Further Research

Further Research

This graph shows why older people do not use the Internet and most of the reasons were similar to the findings we found in our questionnaire.

http://www.melbpc.org.au/pcupdate/2011/2011article5.htm =

Many people think of the Internet as a youth-oriented medium. This may have been so in the past, but consider this:In the 12 months to November 1999, the Internet was used in Australia by

73% of 18-24 year olds (up from 62% in the previous year)
56% of 25 to 39 year olds (up from 40% in the previous year)
44% of 40 to 54 year olds (up from 29% in the previous year)
16% of people aged 55 years and over (up from 7% in the previous year).

This makes people aged 55 years and older the fastest growing group of Internet users in Australia. Similar trends are reported from the United States and Canada. For many older people the Internet is opening up a whole new world, particularly for those who are housebound or who live a long way from family and friends - it removes barriers of time, distance and physical limitation.

Although a fast growing group, people over 55 years who use the Internet are still a minority. Potentially, there are barriers for seniors to access the Internet, and these include

• Cost - the cost of the equipment and online access are prohibitive to many older people on low incomes
  
• Lack of awareness - older people may not see any potential benefit for them in using the Internet and do not know of any Internet services that may be of interest or use to them;
  
• Lack of confidence - older people may be fearful of new technology in general and feel that it will be too difficult for them to use;
  lack of suitably designed equipment - older people are more likely to have physical disabilities and need access to equipment that is designed to take this into account.
  
• Outdated equipment - many older people are introduced to computers when their children or grandchildren buy new computers and give them their old 486. As a result, many older adults are working with outdated technology that may be even harder to use than more up-to-date equipment.
  
• Inappropriate training methods - instruction geared more towards younger people might not be carefully ordered and integrated. Different concepts may be presented concurrently, with the relationships between concepts and skills left to the learner to deduce. This sort of instruction requires the learner to keep many ideas in mind at once, one of the very abilities that tends to decline as people age. If new concepts are presented in a clear and logical order with the relationships explained at each transition, older people find it easier to learn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/5146222.stm =

Just 28% of people over the age of 65 have home Internet access, compared to a UK average of 57% of households.

The research also found that more than half of all people over 65 voluntarily excluded themselves from Internet access because they see no benefit to the net.
However, more than two thirds of pensioners who are currently not connected said they would get online if they had the right support.


http://www.itnews.com.au/News/39795,older-people-would-use-internet-if-they-were-assisted.aspx =

Ofcom says two thirds of pensioners would go online given the opportunity.

Older people who miss out on critical online services because they do not use the Internet would get connected if they had back-up research reveals.Two-thirds of older people who initially rejected using the Internet said they would change their behavior if they had the right support, assistance and learning environment the Ofcom Consumer Panel’s ‘older people and communications technology' research shows.


http://www.ihealthbeat.org/features/2009/seniors-who-use-internet-could-reap-health-benefits-studies-show.aspx =

According to research released in October, spending time online reduces depression and increases cognitive brain function among senior citizens. A study conducted by Washington, D.C.-based Phoenix Center found that spending time online reduces depression by 20% for senior citizens.

Along with improvements in quality of life, researchers say reducing the incidence of depression by widespread Internet use among older Americans could help trim the nation's health care bill.

Results Of The Questionnaire And Findings

Results - I have also included some graphs I have made to demonstrate the findings.

1. Have you ever used the Internet?
Yes – 5 No – 10

2. If no why?

· Never been taught – 4
· Couldn’t afford it -2
· It doesn’t interest me -3
· I’ve always wanted to but never had the chance – 1

3. Have you ever been taught how to use a computer?
Yes – 7 No – 8

4. Do you have a laptop?
Yes – 2 No – 13

5. If no why?
· I can’t afford one – 10
· I don’t want one -3

6. Would u find a video of how to use the Internet useful in teaching you how to use it?
Yes - 13 No- 2

7. Do you feel if you knew how to use a laptop, would u use it more?
Yes -12 No - 3

8. How would you feel about using an IPhone or a Blackberry?
· I would love to - 8
· I don’t feel I could use one -3
· Wouldn’t want to – 4

9. Would you like to use the Internet if u were taught too?
Yes - 10 No -5 Already can – 5

10. Are u aware of the benefits of using the Internet?
Yes - 4 No -11

Findings

One of the first conclusions I can come too from the results are that the majority of people in the care home have never used the Internet and most have never been taught or just don’t want too.

Secondly I can draw the conclusion that most of the people in the home who has used the
Internet before were female and of a younger age of the rest. Their average age was around 60 for those who have used the Internet and 70+ who haven’t used the Internet.

Thirdly I can see that of those who have never used the Internet most of them are willing to learn if they had the chance. This is where we could step in and show them basics of how to use it. The results also show that people in the care home would also find a video teaching them how to use the Internet useful so we could take this into consideration and maybe create a video for them to use.

Some of the main reasons I can draw from the findings as to why they don’t use the Internet are mainly because they have never been taught, are too scared or just don’t have an interest. Hopefully if we did show them the benefits of using the Internet, which most of them don’t know, maybe it will make them change their minds and participate in online story telling.

Research On Our Question

We visited the home Seabank Care Home in Wallasey to hand our questionnaires out and this is the Questionnaire that we have made and we handed it out to 15 people in the home we visited;


Questionnaire

1. Have you ever used the Internet?

Yes No

2. If no, why not?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

3. Have u ever been taught how to use a computer?

Yes No

4. Do you have a laptop of your own?

Yes No

5. If no, why not?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

6. Would u find a video of how to use the Internet useful in teaching you how to use it?

Yes No

7. Do you feel if u knew how to use a laptop, would u use it more?

Yes No

8. How would you feel about using an IPhone or a Blackberry?

I wouldn’t want too Don’t feel I could use one I would love too
Other …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

9. Would you like to use the Internet if u were taught too?

Yes No Already can

10. Are u aware of the benefits of using the Internet?

Yes No

We also decided that we would interview someone who works for Apple and find out what they think about the older generation using smart phones and becoming more technology savvy.

We will ask them what products are mostly sold to the older generation, if more older people are actually using the technologies, what age ranges mostly come into store and what they personally think about the older generation using the Internet. We can also look into how we could encourage the older generation to use these smart phones and show the older people how they can share their stories online very easily using the IPhones and how easy it would be to use.

We will also find out which products the older generation are more drawn towards e.g. IPad, IPhone or Apple Mac. I believe that quite a lot of the older generation would like to use this type of technology if they just had the chance or a little bit of support. We can also ask the Apple employee if they would consider maybe doing a little tutorial for the older generation on how to use the technology to help them into using it and becoming part of this new technology generation.

We have also thought about looking into the use of Face Time and how much the older generation would benefit from using this technology as some older people do struggle to get about and see family and this would rid of the barriers that cause them to not see their families. It's a very useful and amazing technology that can even keep you in contact with people across the world. We will look into this to see how we could encourage the older generation to use it and let them know the benefits of using it.

Face Time can be used any were at anytime and i feel the older generation would really enjoy using this. Also another technology that is slightly similar to Face Time that we can look into is Skype. This also is an amazing technology that it most importantly free and can be downloaded by anyone in the world on a PC, phone or laptop. This would also help the older generation stay in touch with the rest of the world and also it means they can share their stories to others who are listening.

Setting Up Our Group Work

Today we were put into our groups to complete presentations on our chosen question. We were put into teams of three and the question we are doing is 'How can you encourage an online audience in storytelling? - How do you encourage users, especially those from an older generation to participate?

We brainstormed a few ideas together on what we are going to do. We decided that we will go into a old persons home and ask them what they thought of the Internet and usage and hand them a small questionnaire to fill out which I will upload to my next post. This will give us an insight into what they think about the Internet and what we could do to help them become more active users.

Furthermore we said we could ask a employee of Apple what they think of older generation using the Internet and how they would encourage them to buy the technology. We would also ask what the company themselves do to simplify their phones and computers so that everyone can use them.

We also discussed the option of going into the BBC radio and asking if they would consider having a small section in one of their shows for older people to ring in and tell their stories. This would encourage them to take part and share parts of their history.

Another thing we could do is create a 'how to' video of very clear simple instructions on how to use the Internet and upload content and show it to groups of older people so that they don't feel as intimidated when it comes to using a computer or laptop.

We have split the research up and designated a section to each person in our group. We have decided that we should all compile research on technology usage, Niall should do an interview with an apple employee and write up his findings. Rory will teach an older person how to use Skype and document this through either filming, videos or pictures and I will compile a questionnaire and we will go to an old persons home, hand them out and gather the results for our end presentation. We will also together write up things that could be done in the future for older people and how this could have a knock on effect in older people homes.

During reading week we will be going into the old persons home and handing out the questionnaires and asking them what they think. I will upload the results to my next post.

Cbeebies!

Our visitor today was Jim Fleming from Cbeebies to discuss how to make a safer online environment for our children to enjoy and be a part of. More and more children are learning how to use the Internet and be a part of online websites such as Cbeebies and game websites and in reality, the Internet is not a very safe place.













People can easily can access to any information with simple clicks and tricks. Many children aren't really taught the real side of the dangers of being online such as hacking, paedophiles and scams. Some children don't really understand not to put names, locations and information about themselves online as people can be not what they seem and this is also known as 'stranger danger'.

During some research i discovered these reasons as to why children use the Internet;

'Children use the Internet in different ways and for different reasons, depending on their age and particular circumstances and interests. Although children as young as two or three can be introduced to the computer, many kids are about seven or eight when they begin to enjoy the Internet on a more practical level, through activities such as searching online encyclopedias, downloading pictures for school reports, or writing to pen pals'


Cbeebies website is mainly aimed at children ages between 6-12 and they encourage them to sign up and take part in online games and competitions. They believe that parental control is starting to diminish when it comes to being online and it is more focused around television. Cbeebies believe that there is a perfect gap in the market for their website as there is no real website or children of that age to go on and be safe on. Cbeebies realise the need for a safe environment for kids to enjoy and their parents not to worry.

They have tried to discover what ways in which they could create a safe environment online but still encourage participation. They allow people to become friends and still have message boards but it is all still monitored to make sure it is still safe. Children are still able to have their own profiles and they are still offered rewards. More ways in which they encourage people to still join are they offer up to date games, ideas and interaction with friends.
















Cbeebies shown us examples of people wrongly using the site such as sending bad messages and people of the wrong age using younger peoples accounts to gain access and send messages. This just shows that they are on the ball and are very quick at picking up on bad things making it very safe. I really do applaud the work that they do! They really are trying to make the Internet a fun safe environment while still managing to encourage user participation.

The ways in which I would help encourage users to still participate is too offer gamer points for signing up which they can get onto higher levels and buy games with. Also I would maybe even take away the message boards as they can still encourage older people to write things that younger people can see. Also I would use an age checker to clarify that the user is of the right age.

Ways in which I would gain more help and ideas on how to make it a safer place I would get a group of parents together and see what they personally think would make a safer environment for their children to be on. This would give me a great insight into what parents already think and a personal view on things we could improve on.

Rebel Play

Today we were visited today be a gaming company 'Rebel Play'. The presentation they made based around the question 'Do media platforms and genres have specific gender appeal? Why don't more women play console games?'.

There presentation proved many good points such as;

• Could it be down to our ancestors?



• Are men more prone to violence?



• Are they a waste of time?



• Are men more likely to waste time and women don't? so is that why they enjoy it more?

During some research I came across this graph which shows the amount of video games that men play that also involve women playing. There wasn't many games in which females joined in and mostly it was left to men to play the games.

Some other research I found was from http://www.spiked-online.com/. They stated that;

'First, it is argued that there are not enough women working in certain roles in the video game industry: that occupational segregation, or a gender gap, exists in the process of making games. The BBC laments how the University of Derby's new degree in games programming has failed to attract a single woman among 106 applicants (2). Moreover, women make up only 16-17 per cent of the UK games sector's 8000-strong workforce, and only two, three, five, eight and nine per cent, respectively, of its programming posts in audio, design, production and art.

Second, it is alleged that, in use, today's games products lack appeal to female gamers. As Doug Lowenstein, president of the US Entertainment Software Association (ESA), said in May 2005, at the start of the world's largest video games show, the E3 expo in Los Angeles:
'We need a cultural shift so that young girls and women feel that playing games is not a testosterone monopolised [sic] hobby reserved for their boyfriends and husbands'.

It is very true that most games are aimed at men. From a young ages boys are brought up to play with footballs and watch football with males in their families which girls aren't likely to do therefore they wouldn't have an interest in it. Also females would not enjoy sitting around for hours on end playing games as they have more things to be getting on with in their daily lives. Call of duty is mainly about war and shooting the opposing team dead. Rebel play said that men's enjoyment of this may come from our ancestors as the males used to shoot targets and kill for food for their families. Also men are always taught to protect females and stand their ground which may also be a reason why they like games as they feel powerful when they win and shoot someone dead.

I found Rebel Plays points extremely interesting as I do believe certain media platforms such as games do have specific genre appeal and it really got me thinking about it.

Rebel play would like to get more females involved in the making of the games and playing them. Although this would be a very difficult task, Rebel play said they love to challenge the norms! I personally do not like console games as i feel they promote violence (like Call of Duty, above) but even this question made me listen about them and what people think of them.

As I was so intrigued I questioned one of my male friends who is 20 about why he likes playing these games and how he feels when he plays them and this was his reply;

'I feel amazing when I play games, It lets me forget everything and its a way to socialise even when your on your own. I don't think when i play, I don't need to think! Me personally, I don't take anything in from playing games even if I'm hurting someone on screen, it doesn't make me want to hurt real people'

When I asked him why he thinks girls don't play games and how he would get them to play he answered;

'Because girls enjoy socialising more and lads are less emotionally free so they play games instead of socialising. I'd bring out games that don't include violence, because they are all either sports, violent or for kids'

The ways in which I would approach this question are as follows;

• Firstly I would do a questionnaire for men aged between 15-30 and I would find these men in gaming shops, Internet cafes and game forums. In this questionnaire we would be using similar questions I used for my male friend such as why do you enjoy playing?, what do you get out of it? and why they think females don't play console games? I would also create a questionnaire for females to find out why they don't play and what they think of games. This would give a good insight into both opinions about games and playing them.
  


• Secondly I would contact a gaming company and maybe ask them about if they do make the games with gender appeal in mind and who do they mostly aim their games at? I would also ask them why they think females don't play games and what they would do to change that? would they being out more games that would appeal to females or would it be a waste of money?

Hurricane Films

Today we were visited by Hurricane Films, a very well known independent production company based in Liverpool. They told us about their company and bits of what they do and create.

They told us that they like to tell peoples stories and show the country about peoples history. They showed us their website 'Peoples stories : Liverpool lives' in which they took peoples pictures and films and created them into a story. The main aim is to encourage people to share images, stories and films of their lives in Liverpool and show how lives have changed over the past few decades.

















This is a screen shot of their website were they show their work and their stories and also were people can leave comments and feedback.


During some research I found this graph which was interesting as it shows what older people use the Internet for:





















I found this lecture extremely interesting as I really enjoy looking back on old photographs as you can actually get a whole story just from one photo.

'A picture speaks a thousand words'














What they do is fascinating and inspiring. They really encourage people to take part and share their special moments from childhood up to adulthood.

The question they proposed to us was 'How can you encourage an online audience in storytelling? - How do you encourage users, especially those from an older generation to participate?

There are many ways in which I would go about answering this question;

Firstly I would find out about the older generation and how much they use the Internet. I would ask my Grandparents and their friends if they interacted with the Internet at all and if so how much? I would also create a focus group at a day centre and invite local older people and find out the reasons why they don't use the Internet.

I could use a questionnaire but they are very time consuming and would be hard for the older generation to fill out and could be very confusing.

Secondly I would find out what it would take for them to use the Internet whether it would be classes to help them understand how to use the Internet or whether its paying for the resources such as the Internet and a laptop. I could offer some of them classes to help them understand how to participate and be able to share their stories and history with the world in an 'Internet cafe' style. I would teach them the basics of how to use the Internet, become a member and upload pictures to the website. This also may be time consuming but i feel that creating classes would be the best way to encourage the older people to use the Internet.

For the older generation the way in which I would encourage them to share their stories are to tell them how worthwhile it can be, how much they would enjoy being able to tell thousands of people about their history and tales from the past and how interesting they will find it being able to search for local people in their areas and maybe finding people from the past they lost contact with.

Also I would hand out leaflets in supermarkets, bingo halls, society clubs, cafes and shops and advertise in local papers to spread the word around about the website and get the name around.
















It is defiantly a great and worthwhile experience to join the website so I really would encourage people to join it and share their pasts!

The Very Beginning

Welcome to my world of Media...

I do consider myself as sort of a media geek :)



Today was the start of my module - Applied Media Research. My interest in media has been around since I was younger as one of my family members, Nigel Lythgoe, is a producer of many television programmes. This is Nigel;







I have always wanted to follow in his foot steps as really inspires me because he has created some amazing and extremely popular shows and he came from my family and now by doing my degree in Media Professional Studies, I feel like i can. I feel so proud of what he has achieved and my dream for the future is to be like him.

I really discovered I had a love of media whilst doing my A levels as i started to explore new areas such as Photoshop and Adobe and that is where I made my first documentary on tattoos. I really loved being part of a team to make a project happen and also I love creating new pictures on Photoshop and being able to manipulate them into anything imaginable. The logo of Photoshop 'See whats possible' really does relate to media as anything is possible to create, you just have to do it!

I love creating new things and turning ideas into my head into actual films. I also really enjoy the editing side as I like making the pieces of the puzzle fit together and seeing my creation finally coming together. I also really enjoy being behind the camera and watching the action happen live. I'm interested in all aspects of media whether it be radio, television, being part of an audience or creating it myself. I feel in some way free when I create a form of media as I can really express my thoughts and ideas, kind of like shouting in a field when no one is around!