CJN 721 AE: e-Communities & the Digital Divide
Fall 2007
Course Syllabus
INSTRUCTOR
Dr. Deb Geisler
Ridgeway 403
Department of Communication and Journalism
Phone: 617/573-8504 (office)
978/777-3204 (home, before 10 p.m.)
617/742-6982 (fax, office)
dgeisler@suffolk.edu
Office Hours:
TTh, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Wed. 11-3 (Other hours by
appointment or drop by.)
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course explores the nature of the Internet as a socio-political tool, from
its inception as a force for American military protection to the modern uses of
the internet in e-commerce and business. Among the issues which will be
explored are the American Internet Advantage, the political impact of the
internet, the use of the internet in education, the need to protect children,
the internet as a tool for law-breaking (and enforcement), and the
marginalizing of groups on the other side of the “digital divide.”
TEXTBOOKS, WEB SITE
All readings will be assigned online or provided in class.
The materials for this class will be available at http://www.clearether.com/721. Please check this site weekly.
ASSIGNMENTS, EXAMINATIONS
Five brief papers will be assigned during the semester. Please see the
weekly schedule for approximate due dates. These papers will be typed, double
spaced, and error-free. There may be other, shorter assignments. These will be
based on my whim or caprice.
One final, take-home examination will be assigned.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance in this course is required. Students are responsible for
checking with the instructor (me) about material they may have missed as a
result of absences. I won't look for you. If you don't turn it in,
you get a zero.
Missed Exams, Late Papers. Students missing examinations
for health reasons or for other very, very good reasons may, upon approval of
the instructor, be permitted to take the missed examination.
Late papers will be penalized 10% of the total point value for each day late.
Papers should be turned in as hard copy.
Students emailing papers are responsible for ensuring that they have actually
reached me. “The Internet ate my paper” is not a valid reason for
turning work in late.
GRADING
Grading in this course will be based on the following percentage breakdowns of
student assignments, exams and attendance:
Papers & so on
75%
Final Examination 20%
Attendance
5%
TOTAL
100%
Grading Scale. The following scale will
be used for student grades in this course:
|
94-100 = A |
87-90 = B+ |
77-80 = C+ |
|
91-93 = A- |
84-86 = B |
74-76 = C |
|
|
81-83 = B- |
Below 74 = Failing |
ACADEMIC
DISHONESTY
Cheating, plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty
are repugnant to this instructor, and they are particularly reprehensible in
those pursuing graduate study. Students found engaging in academically
dishonest acts will be failed for the assignment, failed for the
course, and dismissed from the M.A. in Communication program.
THERE WILL BE NO EXCEPTIONS.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
|
Please note that "assignments" here are graded papers, etc. See the Assignments page for more details as each is assigned. Do note, however, that if you miss class, you should check with the instructor in case some assignment was made in class only. All reading assignments may be found on the Readings page. |
|
Week |
Dates |
Subject |
Assignment |
|
|
1 |
9/6 |
Historic/social overview |
||
|
2 |
9/13 |
Digital Democracy |
Political campaign pages |
|
|
3 |
9/20 |
Minority Report |
||
|
4 |
9/27 |
Marginalized Political Groups |
eVoting analysis |
|
|
5 |
10/4 |
American Digital Advantage |
||
|
6 |
10/11 |
Building virtual communities |
Roll your own blog |
|
|
7 |
10/18 |
Gender communities |
||
|
8 |
10/25 |
Religious communities |
||
|
9 |
11/1 |
Sexual preference/practice |
Cyberfaith |
|
|
10 |
11/8 |
Race, ethnicity, identification |
||
|
11 |
11/15 |
Race/ethnicity & ecommerce |
Issues of race/ethnicity |
|
|
12 |
11/22 |
Thanksgiving Recess; no classes |
||
|
13 |
11/29 |
Children & the internet |
||
|
14 |
12/6 |
Safe surfing for kids |
||
Please note dates in bold, above. These reflect irregularities in our schedule.
Final Examination: Thursday, December 13, 8-9:50 p.m.