Our first New Communication Technologies lecture.

Today's lecture was an introduction to the course. Our lecturer, Stephen Stockwell touched over the assessments and described what we would be learning throughout the semester.


I was actually surprised when Stephen brushed over the history of communication and told us that cave drawings were a form of communication, although, now that he mentioned it it does make sense. He defined communication and technology. Communication was described as:

"any process that transfers, transmits or makes information known to other people."

And technology was described as:

"the scientific study of mechanical arts and their application to the world."

Prior this lecture I was quite unsure about the content of this course. I knew it would obviously have a connection to technology but was completely surprised when we were taught the brief mechanics of technology and the way things work. 

The model above is far more complex than what Stephen spoke about in the lecture. I'm still a little confused about what it means, but Shannon and Weaver explain that:

"The speaker produces an effect on the transmitter which sends a message (which is degraded by the noise of the transmission process) that is intercepted by the receiver which converts it into an effect that is heard by the listener." 

Furthermore, I was pleased with this first lecture and keen for the weeks to come.




Photo source: 
Shkaminski, viewed 29th July 2011, <http://www.shkaminski.com/Classes/images/Shannon-Weaver%20Model.gif>