nclc249_f09cd

Internet Literacy is a learning community that investigates both critical and practical aspects of the internet and other digital formats and applications, including information literacy, mobile web, interactive media, social networking, microblogging, intellectual, political and civic collaborations, emerging digital cultures and art forms, digital aesthetics, gaming, and additional issues you, as participants, introduce to the learning community. This course will therefore have both a theoretical and practical approach: we will examine issues around networked life presented by both popular and academic literature, as well as learn (and teach one another) practical applications of various digital programs and publishing tools.

Texts: All texts will be provided either as handouts, online, or on blackboard. No book purchases are required! See weekly schedule for readings.

Supplies: You will need a jump or flash drive to archive your work during this learning community.

Commitment to Diversity: This class will be conducted as an intentionally inclusive learning community that celebrates diversity and welcomes the participation in the life of the university of faculty, staff and students who reflect the diversity of our plural society. All may feel free to speak and to be heard without fear that the content of the opinions they express will bias the evaluation of their academic performance or hinder their opportunities for participation in class activities. In turn, all are expected to be respectful of each other, as well as artist guests and/or others outside the university with whom we come into contact through the course of this class, without regard to race, class, linguistic background, religion, political beliefs, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, age, veteran’s status, or physical ability.

Attendance, Participation, and Preparation for Class:

Attendance: Missing class is not the answer to any roadblocks you might encounter. In fact, you might learn more from a meeting when you talk about what you don't understand than from a meeting when you show how much you know. The workshops integrated into this learning community open up additional opportunities to learn from faculty and peers, ask questions, experiment with new ideas and ask for help. Reading, and critically thinking about readings, nourishes your in-class work. In-class work supports your individual and collaborative assignments. The conscientious execution of your assignments enlivens subsequent classes.

If you miss a meeting, you break that cycle, not only for yourself, but also for the learning community as a whole. Thus, class attendance is mandatory (except for medical reasons or religious holidays). If you are absent, inform me of the circumstances as soon as possible and remember that it's your responsibility to research and make up the work you have missed. Regular or persistent absences will reduce your grade.

Participation and Preparation: This course entails a number of various in-class and out-of-class activities. Participation in a New Century College learning community requires both preparation for each class meeting and an active involvement during each class. As out-of-class preparation significantly enhances the quality of in-class participation, you will earn your class participation grade both for the quality of your preparation for class and for your participation in class. Both kinds of participation are particularly important in NCLC 249, as much of our work occurs in workshops.

If I find class discussion and engagement lagging, you may find yourself encountering pop quizzes from time to time on readings and concepts central to each week's work. You will more often encounter in-class writings related to readings/viewings, critical thinking exercises (individual & collaborative) and other collaborations with your colleagues. You should be familiar with key concepts from readings/viewings, and I will usually provide lists of key concepts for each week and study questions (on the class blog) to help you focus on authors’ key arguments and ideas and respond to required blog assignments.

I am also always available to discuss readings, problems, concerns, etc. If you do not understand the assignment for the next class, or you run into problems with a particular reading or exercise, or will be late to class or just have a quick question, feel free to email me, send me a Facebook message, IM or text me (just be sure to let me know who you are when you send a text message). If you find yourself struggling at any point in the semester with the work or concepts, be sure to talk to me as soon as possible (and not wait until your grade is really suffering), so that I can help you early on!

* You must have an active GMU email account, check it regularly, and respond to email inquiries in a timely fashion.

Blog Response Assignments: Prior to (nearly) each class, you will be responsible for contributing your thoughts, reflections, and responses to readings, class discussions, and virtual experiences online at the class blog. In order to respond to and comment upon blog assignments, however, you MUST register with WordPress. These regular responses will help you further develop your own insights about the topics we cover, interact and exchange ideas with your student colleagues, and hone your critical thinking and writing skills.

* If, for any reason, you are unable to get online to the blog to post your response by the date/time it is due, you must still turn in your response via email or in class on the day it is due. Late responses will not be accepted. Blog responses are worth 25% of the total grade; therefore, missing more than one blog response could affect your final grade.

Experiential Learning:

This learning community includes one-credit of experiential learning, which will require you to undertake independent field research during the semester through a couple of smaller individual and collaborative projects. Along with occasional knowledge building assignments, which you will conduct “in the field” – or in whichever virtual environment is designated within the assignment, I also have set up a couple of collaborative assignments with other classes/students from the University of Illinois in Chicago and other universities (to be announced soon). More details about all of these assignments will be provided in class.

One-credit of experiential learning typically requires 45 hours of out-of-class work. However, your experiential learning will include preparation and reflection on each project/assignment. You should therefore expect to spend approximately 25-30 hours in total working outside of class on these projects/assignments, with the remaining hours dedicated to preparation and reflection. Additionally, you will be required to blog about your experiences.

You must pass the experiential learning component to pass the learning community as a whole. The experiential learning assignments will cumulatively be worth 30% of your final grade.

Honor Code:

Students in this class are bound by the Honor Code, as stated in the George Mason University Catalog. The honor code requires that the work you do as an individual be the product of your own individual synthesis or integration of ideas. (This does not prohibit collaborative work when your instructor approves it.) As a faculty member, I have an obligation to refer the names of students who may have violated the Honor Code to the Student Honor Council, which treats such cases very seriously.

No grade is important enough to justify cheating, for which there are serious consequences that will follow you for the rest of your life. If you feel unusual pressure about your grade in this or any other course, please talk to me or to a member of the GMU Counseling Center staff.

Using someone else’s words or ideas without giving them credit is plagiarism, a very serious Honor Code offense. It is very important to understand how to prevent committing plagiarism when using material from a source. If you wish to quote verbatim, you must use the exact words and punctuation just as the passage appears in the original and must use quotation marks and page numbers in your citation. If you want to paraphrase or summarize ideas from a source, you must put the ideas into your own words, and you must cite the source, using the APA or MLA format. (For assistance with documentation, I recommend Diana Hacker, A Writer’s Reference.) The exception to this rule is information termed general knowledge—information that is widely known and stated in a number of sources. Determining what general knowledge means can be complicated, so the wise course is, “When in doubt, cite.” If you are uncertain about the ground rules on a particular assignment, ask for clarification.

Be especially careful when using the Internet for research. Not all Internet sources are equally reliable; some are just plain wrong. Also, since you can download text, it becomes very easy to inadvertently plagiarize. If you use an Internet source, you must cite the exact URL in your paper and include with it the last date that you successfully accessed the site. Additionally, the re-use of papers, presentations, etc., from one course in another course is not appropriate. In every NCC course, faculty expect that work that is submitted has been done only for that class. An exception is made for materials included within course and year-end portfolios.

Resources:

Students with Disabilities and Learning Differences: If you have a diagnosed disability or learning difference and you need academic accommodations, please inform me at the beginning of the semester and contact the Disabilities Resource Center (SUB I room 234, 703-993-2474). You must provide me with a faculty contact sheet from that office outlining the accommodations needed for your disability or learning difference. All academic accommodations must be arranged in advance through the DRC.

Writing Center: Tutors are available to assist students at any level and at any stage of their writing process, thus EVERYONE can benefit from utilizing this service. Tutors will not proofread your writing, but they will help you to develop revision and editing strategies. The University Writing Center is located in Robinson A 114. For an appointment, call (703) 993-1200 or schedule online at the Writing Center website, where you can also get more information about their services, as well as a variety of helpful online resources.

Counseling Center: offers an extensive academic skills program, with workshops on concentration, time management, exam preparation, etc., in addition to stress management, personal development, and individual counseling services. The Counseling Center main office is located in SUB 1, Room 364, 703-993-2380; for Learning Services, call 703-993-2999 or stop by SUB 1, Rom 354. For more information, see http://www.gmu.edu/departments/csdc/.

New Century College staff and advisors are also available to answer any additional questions you may have. Please go to http://ncc.gmu.edu/ for more information.

The Student Technology Assistance and Resource Center (STAR) (703- 993-8990, Johnson Center, Room 229)

STAR mentors help students to learn new software packages and improve their command of familiar software. Web*STAR (703-993-3766, Johnson Center, Room 311) helps students create, revise and enhance web pages. STAR*T training (703-993-1385, Johnson Center, Room 344) offers free multimedia application (Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, etc.) workshops throughout the semester.

Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (703-993-2900, Enterprise Hall, Room 442)

The Center for Service and Leadership promotes positive change and civic responsibility by combining academic study, leadership development and direct community service. CLSL is your resource at GMU for leadership development and service-learning initiatives.

Grading Breakdown:

Blog Responses 25%

Field (Experiential) Projects & Assignments 30%

Peer Teaching Assignment 20%

Class Participation/Workshops 10%

Final Reflection Paper 15%