Many disciplines and professions use case studies, including medicine, industrial design and business. A case study is defined as "an educational, detailed example," or as "an intensive study of a unit that stresses factors that contribute to its success or failure." In this blog post you will write a case study explaining a communication technology from the film The Tailenders to the audience of your choice.

Part I. Choose one example of a communication technology shown in the documentary The Tailenders that you are interested in. State which communication technology you chose. There are many possible examples: The Cardboard Record Player, the Hand-Crank Cassette Player, the Untunable (or Pre-Tuned) Radio Receiver, and so on.

Part II. Specify the audience that you chose for your case study. This can be a discipline or a profession. You can choose from these examples or specify your own audience. Some examples:

• A Case Study for Technology Designers
• A Case Study for Entrepreneurs
• A Case Study for International Aid Workers Fighting Poverty in the Developing World
• A Case Study for Evangelists

Part III. Write your case study. Case studies are often divided into parts. Here is an example structure that you can copy, if you wish.

• Background/Goals. What is the technology and what is it for? Who made it? How does it work?
• Problems (or Successes/Failures). What works/doesn't work about this object? Were there unforeseen consequences?
• Discussion. This must answer the question: What can the audience you chose learn from the technology you chose? For instance, "What can International Aid Workers Learn from the Speakerphone?" Imagine you will be presenting this case study to your chosen audience. What is useful or interesting about this example?

If the object is not discussed in great detail in the film, you may have to make educated guesses or extrapolate from other course material about communication technology.

Important requirements:

1. You must use at least one detailed example (such as a quotation or scene) from The Tailenders to support your case study. It must be clear that you watched and thought about the film. (The film is on media reserve in the Undergraduate Library if you need to refresh your memory.)
2. You must also use at least one concept or quotation from any class reading or lecture. You must use it in a way that demonstrates your understanding of the concept.

Post an answer of at least 500 words* to your blog. (*Note that this extra credit blog post is slightly longer than the usual blog post.) DEADLINE: Post this blog at any time before the start of the final exam.

Extra tip: Last year's class wrote The Tailenders Wikipedia Entry. This may contain some inaccurate information! Use at your own risk!

• You can't turn in anything that was due before 3/4 -- we turned those in at the midterm.
• You can skip one of the 1984 blog posts but you can't skip both of them.

DEADLINE: 8:00 a.m. Thursday, 5/8 (Before the final exam.)]]> http://pactlab-dev.spcomm.uiuc.edu/class/08SP/280/2008/05/08/#003574 http://pactlab-dev.spcomm.uiuc.edu/class/08SP/280/2008/05/08/#003574 Deadline Thu, 08 May 2008 10:48:25 -0600 8:00 - 11:00 a.m. -- held in our usual room.]]> http://pactlab-dev.spcomm.uiuc.edu/class/08SP/280/2008/05/08/#003412 http://pactlab-dev.spcomm.uiuc.edu/class/08SP/280/2008/05/08/#003412 Deadline Thu, 08 May 2008 09:37:16 -0600 http://pactlab-dev.spcomm.uiuc.edu/class/08SP/280/2008/05/01/#003580 http://pactlab-dev.spcomm.uiuc.edu/class/08SP/280/2008/05/01/#003580 Announcement Thu, 01 May 2008 10:37:01 -0600 Final Exam Review Sheet.pdf (PDF, 3 pages)

For Part I of this assignment, choose a communication technology that currently exists. You might consider an example from earlier in the course (e.g., from the communication infrastructure treasure hunt). For instance:

• RFID microchips
• Peer-to-peer file-sharing (Limewire, etc.)
• Social networking sites (facebook, myspace, etc.)
• Facial recognition technology
• Surveillance satellites
• Digital encryption techniques
• Text messaging
• Internet radio stations (Pandora, LastFM)
• Internet-based applications (Gmail)

Explain the possible negative or dystopian consequences of the technology. Creative or unexpected choices of a communication technology (or a possible negative consequence) are especially encouraged!

Part II. Relate your technology to a technology discussed in 1984. For instance, you could analyze a passage, a scene, a chapter, a character, or a sub-plot that relates to your particular technology. In what ways is the dystopian usage of the technology you chose similar to (or different from) the way technology is used by the state in 1984?

To receive full credit for this assignment, you must demonstrate that you have read the text. Citing a short passage from the first few pages or discussing only plot details listed on the back cover of the book (or in the Spark Notes) will not count as "in depth."

Part III. Finally, using your examples, answer the question: Are there communication technologies that are essentially dystopian or dangerous? (Or: communication technologies that have some inherently negative consequences?) Use your examples or other evidence to justify your answer.

To improve your answer, please reflect on the material covered this semester. For instance, the chapter on progress in the Culture & Technology book relates very well to this topic.

Post an answer of at least 300 words to your blog. DEADLINE: your blog post should be online at 11 a.m. -- one hour before class begins.