Posts Tagged: interactivity

I am a gamer. Not just a casual gamer, but a hard core gamer. I do not just play video games, though. I also follow the trends and news related to video games. I feel that the questions I posted for this week reflect and were inspired by the knowledge I have gained over the years.

For example, in my first question I asked if video games as a forum for media is protected by free speech. I asked this question because of a case currently being deliberated by the Supreme Court. Essentially, law makers in California are trying to pass a law that would make it a criminal act to sell violent video games to minors. The defender against this law is the Entertainment Software Association who claims that this law would be illegal under the free speech amendment. At this point, both sides have given their testimonies and the results will be decided upon between now and the Court’s recess in June.

I bring up this case because it highlights a feature of video games which separates them from other forms of media; interactivity. Part of the overarching concern over violent video games is the player is an active participant in the actions the character takes in the game. The short version is: if you do it in a game, you might do it in real life. There is research that argues both sides of this argument, but this is not the reason I bring up the interactive feature of  video games. I am highlighting this feature because of the possibilities that stem from it.

The possibilities of interactivity are the focus for my other questions this week. For example, presume that video games followed the principle of monkey see monkey do. By that logic if you make a video game that teaches kids to practice good oral hygine then those who play said game would also practice good oral hygine.  That is not how things are so let’s twist the idea another way with another example. Centuries ago, certain professions required one to obtain an apprenticeship to learn the trade such as carpentering, masonry, etc. This apprenticeship required one to practice and train under their mentor before they could “graduate”. In other words, the apprentice had to interact and practice in order to learn his trade instead of being considered a master by reading a few books. A more modern example, would be our production classes. In these classes, we have the opportunity to take the knowledge we gain in our theory class and apply it. We get to interact not just with the tools, but with the knowledge as well.

What I am trying to get at is the model of interactivity presented by video games has the potential to be exercised across the board. For the past decades, our culture has been one of passive consumption. Video games and their popularity, however, reflect our desire as a culture to become active producers and active participants in the world. And, no, I do not mean the way depicted by schell where you get points for everything. I mean a world where people not just have a perception of power, but truly have the capability to interact with various aspects of their lives.

Last week we discussed Obama’s presidential campaign and the website mybarackobama.com. Part of what drew people to the site was the ability to have a say. People were empowered. Whether that is true or not still today is up for debate, but at the very least a domino effect was started. Just look at the rise and exponential growth of the Tea Party, if that does not reflect people’s desire to be an active participant I don’t know what does.

Ultimately, the incorporation of interactivity holds a number of possibilities for the future.

2. In reference to the part about mass communication being a one-way communication flow mediated and enhanced by technology. R & V said that mass communication used to give little opportunity for immediate feedback from the audience, but new media technologies are changing this. Will these new and evolving media technologies change the way we think about mass communication and lead us into a new paradigm shift?

When thinking about the definition of what a paradigm shift is (a new way of thinking replacing an older one), I definitely believe we are on the cusp of one in relation to the one-way flow of mass communication. Traditional mass-communication may still be a one-way flow with little feedback from audience, but with the growing popularity of interactivity on the Internet, audience opinion has become a very important part of mass communication. This new age, this evolution of media is definitely changing the way mass-communication is accessed. But will this shift our paradigm? Or add a new paradigm for interactive mass-communication?

Think about online newspaper articles, most every story gives readers the opportunity to comment and voice their opinion. Very heated topics such as the idiot Pastor who wanted to burn the Quran on September 11^th, those news articles had thousands of comments from readers. This aspect of engagement with mass communication may be creating a new paradigm. The dictionary definition of interactive is: (of a computer or other electronic device) allowing a two-way flow of information between it and a user, responding to the user’s input.

Although this new age of interactivity is heightening and reducing the use of traditional media, I still know people who read newspapers daily, rather than going to the Internet for their news. I also do not think books will ever be outdated by kindles, or e-books. So, I believe that this interactive mass-communication with create a new paradigm.

Another interesting part of the reading while still on the topic of paradigms was about the direct effects paradigm and the bullet-hypodermic theory. The theory is about injecting audiences with a message that immediately, powerfully and directly causes them to adopt a new opinion or idea. The example given in the book was the War of the Worlds radio show, which is just crazy to think that people actually believed aliens were taking over. I know this theory has been disproven but I can think of a few examples where our society has been completely affected by a message form the mass media. Y2k and Anthrax are two examples that come to mind. Can you guys think of any others?

Rationale/motivations: For my research topic, I want to examine the ways in which interactive elements are changing the face of narrative journalism. Traditionally, mainstream news publications have shied away from this particular genre, mainly due to time and space constraints. However, the exploding presence of online media presents an unprecedented platform for narrative journalism to thrive. More specifically, interactive graphics such as video, slideshows, illustrations, etc., have the potential to effectively supplement the narrative stories in an online forum. Web sites such as Slate magazine are quickly gaining popularity as they embrace narrative journalism with interactive graphics. I think it will be fascinating to explore the effectiveness of interactive elements in modern narrative journalism, as well as the ways in which interactivity has the potential to enhance a traditional narrative.

I wanted to choose a topic closely related to the field of journalism, since my undergrad degree is in this field. I’m extremely interested in the changing face of journalism, but I wanted to find a topic beyond the cliché of “news is moving online.” Narrative journalism is a more specific area that interests me, and I like the fact that interactivity is probably more crucial to this sector than standard news stories. I also think this would be a great concept to lead into my Capstone for the spring, since I initially wanted to find something that was journalism-related… this just puts a more unique spin on it.

I’ve already found an interesting collection of recent studies on the subject that I’d like to more closely consider. One study, for instance, examines the “journalistic paradigm” as narratives move from the news room to online forums. The study ultimately found that interactive media resulted in more complex, layered narratives. It also implies that there is now a changed process of newsgathering for these online narratives. Another study looks at the ways in which online writing and accompanying interactivity affect the way that readers process the information. I want to compare a wide variety of studies such as these in order to pinpoint the specific ways that interactivity is changing the field of narrative journalism.

Engagement with social theory: In the broadest sense, this topic relates to human communication theory on several levels- interpersonal and societal. Some more specific theories this topic relates to include the narrative paradigm theory and the uses and gratification theory.

Methods: I’m going to base my research largely on previously conducted research. I’ve already found a substantial collection of noteworthy scholarly studies. Additionally, there is a multitude of reliable news sources that have recently published stories that can supplement the research studies. Ideally, I would like to include some of my own research to provide a “mixed methods” collection of data, but this is something I’m still considering.

Outcome/novelty: I hope that the outcome of my research thesis will highlight the specific reasons why interactive media are enhancing narratives through the lens of specific theories, as well as the ways in which these media are changing the narrative journalism field as a whole. After gathering more preliminary research, and noting the related theories that have already been projected, I think the specifics of the potential “novelty” of my thesis will arise.

Proposed Title: A Comparison of Interactivity in Nonprofit and Government Web Sites

Motivations

For my capstone project, I want to incorporate my design skills into helping a nonprofit/government entity to create a web site. I was thinking specifically of contacting the Orange County Animal Shelter to determine their interest in having me redo their site. Currently their web site is really elementary and simple. I think it could benefit greatly from some interactive features.
The Animal Shelter is an interesting organization because it is funded by the government but has more of a nonprofit feel to it because of its mission to help place animals in homes. It employees county employees but also requires help from community volunteers, much like a nonprofit organization. Because of this blurring of the organizational lines, I feel that I should research which kind of interactive site I should use to model my capstone after. Would it be more effective to use the government model or the nonprofit model? This is assuming that interactivity is different on government sites than on nonprofit sites.
In order to create an effective web site, I first need to research to see how other nonprofits and government agencies are using interactivity on their sites. It is important to analyze and critique other sites so that I can use the best features available.

Theory and Literature Review

One popular theory that seems to reoccur in my review of the current literature on the subject is the idea that nonprofits should use their websites as a marketing or public relations tool. This brings up the question of awareness and education; how aware is the audience of the organization and how educated are they about its cause?
My project might be a little different, since I am dealing with an organization that most people are aware of already. I would think that the Orange County Animal Shelter’s main purpose online would be to get more animals into loving homes, rather than simply to educate the public about their mission.
In reviewing literature about government agencies and interactivity, the theory of e-government appears repeatedly. The general consensus is that users are frustrated with their e-government experiences and that government entities are not utilizing the web in the best way. Recent articles discuss the opportunity to improve transparency via the web.
The theory of the digital divide is also one that could be analyzed in a study such as this. The digital divide says that people of different income levels, age, and race have an effect on how people are able to use technology. Usually, middle class, white Internet users have more familiarity and accessibility to technology than lower-class minority users. This brings up the question of how easy or involved the interactivity on a site should be?

Method

Originally, I thought that in order to complete this research project, I would need to do a content analysis of several government and nonprofit agencies. However, after receiving feedback from Dr. Lackaff, I think I will need to read the previous research on the topics and come up with my own theoretical framework for the type of site I want to build. Dr. Lackaff said that I can “rely on previous empirical research to develop your argument about these quasi-governmental sites.”
From examining previous research, I think that government agencies will need to use simple features because one of the main complaints is that their sites are difficult to use. Therefore making sure that the interactive features on government sites are easy-to-use and understand should be the priority. Nonprofits need to use interactivity in order to communicate its mission to their audience. The features included should present one clear, concise message to the user.
It is also important to measure how users perceive sites. Therefore I would like to hold a focus group to gauge which types of interactivity people find most useful on sites. This will allow me to develop new theories and ideas about how to incorporate interactivity into government/nonprofit sites.

Outcomes
As previously stated, since the animal shelter is a kind of quasi-nonprofit organization, the research that is conducted here will allow organizations of similar structure to create effective, useful, and efficient web sites. Research already exists about e-government and interactivity in nonprofits, however by comparing and merging the effective features from each one, my project will allow for organizations to create interactivity that is efficient, useful, creative and strategic on their web sites.

Taylor Williams

Research Proposal

Interactive website utilization and the sports industry

The growing world of new media and technology has expanded to all the facets of media outlets. It seems the expansion of interactivity in the media is allowing many industries to try new ideas and designs for websites and television programs to engage their audience. These days the target audience is most important which means finding new ways to engage this fast-paced world. Sports media interactivity is growing phenomenally which is why this study will be conducted solely on the growth of website utilization in engaging audiences to watch sporting events and how the accessibility enables the sports market to grow through the Internet and television.

As an individual with a broadcast journalism degree and a minor in sports studies, I see how the sports industry is rapidly growing in interest for many people. Although today’s society and economy is constantly unstable, many people believe the sports market is a scapegoat for everyday problems, which in time leads to its growth. I believe the sports industry is growing due to the accessibility of interactive websites that allow many people to watch sporting events from traditionally inconvenient locations. For example, this year the World Cup in South Africa was televised on television but most of the games were aired in the middle of the day so many Americans were unable to watch the matches. However, ESPN.com created an interactive play by play graphic on their website that allowed users to actively engage in watching the games they could not watch at home. The world cup broke record highs in the viewer market on a national and international level for the increased interest in a tournament that does not have a lot of cultural meaning for Americans.

In an effort to show the correlation between interactive website utilization and the growing sports market, I will conduct a case study with four test subjects. This test will last for three weeks and each test subject will have to play or use an interactive sports website twice a week for a short period of time. The test subjects come from different backgrounds and range from a lot of sports interest to no interest in the sports market at all. The test subjects with little sports interest have jobs and the test subjects with a high to medium sports interest have heavy amounts of university obligations. I have created a sheet for each subject to log their usage and how they felt after using the sites each week.

I also plan on conducting a survey by asking if they are soccer fans, during the world cup did they visit ESPN.com to see the games and after viewing the website, did they watch the games on TV or continue using the interactive graphics. I will combine the information gathered from the surveys and compare them to the results of the case study. I will also conduct research on the amount of websites that have interactive sports graphics and field research to observe how people interact to major sporting events.

At the end of this study I hope to better understand the relationship between interactive website utilization and the growth of the sports industry because I believe they are interrelated and correlate with each other. The sports industry is a growing monopoly and will keep growing with the help of new technology by engaging large audiences