2010 Spring

Courses taught in Spring 2010

COMM 225: Digital Media 1

Morgan Schwartz

office: Nugent 560, Room A
tel: 1-212-774-4865
email: mschwartz AT mmm DOT edu
web: http://sodacity.net/courses/

SPRING 2010

Section 01 Tuesday, 2:30 pm - 5:20 pm

Nugent 556

Syllabus

Course Description

Digital and interactive media permeate virtually every aspect of our society--from information delivery and product marketing to education and entertainment. In this course you will learn practical and critical skills necessary to become a technically proficient and cognitive digital media maker. Literacy in any medium is the ability to both access (read) materials created by others and to generate (write) materials for others. In this course you will learn to “speak” the language of digital media and to become conversant with the computer as an expressive medium. Through hands-on exercises and projects, you will be introduced to creative approaches to media production and to a range of software. The format of this class is designed to bridge theory and practice. We will explore contemporary issues including: digital imaging, the computer as a medium, typography, copyright, sound and moving image, and web design. We will concern ourselves with “how” and “why” the digital world is constructed the way it is. Students will be challenged to deconstruct this world and to develop an ability to analyze and critique the cultural implications of digital media in our lives.

  • Prerequisite: WRIT 101

Learning Goals

A successful student will develop the following skills by the end of the semester:

  • Use a Macintosh computer, Photoshop (digital imaging) and Dreamweaver (for web design) to generate media.
  • Understand the function and relationship of computer hardware, operating systems, input/output devices and the Internet.
  • Generate media that is critical and cognizant of a larger context (social, political, historical, and/or economical).
  • Develop an appreciation and understanding of the production process.
  • Successfully find solutions to technical problems.
  • Give and receive constructive feedback in a group setting.
  • Use feedback given to others in the generation of new work.
  • Develop, present and articulate creative ideas in both written and verbal formats.
  • Analyze your relationship with digital technology, the role it plays in your life, in your work,
    in our society, and in the world.

Textbooks and Materials

materials:
USB Flash Drive (256MB or bigger) - OR - portable Hard Drive

texts:
all required readings will be available online or handed out in class

attitude:
Your enthusiasm, curiosity and willingness to learn.

optional technical texts:
Technical books become out of date quickly; I recommend finding an appropriate online resource. Many tutorials (of varying quality) are available without cost online. Good video tutorials are available from Adobe. More advanced and complete tutorials specifically selected for this course are available at Lynda.com for $35. w3Schools offers great resources for coding (HTML, CSS, XML, PHP, etc.).

optional history/theory texts:
The Reconfigured Eye by William J. Mitchell
Multimedia - From Wagner to Virtual Reality edited by Randall Packer & Ken Jordan
The New Media Reader edited by Noah Wardrip-Fruin & Nick Montfort

Grade Weights

Participation: 20%

A large amount of class time will be dedicated to group critiques, team projects and class discussion. I encourage you to take an active role in contributing to make our class a fun and dynamic place to be.

Weekly Assignments: 55%

This is where its at - you can't learn web development by osmosis or wait until the end of the semester to cram for an exam. Digital Media production involves a complex spectrum of techniques and software. If you do the assignments each week you will do well. If not, you will fall behind rapidly. Weekly exercises are due at the beginning of class the week after they are assigned unless noted otherwise.

Final Project: 25%

This group project integrates many of the skills you will learn this semester. Each team will be assigned a "client". You will perform an analysis of the client's existing website. Using this information, the clients goals and requirements and other research, you will design and build a new website using HTML and CSS.

Detailed Breakdown

  • 20 Participation
  • 5 Image Repair
  • 5 Cosmetic Surgery
  • 10 Self-Portrait
  • 10 Report: Evaluation of existing website
  • 5 Usability Study
  • 5 Mockup
  • 5 Mockup revision (group)
  • 5 CSS 1
  • 5 CSS 2
  • 25 Final CSS Website w/Templates (group)

Tips

  • Warning - this course demands substantial work outside of class time to complete the projects. Unless you already own an Apple computer with the relevant software, you should plan on coming into the Digital Media lab for an additional 3 hours every week.
  • Attendance is essential to succeed in this class. The skills and techniques taught are cumulative - they build upon previous ones. Missing just one week can make it very difficult to catch up. You will also note that class participation makes up a sizable percentage of your final grade - if you are absent you cannot participate and your grade will suffer.
  • Save different versions of your projects and save often. Make back-ups of your files.
  • Work in the lab with a friend - when learning new technology, 2 brains are usually better than one. You are welcome to work on your assignments at home but many students use the Multimedia Lab in room 556. Lab hours will be posted after the first week of classes. Students may not use the lab when another class is in session. If the lab is locked during regular lab hours you may get a key from the Security Desk.
  • Ask for help!!!

Safety


Electrical:
Water/liquids are a excellent conductors. You can be shocked if you are touching water that touches electricity. Be careful with drinks around the computers!


Carpal Tunnel
Computer keyboarding, typing and use of the mouse are among many common activities that have been identified as contributing to repetitive stress induced carpal tunnel syndrome.


Eye Strain
Staring at a glowing monitor for extended periods of time can cause headaches, eyestrain and problems with your eyesight. Remember to take frequent short breaks by looking away from the monitor and focusing on something in the distance, or close your eyes for a moment. Your eyes need a break!

Attendance Policy

Attendance will be taken in each class. You are allowed one unexcused (no questions asked) absence, after which your final grade will drop substantially with each absence. Missing more than 2 classes for any reason will reduce your final grade by one level (i.e., from a B to B-) as the work cannot be made up. Lateness up to 15 minutes counts as half an absence. If you are more than 15 minutes late you are counted as absent. In the event that an extraordinary circumstance will require you to miss a class, please let me know ahead of time, by calling me, or by email.

Disabilities

Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must either enroll in the Program for Academic Access or register with the Office of Student Support Services. For any accommodation, the instructor must be presented with either a letter from the Assistant Director of the Program for Academic Access or an Accommodations Card from the Office of Student Support Services during the first week of classes.

Academic Honesty Policy

MMC fosters an academic community where students and faculty work together to create a learning experience that imparts knowledge and forms character. To achieve this, the College requires all members of the community to adhere to the policy of Academic Honesty that can be found in the Student Handbook, the College Catalogue and on the College website.

COMM 325: Digital Media 2

Morgan Schwartz

office: Nugent 560, Room A
tel: 1-212-774-4865
email: mschwartz AT mmm DOT edu
web: http://sodacity.net/courses/

SPRING 2010

Section 01 Thursday, 10:00 am - 12:50 pm

Nugent 556

Syllabus

Course Description

In this second semester of the multimedia course sequence, students will develop, design and produce their own advanced interactive projects. Media theorist Lev Manovich claims we are living in 'Generation Flash'. Low bandwidth Internet connections created a demand for lightweight vector graphics software spurring a new aesthetic sensibility. Flash is an authoring environment that allows artists to weave together traditional linear animation, user interactivity, object-oriented programming and multimedia (video, sound, etc) blurring the lines between art, design and computer programming. In this class we introduce the fundamental principles of Flash animation and basic Action Script. Prerequisite: COMM 225.

Learning Goals

  • You will be able to integrate many forms of digital media into cohesive multimedia projects using the Macromedia Flash authoring environment.
  • You will use basic principles of computer programming to add interactivity to your projects.
  • You will be able to present and articulate your creative ideas to others.
  • You will be able to take ideas through a complete design process from concept to production.

Textbooks and Materials

materials:
USB Flash Drive (256MB or bigger) - OR - portable Hard Drive

required texts:
all required readings will be available online or handed out in class

Grade Weights

Participation: 25%

A large amount of class time will be dedicated to group critiques, team projects and class discussion. I encourage you to take an active role in contributing to make our class a fun and dynamic place to be.

Projects: 50%

You can't learn digital media passively or wait until the end of the semester to cram for an exam. To learn this stuff you have to make things! Digital media production involves a complex spectrum of techniques & software. If you do each project you will do well. If not, you will fall behind rapidly.

Final Project: 25%

This project will be self-initiated and should integrate many of the skills you will learn this semester. When the time comes I will help to suggest possible topics and approaches. You will have the option of working individually or collaborating with other students.

Tips

  • Plan ahead! Digital media projects can be incredibly time consuming and occupy a lot of time outside of class. Don't leave things for the last minute.
  • Attendance is essential to succeed in this class. The skills and techniques taught are cumulative - they build upon previous ones. Missing just one week can make it very difficult to catch up. You will also note that class participation makes up a sizable percentage of your final grade - if you are absent you cannot participate and your grade will suffer.
  • Save different versions of your projects and save often. Make back-ups of your files.
  • Work in the lab with a friend - when learning new technology, 2 brains are usually better than one. You are welcome to work on your assignments at home but many students use the lab in room 556. Lab hours will be posted after the first week of classes. Students may not use the lab when another class is in session. If the lab is locked during you may get a key from the Security Desk.

Attendance Policy

Attendance will be taken in each class. You are allowed one unexcused (no questions asked) absence, after which your final grade will drop substantially with each absence. In the event that an extraordinary circumstance will require you to miss a class, please let me know in advance by email.

Disabilities

Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must either enroll in the Program for Academic Access or register with the Office of Student Support Services. For any accommodation, the instructor must be presented with either a letter from the Assistant Director of the Program for Academic Access or an Accommodations Card from the Office of Student Support Services during the first week of classes.

Academic Honesty Policy

MMC fosters an academic community where students and faculty work together to create a learning experience that imparts knowledge and forms character. To achieve this, the College requires all members of the community to adhere to the policy of Academic Honesty that can be found in the Student Handbook, the College Catalogue and on the College website.

Schedule

Week 1: February 4 - introduction - Setting the Stage

  • introduction, syllabus, etc
  • tour of the Flash authoring environment, vector graphics
  • using text - static, broken, dynamic
  • the Stage - movie properties
  • frame-by-frame animation

Week 2: February 11 -

  • drawing tools, shapes, strokes, fills, grouping
  • shape tweens and shape hints

look:
* http://www.theyrule.net
* http://teddiesinspace.com/
* http://escapelab.com.au/
* Singing Horses
* http://becominghuman.org/

read:
- "Chapter 2: The Vocabulary of Comics" from Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud

DUE:
"t e x t" - choose a word and illustrate either its mood or tone or meaning in a frame-by-frame animation. You may only use the one word - no other words are allowed. You may use other shapes. Your animation should be sized to 550x400, 12 frames per second and EXACTLY 60 frames in duration.

Week 3: February 18 - drawing a Tween - remix culture

  • The Timeline - layers, framerate, keyframes
  • Motion Tweens - shape, motion [position, scale, color, alpha]
  • Using Symbols

DUE:
"morph-olution" - Create an animation that explores the notion of evolution in at least 5 stages. The project should incorporate at least 2 shape tweens that utilize shape hints. The final result should be a "perfect loop" - it should end exactly where it began. Your animation should be sized to 550x400, 24 frames per second and 10 seconds in duration.

Week 4: February 25 - creating a Mask - Thinking about Time

  • importing artwork from illustrator/photoshop
  • creating masks
  • using motion paths and guides

read:

DUE:
"crowded" - Create an animation of a walking crowd of people. Your animation should use MovieClips and MotionTweens.

Week 5: March 4 - incorporating Sound

DUE:
"Banner Ad Jam" Think about the ad banners on websites as public spaces similar to billboards, posters, signs & other advertisements. Plan & design a 468x60 (24 fps) Ad Banner in flash that utilizes images and text and incorporates a corporate logo. The banner can advertise your love for something or someone, can express a political message, can be humorous - keep in mind that this is meant to be presented in a public places. You should be able to make the argument that your piece is an example of Culture jamming.
http://www.logotypes.ru/default_e.asp
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_jamming

Week 6: March 11- animation Tricks

  • Animation techniques: easing, blur, gravity
  • Working with MovieClips - nesting and animated loops

DUE:
"My Life" - Animate your life story in 30 seconds or less (bunnies optional). Your flash movie should be 640x480 at 24 fps. - 1st draft should include your soundtrack/voice over and approximately 10 seconds of completed animation (This will be graded)

http://www.angryalien.com
http://www.oddtodd.com

Week 7: March 18 - the Loop - Generation Flash

  • Creating buttons
  • Using Behaviors
  • Using ActionScript

DUE:
"My Life" - final draft of My Life.

Week 8: March 25 - make it Interactive

  • ActionScript - data types and variables
  • Functions and events
  • Input/dynamic text

DUE: How-To script/storyboard
Have a sitemap and at least 2 of the 5 scenes.

April 1 - NO CLASS - Spring Break

Week 9: April 8 - make it even more Interactive

  • Approaches to navigation
  • ActionScript - reusable functions

look
http://www.themeatrix.com
http://dontclick.it
http://www.mono-1.com/monoface/main.html
http://www.strindbergandhelium.com
http://www.amanitadesign.com

DUE: How-To first draft

Week 10: April 15 - incorporating video

  • encoding flash video files
  • controlling video with behaviors.
  • Introduce final project

look
http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/end
http://fsk.deviantart.com/art/Line-Rider-beta-40255643
http://www.beonlineb.com/click_around.html
http://specials.washingtonpost.com/video/onbeing/
http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/
http://www.kirkshouse.com/
http://www.donniedarkofilm.com/
http://otnemem.com/index.html
http://www.requiemforadream.com/
http://www.wooagency.com/
http://www.presstube.com/
http://www.tokyoplastic.com/

DUE:
"How To": With a partner, develop an interactive Flash movie that illustrates/teaches your audience how to do something. This could be anything from how to make a PB&J sandwich to how to knit to how to make a Flash movie. It must have at least 5 different scenes; at least 1 voiceover and it must utilize buttons for your audience to interact with.

April 22 - NO CLASS - Advising

Week 11: April 29 - Individual Meetings

  • ActionScript lesson
  • Work on final project

DUE:
Final project proposal:
* project description (include any relevant background info)
* discuss your intended audience
* discuss your visual/aesthetic strategy
* discuss at least 3 URLs of other projects/websites relevant to your project
* Sitemap or Storyboard as appropriate

Week 12: May 6 - Individual Meetings

  • ActionScript lesson
  • Work on final project

Week 13: May 13 - Open Lab

  • Work on Final Projects

Week 14: May 20 - Final Class

  • In class critique of final projects and wrap-up

COMM 400: Communication and the Future

Morgan Schwartz

office: Nugent 560, Room A
tel: 1-212-774-4865
email: mschwartz AT mmm DOT edu

Spring 2010 Section 3

Monday 7:15 - 9:55 pm

Nugent 453

Syllabus

Course Description:

The purpose of this class is to explore the social, political, and economic implications of new media technologies. First, we will study specific technologies and trace the growth of some major ones, such as digital television, satellites, computers, and the Internet. Next, we will examine the development of regulating agencies and recent laws that impact and control these technologies. We explore how life in the digital age will affect our conceptions of privacy, copyright, and relationships. We will then turn to examine media conglomeration, ownership, and globalization.

Course Objectives:

By the end of the semester you should:

  • Be able to critically assess the impact of new technologies on society.
  • Understand the impact of media conglomeration, and how new regulations will impact society.
  • Understand the global interconnectedness of media systems, including the effects of American media abroad as well as the effects of globalization on local media
  • Have first-hand experience exploring new technology. In particular, have participated in an on-line community and analyzed your experiences doing so throughout the semester.
  • Have completed an extensive research paper and gain a special knowledge of a particular contemporary issue or phenomenon within society.
  • Developed your critical analyses skills, writing skills, research skills, and have increased your interest/knowledge of our changing media environment.

Class Website

The class website is located at: http://sodacity.net/courses

The syllabus/schedule for this course evolves somewhat over the course of the semester, so be sure to check the online version frequently to keep current with reading assignments, etc.

Texts:

All reading materials will be made available through the class website.

Grade Weights - details below

Participation 10% [includes in-class work]
Reading Responses 15%
Presentation of a reading and discussion handout: 10%
Peer Reviews 5%

Final Project
Research Proposal 5%
Literature Review 10%
Rough Draft 5%
Final Paper 25%
Final Presentation 15%

Participation 10%
Attendance and participation are essential for you to do well in this course. Attendance will be taken in each class, and more than 1 absence will result in a drop in your final grade. More than 3 absences (excused or unexcused) will jeopardize your ability to pass this class. It is also necessary for you to participate in each class. Vibrant participation allows all members of the class (including the professor) to benefit from the exchange of ideas, questions, and criticism of the readings. If you find that you are uncomfortable, you need to see me during my office hours to discuss alternative contributions to the class. Coming in late or leaving early is noted as a 1/2 absence.

Quick Writes - occasionally I will give "pop" in-class writing assignments, in which you will be asked to make critical reflections on the day's readings.

Reading Responses 15%
One-page Essays - you will write 3 one-page essays over the course of the semester. Each essay will be based on one or more of the assigned readings and is due no later than one class after the reading was due.

  • topics: You will decide what to focus each essay on. Each essay must have both a thesis and evidence (data, quotes, examples, etc from the readings)

  • format: Your essay must fit onto one page of an 8.5 x 11 piece of paper - default settings please (Times New Roman, 12pt font, double-spaced, 1 inch margins)

Presentation of reading and discussion questions: 10%
Next week, each of you will have an opportunity to volunteer with 2 classmates to lead discussion during one of our classes during the semester. Look ahead in the syllabus and consider which one you are particularly interested in offering your insights on and presenting to your classmates. (Those who do not take the opportunity to volunteer will be assigned a week.) On the day or your class you will bring to class 22 copies of a two page document that presents the following:

  1. A summary of the articles and their main points. (In paragraph form - no bullet points.)
  2. A minimum of six well-thought out questions that will spark conversation that evening. At least two of these should link the weeks readings to other reading we have done up to that point in the class or for the evening. Open-ended questions that encourage us to push beyond the reading to a consideration of future implications will be particularly appreciated and fruitful.

You will distribute a copy of this to each member of the class and then lead our discussion of that reading/topic for the first part of class. NOTE: If you are absent on the day of your assigned reading or are not prepared with the handout to discuss it, you will fail this assignment and an "F" will be factored into your final course grade.

Peer Reviews 5%
This course has a peer review component. You will be part of a team of 3 students. For the two stages leading up to your final paper (Research Proposal, and Lit Review) you will be required to provide written and verbal feedback of your classmates work.

Final Project
During the semester, while we as a class explore new technology and how changes in communication technology impact society, you will be working individually to further examine an aspect of the new media environment. You will pick a subject to focus on and conduct a research project where you analyze this topic in a number of ways. You will examine research already completed on this subject (secondary research) and you will incorporate an interview with a person relevant to your topic (primary research). Your sources should be wide-ranging and varied, including books, articles from scholarly journals, newspaper and magazine articles, technology blogs and trade journals for communication professionals.

You will have a significant amount of flexibility in choosing this topic so you should pick one that interests you or could help you learn more about new media in a field that you are considering for your career. In other words, this paper will be as useful to you as make it. In previous classes, students have used the paper they wrote to obtain a job, an internship, or to apply to graduate programs. You should plan to spend time in the next month looking over our entire course schedule and thinking deeply about what you would like to investigate to ensure that the topic you take on is sufficiently interesting to sustain a semester-long focus. Sample topics and areas will be discussed in class and I encourage you to engage me in discussions about possible topics well in advance of the prospectus due date.

To aid you in deciding upon a topic and developing your paper in a timely manner throughout the semester, I have broken the process down into several specific assignments. Note that these assignments are mandatory and failure to complete them will jeopardize both your final grade and also the quality and success of your final essay (since you will deny yourself feedback from your peers and me.)

note: The final essay should be submitted in no larger than 12pt. type, double-spaced, number pages and STAPLED in the upper left hand corner.

Research Proposal 5% - due February 22
In a two-page document present your project as you are currently thinking about it. The first section should be a narrative of what brought you to your subject, what interests you about it and why you want to investigate it further. The next section should pose the issue you are going to research further and the various areas you will explore as you work towards the creation of your essay. This section should include at least six questions through which you will approach your topic. The last section should discuss your research strategy. Indicate possible readings/sources and possible candidates for the interview component of the final paper.

Literature Review 10% - due March 15
In this 5-7 page paper you will review secondary sources relevant to your field of inquiry. Your research should include a minimum of 8 sources, 2 of which may be readings assigned from class. This paper should do more than simply summarize the sources you select. Rather you should attempt to draw connections between them and how they relate to your research topic. We will discuss the form of this paper in more detail during class.

Rough Draft (includes interview) 5% - due April 12
The rough draft of your paper should include analysis of an interview conducted with an individual relevant to your field of inquiry. We will discuss the form of this paper in more detail during class.

steps:

  • Identify and contact the person you would like to interview.
  • Prepare a set of questions around your research focus.
  • Conduct and record a live interview.
  • Prepare a transcript of your interview and write up your analysis.

Be sure to turn in the raw transcript of your interview.

Final Paper 25% - due May 10th
Your 15-20 page paper with a complete list of works cited.

Final Presentations 15% - due May 10th or May 17th
Details to be discussed later in the semester.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations or academic adjustments for this course must either enroll in the Program for Academic Access or register with the Office of Student Support Services. For any accommodation, the instructor must be presented with either a letter from the Assistant Director of the Program for Academic Access or an Accommodations Card from the Office of Student Support Services during the first week of classes.

Academic Honesty

MMC fosters an academic community where students and faculty work together to create a learning experience that imparts knowledge and forms character. All work submitted should be done by the student in preparation for this specific class (for example, you may not hand in a paper for this class that you are also preparing for another class). Plagiarism and cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. Students will jeopardize their grade not just for the assignment but also for the entire course. If a student has difficulty understanding how to cite sources or has questions concerning the above, contact the professor as soon as possible. The College requires all members of the community to adhere to the policy of Academic Honesty that can be found in the Student Handbook, the College Catalogue and on the College website.

Grading Standards for in-class assignments:

0 - Inadequate. You did not respond, you were absent, or your response clearly indicates you did not do the reading and are unprepared and unable to contribute.

1 - Fair. You need to demonstrate more clearly that you read and understand the material and to more thoughtfully interact with the questions and the class.

2 - Good. You have read the material and can thoughtfully reflect upon it and consider the context of the question/task in your response.

3 - Excellent. You demonstrate a solid understanding of the reading, can move beyond it to thought-provoking questions or carefully considered responses.

Grading Standards for written work:

Some kind of "C"
Proposes and explores an adequate, if not particularly creative, opinion about the topic.
Uses adequate, if somewhat superficial evidence.
Demonstrates knowledge of the course material and perspective that may be a bit cursory.
Relies heavily on course material or minimal secondary sources.
Work reflects competence, but stays at a general or predictable level of understanding.
Citations are mostly correct, although some irregularities in MLA form may be present.
Some irregularities in style and grammar, but not so extreme as to interfere with meaning.

Some kind of "B" - fulfills all of the above, and also...
Proposes and explores an insightful opinion about the topic.
Demonstrates a complete and accurate understanding of the pertinent issues and concepts.
Uses detailed evidence from a variety of sources skillfully.
Presents a reasonable degree of insight and broad level of analysis.
Sources are used appropriately and with discretion to contribute to a more complete and original discussion than the average paper.
Reduces errors in grammar to a minimum.

Some kind of "A" - fulfills all of the above, and also...
Offers an original voice on the subject/sheds new light on the topic.
Demonstrates comprehensive and solid understanding of the pertinent issues and concepts..
Uses a variety of detailed sources and shows creativity and tenacity in its intellectual inquiry.
Use of source material is skillful and sophisticated.
Demonstrates logical reasoning, effective organization, and substantial development.
The style of writing is polished and creative.
Grammatical errors are essentially nonexistent.

A "D"
Failure to minimally address all tasks in the assignment.
Demonstrates a serious lack of understanding, and fails to express the most rudimentary aspects of an approach to the topic.
Inappropriate use of citations such as to throw into question the ability or intention of the writer to properly give credit to his/her sources.
Simplistic treatment of the topic, as indicated by one or more of the following conditions: reiterating material from another source without providing interpretation or commentary; unsupported generalizations or meaningless specifics; "parroting" of an idea from a previously read source; "borrowing" the structure of another writer's discussion of the topic.
Frequent writing errors such as to interfere with the reader's understanding.

Failure - "F"
Work never submitted/submitted more than one week late.
Work is plagiarized.
Work has been submitted for another class.

Other policies and things to avoid:

Late Assignments: Assignments submitted up to one week after their due date will be accepted with a lowering of the grade one full level (a late prospectus that would have merited a B+ will be factored into your final grade as a C+.) Assignments more than one week late will not be accepted and an "F" will be factored into the final grade for that percentage. There is no possibility of submitting the rough draft more than two days late due to the timing of the conferences, and as that assignment is pass/fail, late rough drafts will receive a "D" and also receive less of my consideration due to the time crunch that they will create. Please note that illness on the day of class is NOT an acceptable excuse for a late assignment. You have the entire course schedule and due dates well ahead of time - PLAN AHEAD.

Also: I will not, NEVER, EVER accept assignments via email. I won't open attached files. Don't try it!!!!!!*

*This also applies to the recent phenomenon of "I know you don't accept assignments via email but I emailed you anyway to prove that I did it on time and I will print it out and get you a hard copy later." If it's not physically in my hands in class the day it is due it is LATE. This especially applies to "I don't have my 'Works Cited' page but will email it to you." (No, you may not.)

Resources

Follow these links for guidance on various stages of writing your research paper:

Schedule

Week by week course schedule:

Feb 01 - Introduction

Introduction to the course.

Discuss Research Paper

Research Proposal is due on February 22

10 Things

Feb 08 - Will the future be numb?

FRAMING THE FUTURE

Analog NokiaAnalog Nokia
Complete DIY Instructions

Bert is EvilBert is Evil
http://www.bertisevil.tv/

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE INTERNET

lecture notes:
Before Paris: a brief history of the internet

readings:

Thomas de Zengotita, "The Numbing of the American Mind" from Harper's Magazine

Henry Jenkins, "'Worship at the Altar of Convergence:' A New Paradigm for Understanding Media Change."

William Gibson, excerpt from Neuromancer

Feb 22 - How do I look?

DUE: Research Proposal (3 copies)

  • Discuss lit review
  • Discuss research methods
  • In-class peer review

SURVEILLANCEDATAVEILLANCE

presentation:

lecture notes:
Visibility is a trap.

readings:

Christian Parenti, The Soft Cage Ch 6
Christian Parenti, The Soft Cage Ch 10

Mar 01 - Long Tails and Short Attentions

New Economies > The Long Tail, Reputation and Attention

presentation:

readings:
Chris Anderson, "The Long Tail" - Chapter 2 & Chapter 3

Daniel J. Solove, "The Future of Reputation" - Chapter 2

optional:
Chris Anderson responds to Lee Gomes [read link]

AttachmentSize
Daniel-Solove_Future-of-Reputation_Ch2.pdf2.23 MB

Mar 08 - Can I sue your avatar?

Note - No class next week

DUE: Literature Review - March 18th

Must be in my mailbox by 12pm March 18th

Online Identity and the Law

presentation:

Beth Simone Noveck's blog
eBay's reputation system
Station Exchange

readings:
Beth Simone Noveck, "Trademark Law and the Social Construction of Trust: Creating the Legal Framework for Online Identity"

Mar 22 - Who am we?

Discuss Interview Methods

Identity > Online >> Political >>> Cyborg

presentation:

readings:

Sherry Turkle, "Always-on/Always-on-you: The Tethered Self"

danah boyd, "Why Youth (Heart) Social Network Sites: The Role of Networked Publics in Teenage Social Life."

A Cyborg Manifesto (comic)

Apr 05 - Why participate?

Politics and Participation

notes on digital media and politics

presentation:

  • DeanSpace, MoveOn.org, Blogosphere, Meetups vs. The Daily Me
  • Tribes

readings:

"Photoshop for Democracy" by Henry Jenkins [pdf]

"The Daily Me" from Republic.com by Cass Sunstein [pdf]

"How the Internet invented Howard Dean" from Wired Magazine by Gary Wolf [pdf]

"The New Road to the White House" from Wired Magazine by Lawrence Lessig [pdf]

Apr 12 - Why share?

DUE: Rough Draft with Interview

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYOWNING

presentation:

lecture notes:
Sing it, Swing it.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTYSHARING

Copyleft

readings:

Courtney Love, "Courtney Love does the math." [pdf]

John Snyder and Ben Snyder, "Embrace file-sharing, or die." [web]

Lawrence Lessig, "Why Wilco is the Future of Music" [web]

Lawrence Lessig, "Some Like It Hot" [web]

Apr 19 - Individual Conferences

No Class

Make sure to sign up for an individual meeting.

Apr 26 - Where is everywhere?

MOBILE and UBIQUITOUS MEDIA

notes/links

presentation:

readings:
Howard Reinghold, Smart Mobs - Chapter 7: The Power of the Mobile Many

Adam Greenfield, Everyware: The Dawning Age of Ubiquitous Computing - Introduction

May 03 - Gaming and Machinima

lecture notes:
Tactical Media
Gaming Machinima

NO READINGS

May 10 - Final Presentations

DUE: Final Paper !

Presentations

May 17 - Final Presentations

Last Class

Presentations