Multimedia

For many people blogging is, in essence, journaling or a form of personal diary. But a blog can also be a tool that is used to tell a story, either a personal story or a more public story, such as on news sites. The article "Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek" found at http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2012/snow-fall/#/?part=tunnel-creek is full of multimedia tools. The article was more of a visual event than just a reading piece. The author used pictures, video, graphs, and text to tell the story of the people involved in the avalanche. It was a touching story and the multimedia tools enhanced the presentation by making it more alive. I personally felt the actual text was a little long and monotonous, but the visuals really helped me to understand what was being told. For example, the descriptions of the routes the skiers took was completely over my head, but the map that showed their route was crystal clear. Likewise, the linked video at the end told the same story I had just read but it allowed the emotion of the story to really hit home. The story itself was enhanced because it reached out to more people, rather than just those who like to read.

Certain techniques are more effective than others, but I would guess that opinions differ as to which is which. For me I believe that video, slideshows, and audio are the most effective.

Video is effective because it gives both visual and audio which appeals to all learning styles. Video can be used to teach, give examples, or just present information. News sites often use video clips to highlight stories they've reported on. CNN.com (http://www.cnn.com/) has videos embedded directly into many of their news articles so that you have the choice of reading or viewing.

Slideshows are effective for their visual aspect. They allow you to flip through at your own pace. They also provide smaller chunks of information on the pictures which helps the information to be processed more easily. Disney's Family Fun site, http://family.go.com/, is a perfect example of this type of tool. They have a variety of articles that are solely slideshows that you can flip through.

Audio is another tool that enhances our messages. Podcasts are one type of audio. These can stand alone or be linked to a blog or news post. They cover a variety of topics and allow you to listen without the constraints of radio signals. http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_directory.php

An interesting blog

Most of the blogs that I follow or read on a regular basis, don’t have a huge following. They certainly wouldn’t have made the “25 Best Bloggers of 2013” list. I follow them because the topic is something that interests me, and/or because a friend of mine writes it. For the purpose of this assignment, I chose to evaluate a cooking blog, http://www.101cookbooks.com/. This blog did make Time magazines “The 25 Best Blogs, 2013 edition.” The 101 cookbooks blog started as a way for the author to share recipes from her collection. It has grown into a giant cookbook of it’s own (McCracken, 2013).

In order for a blog to be successful, it should adhere to some general guidelines. Some of these are discussed in Ilias Chelidonis post about the steps to creating a successful blog. Two of the biggest are to decide what your blog is going to be about and decide on a name for it (Chelidonis). Heidi Swanson accomplished these two with her blog; her content is clear and the name depicts what the blog is about. If I’m searching for a blog, I don’t want to have to guess about the content; therefore, when the main subject of the blog is included in the title it makes it much easier to find when using a general search engine. The blog itself is laid out very well. Not only can you go through the posts in a chronological way, but you can also search the site based on ingredient or meal type. This makes the blog extremely user friendly. The blog is visually appealing, but it also functions very well.

Chelidonis, I. (n.d.). 12 steps to launch a successful blog. Retrieved from http://www.dailyblogtips.com/steps-to-successful-blog/

 

McCracken, H. (2013, August 5). The 25 best bloggers, 2013 edition. Time.com. Retrieved from http://techland.time.com/2013/08/05/the-25-best-bloggers-2013-edition/slide/mark-forsyth-inky-fool/

***This is a mock press release intended for educational use only.  Please read the references cited at the bottom of this post for more information on Joe Paterno's death.***

University Park, Pa-It is with great sadness that the University announces the passing of Joe Paterno. Although Paterno was released from the University on November 9, 2011 amid questions of his responsibility in an ongoing investigation, his commitment to the school and the athletic department should not be questioned.

Paterno joined the Penn State athletic family in 1950 where he served in the assistant coaching role for sixteen years. In 1966 he became the head coach for the Nittany Lions. His first season was a draw, but he followed it with two undefeated seasons in 1968 and 1969. For the next 32 years he dedicated himself to the Lions. Paterno is the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) leader in career victories and one of only three coaches in NCAA history to post 400 career wins, an honor received on November 6, 2010 at home in Beaver Stadium when the squad made an impressive comeback to defeat Northwestern.

Paterno was college football’s all-time leader in bowl victories (24) and appearances (37). His tenure included two National Championships (1982, 1986); five undefeated, untied teams; 23 finishes in the Top 10 of the national rankings; 5 AFCA Coach-of-the-Year plaques; and more than 350 former players who signed NFL contracts. Penn State is one of just eight teams with 800 wins all-time, and Paterno has been a member of the Lion staff for 513 of them.

His dedication was not just to the athleticism of his players, but also to their role as students. He determined as a young head coach that his team would be comprised of young men who would graduate and make significant contributions to society upon their graduation. Paterno and his staff built a model program, evidenced by nearly 50 Academic All-America selections. The team regularly posted high graduation rates; they were ranked No. 1 academically out of the top 25 football teams in 2009 and 2011 by the New America Foundation’s Academic Bowl Championship Series. "Coach Paterno's commitment to achieving success on the football field with players who competed just as intensely in the classroom was unwavering and unparalleled," former Nittany Lion standout Todd Blackledge, a first team Academic All-America and 2001 Academic All-America Hall of Fame inductee, said of his college mentor. "He was a teacher first and a coach second, and his legacy should never be measured by wins or championships, but by the thousands of well-rounded contributors to society that he helped to mold and develop."

JoePa, as he was affectionately called, and his family have given more than $4 million dollars to the advancement and growth of University programs. In lieu of flowers or gifts the family has asked for donations to be made to the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania or the Penn State-THON.

Joe Paterno leaves behind his wife, Sue, five children, and 17 grandchildren.

Facebook Post

 January 22, 2012

It is with great sadness that the Nittany Lions announce the passing of legendary coach Joe Paterno. JoePa spent most of his life and the entirety of his career here in Happy Valley. He settled here at the age of 23, starting a family and a legacy. His contributions to his community and his players both on and off the field will not be forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family and friends during this time.

 

Joseph Vincent Paterno. (2014). The Biography.com website. Retrieved 11:33, Aug 03, 2014, from http://www.biography.com/people/joe-paterno-9434584

Junstrom, J. (2012, April 25). Joe Paterno, 2012 Dick Enberg Award recipient. Retrieved from http://www.blackshoediaries.com/2012/4/25/2974927/joe-paterno-2012-dick-enberg-award-recipient

Penn State's legendary Joe Paterno passes. (2012, January 22). Retrieved from http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/012212aap.html