Printers_Gutenberg_pressDTC 375 “Language, Texts, and Technology” explores “the relationship between technology and communication; writing [re: authoring] practices from a historical point of view” (“WSU Catalog”). 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.

Course Materials

  • N. Katherine Hayles.  How We Think:  Digital Media & Contemporary Technogenesis. U of Chicago Press, 978-0-226-32142-4. $25.
  • Douglas Rushkoff.  Program or Be Programmed:  Ten Commands for a Digital Age.  OR Books, 978-1-935928-15-7. $20.
  • Paul Ceruzzi.  Computing:  A Concise History.  The MIT Press. ISBN-10:0-262-51767-1. $12.
  • Nick Montfort et al.  10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10.  ISBN: 978-0-262-01846-3. $30.
  •  Cathy Davidson.  Now You See It:  How the Brain Science of Attention Will Transform the Way We Live, Work, and Learn.  $20

 Assessment

Student assessment will be based on attendance, class participation, projects as follows:

Attendance/Class Participation 10%
Project 1 10%
Project 2: 10%
Project 3: 10%
Project 4: 15%
Project 5: 15%
Project 6: 15%
Final Exam: 15%

Grading

Grading is calculated as follows:

A 94-100
A- 90-93
B+ 88-89
B 84-87
B- 80-83
C+ 78-79
C 74-77
C- 70-76
F Below 70

Attendance

Attendance is required.  Every two days of unexcused absence results in final grade being lowered by one letter grade. University policy regarding excused illness is followed.

Participation

It is obvious when students do not come to class prepared or do not participate in class. Coming to class having read the material, taking notes when appropriate, contributing to class discussion, showing up with assignments ready to go, turning in assignments on time, and attending the time set aside for the final exam are expected. Doing homework for another class or fooling around on email or Facebook, etc. means you are not participating in class.  You will be asked to leave the class if you are not prepared or not participating.

Learning Objectives

This course specifically addresses three of the 10 goals established for the Digital Technology and Culture degree. Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

• Appreciate the history of technological development, from local to global perspectives, and its implications for a variety of mediums (DTC Goal 8).

• Recognize various forms of language processing and their implications for media authoring (DTC Goal 7).

• Be practiced and capable communicators in all media (DTC Goal 10).

Students will develop these competencies through a combination of assigned readings, individual and group projects, peer-to-peer learning, class lectures and interaction, and hands on media content creation.

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Resources

Writing represents thinking.  You are expected, at this point in your academic career, to write at the college level.  Please take care with your work.  All students are encouraged to take advantage of the Writing Center.

Deadlines

Assignments due by start of class, unless noted. Late assignments will not be accepted.

Academic Integrity / Plagairism

Plagiarism (claiming another person’s work as your own) or fabricating research will not be tolerated. Anyone who submits false work, violates the academic integrity policy or cheats in any other way, will fail the assignment in question and possibly the course as well as be reported to the school’s administration, the Office of Student Conduct, for further discipline, including possible expulsion.

Some students may not be clear on what constitutes plagiarism, here is a breakdown of the various types:

1. Failing to use proper citation style for material you borrow, accidentally. (This constitutes either a Category A or B offense).

2. Cutting and pasting parts of a webpage or borrowing passages from a book for your paper without properly citing these parts and claiming the material as your own for the expressed intent of cheating. (This constitutes a Category C offense).

3. Buying papers, borrowing papers, or recycling former papers unrevised and claiming these types of papers as your own for your assignment in this course. (This constitutes a Category C offense).

Here is the how plagiarism is dealt with the first time a student is caught:

Category A: Sloppiness. Automatic “0” on paper, with option to rewrite for no better than a “C”

Category B: Ignorance. Automatic “0” on paper, with option to rewrite for no better than a “C”

Category C: Obvious Conscious Cheating. Automatic “0” on paper, with no option for rewriting

Students caught plagiarizing a second time will be asked to leave the class and will receive an automatic “0” in the course.

Academic integrity is the cornerstone of the university and will be strongly enforced in this course. For additional information about WSUV’s Academic Integrity policy / procedures contact 360-546-9781.

Disability Accommodation

Accommodations may be available if you need them in order to fully participate in this class because of a disability. Accommodations may take some time to implement, so it is critical that you contact Disability Services as soon as possible. All accommodations must be approved through Disability Services, located in the Student Resource Center on the lower level of the Student Services Center 360-546-9138.

Emergency Notification System 

WSU has made an emergency notification system available for faculty, students and staff. Please register at myWSU with emergency contact information (cell, email, text, etc). You may have been prompted to complete emergency contact information when registering for classes on RONet. In the event of a building evacuation, a map at each classroom entrance shows the evacuation point for each building. Please refer to it. Finally, in case of class cancellation campus-wide, please check local media, the WSU Vancouver web page and/or http://www.flashalert.net/. Individual class cancellations may be made at the discretion of the instructor. Each individual is expected to make the best decision for their personal circumstances, taking safety into account.

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