General course information

Required Texts

• Bauerlein, Mark. The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young American and Jeopardizes Our Future. 2008. (9781585427123)
• Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google Making Us Stupid?: What the Internet is Doing to Our Brains.” The Atlantic 302.1 (July/August 2008): 56-63. (Available here and here.)
• Chorost, Michael. World Wide Mind: The Coming Integration of Humanity, Machines, and the Internet. 2011. (9781439119143)
• Lanier, Jaron. You Are Not a Gadget: A Manifesto. 2010. (9780307389978)
• McGonigal, Jane. Reality is Broken: Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World. 2011. (9780143120612)
• Turkle, Sherry. Alone Together: Why We Expect More from Technology and Less from Each Other. 2011. (9780465031467)

Course Expectations or Outputs

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. critically engage the theoretical, historical, and cultural contexts of a focused topic in digital media and technology.
2. demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the course topic through the analysis of primary texts in both class discussion and written work.
3. analyze cultural responses to digital technologies.
4. construct and sustain analytical arguments in clear, coherent prose and proper essay format.

Course Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this course will demonstrate:

1. a detailed knowledge of a focused topic in digital culture.
2. an ability to offer theoretically and historically informed interpretation of texts.
3. an ability to compare the merits of different critical and theoretical approaches.
4. an ability to communicate logical, analytical arguments in clear, correct, and persuasive prose.

Preparation and Participation

You are expected to participate in class in an informed manner. At the very least, you are expected to come to class regularly, having read all assigned reading. You are expected to participate in class discussions. Keep in mind that participating in class is usually a highly rewarding experience, greatly enhancing your ability to understand the course material and helping ensure your success in the course. Everyone is expected to be courteous and professional at all times in class.

Lateness

• The term essay is due in class on March 27th. You may hand in the essay up to and including April 3rd without penalty. After that, there will be a penalty of 2%/day (including weekend days) until April 9th. After April 9th, the penalty will be 20% and papers will be graded with minimal feedback.
• The short assignment will have three options. One option is a presentation on a scheduled day: no lateness or extensions apply to this option. Another option is a digital video, due on March 4th. The last option is a short essay, whose due date depends on which text is chosen for analysis. The last two options have an automatic one-week extension period; after this, late videos and papers will be penalized at the rate of 2%/day (including weekend days) to a maximum of 20%. After five days of lateness, videos and papers will be graded with minimal or no feedback.
• No assignment will be accepted after the start of the final exam.
• If you are registered with Student Services for special consideration with regards to due dates, please hand in the appropriate form to the instructor and, if needed, remind the instructor about the consideration when handing in the assignments.