Wednesday 28 November 2012
Thursday 22 November 2012
Web detox?
Here is an interesting weblink: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20322747
Could you do it?
Here's how it went...
I post messages on Twitter and Facebook explaining that I am going offline, turn on "out of office" on my two email accounts and turn off any data connection on my phone. Then I explain to my 14-year-old son, busy online as ever, what I'm doing. "That would be agony for me!" he says.
Later, I realise what a bad time it is for this exercise. It's American election night - the ideal news event to monitor via social media as well as watching on television. Tuning into the coverage, I find it much less compelling without the running commentary I normally get from my Twitter stream, and I go to bed long before the result is clear.
The alarm goes off, I reach for my phone - then realise I'm not allowed to look at the web. Turn on the radio to hear the result of the election - and go downstairs to watch Obama's acceptance speech. This time, watching without the distraction of Twitter is a better TV experience.
Usually I sit at breakfast with a device or two scouring emails and Twitter and various news sites. This morning I read the papers, then find I have time for the piano practice I usually forget.
I have a doctor's appointment - normally I would sit in the waiting room fiddling with my phone. Instead I read a copy of the Economist retrieved from amongst the Grazias and Vogues. It's weeks old, but full of interesting material about technology issues and I emerge from the surgery feeling better-informed.
On the tube into London everyone appears to be transfixed by their tablet computers and smartphones. Normally I'm exactly the same - and with wi-fi available at stations I can be checking Twitter at every stop. Instead, I'm reading the paper - which feels many hours out of date. I wish I'd brought a book.
In the office, I quickly become aware that not only do I miss the web and social media, but it is impossible to do my job without them. Twitter has become my news agency for technology stories, my main means of communication with people in that field, and an important platform for promoting my content. And when someone rings me with a story, my first instinct is to go to Google to brief myself about the context - then I realise I can't. "I'll email you some background," the contact says. I have to explain why that won't work.
What I do manage is a couple of face to face meetings with colleagues, rather than emailing them. And, with little idea of how to carry on my job when offline, I find myself sitting around gossiping - and no doubt annoying busy people who are trying to get on with their work.
The psychologist Dr Michael Sinclair comes in to be interviewed by me for our BBC London report. He nods sympathetically as I describe my feelings of being disconnected. We talk about how easy it is to become addicted to social media - and he warns that this can lead to problems in engaging in the real world with family and friends.
We go out onto Oxford Street to ask Londoners how they would cope if they had to give up the internet. Just about everyone agrees that it would be impossible now for them to run their lives without it.
Later, with a story emerging for the next day, I am reduced to asking colleagues to print out emails and some information from the web. Cheating, I suppose, but the only realistic way of doing my job.
At home, and relieved that my self-imposed exile from the online world is coming to an end, I turn on the data connection on my phone and fire up the computer. With a sinking heart I see that 448 unread emails await my attention. Still, there's plenty to catch up with on Twitter before dealing with that - I'm back online and not a moment too soon. I've concluded that I just cannot function without being hooked up to the online world.
That is how it felt at the time. After a few days back online and sometime for reflection, I have come to a rather different conclusion. I now realise that constant connectivity, while vital for my job, has plenty of negative aspects. It shortens your attention span and could prevent you from having any sense of perspective about what is important and what isn't. So maybe a web detox is something we should all try from time to time.
Watch Rory's report on BBC London News at 13:30 GMT on Thursday 22 November, and read more about Lonely in London, BBC London's survey into loneliness and sense of community in the capital.
Could you do it?
My web detox
It seemed like a good idea at the time. As part of BBC
London's Lonely London series, I was persuaded to spend 24 hours without using
the internet or social media. The thought was to explore whether new technology
does anything to make us feel more or less isolated.
Here's how it went...
20:00 GMT
I post messages on Twitter and Facebook explaining that I am going offline, turn on "out of office" on my two email accounts and turn off any data connection on my phone. Then I explain to my 14-year-old son, busy online as ever, what I'm doing. "That would be agony for me!" he says.
23:30 GMT
Later, I realise what a bad time it is for this exercise. It's American election night - the ideal news event to monitor via social media as well as watching on television. Tuning into the coverage, I find it much less compelling without the running commentary I normally get from my Twitter stream, and I go to bed long before the result is clear.
06:00 GMT
The alarm goes off, I reach for my phone - then realise I'm not allowed to look at the web. Turn on the radio to hear the result of the election - and go downstairs to watch Obama's acceptance speech. This time, watching without the distraction of Twitter is a better TV experience.
08:00 GMT
Usually I sit at breakfast with a device or two scouring emails and Twitter and various news sites. This morning I read the papers, then find I have time for the piano practice I usually forget.
09:30 GMT
I have a doctor's appointment - normally I would sit in the waiting room fiddling with my phone. Instead I read a copy of the Economist retrieved from amongst the Grazias and Vogues. It's weeks old, but full of interesting material about technology issues and I emerge from the surgery feeling better-informed.
10:15 GMT
On the tube into London everyone appears to be transfixed by their tablet computers and smartphones. Normally I'm exactly the same - and with wi-fi available at stations I can be checking Twitter at every stop. Instead, I'm reading the paper - which feels many hours out of date. I wish I'd brought a book.
11:00 GMT
In the office, I quickly become aware that not only do I miss the web and social media, but it is impossible to do my job without them. Twitter has become my news agency for technology stories, my main means of communication with people in that field, and an important platform for promoting my content. And when someone rings me with a story, my first instinct is to go to Google to brief myself about the context - then I realise I can't. "I'll email you some background," the contact says. I have to explain why that won't work.
12:00 GMT
What I do manage is a couple of face to face meetings with colleagues, rather than emailing them. And, with little idea of how to carry on my job when offline, I find myself sitting around gossiping - and no doubt annoying busy people who are trying to get on with their work.
14:00 GMT
The psychologist Dr Michael Sinclair comes in to be interviewed by me for our BBC London report. He nods sympathetically as I describe my feelings of being disconnected. We talk about how easy it is to become addicted to social media - and he warns that this can lead to problems in engaging in the real world with family and friends.
15:00 GMT
We go out onto Oxford Street to ask Londoners how they would cope if they had to give up the internet. Just about everyone agrees that it would be impossible now for them to run their lives without it.
16:00 GMT
Later, with a story emerging for the next day, I am reduced to asking colleagues to print out emails and some information from the web. Cheating, I suppose, but the only realistic way of doing my job.
20:00 GMT
At home, and relieved that my self-imposed exile from the online world is coming to an end, I turn on the data connection on my phone and fire up the computer. With a sinking heart I see that 448 unread emails await my attention. Still, there's plenty to catch up with on Twitter before dealing with that - I'm back online and not a moment too soon. I've concluded that I just cannot function without being hooked up to the online world.
Conclusion
That is how it felt at the time. After a few days back online and sometime for reflection, I have come to a rather different conclusion. I now realise that constant connectivity, while vital for my job, has plenty of negative aspects. It shortens your attention span and could prevent you from having any sense of perspective about what is important and what isn't. So maybe a web detox is something we should all try from time to time.
Watch Rory's report on BBC London News at 13:30 GMT on Thursday 22 November, and read more about Lonely in London, BBC London's survey into loneliness and sense of community in the capital.
Tuesday 20 November 2012
Who is doing what and when for assessed presentation one?
Dear all,
Below is a note of what everybody is doing for their 'how to' talks. I know most of the topics, but not all at this stage.
Monday 3rd December at 9 in 425 - Carlos (climbing knots), Dan (paper craft).
Tuesday 4th December at 9 in 127 - Matt (learning Gaelic), Bethany (how to survive in the jungle), Fannia (perfect breakfast in bed), Sue and Gerry (hearing dogs), Scott (origami) , Iain (internet security), Vicky (how to make a mini Munny).
Monday 10th December at 9 in 425 - Laura (how to sharpen a knife), Nicky (how to make wine), Cameron (how to sing the Click song).
Tuesday 11th December at 9 in 127 - Loana (how to make a caipirinha), Denise (confidence tricks) , James (stages of child development), Mike (tomato growing for city dwellers), Raph (how to organise a gig for a band), Lucy (how to use silkscreen).
Cheers,
Mark
Below is a note of what everybody is doing for their 'how to' talks. I know most of the topics, but not all at this stage.
Monday 3rd December at 9 in 425 - Carlos (climbing knots), Dan (paper craft).
Tuesday 4th December at 9 in 127 - Matt (learning Gaelic), Bethany (how to survive in the jungle), Fannia (perfect breakfast in bed), Sue and Gerry (hearing dogs), Scott (origami) , Iain (internet security), Vicky (how to make a mini Munny).
Monday 10th December at 9 in 425 - Laura (how to sharpen a knife), Nicky (how to make wine), Cameron (how to sing the Click song).
Tuesday 11th December at 9 in 127 - Loana (how to make a caipirinha), Denise (confidence tricks) , James (stages of child development), Mike (tomato growing for city dwellers), Raph (how to organise a gig for a band), Lucy (how to use silkscreen).
Cheers,
Mark
Friday 16 November 2012
Are 'geek' and 'nerd' now positive terms?
Have a look at the weblink from the BBC below and if you have any comments, please do so at the bottom of the page as always.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20325517
Have a great weekend all.
Mark
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-20325517
Have a great weekend all.
Mark
Tuesday 13 November 2012
Comma comma comma comma comma chameleon
I hope you find this amusing, but I wouldn't stake my life on it...
Tuesday 6 November 2012
Yearbook deadline - Tuesday 13th November
Dear all,
Thank you to those members of the class who have already submitted their yearbook info.
Don't forget to send at least one photo and e mail me at mhetherington@stevenson.ac.uk with your words.
The entries I have received so far are wonderful! Date for submission is Tuesday 13th November.
All the best,
Mark
Thank you to those members of the class who have already submitted their yearbook info.
Don't forget to send at least one photo and e mail me at mhetherington@stevenson.ac.uk with your words.
The entries I have received so far are wonderful! Date for submission is Tuesday 13th November.
All the best,
Mark
Well done to today's presenters
Dear all,
I thoroughly enjoyed the talks this morning and we had one helluva wide range ot topics, brillant!
You were prepared, structured and knew your stuff which is half the battle.
You may have felt nervous, but you delivered without SHOWING any nerves, so bravo to all concerned.
On Monday we will hear talks from Cameron, Denise, Bethany, Nicky, Lucy, Carlos and Jordan.
I hope you found the self assessment form I put together for you helpful as well as my general and specific feedback (assuming you can read my writing). It proably got worse by the time I got round to annotating Scott's sheet!
Whether you presented today or were just listening, I would like you to make comment below on how you thought the session went, what you learned, how YOU fared, what you made of the delivery techniques of others etc.
I look forward to hearing what you have to say.
I will introduce the first assessed presentation brief on the 'how to do' talk next Tuesday which includes a plan that you have to do. The presentation and the plan account for two outcomes which in addition to the 'Digital Books' assessment will make three by Christmas, which is where I wanted us to be.
All the best and well done again,
Mark
Thursday 1 November 2012
PowerPoint made simple
This should be quite helpful if you are just starting to use PowerPoint.
All the best,
Mark
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