NCSU Department of Communication COM487::Internet & Society
Instructor: Dr. Adriana de Souza e Silva
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Mon. 08.15
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no class | |||
| Wed. 08.17
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course overview | ||||
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1 Cyberspace = cybernetics + space |
Mon. 08.22 | Introduction to cybernetics and information theory. First, second and third cybernetic waves. The influence of cybernetics theory on the vision of cyberspace as an information and immaterial place.
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Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| Wed. 08.24 |
Where does the information space come from? The history of represented spaces.
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Adriana de Souza e Silva , "From Simulations to Hybrid Spaces: How nomadic technologies change the real " (pp. 209-221)
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Research presentwation 01: Atlas of cyberspace, by Kevin G. Reopelle |
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| 2 Cyberspace as space / Interfaces |
Mon. 08.29 |
The origins of computers as space: (real-time demonstration of the software).
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Janet Murray, “From additive to expressive form” (pp. 65-96) | Research presentation 02: Zork, by Natalie J. Alford |
Weekly reflections (blog post) |
| Wed. 08.31 |
The mouse, the monitor, and windows (Douglas Engelbart, demo). The Memex and the first idea of Ted Nelson’s hypertext.
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Steven Johnson, "Bitmapping: an introduction" (pp. 11-41) | Weekly reflections (blog post) | ||
| 3 |
Mon. 09.05 | no class: Holiday (Labor Day)
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| Wed. 09.07 | Guest lecturer: Prof. Steve Wiley
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| 4 Simulations |
Mon. 09.12 | The Macintosh and the desktop metaphor: First signs of immersion in the “computer for the rest of us.”
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Steven Johnson, “The Desktop” (42-75) | Research presentation 04: Xanadu (Teld Nelson), by Kyle Lockhart |
Weekly reflections (blog post) |
| Wed. 09.14 |
Computers as calculators/simulators.
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Sherry Turkle, “A tale of two aesthetics” (29-49) | Research presentation 05: Evolved Virtual Creatures (Karl Sims), by Leslie M. Holleman |
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| 5 Internet |
Mon. 09.19 | Simulations. Karl Sims / The Game of Life / cellular automata.
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Janet Abbate, “Popularizing the Internet” (181-220) | Research presentation 06: TCP/IP, by Craig. D. Williamson |
Weekly reflections (blog post)
Group discussion 01 directions. |
| Wed. 09.21 | Group discussion |
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| 6 Sociability |
Mon. 09.26 | Connecting information spaces: the Internet and WWW. Technical facts.
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| Wed. 09.28 | Building the Internet as a social place (e-mail, e-group, list-serv, Usenet). Communication and sociability -- the history of MUDs. | Julian Dibbell, “The scarlet balloon (or tinygeography, a long view and an overview)”
(pp. 39-59)
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Research presentation 07: LambdaMOO, by Blake A. Schlukbier |
Weekly reflections (blog post)
-- Group discussion report 01 due. |
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| 7 Visualization |
Mon. 10.03 | Visualizing communication environments: Chats.
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Judith Donath, Karrie Karahalios, Fernanda Viegas, “Visualizing Conversations” (pp. 2023-2032)
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Research presentation 08: Seascape (Sociable Media Group), by Leigh C. Samuel | Weekly reflections (blog post)
-- Final paper announcement. |
| Wed. 10.05 | Visualizing MUDs. MUDs as communities. |
Judith Donath, “Part I: the virtual society” (pp. 15-42)
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Research presentation 09: Active Worlds, by Simone E. Houslin
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Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| 8 Body and Identity |
Mon. 10.10 | The construction of the online body. | Angela Thomas , “Digital Literacies of the Cybergirl” (pp. 358-382) | Research presentation 10: Bodies Incorporanted (Victoria Vesna), by Christopher Culpepper
Research presentation 11: Notime (Victoria Vesna), by Cynthia V. Saur
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Weekly reflections (blog post)
-- Topic proposal for final paper. |
| Wed. 10.12 | Telepresence Art. How artists represented virtual spaces. Immersion before the internet. | Inke Arns, "Interaction, Participation, Networking" (pp. 333-348) | Research presentation 12: Telematic Dreaming (Paul Sermon), by Alexander D. Rogers
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Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| 9 Art, games, and virtual environments |
Mon. 10.17 | MUDs as libertarian places? Other representation of virtual spaces: Technosphere. | Kevin Robins, “Cyberspace and the world we live in” (pp. 77-95)
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Research presentation 14: Technosphere (Jane Prophet), by Staci N. Watkins
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Weekly reflections (blog post) |
| Wed. 10.19 | MUDs as libertarian places? | Research presentation 15: Whyville, by Lincoln H. Hamer
Research presentation 16:
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Weekly reflections (blog post)
-- mid-term assignement 02 directions.
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| 10 Art, games and virtual environments |
Mon. 10.24 | MUDs as games, MUDs as learning environments.
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Sasha Barab et. al., “Making Learning Fun: Quest Atlantis, a game without guns ”
(pp. 86-107)
| Research presentation 18: Wikipedia, by Jenn Obrien
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| Wed. 10.26 | Group discussion. | Virtual Worlds: Active Worlds, The Palace, and Lambda MOO.
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-- Initial references list for final paper. | |
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Part III: The mobile Internet
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| 11 The mobile Internet: an introduction |
Mon. 10.31 | The mobile internet: an introduction
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| Wed. 11.02 | Cell phones in the USA | Research presentation 18: WAP, by Katie Lee Saunders Research presentation 19: Research presentation 20: |
Weekly reflections (blog post)
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| 12 Mobile Internet |
Mon. 11.07 | Japanese I-mode. | Howard Rheingold, “Shibuya Epiphany”
(pp. 1-12)
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Research presentation 13: Placeholder, by Carolina Oliva
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Weekly reflections (blog post)
-- mid-term assignment 02 due.
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| Wed. 11.09 | Scandinavian countries: mobile email, and SMS. | Howard Rheingold, “Shibuya Epiphany”
(pp. 12-28)
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Research presentation 22: Happy slapping, by Nick J. Sovich Research presentation 23: |
Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| 13 Interfaces of immateriality |
Mon. 11.14 | Ubiquitous, wearable and pervasive computing | Film: Cyberman
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Research presentation 24: Wearable computer (Steve Mann), by Meghan L. Locklear
Research presentation 25: Dangling String (Natalie Jeremijenko), by Lindsay M. Biggers
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Weekly reflections (blog post)
-- Final paper outline. |
| Wed. 11.16 | Ubiquitous computing. New mobile interfaces: location awareness. | Mark Weiser, "The world is not a desktop" AND "Designing calm technology".
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Research presentation 26: Siemens' Digital Graffito, by Hannah Correll Research presentation 27: Geocaching, by Jeff Reeves
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Weekly reflections (blog post) | |
| 14 Cell phones and places |
Mon. 11.21 | Cell phones in South America: relationships between cell phones, fixed phones, and the Internet.
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Armando Montilla et. al., "'R-A-M' ('RENT-A-MINUTE') The Nano-enterprise: Mobile telephony letting by street vendors in the context of informal sub-economies"
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Research presentation 28: 100-dolar computer (Alan Kay), by Andrew B. Stein | Weekly reflections (blog post) |
| Wed. 11.23
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Thanksgiving Holiday: no class | ||||
| 15 Mobile Games/Art |
Mon. 11.28 | Hybrid reality games | Klopfer, Squire & Jenkins, "Environmental Detectives".
| Research presentation 29: Mogi, by Masood A. Sayed |
Weekly reflections (blog post) |
| Wed. 11.30 | Mobile Art |
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Research presentation 30: Blinkenlights, by Chris Crutchfield
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| 16 Finals week |
Mon. 12.05 | Individual critique/help on work in progress on final paper.
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| Wed. 12.07 | Final paper due. | Final paper due. | Final paper due. | ||