I’m planning to teach a small, seminar-type course for undergrads in
Communication in the Spring : Blogging, Media and Politics. (Terribly
unoriginal title).
Here’s the draft course description. Input appreciated!
Course Description
The old adage — "Never get into a public argument with anyone who
buys ink by the barrel or paper by the trainload!" — is turned on
its head when the cost of a "digital printing press" is nominally
zero. This course examines the structures, technologies and impacts of
digital social media, like blogs and wikis, on the institutions of
American media and politics. Due in no small part to these
technologies, the media environment for politics and policy is in
flux.
We will trace these communication technologies as they have evolved,
spurred on by terrorism, war and political campaigns. We will explore
this, the Web 2.0 space, by examining how these technologies empower
audiences and impact traditional "top-down" institutions like
mainstream media and national political parties.
The class will involve active, hands-on learning, including
student-led discussion.
This is a "practice what we preach" course, and as such, students will
create and maintain a blog, contribute to our class blog, and edit
stories in the wiki-space. This is not a "how to write HTML" course,
but students will learn how to edit CSS files to customize blog
templates and to do so in a manner that contributes to – rather than
detracts from – site usability.
Students who have completed COM300 will be given priority placement.
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Also posted on the Blogging and Pedagogy site at UW.
