Internet Addiction and Its Indicators - Assignment Example

Presentation 1: Internet Addiction Internet Addiction was one presentation that focused on the definition of internet addiction and its indicators in the light of research conducted on this topic. The presentation was nearly 30 minutes long and in my opinion was fairly well-constructed with some flaws. The group discussed what internet addiction it; its causes; its impact on the addict and his family and friends. In my opinion, the topic was very appropriate. Since we as an internet generation are most vulnerable to this problem, this topic was very appropriate in my opinion. At any given time we may become addicted to the internet and this presentation allowed us to judge our usage of internet and whether we need to take steps to curtail our growing addiction. This topic is very important and should be taken up by every class. In terms of the presentation, I very acutely felt that at this level, groups should not be reading material from their notes or slides. They should come well-prepared. Even though the group was well dressed and presentable, they did not focus on delivering a strong presentation. The group was not very professional in my opinion and one member was too quiet. The final speaker did not seem well-rehearsed. Since the final speaker was not very convincing, at the conclusion, the presentation seemed to fall apart. Since the last part remains in the minds of the viewers the most, the presentation became weak due to this. The beginning and end should always be strong to retain interest of the viewers. The good point of the presentation was the fact that the group was able to properly define the scope of their topic. In this way, they were able to exclude irrelevant information which made the presentation crisp and easy to understand. This also made the conclusion clearer and easier to grasp. However, the presentation lacked a little due to the fact that it was not very interest grabbing. If the group had included case studies in the presentation, the topic would have become more interesting and the students would have taken the concept home. They could have taken people from their own surroundings and researched on them. A profile of these addicts could have been developed which would have made the presentation more appealing to us- the viewers. Also the conclusion left a lot to be desired. The group should have discussed recommendations for improvement. Recommendations would have provided the finishing touches to the presentation. Apart from that, the research depended on scholarly research which made the research more credible. Additionally, the content was up-to-date and taken from 2011 studies which was another good point. This aspect of the research made it convincing and created a professional look of the presentation. Since the information was taken from credible and recent sources, the information presented was accurate. A cursory review of the topic on the internet reveals almost the same material. Overall the presentation was quite good since the information was accurate and crisp. It could have been better if the group had focused more on their presentation skills. Presentation 2: Cutting Edge This presentation was centered on genetic programming. It went on about 15 minutes which was 5 minutes short of the specified time limit. Even though this was an interesting and fresh topic, overall, this presentation left a lot to be desired. Genetic Programming was a good selection of topic since this is one area that is not clear in the minds of most students. It allowed students to explore a potential career choice. Also those already interested in the field would have been able gain more insight in the field along with practical application of the concept for further use. The group in this presentation explored the definition of genetic engineering and its importance in today’s world. The presentation however, did not fully explore the topic at hand. We, as the viewers, felt that this topic was broad and could have included a lot of content but the group did not even cover their thirty minutes of presentation. The presentation in my opinion was quite average. The group seemed scared and was not very convincing in a professional manner. While they dressed appropriately and came well-informed, they were unable to deliver a confident impact. This made the presentation less convincing. Added to this was the fact that the group did not reference the sources properly. For example, they provided a definition of genetic programming but did not cite the source from where the definition was taken. This made the presentation less credible and authentic. Also the presentation would have been more impactful if the group had used interactive software such as Prezi. The presentation was quite bland in terms of animations and effects. However, the group did include visual aids in the form of images in the presentation which made the presentation quite appealing. The most acutely felt part of the presentation was the fact that it was too complex. I failed to understand some of the concepts and felt that that group did not cover the topic properly. For example, they failed to mention who created this approach; what are the drivers behind the approach; the cost-benefit analysis. I did understand the terms that the group used and they did not elaborate on their meaning. For instance, what is finite state? Also since the topic was complex, case studies were needed so that students could understand the practical applications of the concept. Since genetic programming is a practical subject, the group could have introduced areas where this concept has been applied till far. They could have concluded on the future of genetic programming by predicting how the field would advance in the next few years given its potential. It also seemed that the group also did not rely on scholarly and academic sources to create the presentation as they were not cited in the presentation. Furthermore, the group did not provide handouts. This was imperative as some of the diagrams were unreadable and I felt that I missed parts of the presentation which would have helped in clearing up some of the confusion regarding the topic. Overall, the presentation was not quite strong. There were a lot of gaps in the presentation in terms of both information and presentation. The information appeared jerky and not properly explained. Presentation 3: Paying for Content Paying for content was a presentation that was delivered by Group C and last for almost 30 minutes. This was one of the best presentations in my opinion. The group in this presentation began with the topic through statistical data. They then went on to explain the advantages and disadvantages of paying for content. They smoothly flowed over to history of the topic, the future of paying for content along with ethical and legal issues related to the topic. Even though this was a topic that does not interest me since it does not relate to me as a student, I was still drawn to the presentation. I was not completely aware of this issue but this presentation allowed me to understand the issue in depth and raised more questions in my mind which was good since it increased by interest in the topic. Paying for Content is a topic of active debate since recently the issue has gained prominence. Since the world is shifting more towards the internet, this issue should be addressed as soon as possible. The topic allows us to explore another perspective of the situation. While reading articles or downloading music, we do not pay attention to the fact that we are using content that someone took time and effort to create. This topic allowed us to become more responsible towards our usage of internet and its content. The group began off with a good introduction. They had come well-prepared and it was evident in their confident manner. When they began presenting, most of us were impressed with their professional attire and confident style. The flow of information among the group showed that they had rehearsed for the content. While the moved from one aspect to another, group members very smoothly understood their cues and there were no jerks in the presentation. The group covered the topic in great detail. They began with a clear and concise introduction and smoothly flowed into the legal aspects of the situation. They neutrally discussed both sides of the situation but were keener on covering the disadvantages of the issue. The ethical issues were also covered. The use of statistical data further strengthened the presentation because numbers are easier to understand in a presentation as compared to words. The group covered almost all aspects of the topic with special focus on the disadvantages and advantages of paying for content. This was important since the real debate on this topic occurs on this specific topic. It seemed that the group had background information on the topic. They had not pasted all their information on the slides. They used the slides as cues while giving a presentation that was more focused on delivering through words rather than through reading the slides. Overall, the presentation was well delivered. This was because the group paid attention to all parts of the presentation- the layout of the slides, the content within the slides, and the presentation of the group members and delivery of the presentation. The group managed to keep the attention of the viewers riveted to the presentation. Presentation 4: Social Networking Sites The last presentation that would be discussed in this report is the one by Group J and began on 10.30. The group presented on one of the most popular topics- Social networking sites. The group presented for almost 30 minutes and delivered a good presentation. Social networking sites, while being a popular subject, was something that the entire class was already aware of. Being part of the internet generation, we use such sites on a daily basis. There is almost everything that we know on the topic, from the revenue earning potential of such sites to its negative effects which include excess and wrong usage. In the presentation, the group discussed different avenues of social networking sites. Since there is a lot of material available on the topic, the group had a lot of information on their hands. They began by introducing the group members and later went on to introduce their topic at hand-social networking sites. They further discussed the advantages, disadvantages, features, types and potential avenues of revenues and entertainment in such sites. The group within the time frame covered a lot of ground. They did this by sticking to the point which made their presentation very crisp and concise. This was one of the good points of the presentation. While there was a lot of information available on the topic, the group did a good job of covering a lot of ground within such a short time span. While doing this, they did not skip through the presentation but rather gave the right amount of time to each part. However, the group did not bring anything new to the table. Since social networking is a popular topic and we as users are aware of most of the information provided in the presentation, it was felt that the presentation did not deliver anything new. We knew almost everything on the presentation and were expecting to be at least provided with a fresh perspective. However, on this count we were disappointed. The group by introducing case study in the presentation made the presentation quite appealing. The viewers were able to relate with the social networking user because almost all of us have their profiles in at least one social networking website. The presentation was well-delivered. The group came informed and they presented their work well. They were confident in their presentation and were also lively. They showed interest in the topic which later translated into the entire class taking interest in the presentation. All the group members had a bonding with each other which made the flow of information from one member to another very smooth and good to watch. It added a professional touch to the entire presentation. In terms of accuracy and validity of sources, the group used well-informed sources. While they took information from the internet, they also depended on scholarly and well-reputed sources which added credibility to the presentation. Overall, the presentation was good. It was well-delivered along with well-made. The only thing lacking in the presentation was the fact that the group did not use a different perspective of the situation or used a different way of delivering the topic. Read More