New and Digital Media Stories: Week 3

Article from BBC News

I came across this news story through watching BBC's 6:00 o'clock news and it outlined the change in teaching strategy through incorporation of smart phones and tablets being used in lesson times. Sources say that this has been more effective in students finding out information, quicker and more resourcefully. However, other schools, due to already having a strict 'no phone' policy, are against this and think that the traditional means of dictionaries and textbooks, are better. 

Facts/Quotes from the article: 

• First the head of Ofsted, Michael Wilshaw, said they should be banned from lessons.
• "With a smartphone we can cross-reference the textbooks - we can look at the Syrian crisis at the moment, the different population flows that are changing throughout Europe. We can't do that with a textbook."
• "Today phones offer so much: data capture - children measuring light or sound levels to improve classrooms; and communications with slow-mo video for sports training and walking geometric shapes on to a playing field."

In my opinion, I think that by schools utilising 'New and Digital' media technologies in classrooms, can improve learning and their content of information. However, I think that this could lead to students becoming excessively dependent on technology and not aware of how to find out information the "old fashioned way", which I personally, think is more effective. 

Article from 'The Guardian' 

The article outlines that 'Twitter' have created a 'poll' section as a feature to it's website. This accessible on both the mobile and desktop form that allows audiences to form a poll with additional users. Twitter has addressed that it is simply an experiment and may not continue. Specifically, the poll is said to have a lifespan of 24-hours and fellow tweeters will be informed of how long is left to participate in the poll.

Facts included:

• This isn't the first time 'Twitter' experimented with polls. In 2014, users were given the chance to vote on Oscars favourites via a poll provided by Poptip, but that function was only available on the mobile app.
• So far the reaction has been mainly positive and the poll has proved to show brand engagement and follower interaction with many people.
• The complaints about polls so far focus on the lack of third-party integration and the rather more pressing concern that in timelines and embedded tweets, polls only show up as a text question without the interactive element. 

In my opinion, I think it is interesting to see 'Twitter' embracing the chance for individuals to virally express thoughts and ideologies on the internet, whilst interacting with others and finding their opinions out. However, I do believe that people will abuse this power and consequently create insensitive and harmful content as an outcome.