Evaluation of Digital Technology

1. Evaluation of Digital Technology Theoretical Evaluation- Question 1 A

2. What is digital technology? • Digital technology enables immense amounts of information to be compressed on small storage devices that can be easily preserved and transported. • Digitization also quickens data transmission speeds. • Digitized information is recorded in binary code of combinations of the digits 0 and 1, also called bits, which represent words and images. • What has digital technology enabled us to do? • Digital technology has transformed how people communicate, learn, and work. • It has also transformed the way media can be researched, created, distributed and viewed

3. Remember AS music industry……. • During the music industry topic many key terms and theories were discussed with regards to digital technology…lets have a quick test!

4. Digital tech test • What is meant by “Convergence”? • What is meant by ‘digital zeitgeist’? • What is a technophile and a technophobe? • What is meant by proliferation? • What does compression technology mean? • What does ‘means of production’ mean? • What is web 2.0? • What does ‘user generated content’ mean?

5. Forms of digital technology? • What are the various forms of digital technology? • Hardware: equipment such as cameras, DV cameras, mobile phones and of course computers. • Software: photo manipulation, design, editing, desk top publishing, presentational…. • Web 2.0: search engines, user generated sites, social media sites, fan sites, institutional sites, review sites, email….

6. Your digital tech. • Brainstorm and make notes in your booklets: All the digital technology you have used during AS and A2 Media Studies. Split it into 3 sections: • Pre-production research and planning • Production/construction. • Post-production and evaluation.

7. Non- digital media • It’s easy to assume that in 2011 all research, construction and post-production work is produced solely with digital technology. • However what non-digital technology did you use during AS and A2? • Physical copies of magazines. • Film and film trailers on TV/cinema/DVD? • Pencil sketching and storyboarding. • Any others?

8. Your digital tech skills • How technically skilled were you before you began the course? • Rate yourself out of 10. • Remember what we said about creativity and technical proficiency? • Have you picked up skills from other subjects? If so what? • Make notes in booklets.

9. Skills development • How were the skills learnt at AS useful in A2? • Consider: • Ability to use software. • Ability to use hardware. • Improvements in using web 2.0 • Are you a technophile of technophobe? • Make notes in booklet.

10. Professionalism on a budget? • How does your use of digital technology compare to production of real media texts? • As 16-19 year olds you are not expected to be able to replicate what professional media institutions can do…or has it? • Marx’s idea of the means of production being used by the dominant ideology to keep the masses oppressed is increasingly becoming a redundant theory. Why? • Because cheap, efficient technology is accessible to most of us. • Therefore we are able to produce some work that could pass for professional, particularly print work. • However do we think this is the same case for the A2 trailers?

11. The haves and have not's • One aspect of digital technology you might need to discuss and evaluate –without moaning – is the quality of technology you used. • Versions of software. • Quality of cameras (pixel ratios, SLR or compact, HD etc). • Web 2.0- Make notes on question 5 and 6. How has your use of digital hardware technology developed between AS and A2 Media?