo on facebook simply means that you are interested in something someone has posted, whether it be a photo, status, album, or link. You can also "like" a facebook fan page. These likes will come up on your main facebook page so that other "friends" of yours can see what you like on facebook. Likes are visible to other friends on facebook if your settings are open to that. 

Facebook "friends" mean that they are able to see the information, posts, and photos that you upload to your page. You can set your settings to be that only certain "friends" can see certain posts, or so that no one can or everyone can. You are allowed to set your own privacy settings. You can "friend" anyone so long as their settings allow you to do so. You can also "unfriend" anyone that you no longer wish to be friends with on facebook. 

Sharing posts on facebook is very easy. You can share a friends post, or a link with the "share" button. This will then be shared on your main facebook page for your friends to see. You can share something and add a caption or simply share it with nothing. You also have the capability of sharing it to a specific friends wall. Maybe it is an article you read that you think they would appreciate, you can share it with that one friend specifically. 

VIDEO GAMES: MORE THAN A GAME

The IDM Gaming Report gives us a look at what businesses may potentially look like a few years from now. Technology has changed drastically over the past decade and it is only expanding in years to come. The way businesses are run are based on technology and distribution of products. Namely, the way the distribution process occurs is virtually online through different sources. Leaders of businesses can look to online gaming for help on improvement. 

Online gaming provides leaders and CEO’s to see how their business works well, and which people work best with others. The way people engage with one another is very much similar to that of a real life environment. There are such things called MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) that put this in effect. People are developing skills in these scenarios, building off one another, and ultimately striving to succeed. People who are part of the online gaming community said themselves that “it is improving their “real world” leadership capabilities” (IBM Gaming Report). 

Avatars who join a guild are ultimately seeking a common goal. This goal can very well lead to the goal of a company or corporation. Therefore the overall use of online gaming rises in that the success of these companies drastically changed from the communities created in these virtual worlds. Environments in these virtual worlds create a similarity that the avatars have as well as then creating a guild to succeed. The age range is primarily between 18 and 49 years old. Eighteen years and below takes much of 35% of online users, and 19% of people fifty and older use it. The distribution shows that online gaming is popular with society now. Therefore, the younger population is more experienced with the gaming platforms and how to use them. 

Leadership is a huge factor in online gaming. One is given the rights of a leader if they quality the right tools and are reserved players. These leaders lead the raids or missions, much like in a real life situation. There are many tools that are taken into account, such as wealth, group size, techniques and many more. The effectiveness of leaders in gaming could benefit the leaders in real life situations by the incentive systems used. In Minecraft, being a leader is huge. You can lead the other "beings" and form a pack to fight against the zombies and creatures. Building and creating a tower, building, or maybe a site of multiple places, the leader needs to tell people what to do, and what is required and needed in order for success to occur. 

Being the leader is a defining moment for some. Whether it be the leader of a country, the leader of a crowd, or  group, or the leader of an online gaming mission, they all have the same similarity being the leader. Communication is key. If you do not communicate fast enough and efficiently enough, the outcome will not be effective, much like in the real world. There needs to be an incentive system in order for a lasting leadership to be in effect. 

http://IBM.com

http://ImmersiveEducation.org/minecraft

Tweets and Posts This Week

Screenshots of Facebook "likes" and "shares" of the latest 2 Immersive Education posts.

Screenshots of Twitter "retweets" of the latest 2 Immersive Education tweets.

Virtual Reality

Virtual Reality

Immersive Education has created an initiative conference being held in Paris this year, 2015. Immersive education at Boston College has expanded widely and looks at many different forms.Virtual Reality has become very popular in recent years and is only expanding with more advanced technologies. IMMERSION 2015 informs the public at the conference and events about this form of immersive education. For more information, you can go to http://summit.ImmersiveEducation.org. 

Virtual Reality (VR) is a kind of technology that is being used more and more each day by society. It is computer-stimulated and creates a “world” that seems like the real world. In most cases, VR uses a headset that you can have a physical presence of this world. It allows you to communicate within environments and provides the viewer with a virtual presence. In some cases you can virtually smell, see, and touch things in these virtual worlds. 

Geared toward a lower budget level, Google Cardboard was created in form with Virtual Reality. It is a cardboard box with a mobile phone places inside. The intention is to screen the virtual reality from the mobile phone to keep the cost down while still able to be in a virtual world. Google Cardboard is being presented at the Immersive Education Initiative this year in Paris. Students will have the opportunity to use this headset and their own mobile phone.

The Oculus Rift is another virtual reality headset that is being presented at the Immersion 2015. This headset gives the person the chance to enter games and virtual worlds. It has 360 degree head tracking which allows a more “real life” effect. When you move, you move in the game, making it that much more realistic. Here is a view from the Oculus Rift . 

Virtual reality gives people the opportunity to see environments and worlds that they may not necessarily have the opportunity to in their every day life. It is being used for things such as field trips for schools, monitoring environments and creating new architecture. Schools that do not have the budget for field trips to a certain museum, park, or in the case of immersion 2015, Old Bents Fort, they are able to view it in a virtual world. 

Communication among virtual reality worlds has allows people to virtually meet people online. Many people have built close relationships. This initiative in Paris shows people what virtual reality has the capability of doing and all of its benefits. Cognition and communication are being expanded through virtual reality.