Class Projects

UnknownThe Approach

“Language, Texts, and Technology” aims to educate you about the relationships among three concepts: language, texts, and technology.  It is understood in this context (since DTC 375 is a Core 1 course for a digital media program) that these three concepts refer specifically to computer language, computer-based texts, and computer technology.  Therefore, it stands to reason that your projects will be closely connected to objects associated with computers.  Three contemporary tools that are easy to produce and provides good potential for intellectual and creative expression are WordPress, iBook. And Prezi.  Thus, your class projects will center on the production of these objects and will reflect what you have learned in the course.

Project 1: How to Read Texts and What It Means to Be a DTC Major. Hayles, How We Think, Chs. 1-3; WordPress.

In this section of the course we will read three chapters from N. Katherine Hayles’ How We Think, a book that encapsulates the notion of language, texts, and technology well. The chapters on which we focus specifically address the influence of computers upon cognition, learning and the academy.  It also introduces Digital Humanities and provides a place in which we can talk about the CMDC program and the approaches to education that we embrace. You will work with Word Press during this segment of the course since it is a popular CMS that you should know how to manipulate.

Included on your WordPress site should be the following components:

  • Responses (polished) to questions from Chapter 2
  • 250-500 word Reflective Essay

Due Date:  Tuesday, February 4, at the beginning of class
Assessment Value:  10%

 

Project 2: How to Think about Your Use of Technology. Rushkoff, Program or Be Programmed. WordPress.

This section of the course centers on the philosophical grounding for a study of language, texts, and technology, using Douglas Rushkoff’s Program or Be Programmed:  Ten Commands for a Digital Age as our guide through this line of inquiry.  You will continue to build your skills with WordPress by adding assets to your site and learning more about styling templates.

Included in your WordPress site should be the following components:

  • Responses (polished) to questions from all chapters
  • 100-word summaries for chapters 8-10
  • 250-500 word Reflective Essay

Due Date:  Tuesday, February 25, at the beginning of class
Assessment Value:  10%

 

Project 3: The History of Computer Technology. Ceruzzi, Computing. iBook Author, with PDF linked off WordPress site.

In this section of the course we move into a study of the history of computing, using Paul Ceruzzi’s book, Computing: A Concise History, as the main reference.  You will gain a strong understanding of how we have arrived, in 2013, in this stage of computing, who the major players were who forged this trail, and what the terms you should know in order to be in control of your computing environment, as Rushkoff suggests. To broaden your knowledge of multimedia texts, you will experiment with iBook for this project.

Included in iBook should be the following components:

  • Glossary (polished) Terms
  • 250-500 word Reflective Essay

Due Date:  Tuesday, March 11, at the beginning of class
Assessment Value: 10%

Special Directions:  I will upload your book on my iPad; you will also save a copy as a PDF and link it from your iBook site.  You will also make a pdf of your iBook and put a link to it on your WP site so that you can reflect the Ceruzzi book on your WordPress site.

 

Project 4:  Code as Text and the Impact of Computer Technology upon Culture. Montfort et al, 10 Print; close read even chapters; scan odd ones. Prezi, linked off WordPress site.

Thinking and language are linked activities of mind. This portion of the course, therefore, shifts to a discussion of this relationship, especially as it plays out with code, as discussed in depth by Nick Montfort et al in 10 Print Chr$(205.5+RND(1)); : Goto 10.  You will experiment with Prezi and participate in a team presentation.

Included in your WordPress site should be the following components:

  • Prezi Presentation, saved as a PDF and linked off the site
  • Responses (polished) to presentations
  • 250-word Reflective Essay:

Due Date:  Tuesday, April 8, at the beginning of class
Assessment Value:  15%

 

Project 5:  How We Learn. Davidson, Now You See It; close read chs. Introduction, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, conclusion; scan 1, 8. WordPress.

In this section of our course, we will return to the notion of cognition, this time from the perspective of learning and unlearning, as argued by Cathy Davidson in her book, Now You See It.  We return to WordPress as our main authoring platform to see if you have indeed learned new ideas after working with iBook Author and Prezi.

Included in your WordPress site should be the following components:

  • Team responses (polished) to questions
  • Notes (polished) from the Guest Lecture
  • 250-500 word Reflective Essay

Due Date:  Thursday, April 24, at the beginning of class
Assessment Value:  15%

 

Project 6:  Postscript: Expanded Notions of Text. Postscript: Discussion “From pBooks to dBooks.” WordPress.

We wrap up the course with a discussion of the history and future of the “book.”  Our discussion will be drawn from several handouts, especially a synopsis of S. H. Steinberg’s Five Hundred years of Printing, as well as your firsthand experience in producing multimedia texts during the semester.

Included in your WordPress site should be the following components:

  • Responses (polished) to questions
  • Revision to the Mediums Chart
  • 250-500 word Reflective Essay

Due Date:  On final exam day, with final exam
Assessment Value:  15%

 

 

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