Syllabus - Library 225
Paul Piper, Wilson 276, 650-3097
paul.piper@wwu.edu
Class is held in Wilson 676
just across from the Writing Center
Details: You will be graded on one test, your blog postings (at least one a week, later two); your blog responses; homework, and class participation (which includes attendance).
Office Hours: 11 - 12 Thursday and by arrangement; In truth, I'm in my
office quite frequently.
Most weeks there will be a short article to read. Please post responses
to the article (or topic of the article) on your blog by Thursday night of that week. You will
be responsible for responding to another classmate's post by Sunday evening of that
week.
So: Posted response Due by Thursday night; Comment on classmate's response due
by Sunday night. I'll check the posted comments Friday morning, and the
comments Monday morning.
Week 1
Reading: America (the book) pgs 131-165. (on Reserve)
Class 1 (3/29) – Introductions; Jon Stuart video clip (http://homepage.mac.com/duffyb/nobush/iMovieTheater231.html)
Topics: Media literacy
Discussion: Is the Internet media? How? Search Engine Watch sign-up
Class 2 (3/31) – Blogs; Blog sign-up; A Blogger's Creed by Andrew Sullivan;
Listserv sign-up
Week 2
Reading: Media Literacy, 2nd ed., pgs 85-107 (on Reserve)
Class 3 (4/5) – Search Engines
Class 4 (4/7) – Search Engines (cont.)
Week 3
Reading: Blogs of War (on Reserve)
Class 5 (4/12) – Search Engines Cont. (Google); Media discussion
Class 6 (4/14) – Specialty Search Engines
Week 4
No Reading: Post reaction to an Iraqi War blog
Class 7 (4/19) – Google; Directories; Privacy issues
Class 8 (4/21) - Privacy issues, cont. ListServs; Catalist sign up; Usenet exercise
Week 5
Are We Doomed Yet? Reading
Class 9 (4/26) – More Blogs; News Sources
Class 10 (4/28) – Usenet & LISTSERV (revisited); Ask an expert services; Wikipedia – discuss; critique a section; edit;
Week 6
Readings: No reading. Work on Wikipedia entry
Class 11 (5/3) – Digital Collections (American Memory, etc.);
Class 12 (5/5) – Pre-test/discussion
Week 7
Reading: Access to Government Information in a Post 9/11 World (on Reserve)
Class 13 (5/10) – Web Citations; Invisible Web
Class 14 (5/12) – Government Documents - Rob Lopresti
Week 8
Reading: (Internet Tracking Packet)
Class 15 (5/17) – Governance
Class 16 (5/19) – Website Evaluation
Week 9
Reading: Censorship Packet
Class 17 (5/24) – Website Evaluation
Class 18 (5/26) – Internet censorship
Week 10
Reading: My chapter from Web of Deception
Class 19 (5/31) – Q&A Wrap-up
Class 20 (6/2) – Test
Finals Week (no class)