Its easy to access thousands of games online for free by simply signing up to the host site.

Advantages

* Sign up for free
* Thousands of games to choose from
* Socialise online with virtual friends

Disadvantages

* No censorship
* Shooting games, etc, may not be suitable for all users
* Adverts pop up during games
* Some costs needed for extra ammo, lives, etc
* Signing up can send spam to your inbox

Controversial issues surrounding gaming

* Racism
* Sexism
* Violence
* Digital divide
* Educational purpose
* Censorship

What is social media? Why do we use social media?

Examples: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Myspace

Social media consists of pages, websites, groups, that people can sign up to. Most people use these types of pages to keep up to date with the latest news of what's happening in the news, from your favourite bands, keep in touch with their friends, share photos, etc.

However, there are many disadvantages to these sites. People can remain anonymous and although some may see this as an advantage, if someone does remain anonymous, no one could really know who they are talking to or interacting with. Cyber bullying can also arise from this. Another disadvantage is that whatever you put up is 'out there'. Once it has been seen it can't be unseen which means that you must carefully choose what you wish for others to see.

*I have blacked out other students names for privacy*

This weeks lecture was fully online, which meant that we could still attend class without having to be there in person. I much prefer to attend classes this way as it means I don't have to travel up to two hours each day to make a three hour lecture and it fits in with home life so I didn't need to arrange a babysitter. However, as we discussed, it does have its disadvantages. We spent most of the lecture fine tuning and trouble shooting any issues that developed. Some also said that as much as they preferred not having to attend class in person, it can be difficult to clarify points or even get one-on-one tutoring that you could benefit from if you were in class.

What is a MOOC?
Massive Open Online Course

The purpose of a MOOC is to provide a large scale online access point for people to learn and develop skills. They provide you with online resources videos, reading, etc; as well as online forums for you discuss content with others.

There are many different types, most are free, some offer qualifications, some don't and some offer qualifications that you have to pay for in order to receive a certificate or diploma.

Advantages

Free courses means that education can reach out to those may not necessarily be able to afford it.
Completing online courses allows for flexible learning. You can work your studies around your home life and vice versa.

Disadvantages

Can be seen as unfair if some are paying for education and others aren't.
Unable to speak one-on-one with a tutor if you are having problems.
No motivation or any sense of urgency to complete tasks, modules, etc.

Other questions that can be raised surround costs, resources etc. If courses are free who pays for the resources? Who pays online lecturers/tutors?