Class Schedule (by date)

14 Jan (Mon):

Introduction   [Lecture]
Warning: The books may be filed under SPCM 280AL or 199AL at the bookstore   [Announcement]
Our lecture location has changed to 103 Talbot Lab   [Announcement]

16 Jan (Wed):

21 Jan (Mon):

MLK Day   [Holiday]

23 Jan (Wed):

Why should I care about comm tech?   [Lecture]
Case study: Solresol, the Universal Musical Language   [Class Reader]

24 Jan (Thu):

Discussion Sections Begin   [Note]

28 Jan (Mon):

What can early technologies teach us about today?   [Lecture]
C&T Ch. 2: Convenience   [Textbook]
C&T Ch. 3: Determinism   [Textbook]
Online readings are protected with your AD Password   [Announcement]

30 Jan (Wed):

How do comm techs shape society?   [Lecture]
Case Study: The Judgment of Thamus   [Class Reader]
Our first assignment is due 2/6   [Announcement]
An Illustrated Guide to Blogging   [Help/Handout]
How to Post an Image in a Blog Entry   [Help/Handout]

4 Feb (Mon):

What is infrastructure?   [Lecture]
Handbook Ch. 11: Infrastructure   [Textbook]
Grading Criteria   [Help/Handout]
Writing Requirements and Expectations   [Help/Handout]

6 Feb (Wed):

Why is infrastructure important?   [Lecture]
Handbook Ch. 15: Universal Access to Infrastructure   [Textbook]
BLOG POST: Infrastructure Treasure Hunt   [Assignment]

11 Feb (Mon):

What's special about digital media?   [Lecture]
Numerical Representation   [Class Reader]

13 Feb (Wed):

What's important about digital media?   [Lecture]
C&T Ch. 15: Politics   [Textbook]
C&T Ch. 16: Globalization   [Textbook]
BLOG POST: The Misguided Archaeologist   [Assignment]

18 Feb (Mon):

How can we control comm tech?   [Lecture]
Handbook Ch. 21: The Role of the State   [Textbook]
New link to Grades at the top of every page   [Announcement]
Blog 1 example grades are up! See the Grades Page.   [Announcement]

20 Feb (Wed):

How does comm tech make us who we are?   [Lecture]
C&T Ch. 13: Identity   [Textbook]
C&T Ch. 14: Challenging Identity   [Textbook]
Midterm review sheet (PDF, 2 pages) now online   [Announcement]
BLOG POST: Do-it-Yourself Digitization   [Assignment]
How to Turn in Blog Entries for Grading   [Help/Handout]
Midterm Review Sheet   [Help/Handout]

25 Feb (Mon):

How do comm techs make the world the way it is?   [Lecture]
C&T Ch. 12: Space   [Textbook]

27 Feb (Wed):

The section handout How to Turn in Blogs is online   [Announcement]
Don't forget! Turn in TWO blogs for grading by Friday, 2/29   [Announcement]
MIDTERM EXAM   [Deadline]
Friday, 2/29 deadline extended to 11 p.m. (not a.m.)   [Announcement]

29 Feb (Fri):

Turn in TWO of the three blog assignments for grading   [Deadline]

3 Mar (Mon):

5 Mar (Wed):

You live in an interconnected world (globalization)   [Lecture]
Handbook Ch. 14 Globalization   [Textbook]
Collins and C&T readings win "best reading" poll   [Announcement]
Midterm grades are online! See the Grades Page.   [Announcement]
BLOG POST: The Norm Experiment   [Assignment]

10 Mar (Mon):

It sells you things; it is sold to you (advertising)   [Lecture]
Handbook Ch. 12: Diffusion vs. Social Shaping   [Textbook]

12 Mar (Wed):

It sells you things, it is sold to you (advertising)   [Lecture]
C&T Ch. 5: Luddism   [Textbook]
C&T Ch. 6: Appropriate Technology   [Textbook]

17 Mar (Mon):

SPRING VACATION   [Holiday]

19 Mar (Wed):

SPRING VACATION   [Holiday]

24 Mar (Mon):

Pre-midterm assignment grades are online! See the Grades Page.   [Announcement]
It helped you grow up (childhood)   [Lecture]
Handbook Ch. 3: Children   [Textbook]
Notes from 3/12 are now online to help with the 3/26 blog   [Announcement]

26 Mar (Wed):

You try to get a date (representation)   [Lecture]
Handbook Ch. 1: Interpersonal Life Online   [Textbook]
Case study: aloha.net   [Class Reader]
BLOG POST: Learn to "Read" Tech Ads   [Assignment]

31 Mar (Mon):

You watch a lot of screens (psychological processes)   [Lecture]
Image Size, Motion, Scene Changes, and Subliminal Messages   [Class Reader]

2 Apr (Wed):

BLOG POST: Civilization Lab #1   [Assignment]
4/2 Lecture Cancelled Due to Illness   [Announcement]
You can find information (search)   [Lecture]
The Search   [Class Reader]

7 Apr (Mon):

You use it to express yourself (art)   [Lecture]
Reading TBA   [Class Reader]

9 Apr (Wed):

SPECIAL SESSION: Simulation and Civilization IV   [Lecture]
Games as Simulation   [Class Reader]
BLOG POST: Civilization Lab #2   [Assignment]

14 Apr (Mon):

16 Apr (Wed):

Science (cont'd) and Simulation   [Lecture]
1984 -- part one, sections 5-8   [Textbook]
BLOG POST: Civilization Lab #3 (game designer)   [Assignment]
A link to the extra credit survey is now on the Civ IV Page   [Announcement]

21 Apr (Mon):

Technological utopias and dystopias   [Lecture]
1984 -- part two, sections 1-5   [Textbook]

23 Apr (Wed):

How can we control technology? (redux)   [Lecture]
1984 -- part two, sections 5-10   [Textbook]
BLOG POST: 1984 and 2008   [Assignment]

28 Apr (Mon):

The role of comm tech in society   [Lecture]
Optional Final Exam Review Session:
Sun. 5/4 from 4-6 in 213 Gregory   [Announcement]
1984 -- part three   [Textbook]
Extra finals office hours for the final exam:
Mon. 5/5 at 10-1 (Shaw), 1-4 (Rodriguez) in 7 YMCA
Tue. 5/6 at 10-12 (Sandvig) in 133 Lincoln   [Announcement]
Last minute ask Mark Silverman IN PERSON:
Wed. 5/7 at 7-9 in UGL (back corner near Writer's Workshop)   [Announcement]
Final Exam will be held at 8am on Thu. 5/8 in 103 Talbot
Your 5 revised blog posts are due at that time.   [Announcement]

30 Apr (Wed):

Conclusion   [Lecture]
1984 -- appendix   [Textbook]
The Extra Credit Blog Post is Due before the Final Exam Starts   [Announcement]
BLOG POST: Dangerous Technology?   [Assignment]

1 May (Thu):

Final Exam Review Sheet   [Help/Handout]
The Final Exam Review Sheet (PDF, 3 pages) is now online!   [Announcement]

8 May (Thu):

TODAY

8 May (Thu):

FINAL EXAM   [Deadline]
DEADLINE: Turn in FIVE of the remaining blog posts for grading.   [Deadline]
EXTRA CREDIT BLOG POST: Tailenders Technology Case Study   [Assignment]