Tutorial Seven: Linking to blogs of interest and exchanging comments

I have made blog feeds to five choosen blogs which are located at the bottom of the page named: OT Blogs.
These five blogs are named as: A blog about OT, Hayley Brown Hamilton student, NZ association of OT blog, Occupational therpay blog carnival, OT- educational issues blog.

Task four: This is an example of using the Snipping Tool to capture communication between myself and another OT student Hayley.

Tutorial Six: The Internet and online communities

The purpose of tutorial six is to research an online community related to a chosen topic of my interest.


Provide the web addresses and a hyper link for the three online communities you have chosen:

http://www.dailystrength.org/c/Multiple-Sclerosis-MS/support-group 

http://ehealthforum.com/health/multiple_sclerosis.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyHtrv9pfaw&feature=related

Provide a brief description of each community:


- Daily Strength is an online community in which people use to share their knowledge, experiences and support. This online community consists of more than five hundred support groups and Multiple Sclerosis is one of these groups.


- ehealth forum is the second online community i looked at. This is another online  health community forum featuring member and doctor discussions ranging from a specific symptom to related conditions, treatment options, medication, side effects, diet, and emotional issues surrounding and medical conditions.


- The third online community i have looked at is YouTube. This is an online community as it is a way for people to communicate posting comments and have discussions in relation to the video topic. This video is of a women who explains the reactions she has faced when telling people she had MS. People have expressed their feelings towards this video as they have either liked it or disliked it.


What services are provided on each site:


- The daily strength online forum is easy to join because it is free, all you need is an active email address and you can post comments. People contribute to this website in all forms such as: onlince chat, discussion forums, questioning.  It is an interactive community forum as posts are made on a regular basis. When looking into the Multiple sclerosis posts one of the last posts posted was on the 29th of March 2011.


- ehealth forum is an interactive site as posts are made on a regular basis by both health professionals as well as other individuals. People can comment on these posts without being signed up to an account. People contribute do this site by posting their experiences, knowledge as well as questions.


- Finally, YouTube is the last online community i looked at. This is an interactive site as individuals can post their thoughts on videos as well as like or dislike them.


Consider material presented in the online package: 


- For both of the online forums people choose to contribute to this community to express their feelings, seek support and ask questions. They are seeking information regarding the relevant topics on the forum. Information is shared one way sometimes but most of the time it is reciprocal.


- People choose to contribute to YouTube by both uploading their personal videos as well as posting comments on others. Their are responses made to some of these comments however not all the time.


Examples of topics being discussed:


"I spent around 20 minutes walking around the store and when I was driving home, I tried to step on break and my legs were hurting so bad that I was not sure if I was holding down the pedal, I rolled a little and had to use both legs. My shin pain starts in the morning and lasts all day and night...it feels like I have little hairline fractures in my shins the pain really feels like it is in the bone. My feet also hurt when I wake up and hurt most of the day and night. Does anyone have this, and if you are now in a wheel chair does any of this sound like the beginnings of your leg problems?"


Posted on 03/29/11, 05:42 pm
Retrieved from DailyStrength forum

"Hello, I need help, I don´t know what to do in this situation... My father has an MS for almost 1O yrs, and Im 21 now and i have also demyelination disease.. I have tingling on my hands and pain in spine, doctors made all the tests but they all were negative, only on MR they found 3 demyelinations in spine and from lumbar puncture they found only high albuminous results... After 2 months they still don´t know the diagnosis(they are not sure if its MS, it isn´t borreliosis or meningitis ), but they wanna give me Interferon meds even they´re not sure of final diagnose ... So, please, I need someone if he can help me and answer me if it is necessary to take the Interferon... Thanks"

Posted 29th March 2011

Retrieved from eHealth

Potential ethical issues that may arise in this community:

The ethical issues that may arise in these three online communities discussed is possible the fact of individuals loss of identity. Also the fact that any body can see these comments posted online so privacy becomes an issue.

Benefits these communities provide over traditional geographical community:

All of these online communities provide geographical community in the sense that any individual can join to them or post comments. The benefits of this is that there is a wide range of ideas and thoughts posted from each individual.

What do these online communities lack or can not provide which traditional communities can?
Online communities can have a negative aspect in the sense of misinterpretation. People can express how they feel in words and by using symbols however the other person who is reading this could misinterpret the information developing a misunderstanding. Howeve,r in traditional communities it is a lot easier to understand a person or clarify information that has been expressed by the individual.

Tutorial Five: Video Production Sessions

The focus of this fifth blog is to post videos related to a chosen topic of interest.

Provide a brief summary of the services offered by youtube:

Youtube is a commonly used video hosting and sharing service that Google purchased in 2006. This service allows the individual to view and uploads video files for free (About.com, 2011). It not only allows the individual to upload videos it also let's the individual rate videos, add comments. To use this service all you need to do is register using a current email. Go to http://www.youtube.com/ to sign up now or view videos.

Introduce a chosen topic of interest drawn from your fieldwork experience, an OT practice area or a personal occupation:

My chosen topic of interest drawn from my first fieldwork experience is the condition of Multiple Sclerosis.
See below for the five sources of online videos taken from YouTube, explaining the condition.

This video below explains Multiple Sclerosis  (MS) scientifically.

This second video below is of a MS nurse explaining the disease and some of the symptons people who have MS may experience.

This touching mini documentary below is about Dan Powell, an art professor at University of Oregon who is living with MS.

This video below is of exercises that people with MS can use, led by Mr Motivator. Exercises for standing, sitting or lying down. The DVD can be bought from www.mstrust.org.uk/moveit

This last video is all about using pilates techniques for people with MS. Check it out!!

References:

About.com. (2011). YouTube Explained - Overview of the Google Video Sharing Tool. Retrieved March 23, 2011 from: http://google.about.com/od/moreaboutgoogleaps/p/youtubeprofile.htm

Tutorial Four: Video Production Sessions

The task for this tutorial four was to make a thirty second video representing a number of the alphabet. We went off and shot the video then edited it on windows live movie maker. We found this task fustrating however the storyboarding and scripting helped us plan out our video successfully!

Can you guess our letter?

Tutorial two: Digital Imaging

The focus of this second blog is to develop an understanding of image capturing, storage and distribution of digital still images.

There are many different software's and hardware's that I am familar with today these consist of: photoshop,ant-virus programmes, games, microsoft office programmes, hardrives/Usb's.

Three examples of digital imaging providing information and recording are: facebook, myspace and flikr.
These are all social networking sites in which people all around the world can provide information about their lives with photos and videos.

"A new technology is rarely superior to an old one in every feature". Some of the positives digital camera technology holds is that you are able to view the image straight after taking it and also erase it as well. It is a lot quicker and effecient to operate. However, there are also negative aspects of digital camera technology. An example of a negative is that because you can view the images after they are taken there is less need to develop them therefore, those precious photo albums are not being utilized.
Each individual has their own preference and opinions on digital and film cameras! Here is a clip that shows people's different opinions - Check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg_TzhKRP54.

The ethical issues that may arrise when using image capturing IT are:

• Privacy - Respecting other peoples privacy
• Informed Consent - Asking for consent before taking the image
• Ownership - Understanding who owns the photograph

Digital imaging is commonly used in Occupational therapy practice for various different reasons. Some examples are: Recording sleeping patterns of client, photographs taken before and after to show clients improvements and progress, to remind clients with memory issues of previous events.  An example of this occuring was in one of my year one placements. The service i worked in often took photographs of the events clients were participating in to retain their memory. These photographs were often posted around the walls of the service as well as in the client's own personal diaries.

Tutorial One: Information Technology and Ethics

The focus of this first blog is to develop an understanding of Information Technology (IT) and the ethical issues around technology. 

Information technology is the process and management of information using computers or software (WorldiQ, 2010). This definiton helps broaden my undrestanding of IT as it helped me realise that Information techology can come in all forms of software e.g: cellphones, ipods, laptops.

This then leads me to the point of how IT has become so prevalent in today's society.  In today's society Information technology has become such a huge part of people's daily life and some depend on this techology to carry out everyday life. Facebook is a clear example of an extremely popular social network service being used by thousands of individuals across the world.  This is an interesting link i would like to share with you that I found recently on youtube. This link reinforces how today's society heavily relies on the internet as well as other forms of software for numerous reasons. In this clip it shows students expressing their reality whilst studying, check it out it is very interesting : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o

For myself personally I am not overly confident in using IT (especially not IT that is new to me). However, one type of IT i feel confident with is my cellphone. I believe I have the confidence to use this because it has almost become second nature to me (just like a majority of teenagers these days). We as teens rely on cellphones as a networking tool to keep in contact with friends,family but also for other reasons as well such as: record videos, take photographs. I think that knowledge and practice with using IT really helps build confidence in using it.


Information technology is being used everyday in Occupational therapy practice for both rehabilitation as well as a source to file client notes electronically on a computer systems. However, there are also issues around OT's adoption of IT systems and tools. If an OT sets up a computer game as a form of rehabilitation there are issues that follow with this such as the risk of that client getting addicted. It is important that the OT also protects the client's identity and privacy whilst recording any client notes.


Vidieo gaming such as Wii is an example of Information technology being used by Occupational therapists as a type of rehabilitation for their client's. This game not only involves people mentally but also physically as well. I observed this tool being used very successfuly in one of my longitudinal placements in my first year of this course. I observed one of the clients at this setting playing a game of ping pong using this technology. It amazed me how you could obtain so much information regarding the clients occupational status and abilities and also use it as a tool of rehabilitation for the client. I think it is extremely important for OT's to be aware and understand the IT available in society today as technology is always developing. It is essential that OT's keep up with this fast moving technology in order to provide the best treatment for clients and know the resources available.  Here is is another interesting youtube link i have found which reinforces the importance of IT in Occupational Therapy practice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAdEOXD9Tvk&feature=related


There are numerous implications that arise from capturing, sharing and transferring information via IT devices or systems. As an OT it is important to always consider your client's safety whilst undertaking treatment with them. Their is also the risk of loss of identity and privacy whilst working with IT devices and systems.


Intellectual property can be defined as :"A broad categorical description for the set of intangibles owned and legally protected by a company from outside use or implementation without consent. Intellectual property can consist of patents, trade secrets, copyrights and trademarks, or simply ideas" (Investopedia, 2011).
My understanding of Intellectual property is about ownership of a persons thoughts and feelings towards something. In relation of IT and OT: When OT's write client notes about a client it is entered into a hospital data base system in which it is intellectual property of the hospital DHB. When the OT writes these notes they are signed with their designation as well as the date they have been written.

Social justice is about treating all people equally regardless their gender, race and ethnicity (Bussiness Dictionary, 2011).
My understanding of social justice is about not judging people. As an Occupational therapist when we deal with client's using forms of technology it is important for us to not judge people by their race, age or gender and treat them equally.

Informed consent is a legal procedure which can be in the form of verbal or wrritten. Having informed consent allows action to be taken. When working in the OT field using technology such as: cameras to record client progress it is vital to ask for informed consent.

Reference list:Bussiness Dictionary. (2011). Social justice. Retrived, February, 16, 2011 from: http:www.bussinessdictonary.com/definition/social-justice.html


Investopedia. (2011). Intellectual property. Retrieved March, 6, 2011 from:

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/i/intellectualproperty.asp

WorldiQ. (2010). Information technology - Definition. Retrieved: February 22. 2011 from: http://www.worldiq.com/definition/Information_technology