ScreenR Presentation

After reviewing our presentation initially, we still have aspects that we need to approach, but we have managed to cut our timing down and fit it within the fifteen minute limit. We have uploaded our presentation to ScreenR and have recorded our voice overs to make the presentation available online. The links are listed below.

Our page - http://www.screenr.com/user/ellejmurray

Part 1 - http://www.screenr.com/syas

Part 2 - http://www.screenr.com/2yas

Part 3 - http://www.screenr.com/pyas

Part 4 - http://www.screenr.com/Gyas

Reflecting on our Presentation

After making our presentation yesterday, we have since heard that we will be making our presentation and giving our answer to Hurricane Films in two weeks. Before we make our presentation again there are several aspects that will have to be improved.

The presentation overran quite severely and so we would have been better ensuring our timing was spot on in rehearsals. Before we make the presentation we will have to cut down the timing by 2 minutes to ensure it doesn’t overrun again. This means reviewing the presentation to see which parts would need editing or removing altogether.

The videos when making the presentation were a problem area – they took time to buffer and load onto the presentation due to their size and the internet connection. When they had buffered, the audio on some of the videos didn’t load and so we lost some timing in the presentation trying to get them to work. Due to them not working we felt we lost a key element of the presentation, and so we will have to ensure the videos are loaded and working before we begin our presentation.

There were also problems with the scripting – whilst the script was set we did lose track of the scripting on a few occasions. Before we make the presentation again we will both have to be sure of our own content and that we don’t cover one another’s information. This will mean that content isn’t being repeated and that it flows and follows the outline we have already decided within the presentation.

These aspects will all be reviewed before we make our presentation again to ensure that we answer the question as best as we can, and ensure we give our answer as well as we possibly can.

Prezi Presentation

After visiting the focus group and reviewing the website personally, we focused on these aspects within our presentation. The presentation looked at what Peoples Stories could do to improve their links within the community, and how they could interact with the local elderly community and involve them with the website. We also focused on reviewing the websites and coming up with aspects that could be improved. A link to our presentation is given below. We are due to make the presentation tomorrow.

http://prezi.com/95vu1xjwjpne/how-can-you-engage-an-online-audience-in-storytelling/

Problems With Peoples Stories Website

After going to the focus group, we realised that one of the problems with getting people to interact with the website, was the website itself. We reviewed the website with the audiences problems in mind, and found several problems that could be overcome.

1.       1. The older generation had a problem with having to register to websites – they were wary of spam or giving their personal information online. Because of this we felt that the website could improve by giving a reason for registration and confirmation that personal details wouldn’t be shared with any third-party websites or viewers to the site.

2.    2.    Another problem was the wording on the website – technological terms such as JPEG and pixels weren’t understood by all. We felt that more user-friendly terms would be accessible to all, and that way nobody would be left out of the website. If everybody can understand what to do then the website loses none of its audience.

3.      3.  Uploading content isn’t always a common pursuit online for the elderly generation. We felt that a video link could be added to the websites homepage that would give the audience a tutorial and understanding into uploading their content. This could be treated as a help button, and could contain various videos that showed how to upload photographs, videos, add comments and give reasons for registration.

4.       4. When we looked at the website’s browse video’s option the most recent videos that had been uploaded didn’t give a true outlook as to the websites message. For this reason we thought that the first link on the browse option could be ‘loves’ videos or ‘most commented’ – as these are the videos that have been interacted with most.

Focus Group

Yesterday (16^TH January) we went to visit the focus group at Age UK in Liverpool. We asked them various questions about how they access online content and what it is they go online to do. As soon as we arrived we learnt many valuable pieces of information about the online elderly, and also came to understand how they would possibly use People Stories to tell their own stories. From the group, we learned the following.

Wariness of registration – a key problem with going online was the need for registering to websites. They wanted the reasons for registration to be clearly outlined, so that they were sure their details wouldn’t be used for spam or passed on to third party websites. They were also concerned about putting their personal details online, and preferred to simply use an alias online rather than posting their names and dates of birth etc.

Variation of people – Everybody on the course was different. Some were confident with using online resources, whereas others still hadn’t gained control over the mouse. As with anything, there will always be a variation of ability in people, and so while some would be more confident in using the People Stories website, others would lack the ability to do so.

      Story telling – As soon as we arrived and explained what the website was about, they were very eager to tell us their stories and remembrances about their lives. They all agreed that it was a shame to let such stories go to waste. While it may be difficult to get them to upload their stories online, there is the willingness in them to share.

Social networking – Few found the need to use social networking. They did enjoy reading and commenting on blogs about their interests, and did use programmes such as Skype to keep in contact with family members that lived far away. The technology is used for their own personal reasons, but sites such as Facebook weren’t popular within the group.

      Interest in People Stories – When we introduced the website to members of the computer course we found that they had some interest in the website. They didn’t see the reason for having to register, but they did like what the website was doing, and asked me to bookmark the page for them to look over again.

      Problems with the page – The key problem was having to register to the website. As outlined previously, they wanted the reasons for registering to be clarified before they registered. They found the colour scheme a little dull, and also didn’t understand some of the terminology that was used. Technological wording such as JPEG or Pixels weren’t understood by some, and they wanted accessible wording to be used that everyone would be able to understand.

When reviewing ways in which to upload to the website, the focus group felt there were several ways in which to upload their stories. They liked having a camera and interviewer recording their stories – similar to what People Stories and Hurricane Films are already doing – but they also liked the idea of holding workshops in which the elderly could understand how to use a video camera to upload their stories personally. Ideas such as a tutorial video being uploaded to the site would also allow them to understand the ways in which to upload their stories, whether that is through photographs, videos or just text. They also liked the thought of People Stories going into computer courses around Liverpool to help them understand how to upload photographs online and do various other extras online. Partnerships with local computer courses would be a key way in which to gain trust within the local community, and ensure that the website was used to its full advantage.

Focus Group Research

After our initial questionnaire returned only general answers, we felt our next step was to go and visit a group of online users and use them as a focus group; this would enable us to get more personal interaction and an idea as to what they do online, as well as introducing problem areas for them online. After initial research online we have found several local computer courses that we could go into and use as our research group.

      Liverpool libraries - http://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries-and-archives/learn-in-libraries/ - offer free computer training sessions

         Computer courses - http://liverpool.gov.uk/Images/Dec%2011%20Wrap.pdf – varied types of courses available for computer training around Liverpool

     Age UK Computer courses - http://www.ageuk.org.uk/work-and-learning/technology-and-internet/learn-about-technology/computer-training-courses/ - computer courses aimed at the older generation

From this initial research, we chose to contact Age UK to see if they would allow us to mix in with one of their computer courses. We spoke to a member of the team and arranged to visit the course after the Christmas break. We found it difficult to find any courses that ran after the 9^th December due to the Christmas holidays, and so this was the first course available to us. We arranged to visit the course on Monday 16^th January.

Initial Ideas - Questionnaire

A key research form we explored was the use of questionnaires. This format would allow us to gather our own personal information about internet use as opposed to a secondary online source. We wanted to find out what the elderly generation do when they are online and the sort of websites they access. We also wanted to find out about their personal input into online content – whether they uploaded their own photographs or videos, or if they used social networking sites and the ways in which they use them. We sent the questionnaires to local computer courses for the elderly, and the responses are listed below.

Have you ever used the internet?

Yes - 32                No - 0

Do you have access to the internet?

Yes – 28                No - 4

How often do you use the internet?

                Every day – 10

                Several times a week – 8

                Weekly – 7

                Rarely - 7

Where do you use the internet?

                Home – 28

                Family/Friends – 17

                Library – 11

What do you use the internet for?

Social Networking – 6

Watching Videos (Youtube) – 11

Reading blogs – 5

Have you ever put a photograph online?

                Yes – 12                No – 20

Have you ever put a video online?

                Yes – 4                  No – 28

Have you ever read a blog?

                Yes – 17                No – 15

Do you use social networking sites such as facebook?

                Yes – 6                  No – 26

From the questionnaire, we got the general impression that whilst this portion of the elderly generation are online, they pursue a wide range of interests when online. The questionnaire gave a very generic sort of answer, and didn’t really give us a feel as to what people enjoy online. We also didn’t get any real impression of what the audience dislike about online – whether certain websites are more trusted or if commenting or interacting online was a problem with the older generation. We felt that a more personal approach would be the next way in which to gather a better overview of people’s feelings towards online storytelling.