Here's what I came up with for this introductory activity about how ICTs have changed our access to information about the world...
Block 3 Part 2
Introductory Activity
Think of a current event in the news - something that is happening a long way away from where you live (in a different continent, perhaps). Think about what you have seen and heard about it on the television and radio. Have you seen it in live television pictures?
Spend half an hour seeing what you can find on the web about it, especially see how close you can get to it - what local people are saying about it, as reflected in local newspapers, perhaps web-broadcasts of radio stations or even personal web pages or blogs of local residents.
Queensland Floods
Something that is happening at the moment (January 2011) in Queensland, Australia, is a series of devastating flash floods affecting a large number of people.
I have already watched several news stories that included recorded near-live video footage of the flooding events as they occurred, including first-hand interviews with people affected.
bbc.co.uk
A brief search of the news portal in the BBC’s website (bbb.co.uk) revealed the following material:
“Australia floods: 72 missing and at least eight dead” – this article includes direct and paraphrased quotes from the affected regional authorities and unnamed eye witnesses, and a photo of a flooded town street. It was written by the BBC’s ‘correspondent in Australia’, Nick Bryant – who quotes himself within it!
“Australia floods: Brisbane braces for surge” – this article, written by the same author a day later, includes more detail, further quotes, two video clips containing flood footage (one dubbed with an eye-witness interview), a satellite image, a graphical map, and a photo. There are 6 different media in this one relatively short article.
“In pictures: Queensland flash floods” – this page is a slideshow of detailed images of the floods actually occurring and the damage caused, with descriptive captions.
Australian media
The Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton – “Rockhampton Flood update 02/01” – this page from a local newspaper online edition contains 22 photo images of affected homes and people.
The Courier-Mail, Brisbane – “Queensland Premier Anna Bligh says…” – this article from an online newspaper, written by ‘AAP’, includes some statistical information, numerous quotes from Australian authorities, and an animated radar map of local weather. Below the article are submitted readers’ comments, at the time there were 25 comments, but only the last three were available to read. Comment 25 of 25 says:
Help those in need... of Banksia Beach Posted at 4:24 AM Today [12/01/2011]
To Merv of Gympie (25 of 25), This planet has been going through various weather cycles for thousands of years with little input from humans to pollute this planet. We are now going through one of those ever changing cycles. Sure more people are living on this planet, so it is rather obvious that more people will be affected. Was global warming responsible for floods in 1893,1931 and 1974. Move on Merv... Maybe you should drop the climate change expert role and make yourself more useful by coming down to Brisbane and help those unfortunate people that will be affected by the coming floods.
Social Media
Many of the above sources included links to share links or extracts of the material on various social media networks, such as Facebook and Twitter.
“Queensland Floods” – a Facebook page set up by Brisbane based Courier-Mail newspaper “to leave tributes, videos, photos and get info about the Qld Floods”. Contributions of news and information are being posted by the site founders and other media outlets. Contributions of local knowledge and first-hand accounts are being posted by Facebook users that appeared to be people affected by the floods.
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