Participation Assignments

Class Participation (16%)

This is an in-class assignment. You do not need to submit anything to Canvas.

This is an in-class, individual participation assignment that allows you to engage in class discussions by making contributions to conversations in class. You are required to engage in the class discussion at least once, in class, each week. Please note that participation means making a meaningful contribution to an ongoing discussion; simply attending class or nodding along as another student talks does not count as class participation.

You are permitted two free, unexcused absences over the course of the semester (no explanation needed), and of course you won't be penalized for a legitimate, excused absence (just drop me an email explaining what is happening, before class if possible). Each week of non-participation (beyond the two free passes and excused absences) will subtract a point from your class participation grade.

Group Explorations (24%)

This is an in-class assignment. You do not need to submit anything to Canvas.

This is an in-class, group participation assignment that allows you discuss key questions related to class topics in small groups, and present ideas to the class as a whole. Six times during the semester, we will engage in small group explorations, each lasting for one week (i.e., two class sessions). Each group exploration is worth four points.

We will examine different questions for each group exploration. Groups will be assigned at random, and you and your group will spend Tuesday in class (and whatever additional time you feel necessary between Tuesday and Thursday) exploring the given questions, and preparing your ideas to be presented in class on Thursday.

Each group will be responsible for presenting their own answers to the questions, which should take the form of some kind of visual (Google Slides, PowerPoint, etc.) that we can display on the projector. Presentations should be highly visual, engaging, and informative; be sure to include images and citations in your presentation! Given time constraints, group presentations will be strictly limited to five minutes each.

Please note that while there will be only one presentation per group, every group member should be involved with their group's presentation in some way. If you are going to miss either a Tuesday or a Thursday session during a week when we have a Group Exploration scheduled, please let me know ASAP.

Writing Assignments

Interest Paper (10%)

This is an individual written assignment due Sunday, February 6. Please submit your assignment to Canvas.

This is an individual written assignment that provides you with the opportunity to begin exploring the societal implications and unintended consequences of life in the information age. To prepare for writing this paper, think about the following three questions:

1. What interests you about how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with each other and the world around us, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically?
2. What are some examples of the information resources, services, systems, or technologies used in the modern information society that are related to your chosen topic?
3. What are the pros and cons of the sociotechnical trade-offs we make as we work with these information resources, services, systems, or technologies in our everyday lives?

For example, you might be interested in topics such as Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, the Gig Economy, Home Automation, the Internet of Things, Personal Digital Assistants, Information Privacy, Big Tech, Big Data, Location Tracking, Biometrics, Cybersecurity, Social Media, Internet Addiction, Virtual Reality, Electronic Health Records, Cloud Computing, Mobile Devices, Self-Driving Cars, Misinformation, Disinformation, Disruptive Technologies, Surveillance Capitalism, Digital Ethics, Digital Ownership, E-Commerce, Information Overload, or Digital Citizenship.

Please note that your goal here is not to focus on one specific information technology (e.g., Twitter or Instagram) but to identify one aspect of how life in the information society is being shaped by information technologies (e.g., the Dangers of Social Media Addiction); you may of course use specific technologies as examples of that aspect in your papers.

Please note also that your choice of topic here is not set in stone. You will have the opportunity to adjust your thoughts as you proceed through the required writing assignments in this class, based on the feedback you receive from the instructor and your peers, and as you learn more about the topic you have selected.

Once you have identified a topic, and considered the above questions, write a paper covering the following three points, in this order, using headings to separate the paper into three distinct sections:

1. Identify your chosen aspect of how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with the world around us, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically. Why is this topic important, and why does this topic interest you?
2. Provide a short list of information resources, services, systems, or technologies that relate to your chosen topic, and that you feel have the potential to serve as useful examples of the unintended consequences of your topic for modern society.
3. Discuss some of the pros and cons of the sociotechnical trade-offs we make as we work with these information resources, services, systems, or technologies in our everyday lives. What do you think are some of the societal implications and unintended consequences of this aspect of life in the information age?

Please note that you will have the opportunity to explore these issues in greater detail in future assignments as you complete an annotated bibliography and write the draft and final versions of your research paper.

Submit your assignment to Canvas under the "Interest Paper" assignment. Please make sure your paper includes a title page with your name, the name and number of the course, the instructor's name, the name of the assignment, and the date submitted. Length: minimum 1000 words.

Peer Reviews of Interest Paper (5%)

This is a student peer review assignment due Sunday, February 20. Please complete your peer reviews on Canvas.

This is a student peer review assignment that allows you to provide feedback to your classmates on the aspect of how life in the information society is being shaped by information technologies that they have chosen to study and write about during this class. You are not expected to critique their writing, but rather to provide useful feedback about the topic they selected, the information resources, services, systems, or technologies that relate to their chosen topic, and where they might go with this topic over the semester.

Each student will be provided with two Interest Papers to review using the built-in peer review feature on Canvas. Make sure you complete the assignment rubric and provide written comments for both of the papers you are asked to review. When providing written feedback, you might find it useful to consider the following questions:

1. Is the aspect of how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with the world around us, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically selected by the student clearly identified and described? Do you have any suggestions for refining or clarifying their choice of topic?
2. Do the information resources, services, systems, or technologies offered by the student provide suitable examples for exploring the unintended consequences of their chosen topic for modern society? Are there other examples that this student might consider in addition to the ones they selected?
3. Is the student's choice of intended topic suitably explained? Do you have any additional suggestions for why it would be useful or interesting for them to explore the societal implications and unintended consequences of this aspect of life in the information age?

Submit your peer reviews to Canvas using the peer review feature for the Interest Paper assignment.

Annotated Bibliography (10%)

This is an individual written assignment due Sunday, March 6. Please submit your assignment to Canvas.

This is an individual writing assignment that provides you the opportunity to learn as much as possible about your selected topic before beginning your research paper by exploring what others have written about the societal implications and unintended consequences of your chosen aspect of life in the information age.

Building off your previous explorations, and using the information resources available to you, research your chosen aspect of how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with the world around us, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically.

Find at least ten (10) readings or resources that examine the unintended consequences or the pros and cons of the sociotechnical trade-offs we make as we work with information resources, services, systems, or technologies in the modern information society that are related to your chosen topic. These do not need to be peer-reviewed journal articles, but should include some sort of written text.

When you are ready, prepared an annotated bibliography covering the following points, in this order, using headings and subheadings to separate the paper into distinct sections:

1. Identify your chosen aspect of how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with the world around us, and discuss any differences that have occurred to your thoughts on this topic since you originally proposed it in your interest paper.
2. For each of the (ten minimum) readings or resources you identified related to your topic:
   • Provide a complete citation to the reading or resource. You may use any citation style you prefer or are comfortable with, but please be consistent in your use of that style for all of your citations.
   • Provide a brief annotation (50-100 words) explaining (a) the concept (or concepts) related to the unintended consequences of your selected topic for modern society that is covered in this reading or resource; and (b) how this reading or resource will be helpful to you as you explore your chosen topic in your research paper.

Submit your assignment to Canvas under the "Annotated Bibliography" assignment. Please make sure your paper includes a title page with your name, the name and number of the course, the instructor's name, the name of the assignment, and the date submitted. Length: minimum 1000 words.

Draft Paper (15%)

This is an individual written assignment due Sunday, March 27. Please submit your assignment to Canvas.

This is an individual written assignment that provides you with the opportunity to explore the societal implications and unintended consequences of your chosen aspect of life in the information age, and discuss the pros and cons of the sociotechnical trade-offs we make as we work with related information resources, services, systems, or technologies.

To prepare for writing this paper, think about the unintended, unanticipated, or unexpected consequences of your chosen aspect of how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with the world around us, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically.

Think carefully about key issues, questions, and concerns related to your chosen topic that you have learned from your research, and consider where the unintended consequences of this aspect of life in the information age may take us in the future.

When you are ready, write a research paper covering the following four points, in this order, using headings to separate the paper into four distinct sections:

1. Introduction. Identify your chosen aspect of how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with the world around us, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically. Discuss the significance of this topic for modern society, and explain why it is important for us to develop a better understanding of the unintended consequences of this aspect of life in the information society.
2. Literature Review. Using the readings or resources that you found for your annotated bibliography (plus anything else you've found since then), provide an overview of the (presumably, multiple) things that you have discovered about the unintended consequences of your selected topic for modern society, past and present. Your goal here is to explain how this aspect of life in the information society has affected us in the past and/or is affecting us now, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically. Please organize this section thematically using subheadings to group the lessons you learned into different themes. While each of your readings or resources should be cited at least once in your paper, please do not organize this section around the readings themselves; a good literature review is an analysis of research organized thematically that provides a suitable background for the reader to understand the rest of your paper, not a series of individual "book reports."
3. Future Problems. Discuss in detail the future implications -- both positive and negative -- of your chosen topic for humanity as a whole, and explain the pros and cons of the sociotechnical trade-offs we make as we work with related information resources, services, systems, or technologies. Based on what you have learned in your research and the unintended consequences we have witnessed so far, where do you think the unintended consequences of your chosen topic might take us if they continue along their current trajectory? How is this aspect of life in the information society likely to affect us in the future in unexpected, unanticipated, and unintended ways, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically? Please cite relevant readings or resources as necessary during your discussion.
4. Future Solutions. Discuss in detail the possible solutions or plans of action that might mitigate the negative implications and accentuate the positive implications identified in the previous section, and explain what steps (if any) we should take to keep this aspect of life in the information age from disrupting modern society in unexpected, unanticipated, and unintended ways. What recommendations do you have that we should consider as we work with related information resources, services, systems, or technologies to ensure future outcomes are positive, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically? How likely do you think it is that society as a whole will be able to implement your recommendations for moving forward, and what do you think is the best way to encourage others to embrace your proposed solutions? Please cite relevant readings or resources as necessary during your discussion.

Include a list of references at the end of your paper that provides a complete citation to each of the readings or resources you cite in this paper. You may use any citation style you choose as long as you are consistent (and provide sufficient information for someone to locate the resources you used). The references you include here can be the same references you listed in your annotated bibliography (although you do not need to include the annotations this time).

Submit your assignment to Canvas under the "Draft Paper" assignment. Please make sure your paper includes a title page with your name, the name and number of the course, the instructor's name, the name of the assignment, and the date submitted. Length: minimum 2500 words.

Peer Reviews of Draft Paper (5%)

This is a student peer review assignment due Sunday, April 10. Please complete your peer reviews on Canvas.

This is a student peer review assignment that allows you to provide feedback to your classmates on the aspect of how life in the information society is being shaped by information technologies that they have chosen to study and write about during this class. You are not expected to critique their writing, but rather to provide useful feedback about the topic they selected, the information resources, services, systems, or technologies that relate to their chosen topic, and where they might go with this topic over the semester.

Each student will be provided with two Draft Papers to review using the built-in peer review feature on Canvas. Make sure you complete the assignment rubric and provide written comments for both of the papers you are asked to review. When providing written feedback, you might find it useful to consider the following questions:

1. Is the aspect of how society's increased reliance on information technology has changed the way we interact with the world around us, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically selected by the student clearly identified and described? Is the significance of this topic for modern society discussed? Do you have any additional suggestions about why it is important for us to develop a better understanding of the societal implications and unintended consequences of this aspect of life in the information age?
2. Does the student include at least ten (10) readings or resources? Does the student use these resources to review the key issues related to the unintended consequences of their selected topic for modern society, past and present? Were these key issues discussed thematically (i.e., grouped into different themes)? Do you have any suggestions for additional key issues related to the topic the student might want to explore?
3. Does the student explore the future implications -- positive and negative -- of their chosen topic for humanity as a whole, and explain the pros and cons of the sociotechnical trade-offs we make as we work with related information resources, services, systems, or technologies? Do you have any additional suggestions for how this aspect of life in the information society is likely to affect us in the future in unexpected, unanticipated, and unintended ways, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically?
4. Does the student discuss possible solutions or plans of action that might mitigate the negative implications and accentuate the positive implications identified in the paper? Do you have any additional suggestions for recommendations that we should consider as we work with related information resources, services, systems, or technologies to ensure future outcomes are positive, societally, legally, culturally, or ethically?
5. Does the student provide a bibliography listing the readings or resources cited in the paper? Are the citations internally consistent, and do they provide sufficient information for someone to locate the works cited?

Submit your peer reviews to Canvas using the peer review feature for the Draft Paper assignment.

Final Paper (15%)

This is an individual written assignment due Sunday, April 24. Please submit your assignment to Canvas.

This is an individual written assignment that allows you to complete your final paper, respond to the feedback you have received, and wrap up your exploration of the societal implications and unintended consequences of your chosen aspect of life in the information age.

Based on the feedback you have received from your peers and the instructor, revise, edit, and/or re-write your draft paper, addressing the concerns or issues raised. Make sure you have completed all parts of the paper as detailed in the “Draft Paper” assignment description above.

Along with your final paper, please include (either at the beginning or end of your paper, or as a separate file) a brief explanation that describes the changes you made to your paper, and explains how you incorporated the suggestions you received in your revisions. You should not feel obligated to make changes that you feel are inappropriate, so should you disagree with a suggestion, please explain this in your document as well.

Submit your assignment to Canvas under the "Final Paper" assignment. Please make sure your paper includes a title page with your name, the name and number of the course, the instructor's name, the name of the assignment, and the date submitted. Length: minimum 2500 words.

Notes on Writing Assignments

Submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (EDT or EST, as appropriate) on the dates indicated above. Late assignments will not receive full credit. If you have extenuating circumstances, please let me know ASAP.

When the papers are marked, points will be assigned based on the assumption that you have carefully followed, read, and understood the assignment descriptions. Please do not hesitate to ask for clarifications!

Written Assignments should be submitted to Canvas as an individual file (PDF preferred), and please make sure your surname is part of the filename.

All submissions must include a title page with your name, the name and number of the course, the instructor's name, the name of the assignment, and the date submitted.

You are required to use headings and subheadings to make the organization of your paper clear to the reader. The main headings in your paper must correspond to the main sections of the assignment descriptions, listed above. Subdivide each section to reflect its content as necessary.

Papers must be demonstrably spell-checked, grammar-checked, and proofread for nonsense; failure to do so will result in a lower grade.