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Contact information:
Dr. Adriana de Souza e Silva
Assistant Professor
NCSU Department of Communication
souzaesilva@ncsu.edu
http://www.souzaesilva.com

Teaching Assistant:
Frances Fu
rfu2@ncsu.edu
Office hours:
by appointment

Class meetings:
Tuesdays and Thursdays , 10:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Winston 213

Credit hours: 3

Class website:
http://courses.ncsu.edu/com487/lec/001/

Office:
Winston 104

Office hours:
by appointment.

Course pre-requisites:
COM257

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Catalog Description:
Exploration of major issues involved in the growth of computer-mediated communication and information technologies, including: construction of self and body; relation of information technology to social, civic, and political life; gender, race, and class as continuing critical points; knowledge and intellectual property; the implications of software and design on the nature of communication, knowledge, and information.

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Course Description:
The primary goal of this class is to investigate interconnections between the Internet and society focusing on the interfaces that allow us to connect to digital spaces. The course will be divided into three main parts.

• Part I includes a historical overview of the development of the Internet. We will explore how the personal computer, as an assemblage of material interfaces (such as the mouse, the keyboard, the screen, and the operational system), shaped not only how we interact with, but also how we understand the Internet. We will investigate how the concept of cyberspace contributed to the visualization of the computer and the Internet as social spaces, leading to the development of MUDs and virtual worlds. In this part, we will draw on literary and science fiction views of the Internet andcyberspace.
• Part II focuses on the Internet today. We will address how blogs, wikis, and social networking sites contribute to the development of what is called web 2.0. We will also explore how the Internet is becoming more integrated into our everyday life via locaiton-based services, mobile social networks and ubiquitous computing, focusing on some of the social implicaitons of these developments, such as privacy and surveillance issues. Finally, we will discuss social access to the Internet, which concerns ideas about the digital divide both in the United States and in developing countries.

The ultimate goal of this class is to raise a discussion about the role of the Internet in contemporary society.

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Course objectives:
Upon successful completion of this course students will be able to:

• Identify major concepts related to cyberspace and the Internet
• Outline the main historical developments of the Internet and the personal computer.
• Explain contemporary issues related to the web 2.0 and pervasive technologies.
• Identify ideas related to the digital divide to the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs)
• Demonstrate general competency in the subject matter through the completion of two exams and a research presentation.

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Course Components and Grading :
The final grade will consist of the following components
Participation: 10 points
Weekly blog posts: 25 points
Discussion / presentation: 15 points
Mid-term exam: 20 points
Final exam: 25 points
Final discussion: 5 points

I will be grading on the University's A+/F scale, as follows:

• 97-100 = A+
• 93-96 = A
• 90-92 = A-
• 87-89 = B+
• 83-86 = B
• 80-82 = B-
• 77-79 = C+
• 73-76 = C
• 70-72 = C-
• 67-69 = D+
• 63-66 = D
• 60-62 = D-
• below = F

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Course policies:

Attendance and absence policy
Attendance is mandatory and required for a successful completion of the course. Unexcused absences will affect your grade directly. Three unexcused absences will result in a reduction of your final grade by 3 points (e.g., from A+ to A), four unexcused absences by 6 points. Five unexcused absences will result in failing the course. Late arrivals are very disruptive for other students. Being more than 10 minutes late to class without proper documentation will count as one unexcused absence. Leaving class early without permission of the instructor will also count as an unexcused absence.

Per University regulations, excused absences must fall into one of two categories:  sanctioned anticipated situations and documented emergency situations.  Anticipated situations (e.g., participation in official University functions, court attendance, religious observances, or military duty) must be submitted in writing at the beginning of the semester or one week prior to the anticipated absence.  Emergency absences (e.g., student illness, injury or death of immediate family member, must be documented by the Student Organization Resource Center 515-3323) within one week of returning to class.  Late work will be accepted only in situations where absences were excused.  Please consult the following website for further information on University attendance regulations:
http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.3.php.

I will take attendance at the begining of each class. It's your responsibility to be in class on time to make sure I take your attendance.

Every lecture, discussion, and presentation from each class period will contain material covered on the midterm and final exam. Consequently, you will need to be present in class, alert, and involved in order to grasp the material, ask questions about it when necessary, learn it, and pass the course. If you should miss a class, it is your responsibility to get notes and explanations from a classmate.

Requirements for Credit-Only
In order to receive a grade of S, students are required to take all exams and quizzes, complete all assignments, and earn a grade of C- or better. Conversion from letter grading to credit only (S/U) grading is subject to university deadlines. Refer to the Registration and Records calendar for deadlines related to grading. For more details refer to:  http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.15.php
**Note that students cannot take this course for credit-only if they intend to count it toward a Communication major.

Requirements for Auditors
For details refer to:
http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/grades_undergrad/REG02.50.3.php

Incomplete and late assignments
Late assignments will only be accepted in the case of verified/documented emergencies. See the University Attendance Policy http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.3.php
Midterm and final exams: Points earned for late take home exams will be reduced by 50% if received within 24 hours of due date and time due. Exams received later will not be accepted unless in accordance with the excused absence policy referenced above.

Blog posts: Late blog posts will automatically receive a 0. If you have an excused absence, you can still get credit to your blog post if you post it within one week of the absence.

Class evaluation
Schedule: Online class evaluations will be available for students to complete during the last 2 weeks of spring term: 8 a.m. April 21 through 8 a.m. May 5.

Students will receive an email message directing them to a website where they can login using their Unity ID and complete evaluations. All evaluations are confidential; instructors will not know how any one student responded to any question, and students will not know the ratings for any instructors.

• Evaluation website: https://classeval.ncsu.edu/
• Student help desk: classeval@ncsu.edu
• More information about ClassEval: http://www.ncsu.edu/UPA/classeval/

Laptop policy
Laptop use is allowed in class only with permission of the instructor for class related assignments. If you use your laptop without permission, to do non-related course activities (e.g., check email, surf the internet, etc.) this will affect your participation grade.

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Policy statements:

Academic integrity
Students are bound by academic integrity policy as stated in NCSU Code of Student Conduct: http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/student_services/student_discipline/POL11.35.1.php.

Students are required to uphold the university pledge of honor and exercise honesty in completing every assignment. Instructors may require students to write the Honor’s Pledge on every exam and assignment and to sign or type their name after the pledge. (“I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this test or assignment.”).

A student shall be guilty of a violation of academic integrity if he or she:

• Represents the work of others as your own;
  
• Obtains assistance in any academic work from another individual in a situation in which you are expected to perform independently;
  
• Gives assistance to another individual in a situation in which that individual is expected to perform independently;
  
• Offers false data in support of laboratory or field work.
  

Plagiarism: Plagiarism is an act of deceit that is taken very seriously by the Department of Communication and by the University. Plagiarism is writing using someone's works -- be it word or ideas -- without giving her or him credit. If you are found plagiarizing you risk failure and even more stringent disciplinary actions. This is particularly important with web-based materials. If you use someone else's image/words/audio, you must give appropriate credit. For an extended explanation of plagiarism, please go to: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/scc/tutorial/plagiarism/what.html 

If you are in doubt regarding any matter relating to the standards of academic integrity in this course or on an assignment, consult with me before presenting the work. By submitting an assignment to be evaluated, you are certifying that you have not received unauthorized help on assignment.

Adverse Weather
Read the complete adverse weather policy for more info: http://www.fis.ncsu.edu/hr/hrim/adverseweather.asp . Check email, news, the NCSU home page, or call 513-8888 for the latest information.

Students with disabilities
Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with verifiable disabilities. In order to take advantage of available accommodations, students must register with Disability Services for Students at 1900 Student Health Center, Campus Box 7509, 515-7653 http://www.ncsu.edu/dso/. For more information on NC State’s policy on working with students with disabilities, please see the Academic Accommodations for Students with Disabilities Regulation (REG02.20.1) at  http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/academic_affairs/courses_undergrad/REG02.20.1.php.

Electronic Hosted Course Components
Students may be required to disclose personally identifiable information to other students in the course, via electronic tools like email or web postings, where relevant to the course. Examples include online discussions of class topics, and posting of student coursework. All students are expected to respect the privacy of each other by not sharing or using such information outside the course.

Anti-Discrimination Statement
NC State University provides equality of opportunity in education and employment for all students and employees. Accordingly, NC State affirms its commitment to maintain a work environment for all employees and an academic environment for all students that is free from all forms of discrimination. Discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, creed, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation is a violation of state and federal law and/or NC State University policy and will not be tolerated. Harassment of any person (either in the form of quid pro quo or creation of a hostile environment) based on color, religion, sex, creed, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation is also a violation of state and federal law and/or NC State University policy and will not be tolerated. Retaliation against any person who complains about discrimination is also prohibited. NC State’s policies and regulations covering discrimination, harassment, and retaliation may be accessed at http://www.ncsu.edu/policies/campus_environ or http://www.ncsu.edu/equal_op . Any person who feels that he or she has been the subject of prohibited discrimination, harassment, or retaliation should contact the Office for Equal Opportunity (OEO) at 515-3148.

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