CIS 300 Living in the Information Age: Writing Emphasis goes Online

David Gibbs

Department of Mathematics and Computing University of Wisconsin-Stevens PointStevens Point, WI 54481

dgibbs@uwsp.edu

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Introduction

UW-Stevens Point Writing Emphasis courses since

1981-82 academic year

Online Courses since 1996

“Living in the Information Age” combines both

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The Learning Environment

Blackboard Courseware Discussion forums Document distribution Online gradebook Virtual classroom File exchange

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Blackboard Welcome Screen

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The Course and its Activities

Students…

Read and write

Read and respond in peer editing

Read and reply in discussion forums

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The Activities Reading

books websites handouts

e-News posts “Because-You-Can” (BYC) posts Web Exercises

Each activity requires reading and writing

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Readings: Books Technopoly

by Neil Postman What Will Be

by Michael Dertouzos Brave New World

by Aldous Huxley

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Readings: Web Pages

THE CORE RULES OF NETIQUETTE http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html

From Big Brother to Electronic Panopticon(David Lyon)

http://www.rochester.edu/College/FS/Publications/Lyon.html

Digital Angel: The Personal Safety and Location System using GPS

http://www.digitalangel.net/consumer.asp

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e-News Posting

An e-News post is a current news item of interest that is related to the Information Age.

Two students post each week All students read and respond

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e-News Posting: exampleDiscussion Board Current Forum: e-News DiscussionDate: Sun Nov 11 2001 6:16 pmAuthor:Subject: Software that puts porn in the trash

Many Corporate firms are looking into this new software package that recognizes porn in an email message, and disposes of it in the trash before you can even read it. This software is designed to clean up corporate e-mail, but can also be used to keep certain images with in a company, and remove certain images of say the World Trade Center.

http://www.msnbc.com/news/653155.asp

Should people have their email checked for porn? Do you think that porn is such a big deal that there needs to be such a software package designed for this purpose? Are the other reasons for this software legitimate? What if UWSP obtained such a package?

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“Because-You-Can” (BYC) Similar to an e-News posting

Somewhat whimsical

Find an example of a technology for which the only answer to the question “Why would you even create that?” is: “BYC”;

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BYC : example 1http://www.d-3.com/deadpet/

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BYC : example 2http://www.monkeyphonecall.com

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Web Exercises

Involve some exploring of the web

Goal is to lead to a deeper understanding of “Life in the Information Age”

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Web Exercises: exampleWeb Exercise: Subscribe to a list of your choice

Learn about lists by following some of the links at PBS' Guide to Understanding the Internet.

Then, subscribe to a list of your choice. You may wish to use L-Soft List Search. Find a list that informs an academic interest you may have - perhaps related to your major.

Another good source for lists can be found at the Publicly Accessible Mailing Lists Search Form.

After finding and subscribing to a list of interest to you, forward (or copy and paste) the (e-mail) confirmation notice to Professor Gibbs and Cc: the entire class using the class list CIS 300 Sec 1 (200210).

Use a subject line of "Web Exercise-Lists". Include a brief description of why you chose that list and what you hope to learn from it.

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Web Exercises: exampleWeb Exercise: Information, Disinformation, and Lies

This web exercise continues our examination of the information available on the Internet. It is not surprising there are more sites dedicated to disinformation than we can possibly examine. Be that as it may, we'll focus on a few sites to see if we can separate the wheat from the chaff.

First of all, not everything on the 'net need be taken so darn seriously. Some of it is genuinely quaint. Try this!

OK! Adequately humbled? Surely some of you have been taken by some 'net hoaxes. I was... early on. Now I assume just about everything is a hoax.

What do you do if someone sends you notice of a virus on e-mail? Forward it to everyone - cautiously warning them? NO! Here are some suggestions.

The good news about hoaxes is that there is a lot of information about them out there... if you can believe it. (That's bad, I know.) Follow some of the links from the sites listed below.

After looking around for a bit, find your "favorite" Internet Hoax or Urban Myth and share it with your classmates by posting it in the discussion forum in Blackboard.   Describe the hoax and provide the url, so others can also check it out!

Favorite Net Hoaxes About.com: Urban Legends and Folklore Truth or Fiction

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Web Exercises: exampleWeb Exercise: "Easter Eggs"

What is an Easter Egg? In technology circles, it is "any amusing tidbit that creators hid in their creations".

Read an article and then check out the website dedicated to Easter Eggs and learn all about them, a Select a computer-based Easter Egg and see if you can "find it" on your system. Then report on it - describing the egg and if/how you found it - providing a link (if possible) - in the discussion forum dedicated to that purpose.

Lastly (please address this in a separate paragraph), do you think software companies and programmers should add "Easter Eggs" to their software? Is this a waste of time (and your program space) or is it nothing to get excited about? Defend your answer!

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Writing Assignments

Submission techniques E-mail Discussion forum Group file exchange

(Blackboard’s “digital dropbox”)

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Writing Assignments

Types of Writing Informal Somewhat Formal Formal

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Writing AssignmentsTypes of Writing

Informal e-News posts & responses BYC posts & responses Web Exercises

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Writing AssignmentsTypes of Writing

Somewhat Formal Responses to specific questions from

readings Reaction papers Usually shared in discussion forum

(restricted to 10 students or less)

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Writing AssignmentsTypes of Writing

Formal Assigned Papers Peer editing Usually shared with peer group (not the

entire group)

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Writing Assignments

Peer editing File sharing done via digital dropbox Edit two others’ papers Student submits revised paper with

peer edited versions Instructor adds comments, suggestions;

returns via dropbox

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Successful Strategies E-News and BYC

All voices heard (unlike F2F class) Riposte-like dialog is familiar to students E-News is like “current events” BYC is just plain “fun”

Reaction papers more serious issues prompts more serious dialog

Formal papers Evaluations reveal dislike for peer editing, but they find

it invaluable

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Summary1. W.E. courses added to improve writing

skills

2. Online courses added “BYC” (oops – apologies to E-Learn)

3. This course presents a variety of writing tasks ranging from informal to formal

4. Net result: increased time-on-task.

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Questions? / Comments? This presentation and paperhttp://www.uwsp.edu/cis/dgibbs/E-Learn2002/

Web Exerciseshttp://www.uwsp.edu/cis/dgibbs/CIS300/WebXINDEX.htm

e-Maildgibbs@uwsp.edu