Proposal

Proposal for Research Project:

Over the course of the next 8-10 weeks I would like to document the process of teaching my 72 year old Grandpa how to use his computer. Concurrently I will be doing the same process with Emily my 7 year old sister, and will be asking both of them the same interview questions. I want to compare and contrast how a senior and small child interact with the technology of computers,I want to hear their thoughts and document their progress through filming, photography and drawings. For my final presentation I can create a multi-media video of the progress my grandfather and sister made that can be screened in class. I can also post short videos on my blog documenting their progress throughout the course of the semester.

My goal is to teach my grandfather and my sister how to create and add content to a blog. The blog it's self can be a part of the research project, where they can document their own process. I am also in the process of coming up with interview questions to ask before I start actually doing hands on computer stuff with them, so that I can capture their feelings before and after the study is finished. Some of the questions I was thinking of starting out with are:

1) How do you feel about computers?
2) What is your favorite thing about your home computer?
3) What is your least favorite thing about your computer?
4) How do you think computers have changed the world?
5) Do you remember a time before computers?
6)Can you draw a picture that embodies how you feel about computers? ( Have them draw picture)
7)Could you live with out your computer?
8) Are you scared on the computer?
9) How old were you when you first used a computer?
10) If their was one thing about the computer that you could change, what would it be?

With my Grandpa George I would have to start out with teaching him the basics, he can barely turn the computer on. It would be a great triumph to get him to be able to blog and use the internet. I have been doing some research about ways seniors can use the internet, the resources that are out there for seniors on the internet. After a week or two I hope to be able to give him homework assignments on the internet, such as searching for an item and documenting his progress on his blog. This would be ideal, but I will have to tailor it to his progress and take it one step at a time.

With my little sister who is already very familiar with computers I will try to challenge her by teaching her how to make and up keep her own blog. I want her to work on a story of sorts, or post blogs about things that interest her. My goal will be to teach her how to download images and upload them to her own photo bucket account where she can upload them to her blog. I will also teach her how to scan her pictures into the computer and upload them onto her blog. I will also try to have online interaction between Emily and our Grandpa George. One of their weekly assignments can be to comment on each other's blogs.

Experience In Second Life

Second life is surreal to say the least. It really allows you to create your own experience by shaping and interacting with the world around you. I find flying very fun, and their is a moment of excitement when your traveling to a new place flying through the air. Teleporting is an effective way to travel as well. I'm still getting the hang of moving around in second life, but I feel the design of it all makes sense. It was a little chaotic to have class in second life, I felt like I was doing something wrong-sitting in my pajamas in my bed, in class. Definitely the future of learning that most college kids would look forward to. It was wild to know that all of us were in different places and meeting up in this online world, not knowing who anyone was and feeling foreign on a new frontier. I got a little frustrated because I kept getting bumped off line, and was dealing with some lagging issues. I did find a lot of very interesting outfits at "Freebie Island", I didn't realize that if you click wear now that your avatar was literally changing in front of everyone. All of a sudden my avatar was topless and some guy I didn't know was like "Hey Baby"- I was a little uncomfortable. Then I laughed, goodness I wasn't actually topless the computer character was- yet I felt violated. It was interesting to see how I was identifying with my avatar. The escape of it, is the constant interaction- and that real people are moving through their avatar. It's a very odd form of human interaction, because your true identity is so hidden unconscious desires are able to be played out. I could see how repressed people would love second life. If your real life sucks, go be a pimp in second life. It's good that people have this outlet for their imagination- but I personally am more interested in real life.

rough first draft of proposal

How senior citizens and small children interact with technology, specifically the internet.  I would use my 7 year old sister and my 70 year old grandfather as subjects, along with my other grandparents and young cousins. Through out the course of my research project I would be charting the progress my grandfather George makes with learning how to use his computer. He can barely turn the machine on, so it would would be quite a triumph to get him to create his own blog, and get him to blog as a part of the study.  I would record his progress by filming my visits with him trying to teach him how to use his computer, and record his thoughts and feelings about how the internet has changed the world. I will also be asking similar questions to the 7 year old, and recording her progress as well- she's quite advance as it is. 

I would use a mix of film, photography, and other forms of graphic design to create a multimedia presentation that could be edited into mini webisodes.  I could air the different webisodes on this blog to chart my progress- and create a final short film combining all of the material. 

The resources that I would use for research would be the books we are already reading in this class. 

Along with using the magazine "Wired" as a resource 

the book "300 Incredible things for seniors to do on the internet", by Joe West 

Various internet sites that teach seniors how to use the internet ( to use them as tutorials- and possibly create our own) 

The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

I will also ask questions to my parents and other parents how they feel about children using the internet, the benefits and their fears. 

I'm in the process on finding more resources, the books and course material that we are required to read will be perfect for case study information, and help me build my thesis.