Mcdm Soct Syllabus Draft

HCDE 505 A: Computer-Assisted Communication

Computer-Assisted Communication HCDE 505 A, Autumn 2012 MGH 271 Tuesdays, 9/25/12—12/4/12 6:00 p.m. – 9:50 p.m. Catalyst Site: http://bit.ly/QuIwYG

Instructor: Colin Lingle Teaching Assistant: Parinaz Ejlali Email: [email protected] Contact: [email protected] Hours: By appointment Hours: By appointment

Office: CMU 340-R; Mailbox located in Seig 422

Overview

Digital technologies significantly define our reality, from the devices we carry, to invisible infrastructures that link us to the world, to policies that will inevitably shape the future. The study of computer-mediated communication allows us to examine the critical point of contact between these transformational technologies and the social impacts that flow from them. Small—even unconnected—links our technical systems can multiply and magnify nuances that become instantiated all around us. To develop a constructive and critical awareness of these phenomena, we must practice thinking deeply and broadly at the same time. In this course, we will develop our ability to understand individual issues in computer-mediated communication and the social consequences that they implicate. Through readings, discussion, writing, and design, we will attempt to sharpen our analytical tools and expand our conceptual vantage points.

Course Description

Learning Objectives

Through this course, students will develop the ability to: • Apply conceptual and theoretical frames to design problems; • Evaluate individual technical systems specifically and contextually; • Work with colleagues on collaborative conceptual projects; • Gather information and observations in real-world settings.

Areas of Focus

Throughout the course, we will be moving back and forth between theoretical material and pragmatic analysis. The first part of the course includes readings and discussions that emphasize definitions and approaches to CMC, while the second part transitions to a greater focus on issues and challenges of design. Throughout the course, we will be linking these two dimensions, continually looking for ways to theorize about technical content and ground our theoretical concepts. Each week, we use a broad social category to frame our readings and discussion, in order to demonstrate just a few of the many avenues that students may wish to pursue as they progress in the program.

1 HCDE 505 A: Computer-Assisted Communication

Class Structure

Classes will include: lectures; individual writing exercises; small-group and class discussion; in- class exercises; discussion of case studies; and project development sessions. Weekly readings will include a number of academic articles plus individual web links. Students should come prepared to discuss assigned readings and links constructively and in depth. Participation is expected and highly valued.

Assignments and Projects

This is a course about applying ideas in real-world contexts. Students will be asked to individually produce a short paper of approximately eight pages and to collaboratively develop and present a design project based on ideas developed in class. These two assignments comprise the majority of points in the class. In addition, there will be two assignments where students will gather information from outside the classroom, and also a number of in-class exercises, some (but not all) of which will be graded. Detailed instructions for all assignments will be provided. Unless otherwise specified, all assignments are due at the start of class and will be penalized 5 points per day late.

There will be a total of 200 points available in this course, as follows:

FINAL PROJECT 75 Design Proposal 45 Outline 5 Presentation 25

SHORT PAPER 50 Paper 45 Outline 5

FIELD WORK 50 Field Work 1 25 Field Work 2 25

DESIGN EXERCISES 20 Design Exercise 1 10 Design Exercise 2 10

GUEST SPEAKER QUESTIONS 5 Prepared in Advance

Class Resources

Readings, links, announcements, and instructions will be available at the class Catalyst website, and via email. Students should regularly check their official UW email for notifications about the course from the instructor or teaching assistant. Grades will be posted in a Catalyst Gradebook and assignments will typically (but not always) be handed in via Catalyst Dropbox. Anytime you have a question, please feel free to check with the instructor or teaching assistant. Anything that is not clear to you may not be clear to others and we want to be completely direct about all expectations. We are glad to hear from you about any issues, questions, or suggestions.

Course Schedule

DATE TOPIC DUE WK1 Introductions; Syllabus; In-class exercises and discussion 9/25 In-class writing Context & Definitions: exercise • Walther – “Computer-Mediated Communication” responses WK2 • Herring – “Computer-Mediated Discourse” 10/2 • Yzer & Southwell – “New Communication Technologies, Old Questions”

Privacy & Identity: • Palen & Dourish – “Unpacking ‘Privacy’ for a Networked World” • Lederer et al. – “Personal Privacy through Understanding and WK3 Action” 10/9 • Lüders – “Conceptualizing Personal Media” • Boczkowski – “Mutual Shaping of Users and Technologies in a National Virtual Community”

Field Work #1 Games & Gamification: • Walther et al. – “How Do Communication and Technology Researchers Study the Internet?” • Gunkel – “The Real Problem: Avatars, Metaphysics and Online WK4 Social Interaction” 10/16 • Deterding et al. – “From Game Design Elements to Gamefulness: Defining ‘Gamification’” • Flanagan et al. – “Values at Play: Design Trade-offs in Socially Oriented Game Design”

Short paper News & Citizen Journalism: outlines • Gulbrandsen & Just – “The Collaborative Paradigm: Towards an Invitational and Participatory Concept of Online WK5 Communication” 10/23 • Farnham et al. – “Puget Sound Off: Fostering Youth Civic Engagement Through Citizen Journalism” • Vaataja et al. – “Crowdsourcing News Reporting” • Lai – “Public Journalism and the Democratic Process”

DATE TOPIC DUE Short papers Politics & Democracy: • Coleman et al. – “Public Life and the Internet” WK6 • Raphael et al. – “Flow and Cooperative Learning in Civic Game 10/30 Play” • Robertson – “Voter-Centered Design”

Social Media & Social Capital: • Ackerman – “The Gap Between Social Requirements and Technical Feasibility” WK7 • Boyd & Ellison – “Social Network Sites: Definition, History and 11/6 Scholarship” • Burke et al. – “Social Capital on Facebook: Differentiating Uses and Users”

Field Work #2 Work & Collaboration: • Deuze – “Media Industries, Work and Life” WK8 • Hartmann et al. – “Hacking, Mashing and Gluing: 11/13 Understanding Opportunistic Design” • Erickson & Kellogg – “Social Translucence: An Approach to Designing Systems that Support Social Processes”

Project outlines Mobility & Space: • Dourish – “Re-Space-ing Place: ‘Place’ and ‘Space’ Ten Years WK9 On” 11/20 • TBD

WK10 Global & International Culture: 11/27 • TBD

Presentations WK11 • PROJECT PRESENTATIONS 12/4 • COURSE WRAP UP

Readings subject to change, but only with ample advance notice. Check your UW email and the announcements panel of the Catalyst website for changes to this schedule.

Policies

Disability

Accommodations Statement To request academic accommodations due to a disability please contact Disability Resources for Students, 448 Schmitz, 206-543-8924/V, 206-5430-8925/TTY. If you have a letter from Disability Resources for Students indicating that you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations that you might need for the class. We are committed to working with you to maximize your learning experience.

Electronic Mail

The instructor and teaching assistant will make every effort to respond to student emails within 48 hours during the school week. Students should feel free to send a reminder email if they have not been contacted by then. For their part, students should regularly check their UW email account (or wherever it is set to forward) in order to receive important updates and information from the instructor and teaching assistant about class deadlines, readings, speakers, etc. Email communications should not include any CC-ing of anyone not directly involved in the specific educational experience at hand. Email communications should not include any blind-CC-ing to third parties, regardless of the third party’s relevance to the matter at hand.

Grading

Grades in this class will be based on a percentage-scale. Percentage-scale grades are calculated by dividing the points earned by the points possible. This calculation may be performed for either individual assignments or the course as a whole. The grades for both are based on this progressive scale:

97% - 100% = 4 94% - 96.9% = 3.9 91% - 93.9% = 3.8 89% - 90.9% = 3.7 87% - 88.9% = 3.6 86% - 86.9% = 3.5 85% - 85.9% = 3.4 84% - 84.9% = 3.3 82.3% - 83.9% = 3.2 80.7% - 82.2% = 3.1 79% - 80.6% = 3 77.7% - 78.9% = 2.9 76.3% - 77.6% = 2.8 75% - 76.2% = 2.7

If you wish to discuss a grade on a particular assignment, follow this procedure: After 48 hours, contact the instructor via email explaining the grade you received, outlining your thoughts on why this was not an accurate reflection, and requesting a time to meet in person. We will then set up a mutually convenient time to discuss your grade.

Academic Misconduct

HCDE and the PMP are committed to upholding the academic standards of the University of Washington’s Student Conduct Code. Should there be an issue that may constitute a violation of that code, I will seek to resolve cases of academic misconduct directly with that student. However, if a particular situation requires involvement beyond the faculty member, the matter must be elevated to appropriate officials in the department.

Note: Most unintentional cases of plagiarism are due to incomplete understanding of the rules of citation and time-management issues. Refer to the UW student handbook for more information on plagiarism. See also: http://depts.washington.edu/pswrite/plag.html

Classroom Atmosphere

It is extremely important that we collaborate on a constructive, attentive, productive environment in this classroom. Every member of the class is critical to the course and it is essential that we all respect the needs of others students, teaching staff, and guest speakers. We will be addressing a range of subjects, exploring challenging ideas, trying out new ways of thinking, and venturing into some topics that may be personal. Every member deserves our full attention and respect, and abusive language will not be tolerated. It will be important that we maintain focused attention on whoever is speaking, whether that is the instructor, other students, or our guests. This means eyes-forward, alert, engaged attention. You will have ample breaks to check email and other information sources: do not do so during active class time. Similarly, do not text or take calls during class unless it is a genuine emergency.

Open Channels of Communication

I sincerely look forward to collaborating with you on an experience that is valuable both in the context of your time at HCDE and in your own career path. If at any time there is something that is problematic, I will do everything I can to correct it, and I want each of you to feel free to contact me with any concerns. You are also welcome to contact the teaching assistant, who can share your concerns with me. If you feel you need to discuss an issue with someone else, you are very welcome to contact the Chair of the Department of Human Centered Design & Engineering, Professor Jan Spyridakis (jansp @u.washington.edu).