Sunday, May 23, 2010

Online Communities: Interviews with Students


Please post in this comment section on any interviews you've conducted with Students:

4 comments:

  1. USD College Student (Interview conducted via email by Christine Kane)

    Website Questions:
    * What makes you stay engaged on a website (of any kind) for a long period of time?

    -The content. If it's something I'm interested in and that has importance in my everyday life.


    * What "catches your eye" on a website and makes you linger a bit longer than usual to check it out?
    -Again the content. I enjoy bells and whistles as much as the next guy but I'm most interested in the information the website provides.

    * What makes you leave a website instantly or turns you off from returning to it again?

    -Overt bias. Also if there are blantant errors, that is discouraging. If you're posting your work for all the world to see you should take time to make it professional.

    Blog Questions:
    * Why do you blog?
    -I blog as an outlet to my everyday life. As a way to express my thoughts and feelings and to hopefully get others to both read and comment on my work.

    * Why do you post on blogs?
    -I post on blogs that I am passionate about. I also do it to stir the pot from time to time. I find it funny that people get so riled up that they argue with font.

    * What makes you lurk on a website or blog but not post a comment?
    -If it's a site that I don't have a membership too. I have a few normal sites like CNN.com that I post to regularly and often don't have the time or energy to fill out all my information for additional memberships.

    * Why do you check in with certain blogs repeatedly?
    -If they are socially relevant or if they are done by my friends and family. I use google reader and it tells me when my favorite blogs have been updated.

    Social Networking Questions:
    * What types of virtual online communities do you belong to?
    -None.

    * Why do you return to some websites over others repeatedly?
    - There are some that I am just used to checking so I continue to do so. Every once in a while I will search for new and highly regarded sites to mix it up to my regular suspects.

    * Why join social networking sites (Facebook, Myspace etc)? Why post on a social networking site?
    -I joined Facebook to stay in touch with family and friends. I post as a way to keep my friends and family updated about my life and to share funny/informative links and videos.

    * What makes you feel safe in a virtual online community to post your own opinions/comments?
    -Don't use these.

    * What elements of an online community turn you off from becoming a member?
    -Don't use these.


    * What elements of an online community entice you to become a member?
    -Don't use these.


    Online Activity Questions:
    * What do you download most often from the internet?
    -Music and videos.

    * What do you upload to the internet?
    -Occasional videos to youtube.

    * What do you spend most of your time online in regards to your professional career?
    -Researching content for lesson plans.

    * What do you spend most of your time online in regards to your personal life?
    -Blogging and checking current events. Also used for entertainment purposes such as movie listings, concert lists, and weekend events. I also use it for getting directions and buying items on craigslist.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Website Questions
    What makes you stay engaged on a website (of any kind) for a long period of time?: Topic being something that is of personal or professional interest to me, exciting/interesting content, visually appealing layout, good organization of information, links that lead to other related pages or organizations' information.

    What "catches your eye" on a website and makes you linger a bit longer than usual to check it out?: Depends on the topic of the site and its content, but any personal anecdotes/personal stories, especially with pictures, can make me linger a bit longer than usual on a sight. Especially visual images, like pictures. Reading about the statistics of immigration is one thing, but having pictures and stories of Latino families affected by immigration to the U.S. makes the story more personal. Again, this is dependent on website content/purpose.

    What makes you leave a website instantly or turns you off from returning to it again?: Pages taking too long to load, broken links, unappealing layout/design, content that is irrelevant to me. It has to catch my eye not just with flashy design, but also be something that I care to read about.

    Blog Questions
    Why do you blog?
    Why do you post on blogs?

    What makes you lurk on a website or blog but not post a comment?: From time to time I will skim over or check out a blog, but I am not a big follower of any particular blogs. For me, it's a time thing. I'd rather be catching up by reading over my recent Facebook notifications instead of reading about a Julia Child wannabe's latest expedition in the kitchen.
    Why do you check in with certain blogs repeatedly?

    Social Networking Questions
    What types of virtual online communities do you belong to?: Mainly Facebook, also the WeightWatchers online community (chat boards, and also a "Friends" feature similar to Facebook, with status updates, etc.)

    Why do you return to some websites over others repeatedly?

    Why join social networking sites (Facebook, Myspace etc)? Why post on a social networking site?: Joining a social networking site, like Facebook, helps me keep up-to-date on the things my friends are up to. Able to see pictures of birthday parties, congratulate people on accomplishments, or reach out to someone more intentionally when it sounds like they have had a bad day. Allows me to know more about what everyone is up to, more so than I would be able to know without this. Combination of status updates + picture sharing capabilities is what I love about Facebook so much.

    What makes you feel safe in a virtual online community to post your own opinions/comments?: I probably feel safer than I should on Facebook, but I have reviewed my privacy settings so that only my friends can see my status updates, and only my friends can see my photos. This lets me limit who sees what personal information that I post there, though I am still cognizant of the things I am posting (because I know that it's not an air-tight security that protects them).

    What elements of an online community turn you off from becoming a member?: Reputation. MySpace has a big reputation as being sketchy, full of creepshows and underaged kids. Also I am under the impression that more content is made public with MySpace, so I steer clear of that. With Facebook's popularity, though, I don't really feel the need to have a separate account when I can do everything I need to do with just the one.

    What elements of an online community entice you to become a member?: Ease of access, having pictures, websites and videos that load quickly and fully.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Online Activity Questions
    What do you download most often from the internet?: Don't honestly download all that much from the Internet, other than the occasional song/video on iTunes.

    What do you upload to the internet?: Pictures on Facebook, but that's mainly it.

    What do you spend most of your time online in regards to your professional career?: Online applying to jobs (Edjoin and SchoolSpring), using Google to locate ideas for lessons.

    What do you spend most of your time online in regards to your personal life?: Gmail, Facebook, WeightWatchers online, iTunes, and Craigslist.

    ReplyDelete
  4. SDSU College Student (Interview via email by Christine Kane)
    Website Questions:
    * What makes you stay engaged on a website (of any kind) for a long period of time?
    Graphics pertaining to content (mostly photos...not animation) as well as "chunking" information. When perusing, i am more likely to stay on a website if it has a "home" link to take me back to the beginning. I always get lost when i have to click...click....click or press the back...back....back. Obviously staying on a specific website has something that I want...whether tangible or intangible. I am attracted to SALES or GET FREE...but mostly they seem to be scams. Transparency is important, go gimmicks or loads of surveys to fill out just to get a raffle entry.
    Gossip is always something I find myself reading more about on facebook...seeing what people are up to or their travels on great adventures. It give me a sense of connection even and a chance to see places i would have never thought to travel or see.


    * What "catches your eye" on a website and makes you linger a bit longer than usual to check it out?
    boobs, a hot guy, flat stomach...trends or fads. capital letters. Recognition of a sign or symbol

    * What makes you leave a website instantly or turns you off from returning to it again?

    Pop ups, unorganized information, links that don't work and crap for a layout!

    Blog Questions: NA (don't blog)
    * Why do you blog?
    * Why do you post on blogs?
    * What makes you lurk on a website or blog but not post a comment?
    * Why do you check in with certain blogs repeatedly?

    Social Networking Questions:
    * What types of virtual online communities do you belong to?
    facebook
    * Why do you return to some websites over others repeatedly?
    quality of products, efficient use of my time, easily manageable website
    * Why join social networking sites (Facebook, Myspace etc)? Why post on a social networking site?
    advertise yourself or things you want people to know or not know about you. It give you a sense of control of what people know about you (however this is definitely not the case...lol)
    * What makes you feel safe in a virtual online community to post your own opinions/comments?
    being secure with self makes me feel safe when entering a VC...but I am conscience of potential threats that are out there.
    * What elements of an online community turn you off from becoming a member?
    paying money for a service that goes beyond cost...bad words, use of online teen language
    * What elements of an online community entice you to become a member? other friends

    Online Activity Questions:
    * What do you download most often from the internet? informational PDF documents. instructions or articles
    * What do you upload to the internet?
    pictures
    * What do you spend most of your time online in regards to your professional career?
    searching edjoin, facebook, craigslist, school websites
    * What do you spend most of your time online in regards to your personal life?
    facebook, playing scrabble and family feud online

    ReplyDelete