The following are detailed descriptions for assignments for this class. Grading will not only be on the content of your assignments, but also the focus, accuracy, clarity, organization, creativity, and readability of your writing. Group work evaluations and your presentation outline will also factor into your presentation grade.

Homework (20%) | Presentation (20%) | Paper (20%)| Mid-term (10%) | Final exam (15%) | Participation (15%)

Homework (20%)

In 13 of the 15 weeks of the semester you will submit a short homework assignment that addresses a specific question or provides a thoughtful, substantive response to a student presentation. Each week's questions will be posted on the Homework page. Due Mondays in class, or in the professor's mailbox by 4:00 p.m. Late homework will not be evaluated.

Homework paragraphs should be about 300 words, and never more than 500 words. They should be single-spaced with 12 point font, and titled with the homework number as well as your name and the date of submission. Homework is graded (0, 1, or 1.5), and completing homework with excellence entitles the well-prepared student to an additional 0.5 points extra credit each week (for a grade of 2.0). Students may drop or skip one homework.

Homework is designed to provide an opportunity to reflect on the assigned readings. You MUST cite relevant readings in your homework assignment for full points. You do not need to include the full reference when citing any readings assigned in class. Use only author name and year of publication like this --> (Martey, 2009). Complete rules on citing sources can be found on this APA style website.

About half the homework assignments will be reflections on the previous week's student group presentations. In these, you must cite the relevant readings and provide a thoughtful discussion about what issues, topics, problems, or ideas were important and interesting to you, and why. These are opportunities to provide your viewpoint on the technology discussed.

These reflections are not to include discussion of student presentation style, preparation, or quality. They are, instead, to be engagement with the specific topics and issues raised.

Group Presentations (20%)

Starting in the sixth week of the semester, one class each week will be dedicated to a student-led discussion on a specific technology. See groups page for the scheudle. Each group member will select a perspective from which to discuss the technology they have chosen. After about 40 to 50 minutes of presentation, groups will lead a class discussion based on presentations and assigned readings. Each group member will submit a five-page paper on his/her technology from a specific perspective. Together the presentation and paper are worth 40% of your grade.

Selecting a technology & perspective

Select a technology from the list and identify the perspective from which you wish examine the technology. Groups will be created by the professor. Select a technology you are interested in and with which you have some basic familiarity. You do not need to be expert in the technology, simply comfortable with it. Groups will meet with the professor to discuss the direction, focus, and content of their research and presentations.

Presentations & class discussion

Each student's 8 to 10 minute presentation should be coordinated with the others in the group to avoid overlap and ensure a focused 40 to 50 minute session. Aim to provide a clear summary of the main conceptual and factual points that will help class members understand your research and the key issues from your perspective. Part of your responsibility is to generate class discussion about the technology you have chosen. It is highly recommended that you use visual aids (slides, video, images, etc.) in your presentation.

Preparing the presentation materials

Two weeks before your presentation, the group will work together to prepare presentation materials. All materials will be approved by the professor. You will post these materials on the class wiki once they are approved.

These materials are:

1) Meet as a group with the professor to discuss the topic and focus

2) An outline from each person that provides an overview of his or her presentation materials

3) Two or three relevant readings from the bibliography and elsewhere to be assigned to the class

4) Between three and five discussion questions to be handed out to the class

If you wish, you may also submit PowerPoint slides or handouts to the professor one week before the presentation for review.

On the day you present, you will also submit the final version of your PowerPoint slides in either digital or printed out on paper to the professor.

After you present, you will also fill out a private group work evaluation indicating how well the group worked together. These evaluations will be part of your overall presentation grade and will include questions about how well the group worked together. You will also grade the homeworks associated with your presentation.

Paper (20%)

On the day of your presentation, you will submit an individual five-page (~1,600 words) research paper on your technology from the perspective you have chosen. The paper must be original work, clearly written, and properly cited, using APA citation style. Do not use outline format, and pay close attention to length: over-long papers indicate lack of focus. This class does not require use of AP style.

Basic Paper Specifications

Length: 5 pages, or about 1,600 words (not including references)

Format: Double-spaced, Times New Roman 12-point font, 1-inch margins

Citation: Cite all authors and publication year in the text, in parentheses. Use APA style and include references at the end, not as footnotes.

Cover: Use a cover sheet with paper title, your name, the date, the class, and the technology and perspective you selected.

Submission: Submit a paper copy the day you present

Take a look at the Paper Writing Guide for suggestions on creating a compelling paper.

Exams (25%)

There will be two exams: a mid-term exam (10%) that will be on material covered to date in class and in the readings.

The mid-term exam will be a take-home exam, and therefore open-book, open-internet. It must, however, be independent work. You may not discuss the questions or answers with other students or anyone else at all. Exam questions must, like homework questions, cite relevant sources for full credit. Please take note of page limits.

The final exam will be an in-class exam during finals week, and will cover all material in the course. It will not be open book.

Participation (15%)

Part of your grade includes class participation. Although an attendance sheet will be passed around each day, this grade is not strictly attendance; rather it is your participation in discussions in class. If you are not in class, you will not receive participation points for that day, no exceptions. You can not get credit for participating if you are not present.

A note on missing class: Sometimes other obligations or events in life arise that are more important than one class session, such as getting sick, sports activities, or other irresolvable time conflicts. Letting me know ahead of time that you have to miss class is polite and appreciated. Your reasons for doing so are not necessary, nor are doctor's notes, organization's announcements, or other "proof". If you must miss class on a Monday, please submit your homework in my mailbox by 4:00 p.m.

Do note, however, that if you miss class during another student's presentation, completing the homework will be difficult. In that case, write a reflection on the assigned, relevant readings. I strongly encourage you to avoid missing class.

Finally, if for some reason you absolutely must miss your scheduled presentation, please come discuss it with me. Unless you have extremely compelling reasons, you can not receive a grade for your presentation unless you actually present.