###### tags: `CDA`
# Reading Responses (Set 1)

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## Reading response 1
### 09/16 - Superconnected

The chapter, *Superconnected*, by Mary Chayko discusses the dichotomy between the good and the bad of different aspects of technology. This is explored through the lenses of constant ability, convenience and microcoordination, fun and entertainment, multitasking and attention span, stress and FOMO, emergencies, dependencies and addiciton, and health and moods.

I really appreciated the section in this article that focused on fun, play, and entertainment because it highlighted the benefits to an aspect of technology that tends to be frowned upon. In many articles, there are criticisms of the distraction that online games can cause or concerns about attention span issues. While these are both valid criticisms, I appreciated Chayko putting forth the benefits of this as well. Her example of Twitter "becom[ing] a sort of second screen for people choosing to connect with other television viewers while a program or event is happening" is an example of how something that is simply entertainment (watching a TV show or live event) can also be beneficial to our communication and connection with others (Chayko, 182). This was especially important in the past two years, where technology allowed people to continue having shared entertainment while still being physically isolated.

The chapter ends with a portion about being "plugged in" to society. This was a concept that was discussed throughout the chapter and was an interesting aspect to technology that I don't think is actively talked about enough. The fact that our access to technology helps us to feel connected to the rest of the world at all times can give people a feeling of purpose and I think this is one huge benefit of technology. While this can also add to stress due to having to be always available, like one of Chayko's interviewees stated, it also provides security and a feeling of connectedness and belonging.

I really appreciated the structure of this reading as it portrayed technology not as an absolute but as it having a dynamic impact on our life. It provided information that will help readers to re-evaluate their interactions with technology and maybe identify some negative impacts it's had on them as well as appreciate the positives.

## Reading Response 2
### 09/19 - How the Web Works

These two articles did a good job of clarifying the different parts of the web that allow us to use the web in the ways that we do. Before reading, I didn't know that HTTP and HTTPS were different things. This is something that I've definitely taken for granted throughout my time on the web, and learning about this gave me a new layer of security to look for when using the internet.

These readings shed light on new concepts, but I found the analogies to be confusing. I think it would be easier to learn through seeing this process, not trying to pull an analogy from the physical world for something digital. It will be interesting to dive deeper into the ways that HTTPS secures information, and I think that it will be helpful to learn through seeing how these connections work.

I would be really interested in learning how cookies work. They are so commonly discussed and are necessary for so much that we do online, but I have never really understood how they work. Gaining understanding of them will provide more knowledge of a resource that we use everyday.

## Reading Response 3
### 09/26 - Learning

Chapter 1 of *Make it Stick: The Science of Successful Learning*, discusses some of the false ideas that we have of how learning works and adresses better ways to approach learning something more effectively. Specifically discrediting the idea of rereading as an effective study habit, we are instead shown that the most effective way to learn is to practice retrieval and space out learning to make that retrieval a bit harder.

When reading this chapter, the question that stayed at the top of my mind was 'why don't we approach schooling in a way that is the most effective for learning'?

I've personally found that in my classes where I am actively engaging with the content through discussion and having to recall information, I learn more and am able to build off of those concepts later on. It is interesting, however, that many classes are not structured this way. Too many courses I've taken focus on in-class lecture content and then the only grades are tests to assess your 'learning'. The course itself isn't structured in a way to help you learn in the ways that are most effective, that part you actually have to put in extra time and effort to do yourself.

Roediger discusses a study in which recall from reading was effective in the short term, but is ineffective after longer periods of time. To me, this is evident in the concept of cramming for a test. I have definitely had the experience of staying up late before an exam, rereading my notes and trying my best to memorize the concepts as stated in the book, being able to recall most of that information the next day for the exam, and then forgetting it all within a week. This furthers the idea that courses are not structured to encourage learning, rather they are encouraging recall.

In the section: *Testing: Dipstick versus Learning Tool*, the concept of using testing as a tool to aid learning is discussed. Roediger states that testing "tells you what you know and don't know, and therefore where to focus further study". Going back and focusing on what was wrong on a test is so uncommon, because students are so focused on their grade. If testing was instead frequent and "low stakes" (graded on mastery, rather than percentage correct) maybe students would be more inclined to look back at what was wrong and figure out how to get it right.

The concept of using testing to aid learning, rather than to judge how much has been learned is so important in this discussion. This is a much more effective use of testing than I've experienced in classes previously. Roediger says, "In virtually all areas of learning, you build better mastery when you use testing as a tool to identify and bring up your areas of weakness". Not only are intermittent, cumulative tests not contributing to active recall, but they add so much pressure on students to "get it right" rather than learning the material. This takes the goal of completing a test from mastering the concepts to being able to spit out the right answer. The latter does not lead to long-term learned material.

Other than frequent, non-graded tests, the most effective learning tool in my experience has been discussion using the concepts that I am trying to learn. This connects the concept in my brain with a story or interaction I remember and solidifies that connection when I am able to contribute to that discussion. Despite this tactic not being directly addressed in the reading, it's another form of active recall that has been extremely helpful for my learning.

I wish more classes were structured in a way to focus on learning: instead of having the goal of the class be acing a test, having the goal be to **learn**. Education is meant to broaden understanding and knowledge of a concept, and the way that so many classes are now does not lend themselves to achieving that.

## Reading Response 4
### 10/11 - Haters

The internet is rampant with haters, trolls, and harassment, much more than we experience in our day-to-day life, but why is that?

The two readings, "Alienated: You Fail It! Your Skill Is Not Enough!" and "Facebook is now revealing how often users see bullying or harassing posts" both discuss the phenomenon of online harassment and attacks. The First reading discusses multiple instances of intense harassment online that had serious effects on people -- losing jobs, having to go off the internet for years, etc. and the second reading provides some metrics of this abuse on Facebook and their related platforms.

It's easy to think that these types of stories are unique to certain groups or don't happen often by everyday users, but between these two readings it's clear that it is much more common an experience than we'd like to admit.

Many of the examples from "Alienated: You Fail It! Your Skill Is Not Enough!" came from people with some significant following or who were very involved in certain communities online, but it is important to also look at how these phenomenons affect the everyday internet user. The reading discusses the idea of deindividuation, which can be easy to fall into when interacting with others in an online space without many identifying factors. It is easy to forget that being online can and does link back to you, making people feel safe in making rude, harmful, or even threatening remarks. Reagle says, “under depersonalization, morality shifts toward a different set of norms” which is evident in the amount of hate comments and threats that even micro-influencers receive. It's interesting how such a thin veil of anonymity can bring out such harmful comments from people.

It's interesting that the work of Zimbardo is brought up, shockingly proving that human nature to be cruel when there are no consequences is replicable in scientific studies and is not just prevalent online. This is a hard fact to wrap your head around, and begs the question: what do we do about it?

It's clear that the effects of this conduct are harmful in many ways, from people being forced to move to losing their jobs. Would accountability alone decrease the amount of hate online? Probably not. This is becoming a huge part of everyday life, and for the sake of everyone participating in the online world it's important to find a way to curb the amount of harassment that goes on online.

### Reading Response 5
#### 10/14 - Exam Prep Questions

##### Multiple Choice Questions

1. Which is an example of spaced learning?

- Reading one part of a chapter each day
- working on flashcards and then reading
- going back and rereading your notes
- studying flashcards for an hour each night for a week before the exam

2. Chloe tells her friend about a crazy news story she saw about the government confirming the existence of aliens. This is not a real news story, which type of false information is this?
- dis-information
- mis-information
- mal-information

##### Open Response Questions

3. How do you embed a photo in markdown?

4. What are two ways to avoid a Tragedy of Commons?

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**Answers:**
1. studying flashcards for an hour each night for a week before the exam
2. mis-information: Chloe doesn't know that this is false, she is simply spreading false information that she believed was true
3. 
4. privatization and regulation