Assessment 2 – Community

An online community for me is somewhere people can discuss, share and enlighten each other with similar interests or topics.

When I had to think about who or what community I belong and am involved in I came to a blank wall then a superabundance. I realised that every day on the internet I involved myself in a community. Then It was a case of sifting through and reflecting on who, what, and how my online presence is influenced by this. Knowing That I am posting and others are looking changes in the way we project our thoughts into the internet.

While writing my blog my topic of choice has been traveling. I have found at first I have no followers, no comments or likes, it was a little disheartening and un-motivational to keep writing when I knew no one was reading so my next step was to gain some traffic towards my blog my first point of call was obvious. Facebook. A place where all my friends and family resigned and eagerly waited for the next update on my travels. When advertising yourself can be seen a cheesy or sleazy, I had to think of a sophisticated way to say “HEY look over here!!” With a nonchalant status update choosing a good time to get The most attention. 

Within minutes I had doubled in views but saying that I still hadn’t gained many comments. In order to be part of a community I need to be part of a discussion. I had to find other bloggers. I done this by first comparing my blog use to Instagram (probably my most used social media platform) I get between 10 and 20 likes per post and around 1 – 2 new followers. It was the use of hashtags, hashtags open up a whole new world of communication between people on the internet. It’s a case of people looking for information vs people giving information in this case information being travel photos.

It is important to use hashtags responsibly, wildly using 50 tags won’t do anything you will only be seen as spam and desperate for attention. There has to be something of value given back to the reader whether that be a funny insight, a beautiful photo, a nice story or a review.  My first post using tags on WordPress was the “Grampians trip” and it is the most viewed post to date. 

I then went back and tagged all my post with similar but relevant tags. This didn’t have the same effect, people respond better to new posts and bloggers that post frequently. I found this out the hard way with my latest post (about two weeks later) not gaining anything near the number of views at the Grampians. I posted and used relevant tags but nothing yet. An online community will appreciate what you give but the first step of giving posts and receiving comments is to receive posts and give comments yourself. You will only get back what you give.

1. Bolter, Jay David. “Social Media and the Future of Political Narrative.” Travels in Intermediality. Lebanon, US: Dartmouth, 2012. ProQuest ebrary. Web. 8 February 2016. 206-226
2. Oatway, Jay, Apr 26, 2012, Mastering Story, Community and Influence : How to Use Social Media to Become a Socialeader Wiley, Hoboken. 97-109. ISBN: 9781119943457.

Absent posts

I haven’t written a post in a long time. I really have no excuse other than trying to keep up with uni work, doing assessments and in my spare time drinking  socialising.

I did however find a lovely cafe to catch up on readings. I was having a wander up Degraves street looking for  quiet spot with outdoor seating so I could enjoy the quickly sporadic Melbourne sun. Degraves street however is super busy and bustling its a fantastic atmosphere and I love spending time exploring the wonderful cafes and bars but I took a turn up Manchester lane and came across Kuaizi bar. it’s a quiet little bar/restaurant/coffee place I took a seat outside and orders a flat white. As my very first flat white ever It was good! (skinny capp no chocolate is my usual) At $4 for a large it’s cheaper than the cafe in the university and has fantastic atmosphere. I would like to come back for some food and a cocktail they look pretty exciting and reasonably priced.

 

Grampians trip

So another trip with RMIT Recreation. We went to the Grampians and saw the beautiful sights! The Grampians are named after the Scottish Grampians because when discovered its said that they looked similar! I have to say that Scotland dose have some wonderful scenery but it is not similar at all! The trees the lakes the waterfalls here are fantastic but totally different to Scottish scenery. I do however have to take more day trips outside of Glasgow and see the sights home has too offer.

The mountain ranges had some lakes nestled in. Something i’ve never knew could happen.

We saw one of the waterfalls that where abasloutly tranquil! but it was half a kilometre of stairs all the way back up to the mini bus a good workout but I was totally unready for it.

Our last stop was a 2k easy hike/walk to the top of one of the mountains but unfortunately at the top it was way too foggy to see the view so no photo 😦 but I liked the red sand path (so Australian!) and rocky dry lake on the way up!

 AAnd finally on our last stop we saw some wild kangaroos that ate the grass right out of your hand. it was my favroite part of the trip I never thought I’d get the chance to pet a kangaroo never mind feed a wild one! It was super lucky!!

The Grampians was a really good trip but I would like to go again when its sunny day for a whole weekend because there is so much to see and do. If you love to hike and walk then it is the trip for you. There is also so many Insta opportunities!

If you want to go on any trips with RMIT click here! you don’t have to be a student with us but you will have to pay a little more. #Explormit

Melbourne bike tour

  
Another fun day out with RMIT recreation. We met up at the new bike lockers and got a pick of some funky urban bikes! 

The tour took us to Melbourne museum, the boticincal gardens, up the Yarra river, and to a lovley coffee place.  

Here’s a route map! We also got lunch provided as well as the coffe and for $10 that’s a pretty good deal! The sights where lovley and I got to see Melbourne in a whole new way. There’s another tour with a whole new route on the 26th of April that I’m going to do again because I had so much fun. If you want to join me you can book it here.
 

Assesment one

I started my blog 6 weeks ago. I have 10 post and three categories. I have been blogging a little about Networked media but my main posts are about the things i’ve been up to while on exchange. I have been blogging about my trips with RMIT recreation, and I plan to blog more about what Melbourne has to offer as in bars, restaurants and things to do.

While participating in the course i’ve been asked “what is blogging?” Well what is writing online? I think that it is a personal take on a public platform. It is a number of things, the internet is a large network of information weather it be a trip advisor review or a video its all information that is networked together by people sharing, mentioning and commenting on it. Without this network of converse would it exist? It would but either not be discovered or be forgotten. In the second reading It is the connectivity that is discussed. To be “network literate” we have to understand the importance to contribute as much as we consume. Writing online is about the larger conversation that is the internet. Unfortunately no one has left any comments on my blog, why? Maybe no one is reading it? I have not promoted my blog on any other social media but I have just started adding tags to my posts to try and engage with a wider audience. I have to look at my key audience and play my writing style and posts to them without compromising my own goals. Engaging with other blogs is a sure way to help this telling people “Hey i’m here!” Looking at my online presence it is definitely the biggest on Instagram I post at least every other day and people from all over the world like my photos and adventures. My blog dose translate to that my post about the Great ocean road trip is my favourite photos from the trip and some writings about the highlights. I want to be a good blogger and I also want to be a good writer. While writing my blog I have my own voice and my own passion, I have tried to write in a manner that mimics having a conversation with someone, being chatty but sometimes giving trivial details. The first reading gave me some good blogging tips that I wrote about in this post. Miles also has a very interesting point about collaborative learning, students and teachers and see each others opinions and overall understandings on what is being learnt this opens up “peer support”. I really enjoy blogging and I want to blog more often with a larger audience. I have downloaded the wordpress app onto my phone for some easy on the go reviews in the future like the soup place post where I done a short review on a place I went for lunch. My blog will help me improve my writing, improve my knowledge about contribution in the internet.It will help me have the best experience I can have while living in Melbourne. It will help me share my experiences with friends, family even future employers.

 

Bibliography

 

• Miles, Adrian. Blogs in Media Education: A Beginning [online]. Screen Education, No. 43, 2006: 66-69.

•  Miles, Adrian. Network Literacy: The New Path to Knowledge [online]. Screen Education, No. 45, 2007: 24-30.

 

The soup place

On Tuesday a friend from class took me to a nice little spot to get some lunch. The soup place.

14 Centre Place
Melbourne VIC 3000, only a short walk from Flinders street station up a charming little lane (like a lot of the good spots in Melbourne). It was one of the smallest sit in eateries I’ve ever seen but I loved the simplicity of The soup place selling a large variety of soups to take away and sit in, they also sold amazing looking salads, juices and sandwiches. Its really cheap with huge servings and free bread. You can also choose to “pay it forward” and they use that to feed the homeless with their soup!

I had the pumpkin soup what was really good and super hearty! perfect for a cold Autumn day. I would recommend this place to everyone especially students and travelers who don’t have much cash but want to experience the community and rich culture of Melbourne.

The hills are Alive!

At the easter weekend I spent it at the 3 day music festival Hills are Alive! It was a fantastic little festival with only 1000 people attending one stage and 5 fabulous food & drink outlets. I honestly did not see a lot of the music but it was just a great weekend with a few friends playing cards and drinking beers.

There where loads of fun things to do if you weren’t feeling the music like giant jenga, mini golf, giant connect 4, a theatre and ping pong shed! oh and even a petting zoo!

• Super chilled vibe ✓
• Good food ✓
• good beer ✓
• good coffee✓
•  good music✓
• great views ✓

The weekend was nicely ended off with a gumboot throwing competition Sunday morning then my favourite performance of the weekend..

Barry Morgan’s World of Organs! It was honestly an amazing performance good beats and a lot of fun he knows how to get a crowd pumped!

 

Overall it was a fab weekend and totally different form other experiences of festivals in the past like T in the Park or Glasgow’s Summer sessions. This was just super chill and happy! I would recommend it to everyone!

Insta

If you haven’t already please check out my Instagram
It’s where I put all my photos of my adventures and some selfies..

A photo posted by Heather Kerrigan (@heatherkyah) on Mar 20, 2016 at 12:55am PDT

 

Heres a selfie of me and a Koala!

Hypertext/hypermedia has unlimited possibilities to link your readers and send them anywhere opening up the creative conversations.

 

Reading 1

(found this in my drafts I thought I posted this 3 weeks ago!!)

Reading one was about using blogs in education it covered What a blog is, why use one, and the advantages of using a blog in the classroom. A blog is a web based publication much like a journal or diary but different in the sence that it is written with the intent of being read. It can have categories what are useful especially for a blog like this where I can have a category for “Networked Media” and a less formal more personal category called “living in Melbourne”.

But one of my favorite key points made was the benefit of collaborative learning. Giving students the chance to share notes, gain peer support, ask/answer questions, reflect on our work and have the teacher understand. We can link to each others blog using a Blogroll 

Top blog writing tips I gained from this reading!

• Write so the subject makes sence to everyone
• Tag & categories smart
• Use a Blog roll
• Be active. Comment, share, ask, answer, be part of the larger community
• Take care in your writing its public!

 

overall this can let teachers see students honest opinions and understandings, let students see others understandings

Miles, Adrian. Blogs in Media Education: A Beginning [online]. Screen Education, No. 43, 2006: 66-69.