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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

Class meetings:
Tuesdays, 3:00 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.
Winston 209

Credit hours: 3

Class website:
http://www.chass.ncsu.edu/com547

Office:
Winston 201K

Office hours:
By appointment.

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Course Description:
This graduate seminar explores the inter-relations among mobile technologies (cell phones, PDAs), location-based activities, and playful/social spaces. It investigates how multiuser games/environments can be brought into physical spaces, thus transforming our perception of urban public spaces. By creating social networks in public spaces, these games also change communication patterns among players, as well as the very concept of the cell phone.

The course explores three main areas with the ultimate goal of finding interconnections between gaming and social networks. The first part is dedicated to the definition of basic multiuser gaming concepts. We will define games as social, spatial and (non)narrative activities. Then, we will explore the history of games as social environments, with particular emphasis on role-playing games (RPGs) and multi-user domains (MUDs), as predecessor of hybrid reality/location-based gaming. In the final section we will investigate the concept of mobile gaming, exploring and defining different types of games which use the physical space as the game environment, such as pervasive games, location-based games, and hybrid reality games. Along the course, we will discuss possibilities for these games to be used beyond pure entertainment, drawing connections among gaming, education, art, and other location-based activities.

The overarching goal of this class is two-fold. First, it will help students to draw connections between games and the creation of social networks via the analysis of games as social and spatial activities. Second, students will apply these concepts to the definition of mobile and location aware gaming. Broadly, the course focuses on identifying how mobile, location aware and wireless interfaces influence communication and society, changing perceptions of urban spaces.

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

• Identify games as social and spatial activities.
• Apply the concept of social networks to games.
• Define and describe hybrid reality games, location-based games and pervasive games.
• Draw connections between games and the construction of social spaces.
• Outline the history of social gaming.
• Explain how mobile, location aware and wireless interfaces influence communication and society, changing perceptions of urban spaces.

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Course Components and Grading:
Gaming database: 10 points
Weekly blog posts: 10 points
Text presentations: 30 points (15 points each)
Final paper / project: 50 points

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

• 98-100 = A+
• 93-97 = A
• 90-92 = A-
• 88-89 = B+
• 83-87 = B
• 80-82 = B-
• 78-79 = C+
• 73-77 = C
• 70-72 = C-
• 68-69 = D+
• 63-67 = D
• 60-62 = D-
• below = F

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Course policies:

Attendance:
As this is a graduate level course, I won’t be taking attendance every class. However, I expect that you come to every meeting and act as an active participant in the class discussions. The success of a seminar type class depends on the level of participation and involvement of the students. Participation entails not only attending the class but coming prepared having done all the readings, having made an honest attempt at understanding the author’s argument, and bringing reading notes and questions you’d like to ask. Should you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get notes and explanations from a classmate.

One of the premises that make a good researcher is the level of curiosity and independence that you achieve in your research work. As a graduate a student, I expect you to be interested in and curious about the topic, and not expecting me to tell you step by step what to do. Part of your grade depends on your creativity and ability to look for outside sources and information by yourself. I am here to guide you, not to give you all the answers.

Course structure and Evaluation
This course is run as a seminar. Learning in a seminar format depends upon preparation and involvement by the students as well as the professor. Therefore, it is very important that you not only read the assigned material, but also that you critically examine and interrogate it. The following questions should help you to do so:

• What are the main ideas and concepts of the text?
• How does this text connect with other readings in the course, class discussions, as well as with relevant outside materials?
• To what extent does this text allow me to understand games in general and hybrid reality games in particular? How does it apply to practical ventures/my own experience?
• What doesn’t make sense to me? What are the strengths and weaknesses of this text?

Each class, one student will be responsible for presenting a text and leading class discussion. As the text discussion is also part of your presentation grade, you are also responsible for your colleague’s grade (as she or he is responsible for yours). So coming to class prepared to answer and ask questions is a fundamental part of this assignment.

A general task to be performed along the course is the development of a database of sources (scholarly and non-scholarly) about gaming and social networks. You need to bring in newspaper /magazine clippings, ads, web pages, exhibit announcements, video clips, or any other artifact you may run across that in relate to the issues raised in the readings for that class period. Each student should plan on bringing at least one source each week. A digital version of you source will also be posted on the class wiki. If your source is a website, you can link the URL.

Class Evaluation
Online class evaluations will be available for students to complete during the last two weeks of class (November 26-December 9). 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 never know how any one student responded to any question, and students will never know the ratings for any particular instructors.

Evaluation website: https://classeval.ncsu.edu
Student help desk: classeval@ncsu.edu
More information about ClassEval: http://www2.acs.ncsu.edu/UPA/classeval/index.htm

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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.”) Academic Integrity website: http://www.ncsu.edu/student_affairs/osc/AIpage/acaintegrity.html

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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