New Course Proposal – Electronic Culture
Revision C, March 11, 2005
Course Number: IAT 401
Course Title: Electronic Culture
Credit Hours: 3
Vector: 1-0-2 (Lecture-Tutorial-Lab)
Course Description:
Explores the dynamics of networked culture, and related tools and practices emerging on the World Wide Web. Students study scientific models of emergence, networks, and complexity, and use them to investigate networked social forms and the cultures that surround them. These include the subcultures of wikis, weblogs, and open source, and networked authoring tools and skills associated with them. Research extends to broader societal trends including the accelerating pace of change, disruptive technologies, “smart mobs,” netwar, and “netdemocracy.” Software diagramming tools are used to visualize and investigate networks and complex systems.
Prerequisite: Completion of 69 credits; students with credit for IART 401, 402 or 403 cannot take this course for further credit.
Recommended: None.
Corequisite: None.
Special Instructions: None.
Course(s) to be dropped if this course is approved: None
This course develops “meta level” conceptual and practical skills for careers in interactive arts, including: scientific background for concepts employed elsewhere in the IAT program and prevalent in the field; techniques for network visualization applied to society and culture; skills for collaborative authoring online; working analytically and creatively with emergent social and cultural forms.
Will this be a required or elective course in the curriculum; probable enrolment when offered?
This will be one of a choice of several required courses for Upper Division NME; enrollment estimated at 60 per year.
Indicate Semester and Year this course would be first offered and planned frequency of offering thereafter.
2005-3 and annually thereafter.
Which of your present SIAT faculty have the expertise to offer this course? Will the course be taught by sessional or limited term faculty?
Trippi, possibly Bizzocchi, DiPaola
Are there any proposed student fees associated with this course other than tuition fees?
No.
Is this course considered a `duplicate' of any current or prior course under the University's duplicate course policy? Specify, as appropriate.
This course replaces IART 401, 402 and 403.
Note: Senate has approved (S.93-11) that no new course should be approved by Senate until funding has been committed for necessary library materials. Each new course proposal must be accompanied by a library report and, if appropriate, confirmation that funding arrangements have been addressed.
Provide details on how existing instructional resources will be redistributed to accommodate this new course. For instance, will another course be eliminated or will the frequency of offering of other courses be reduced; are there changes in pedagogical style or class sizes that allow for this additional course offering.
Library resources are already available: books made available on reserve are already part of the SFU library holdings.
Does the course require specialized space or equipment not readily available in the department or university, and if so, how will these resources be provided?
This course uses pre-existing equipment available at SIAT.
Does this course require computing resources (e.g. hardware, software, network wiring, use of computer laboratory space) and if so, describe how they will be provided.
This course uses computers, software and lab space already available at SIAT.
Weeks 1 – 4 The science of emergence and the culture of wikis
Weeks 5 – 8 The science of networks and the culture of weblogs
Weeks 9 – 13 Complex systems and how they evolve: the future
of networked culture
Activities/Assignments:
Participate regularly in online discussions (mailing list, wikis, weblogs)
Essay on emergence (1250 words)
Diagrams and short essays analyzing social networks and web topography (2)
Final Project: Annotated diagram envisioning the future of a sphere/domain of networked culture
Courses Objectives:
In this course students will:
Develop basic understanding of key concepts in the sciences of emergence, networks, and complex systems as they apply to society and culture
Learn to use wikis and weblogs as platforms for learning, research, and collaboration, both individually and as part of a team
Employ network diagrams to analyze social and cultural networks
Develop understanding of basic concepts in open source and their relation to the dynamics of emergence
Explore emerging networked social forms and think creatively and strategically about how they will evolve
Delivery Method: Computer-mediated Classroom
Class Prep (reading) 2.5 hrs.
Wiki/Weblog with additional research 7.5 hrs.
______
Total Learner Hours 10 hrs.
Evaluation:
Participation (weekly online discussion): 30%
Emergence Essay: 15%
Network Diagrams w/Short Essay: 30%
Final Project: Annotated Diagram: 25%
Raymond, Eric S. The Cathedral & the Bazaar. O'Reilly Media, Inc., 2001.
Mozilla web browser
Plain text editor
IRC chat client
Additional software used in the course will either be provided or is available at no cost online.
Platform Requirements: Any platform, web access required
NOTE: these outlines are drafts and are subject to change. Official textbook list should be consulted.