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Social Semiotics

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Social Semiotics Explained Social Semiotics is used in many social contexts. It examines how signs, or symbols or even language systems can be used to convey different meaning to achieve a certain effect in communication. You will find social semiotics, in various types of media or even face-to-face conversations. While not just one person can be pointed to for this discovery, Ferdinand de Saussure, R is often heavily associated with the methodology.  Social semiotics is important because it helps us understand the meaning-making process in society. We are better able to understand languages, cultural differences, and ideologies. Social semiotics help us understand the world we live in, in a constructive way. Some examples of this could look like the placement of photos. Some countries read left to right, so you need to understand the order of which you are reading in order to know what is happening. Additionally, size and positioning of photos in a layouts plays a large role in ev...
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Online Arguments - And we are talking about Football

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Twitter Argument   And this is Football we are talking about  If you want to explore this debate the link above the image will take you to the twitter page. However, I did include a screenshot of one of the many arguments that are happening every second.  The reason I choose this argument is because of all the chaos that is happening with Beaver Football and conferences and just the NCAA in general.  While this argument is not about Beaver Football, it is about The SEC.  Kirk is basically saying what ESPN wants him to say - which is complete love for the SEC and Desmond is speaking is mind, even if that means going against ESPN and the SEC.  There is a battle of truth within this argument and it is triggering for people.  One concern I have is how much power the SEC has. People are willing to defend the conference no matter what (Kirk would be an example of this)  Another concern is how open people are on twitter. This is just part of a larger arg...
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The Toulmin Method

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  The Toulmin method helps evaluate arguments and navigate online communication systems . This method helps to break down information that may be complex or involve emotions, making understanding the text difficult to comprehend . The first item that is evaluated is the claim , what is the main point? Most forms of online communication will have a claim, this could be in the form of a social media post, article, or paper. Additionally, it is importnat to look for data that will support the claim being made. This could look like statistics or outside sources. Furthermore, the warrant is what connects the data to the claim, this helps explain why the data is relevant. Additional support may be necessary as well, this is called backing , when you use another online source to reinforce your main point or data. The qualifier is used to highlight limitations in the claim. It is important to recognize other points that may be importnat, even if they don't directly support your c...
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How to Shine Online and Excel at Virtual Communication

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 Think Fast Talk Smart Podcast  The podcast linked above is a game changer when it comes to online communication!  The tips below are from the episode 'How to shine Online and Excel at Virtual Communication'  How to maintain focus when communication/presenting online? How do you stay relevant? - Make a connection - Ask viewers how they are doing to establish a connection immediately. - Fill the screen with your face and upper body - This helps the audience focus  - Don't underestimate the power of good lightening  -Make sure camera is at eye level this gives the allusion of 'eye contact'  -"The background your interviewer sees needs to look as professional as possible. A cluttered space is a strike against you before you even open your mouth. "You'll be painting a picture of a disorganized person who lets things pile up," says Bill Horne of  William Warren Consulting . (Week 5 learning materials) How to keep the audience engaged?  - Every 10-...
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Online Communication and Public Opinion

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Online communication has transformed  our world because it allows anyone from anywhere to share thoughts and opinions, but also respond to others. Online information  also has the ability to spread rapidly. Not only are you able to reach many audiences, you are able to do so globally. However there are some repercussions. Because information  can spread quickly this also opens doors for misinformation and rumors to spread.  Furthermore, social media platforms shape public opinions, due to trends and the algorithm. Your feed likely aligns with you views which can strongly influence public opinions, because you are only being fed information from one side of the story. Because of this tailored content, your beliefs are reinforced limiting exposure to other perspectives. This also adds to further polarization.  Deepfakes and other manipulated content can challenge authenticity of many message. The spread of this content that contains visual...
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How does Seattle Sound Transit Communicate Online

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Seattles main public transit agency is known as Sound Transit. While this company is headquartered in downtown Seattle, they went almost entirely remote/hybrid after Covid hit a few years ago. This government agency is composed of Microsoft team meetings, shared excel documents, and an email network chain that is larger than you can imagine.  Aside from the internal workplace online communication, there is also a large social media presense via the transit app and their twitter account.  It is essential for this government agency to report bus delays, train delays, and just about any other delay you can think of.  When you first log on to the website the first thing you see is the option to find your desired bus route.  Followed by updates regarding delays, route changes, and community events.  Towards the bottom of the webpage you will find a series of phone numbers if you need assistance.  I think how this website is formatted is very comprehensive and e...
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Digital Natives and Immigrants

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 Mark Prensky brings up some valuable differences between those who were born into the digital age and those who have to adapt to new technologies. While the primary distinction is the overall understanding of technology, but there are pros and cons in the workplace and for education. Many consider the differing technological experiences and skills of students when thinking of new curriculum and teaching methods. And at the workplace there are varying levels of understanding when it comes to technology. I think the  perspectives of both digital natives and immigrants has a lot to offer, regarding communication dynamics in the workplace. 
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