5. Social: media, networks and change

OLD version

This is a senior capstone course about how our social world is changing due to the consequences of our collective participation in social media.

The course pays special attention to how the structure of social interaction is changing through participatory social media.

This includes many common parts of our social world: Wikipedia, twitter, Youtube, Ted Talks, MMORPGs, reddit, Facebook, etc.

The course also introduces basic concepts in social network analysis.

The course will require students to participate in a wide range of activities: reading, writing, creating videos, publishing web pages, interacting through web based conversations, collecting data, analyzing data, and playing games.

Welcome

Meeting space: We will meet in two locations: (1) our assigned class room; (2) a computer lab in 012 Bentley.

Meeting times: Mon/Wed/Fri 10:45-11:40; Clippinger Hall 135

This course makes extensive use of interactive media, hands on learning and project based assignments to help students build practical experience and skills. It will often be helpful to bring your laptop to class so that we can get work done.

Course schedule

Week 1: Logistics, defining social media, networks and change.
1. Class

Learning Objectives

Through this class, I hope that all of us can:

Develop our sociological imagination by asking questions about the intersection of social media, social networks and social change
- from sociological perspective
- in current research
- how they are connected to each other
- from a practical perspective (in everyday life)
Use insights from above to help ourselves and others
- make our own lives better
- make lives of others better
- influence the course of our future education
Learn these things through
- collaborative learning systems
- sharing digital learning resources
- hands-on projects
- data collection and analysis
Cultivate our digital literacy
- collecting, curating, and commenting
- building durable communications and connections
- reflecting on our digital self presentations

Learning Outcomes

All learners (faculty and students) will be able to explain what social media, networks and change are, how they interrelate and connect these understandings to concrete examples in everyday life.

The understanding of social media, networks and change will be based on readings introduced in this class as well as the capacity to further investigate these topics through review of academic research, direct research, and social media exploration.

Learners will be able to find, interpret and share new insights related to these topics through investigation and research

Learners will build and manage their presentation of self in digital and social media space. This presentation of self will include contributions to the connected learning community that we develop as a class, and may be extended to include the students personal learning objectives and interests.

Assignments

There are four types of assignments:

Abstracts of book chapters / articles = 150
Participation and digital contributions = 100
White paper = 150
Final = 200

Participation/attendance: quality of contribution to in class discussion, online discussion, and to online teaching materials are all part of your class participation.

The final: will also be created, designed, and evaluated by the class, details to follow.

Criteria for evaluation of written assignments

This is a senior level seminar and therefore, mere completion of an assignment is the minimum expectation.

Relevance of contribution to core questions of the course
Quality of writing
Clarity of argument
Professionalism of editing
Sociological insight

Readings and resources

Net Smart. Howard Rheingold

Reality is broken. Jane McGonigal

~~Smartmobs. Howard Rheingold~~

~~Here comes everybody. Clay Shirky~~

Contacting me

Stop by my office or send me an email. I am here many more hours than the office hours, (typically between 9:00 and 3:00 are good times to drop in)

Howard T. Welser Professor Welser

Office: Bentley Annex 147

Email: h.t.welser@gmail.com; welser@ohio.edu

General teaching issues

Attention: Treat class time like your job, but treat learning like your favorite game. Try to discover the spark of interest that makes you want to learn more about something and dive into it.

Attendance: Be in class everyday, and be ready to do the work that we have planned of that day. If you know you will miss a day it is your job to get your work done ahead of time. You need to inform me well in advance of class if you will not be attending. Treat it like a job. I used to manage an indoor climbing gym and here is the attendance policy I used then: first absence = we have a meeting; second absence = I write a letter for their file; third absence = fired. I only had to write one letter.

Have fun: This is an upper level course. We are all here to learn, and the best way to learn is to have fun by getting involved in the work.

Polite electronic communication: Use subjects for your emails like “Soc 101 Project Question” etc. Be brief, courteous and considerate. I will be brief, to the point, and to the best of my abilities, prompt. Send a follow up if you don’t hear back after 24 hours (during the school week).

Take credit for your work only: I should not need to mention this in this course, but I will include it from my 100 level syllabus: You should, with pride, lay claim to all of your unique contributions. When you work with others on assignments you should take pains to assure that you know, appreciate, and clearly identify the contributions of each of your colleagues. Deliberate attempts to claim the work of others as your own without clear acknowledgement will be seen as plagiarism and will be severely punished: a grade of F will be assigned to the plagiarized assignment.

Other details

Computers and Software: There is a grad computer lab right next door to our class and the computers are better than our classroom. The CSC is across the street from Bentley. The CSC is good for drop in work, as are: http://www.library.ohiou.edu/serv/computers/software.html

Students with disabilities: I will gladly provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities, with the recommendation of Disability Services, at the Office for Institutional Equity (740-593-2620). Please show me the letter from that office indicating accommodations that you may need for this class.

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