Edward Snowden: Patriot or Traitor?

Personally I did not have much of an opinion on this issue until I took this class. However, I have researched it a little bit and talked to some of my family (specifically my father). His opinion is that he is definitely a traitor,because he believes that it is wrong to go against your country, and he thinks that his decision to expose the information that he did was all for a self-serving purpose.

I disagree with this. I do think that their may have been a better way to do this, but that being said I am not a part of the NSA and don't have any other suggestions. People can say how they think Snowden is a traitor and what he did goes against everything Americans believe in, but how do we expect to change and progress without people like Snowden expressing their human rights.

This made me think of how we obtained Freedom of Religion and The Constitution. People believed the government to be wrong and so they did something about it. Of course their are so many things that we do not know and probably will never know, but from a standpoint on making the world progress and change I think that Edward Snowden is a patriot.

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Facebook Analysis: Dixie State Volleyball Page

Dixie State Volleyball

     
I chose to take over the Dixie State Volleyball page for my facebook analysis. I loved doing this because first of all I was on the volleyball team and I loved seeing all the support we received throughout our season. I also loved getting people involved and trying to get more fans to come to our games. 

When I first got the page I changed the cover and profile pictures to our more recent team. I wanted to keep it personable and where you could see all of our faces versus an action shot of only six people on the court.

Likes: Starting the page there with around 175 likes and ending with 355 was a good stepping stone for who is going to take over the page next year. I think that the fact that I posted more often and I tried to everyone updated on how the season was going really helped. People began sharing links that I posted and commenting on the pictures and videos that were posted.

Reach: I realize now that the way you reach people is important. I didn't really try to post things at certain times, or necessarily post things that will reach out to a specific group of people, I normally just posted before or after games. I generally got a better response and reached more people when the post was at night after a game informing everyone of how we did. 

Posts: The more that I posted the more popular the page became. Looking over the post from last year, the FB page advocate didn't really do much in terms of posting. So I really tried to post 2 or 3 times a week. I think that the most successful posts had a picture with it and/or a link to an article about the team. Also people really seemed to respond to the posts that were only about the team having fun, and not to do with results. 

  

People: It was interesting to see the range of people who have liked my page. Of course many of them were from St. George, but as the page got more popular the places diversified a little bit. Mainly it is because I had a number of family members of the volleyball team share things from my page. I think that really helped others see it. 

I really enjoyed doing this facebook assignment. It allowed me to help my team and I was able to see how social media really can affect life. I really think that my page succeeded, partly because our team did so well and because we have really amazing fans and supporters here in St. George. It was awesome to see the community involved in the team and in the page. 

      

Contextual Analysis: Final Draft

Contextual Analysis: Final Draft

I have chosen to do my contextual analysis on how social media affects religion. Specifically the LDS religion, and the publicity it is receiving due to the new film, “Meet The Mormons.” This film interested me because it not only caught the eye of current members of the LDS church, but it also sparked an interest for non-members as well. 

This film follows the lives of six individuals whose choices in life are grounded in Christian belief, strong families and service. In an article by Andrea-Radke Moss it states, “to both groups, it signaled the arrival of a Mormon public relations campaign packaged for broad, public consumption”(The Conversation). This film is more than just an outreach to members of the church. It was done in an effort to put themselves on the social networking map. 

Social Context: The social context of this movie is seen through the many members who have taken it upon themselves to promote this movie. The Facebook page is just one way to for them to be heard. They have an instagram, twitter feed, and a You Tube Channel all urging people to see this movie. The youtube channel is full of testimonials from leaders of the LDS church asking members of the church to share this film through their own social media,and for those who haven't, to go and see it. It also has the thoughts of people who have just viewed the film. The Meet The Mormons Face book page, instagram, and twitter feed are full of positive comments and videos about the film. 

Physical Context: The physical context is in the articles and reviews about the film. As I mentioned before their social media sites are filled with pictures, videos and links to articles about the film.  These are just two examples of influential people commenting on the film. Along with pictures and videos they follow every post with #meetthemormons. Even though the hash tag may only be being used by members of the church, it has gained interest in what the movie is and why it is being made.

Marie Osmond 

David Archuleta 

Physiological context: The church has made it clear what their intentions with this film are and they are using social media to give them an edge. For example many church leaders and LDS members have said that the Mormon Church is not striving to convert people through this film, it simply wants to find a way to portray the church in a positive way. Moss explains, “the church has aimed to balance two competing impulses: how to display a picture of Mormonism that is both mainstream and non-threatening, but also exceptional and peculiar in its beliefs”(The conversation). “Meet The Mormons” aims to aid in areas where the church has been persecuted or seen as prejudice, and hopes to move toward peaceful solution and positive portrayal. 

The church's longtime campaign of defending their religion, without offending, is being revamped with the use of today's social media. The "Meet The Mormons" campaign along with the "I am a Mormon" campaign go hand in hand in my opinion. Both follow existing trends in social media and I think that by doing this they are making the LDS church seem more relate-able to the rest of the world.  

With the showing of this film there has been an out pour of positive comments from the LDS community, but what has to be said about those not of this faith? It has not generated much of an interest for non-Mormons and is seen simply as an infomercial. Many believe that the church has produced this film purely as propaganda, hoping to salvage the churches reputations as racists and anti-gays. The Post- Gazette states in an article written by Roger Moore, "But from the cherry-picked "stereotypes to the sins of omission that follow, "Meet the Mormons" is nothing but propaganda. The film addresses the church's reputation for "racism" without mentioning the long history in which that was true. The same gloss-it-over approach is used on the church's sexist, patriarchal heritage"(Moore). This article was followed by many readers comments agreeing and disagreeing with the author. Many think that the LDS Church is only attempting to save their reputation and gain new members, while others who are mostly of the Mormon faith defend the church with comments involving scripture and statistics. All in an effort to prove the church's intentions to be good. 
      
I think that all of the reviews, good or bad are all aimed towards peoples emotions and opinions. Reading an article about Meet the Mormons will have a negative or positive affect of you depending on your faith. Growing up in the LDS faith, I will admit that reading negative comments about the church has a saddening affect on me and it makes me want to post positive comments on my own social media page. It strikes emotion out of readers and you can see that in the comments people leave. Both sides are affected by this type of context. 

Social media has promoted this movie well, and has also shed some light on the LDS faith. I do believe that the Church's campaign involving social media is in their best interests. It allows them to defend their faith in the same way they always have, but this gives them a more relevant angle. However,  this only rings true for members of the LDS faith. Their are few others who are interested now because of the Church's social media campaigns. Many articles reviewing the movie have said that their is a general lack of interest for everybody except Mormons when it comes to going to the theater to see Meet The Mormons. 
     
So what does this mean for the Mormon church? Has this film had no effect on those who aren't aware or don't care about the LDS faith? By putting themselves and their religion on social media the church is now open to more criticisms than before. It has a positive and negative affect. It allows them to explain what the church is all about, but it also forces them to deal with difficult questions that non-members don't agree with or understand. Social media mixed in with the world of  religion is a double-edged sword.

References 

Moore Roger. "Meet the Mormons' Bursts with Optimism, Propaganda. "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 11  Oct. 2014. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Web. 13. Nov.2014. <http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/movie-      reviews/2014/10/11/Movies-review-Meet-the-Mormons-bursts-with-optimism-                          propaganda/stories/201410110010#>.

Radke-Moss, Andrea. "Why Are We Meeting the Mormons?" The Conversation.com. The Conversation Trust, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

Group Project

Food

Our group chose to do our project based on the product called the hive connect. We viewed a video that allowed us to see exactly what the hive can do and we decided to take the product a step further.

When we first discussed the hive we decided that it would be used in a single home, but as we began researching it further, we turned it into a small sustainable city.

I was given the opportunity to focus on food and how it can help the city become more sustainable, and how it can connect people through networking. As we were discussing and brainstorming we ended up building off the idea that the hive connects with other buildings and smart devices within a given area.

How many times have you thrown away food because it goes bad? Left overs often go to waste and most times we buy more ingredients than we need. This is a huge problem. Nutritionists predict that by 2050 we need to produce double what we do now to survive. The hive connect provides you with the ability to swap food and left overs through social media. You and your neighbors can swap small ingredients by posting what you need and what you are willing to trade. This will allow the community to get the most out of their groceries and they will be using all their purchases.

There is an app in the works very similar to this idea called Leftover Food Swap. It lets you take pictures of your food and people can set up an arrangement to come pick them up or swap another kind of food. No money is exchanged.

By using the hive connect you wont have to enter in all of the food that you buy, it will connect all of the smart devices in your house (including your fridge) to other homes and buildings containing hive connect. Your fridge will have sensors that can determine what foods are where and how much they weigh. You will never run out of anything and will never have to go through the trouble of typing in every single thing you buy into an app.

Of course this comes with its drawbacks. To make this kind of system work, their has to be an element of trust. You have to be okay with the fact that your neighbors touched the food they are swapping and you have to be selfless in willing to give food.

If the community would buy into the hive and form a trust in the process of food sharing, we would be able to save so much food and not to mention money. This would also help in the efforts to figure out how we are going to feed 9 billion people by the year 2050.


http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/blogs/leftover-swap-food-sharing-app-in-the-works

Meet The Mormons: Contextual Anaylsis

Contextual Analysis: Final Draft

I have chosen to do my contextual analysis on how social media affects religion. Specifically the LDS religion, and the publicity it is receiving due to the new film, “Meet The Mormons.” This film interested me because it not only caught the eye of current members of the LDS church, but it also sparked an interest for non-members as well. 

This film follows the lives of six individuals whose choices in life are grounded in Christian belief, strong families and service. In an article by Andrea-Radke Moss it states, “to both groups, it signaled the arrival of a Mormon public relations campaign packaged for broad, public consumption”(The Conversation). This film is more than just an outreach to members of the church. It was done in an effort to put themselves on the social networking map. 

Social Context: The social context of this movie is seen through the many members who have taken it upon themselves to promote this movie. The Facebook page is just one way to for them to be heard. They have an instagram, twitter feed, and a You Tube Channel all urging people to see this movie. The youtube channel is full of testimonials from leaders of the LDS church asking members of the church to share this film through their own social media,and for those who haven't, to go and see it. It also has the thoughts of people who have just viewed the film. The Meet The Mormons Face book page, instagram, and twitter feed are full of positive comments and videos about the film. 

Physical Context: The physical context is in the articles and reviews about the film. As I mentioned before their social media sites are filled with pictures, videos and links to articles about the film.  These are just two examples of influential people commenting on the film. Along with pictures and videos they follow every post with #meetthemormons. Even though the hash tag may only be being used by members of the church, it has gained interest in what the movie is and why it is being made.

Marie Osmond 

David Archuleta 

 Physiological context: The church has made it clear what their intentions with this film are and they are using social media to give them an edge. For example many church leaders and LDS members have said that the Mormon Church is not striving to convert people through this film, it simply wants to find a way to portray the church in a positive way. Moss explains, “the church has aimed to balance two competing impulses: how to display a picture of Mormonism that is both mainstream and non-threatening, but also exceptional and peculiar in its beliefs”(The conversation). “Meet The Mormons” aims to aid in areas where the church has been persecuted or seen as prejudice, and hopes to move toward peaceful solution and positive portrayal. 

The church's longtime campaign of defending their religion, without offending, is being revamped with the use of today's social media. The "Meet The Mormons" campaign along with the "I am a Mormon" campaign go hand in hand in my opinion. Both follow existing trends in social media and I think that by doing this they are making the LDS church seem more relate-able to the rest of the world.  

With the showing of this film there has been an out pour of positive comments from the LDS community, but what has to be said about those not of this faith? It has not generated much of an interest for non-Mormons and is seen simply as an infomercial. Many believe that the church has produced this film purely as propaganda, hoping to salvage the churches reputations as racists and anti-gays. The Post- Gazette states in an article written by Roger Moore, "But from the cherry-picked "stereotypes to the sins of omission that follow, "Meet the Mormons" is nothing but propaganda. The film addresses the church's reputation for "racism" without mentioning the long history in which that was true. The same gloss-it-over approach is used on the church's sexist, patriarchal heritage"(Moore). This article was followed by many readers comments agreeing and disagreeing with the author. Many think that the LDS Church is only attempting to save their reputation and gain new members, while others who are mostly of the Mormon faith defend the church with comments involving scripture and statistics. All in an effort to prove the church's intentions to be good. 
      
I think that all of the reviews, good or bad are all aimed towards peoples emotions and opinions. Reading an article about Meet the Mormons will have a negative or positive affect of you depending on your faith. Growing up in the LDS faith, I will admit that reading negative comments about the church has a saddening affect on me and it makes me want to post positive comments on my own social media page. It strikes emotion out of readers and you can see that in the comments people leave. Both sides are affected by this type of context. 

Social media has promoted this movie well, and has also shed some light on the LDS faith. I do believe that the Church's campaign involving social media is in their best interests. It allows them to defend their faith in the same way they always have, but this gives them a more relevant angle. However,  this only rings true for members of the LDS faith. Their are few others who are interested now because of the Church's social media campaigns. Many articles reviewing the movie have said that their is a general lack of interest for everybody except Mormons when it comes to going to the theater to see Meet The Mormons. 
     
So what does this mean for the Mormon church? Has this film had no effect on those who aren't aware or don't care about the LDS faith? By putting themselves and their religion on social media the church is now open to more criticisms than before. It has a positive and negative affect. It allows them to explain what the church is all about, but it also forces them to deal with difficult questions that non-members don't agree with or understand. Social media mixed in with the world of  religion is a double-edged sword.

References 

Moore Roger. "Meet the Mormons' Bursts with Optimism, Propaganda. "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette 11  Oct. 2014. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Web. 13. Nov.2014. <http://www.post-gazette.com/ae/movie-      reviews/2014/10/11/Movies-review-Meet-the-Mormons-bursts-with-optimism-                          propaganda/stories/201410110010#>.

Radke-Moss, Andrea. "Why Are We Meeting the Mormons?" The Conversation.com. The Conversation Trust, 5 Nov. 2014. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.

Mormon Messages/ Meet The Mormons.

I have chosen to write my contextual analysis on the affect that Mormon Messages and the new Meet the Mormons video have had on the LDS Church. I find it interesting that they have used social media to their advantage. Not only in spreading their message, but also to rebuke any attack on their religion.  I also would like to determine what has worked for them, and what strategies have failed them.

How Do I Want To Learn?

How Do I Want to Learn?


First of all this video was so inspiring. I wish everyone (especially educators) would watch it. The idea that we will give up on forcing students to adapt to a system of learning that does not fit them is what is going to make a difference in the future.


Growing up I have never had a huge problem with school. It didn't come extremely easy, but I worked hard and cared about my grades so it was never really an issue. However, my older brother learned very different from me. For example, I could look at a study guide and memorize everything that was going to be on a test. The test would come and I would do great, but then the information would leave my brain. So I wonder, was I really learning? Everything I did in school was motivated towards getting good grades and never for the sake of just learning and exploring new information. My brother was different. He was not a good memorizer, but he could read and study about something, and it would never leave his mind. He struggled with homework and tests, because so much information needed to be learned in not enough time. He is still struggling in college. He puts in so many hours doing homework a week, and he often feels discouraged when it is not paying off. This video makes me wonder if there is a better way for him to learn and if he could be more successful.


Another issue that I would like to see change, is standardized testing. Colleges base everything on the SAT and ACT. It is crazy that one test can assess your academic worth and determine your future. I have known so many people who are good learners and they enjoy school, but they are not able to take tests well. I feel for them because it seems that the only way to be considered a success in the education system is being able to fill in bubble sheets correctly.


So how do I want to learn? Although the idea of a different education is very appealing to me, I will admit that I like having a curriculum that is structured and gives me a good grade when I study hard. It has brought me success and I realize that I learn well that way. There is a doubt in my mind about what I have actually learned. To be honest most of what I learned in high school has not really stuck with me, and for the most part I feel that I have relearned that information in college. So am I really growing and expanding my knowledge, or is my brain only susceptible to what the world thinks I need to know to be successful in life?

Dixie State Volleyball Page

Mission Statement:
The Dixie State Volleyball page commits to keeping their readers promptly and accurately updated, while promoting good sportsmanship, and active participation in school spirit. This page promises positive representation for the sport, the teams and the schools involved. Dixie State Volleyball is a reflection of passion, hard work, and commitment that we are dedicated to portray.


3 Personas:
Brooke Hare: Brooke Hare attends Dixie State University. She is a freshman and is looking for more social activities to go to. She loves sporting events and hears how fun the volleyball games can be. By liking our page she is now being informed of all of our games and can find friends to come with her.


Janice Thomas: Janice is a resident of St. George, she is in her 60's and is an active member of Dixie State University's booster club. She loves to support athletics and to learn about the athletes that attend DSU. She and her husband always keep their weekends open to attend the Dixie State Volleyball games.


Tina Clegg: Tina is a mother of one of the Dixie State Volleyball team members. She lives too far away to attend many of the games as well as most of her other family members who would love to watch their family member play.  This page is a good way for her to stay updated on the season, and she can share all of the posts so her family can view them as well.

DSU Volleyball Facebook Page

Everybody go follow the Dixie State's Volleyball page to stay updated on our season!!



https://www.facebook.com/DixieStateVolleyball?ref=hl

24 Hours a Day, 7 Days a Week

As I wake up at 430 in the morning I stumble out of bed, but not before I take the time to look at my instagram/snapchat and any other social media app that leaves me notifications. I get to practice and for those three hours my phone is left untouched. But soon enough it will come back to life as I come into the locker room to retrieve my things, checking the same things as only a few hours before. This goes on and off throughout the entire day. Constantly checking to see if anything new has been posted walking to my classes or while waiting for them to start. Could this be preventing me from meeting and connecting with the people around me? How many chances have I missed because I had my eyes on my phone?
Listening to the The Diane Rehm Show I became aware of the many ways that my particular use of social media is holding me back from furthering or improving new relationships. The topic, Effects of Increasing Digital Connections on Relationships and Community airing August 11, 2014. The show featured three guest speakers, Marc Dunkelman, Susan Pinker, and Zeynep Tufeksi. The show specifically focused on what aspects of social media are harming or helping peoples personal relationships.
 Susan Pinker talks about the idea that without face to face contact a persons relationship can decay with eighteen months. During online contact you are not able to portray emotion and you aren't able to deepen relationships. I would agree that it is not healthy to have online only relationships, but it is ok to have both. Online tools are used to connect with people who you aren't able to see in person and it is a way to meet new people. It should never replace the effect of face to face, but it is a way to start a relationship with someone who you wouldn't have otherwise ran into. Using social media to connect with old friends or to meet new friends is not harmful, however using social media to hide from face to face interaction will create a communication barrier.
Pinker brings up an interesting study where they induced stress to young girls in a math class. They divided the girls into three groups, one group got a text from their mom, while another got a phone call of encouragement, and the final group received nothing. The results showed that the group that got the text and the group that received nothing had the same stress levels, while the group who got a phone call had their stress levels go down. I thought that was interesting that even just the sound of their mothers voice, versus just a text message was far more comforting. Hearing a voice or seeing a facial expression communicates so much more than the words being said. Sincerity is enabled through face to face communication and cant be communicated effectively through texting or online communication.
During the show Marc Dunkelman brings up the idea that social media has made it so most people do not know the names of their own neighbors, but they are connecting with people across the country. Coming from a suburb town and living in the same house since I was 7 I will admit that I know all of my neighbors pretty well. However, as I have moved out and come to college, I could not name one person who lives in my building. The few people I know that live in my whole apartment complex I am embarrassed to say that I found out through a friendship request on Facebook. The idea of going to introduce yourself to the neighbors next door has become foreign to people. What happened to neighborhood barbeques, or block parties? I will admit that being apart of the LDS church and having a dad as the bishop gives me the advantage due to the fact that we have perfect attendance at all ward activities. But it leaves me wondering what type of interaction goes on for those people who don't necessarily have those opportunities?