October 29

Lecture Notes and Comments

Week #9

Outline: For today’s class, we had Micheal Grillo come back and speak more on how the evolution of new media technology was very much affected by social concerns outside of the field of new media. Here are my notes on today’s lecture (Journal for October 29.) Grillo changed his focus a little in this lecture to talk more about the social concerns that influenced the evolution of new media technology. The main social force that influenced nearly all new media evolution during the middle ages was the Catholic Church. He spoke at length about the creation of the printing press and movable type, and how slowly we moved out of this era of fear from the Church into a more enlightened period after the middle ages.

Comments: All in all, this was a good lecture with lots of background information and specific details that helped explain our origins. At this point however, I began to get a little tired of discussing only our past. I was waiting to see how all of this information we had been given this week linked to the present, and perhaps the future, of new media. Towards the end of the lecture, Grillo finally started making connections to the present and the future with the points that he was making, and for that I was grateful.

What, as a new media student, did I get out of this lecture? After hearing Micheal Grillo speak, I now have an even deeper understanding of the social impacts that affect the field of new media, and how drastic an effect they can have on the future of my field. This is incredibly important to understand as I continue to study and learn about his field, because when I go out and get my career in new media, I will understand that my work and my progress will be the culmination of the mold of society and the evolution that has occurred, plus any innovation I can create myself. This inspires me to push the limit, and break the mold. For if nobody does, no innovation will occur.

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October 27

Lecture Notes and Comments

Week #9

Outline: Today in class, Micheal Grillo came in and spoke with us about what we define new media to be, and where it has evolved from the past to the present. Here are my notes on the lecture (Journal for October 27.) It had a very similar theme to the previous lecture’s theme, and talked about some of the same key points as Bill’s lecture. Regardless, the information was different, and the focus was very much on the technological innovations that brought about changes in the field of new media. One of the mediums that Grillo focused heavily on was painting, and how painting was a medium used for thousands of years to illustrate values and ideas that were important to the age. The church was the main controller of the messages that were created by artists, and influenced Western technology and media for a long time.

Comments: This lecture was really cool, and I especially liked Grillo’s style of lecturing. He had a very crisp and precise manner of speaking that made his lectures very interesting to listen to, even if the information itself was a little boring. The links he made between the church and the evolution of the technology of the medium of paint was really cool as well. One thing I wondered was how long it took him to compile all of the information that he shared with us. It must have taken years of study and research to get to the point where he could comfortably lecture in front of a class about this subject. Very impressive all around.

Was this lecture’s material important to the field of new media? Without a doubt yes! Like the previous lecture, we learned more about the roots of new media, and as I mentioned before, I think it’s very important to know the roots of whatever you’re a part of. A very good lecture, and a good segue into Grillo’s second lecture on the evolution of new media technology through the middle ages.

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October 25

Lecture Notes and Comments

Week #9

Outline: Today in class, our instructor Bill Kuykendall gave the lecture on the history of blogging in a slide show presentation format. Here are my notes from today’s lecture Journal for October 25. His focus on this portion of the lecture was the dawn of typing and writing, which began way back in the early century’s of human civilization. Writing and other forms of visual communication originated in the Eastern portion of the world, and was the dawn of the written word for the west. The rest of the points can be seen in my notes linked above.

Comments: I found this a really interesting look at where our technology originated. And by technology, I mean the written word. I had already accrued some knowledge about this field of study from my world history class in high school, but I had never gotten this information with the focus of new media technology before. That aspect was fresh and new to me, and I found that very interesting indeed. The information was good, and the lecture, while a little dull at times, was very clear and concise. That always makes it easier for me to concentrate, so that was a nice touch.

As new media students, what could we take away from this lecture? Quite a bit, actually. It is always important to know your roots, in any situation, and the field of new media is not exception. We might not be history majors, but that is no excuse for us not understanding where the roots of our field lie. If we’re going to create the future, it will go much easier for us if we understand the past first. A very interesting lecture, and a nice segue into part two of this lecture.

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