E38.1034 - Impacts of Technology

Jan 21 Introduction Jan 26 What is Cyberspace? Feb 2 Workshop: EMAIL/NEWS Feb 9 Worlds of Words Feb 18 Workshop: IRC/MUDs Feb 23 The Myth of the Hacker March 2 Workshop: WEB/HTML March 9 Intellectual Property Guest Speaker: Robert Dewar
March 16 - SPRING BREAK March 23 The GNU Project Guest Speaker: Richard Stallman March 30 Identity and Community April 1 Guest Speaker: Stacy Horn April 6 Global Perspectives April 13 Experiments in Education April 20 Arguments against the Net April 27 Student Paper Topics

This course explores the social implications of culture and communication on the internet, with an emphasis on the formation of identity and comunity. We will exlore how this new technology is being used as an expressive medium, a work tool, a market place, and a learning environment in our daily lives.

Class participation consists of both face-to-face and electronic communication. Participation in an electronic discussion list is required.

Assignments will include 1 to 2 readings per week and small reports to be presented in class. Assignments will require spending time online. Although computer lab workshops are scheduled as part of the class, it is recommended that students take advantage of the tutorials available through the computer center. An empirically based paper is due at the end of the semester that must combine theoretical reading and some online research. The paper may be published as a web page. Final Paper Guidlines

The grade: 50% class/online participation and weekly assignments. 50% final project.