COMM 4625 SEC01 | Office hours | Content |
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TU/FR 1:35 - 3:15 pm Kariotis Hall 302 |
Joseph Reagle, Ph.D., <j.reagle> TU appointments starting at 15:30 Comm Studies, 215 Holmes Hall Tip: Enter at 41A Leon St. |
Policies |
Assignments | ||
Rubric | ||
Resources | ||
Schedule |
In the 90s many people drew a line between the online and offline worlds and asked if online communities were “real.” Over time, scholars concluded “yes,” people share enduring identities, activities, and relations online. In the new millennium, this is not only widely accepted as a fact, but as a focus of significant business interests. Upon successful completion of this course you will be able to explain the dynamics of online communities including joining, governance, conflict, and exit. Furthermore, you will have experience with the development and challenges of online communities via hands-on interventions (including experiments with your own online networks and contributions to Wikipedia). Our orientation will be that of asking how can one design successful online communities? This could be valuable to you as a participant, as a supporter of a social cause, or as part of your employment. As much as possible, scholarly readings will be complemented by contemporary cases.
Successful completion of this course enables one to:
“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.” – Confucius
This is an active learning course meaning that you will be engaged with activities such as class and group discussion, participating in and designing class exercises, collaborative note-taking, and peer assessment. An implication of this is, for example, if you do not volunteer at least one good discussion contribution during a class, I might “cold call” you myself.
I also make much use of the Web. For instance, this syllabus is a Web page that will change, which you can bookmark, and I expect you to follow links. (If you find a broken one, let me know!) You can easily find things on this page with control-f. We will also make use of Google Docs. I recommend you use something like Zim or Evernote to “make information your own.”
This is a 4 credit course, which is a 12 hour per week workload. Subtracting ~4 hours for class time, that’s 4 hours per class to be spent in preparation or on assignments.
In short, come to class on time and with the readings and assignments completed; be respectful and willing to collaborate. There are no provisions for missed exams or late assignments.
We sometimes use devices in class as part of an activity, but the default policy is for gadgets to be silenced and put away. (Interestingly, as noted in my tips for note-taking, handwritten notes can lead to better learning.) If you want to use a device throughout classes, email me a device proposal with your intended usage. Note, device users might also be called upon you to perform tasks such as looking things up or taking collaborative notes. I can also rescind device privileges. Deviations from classroom professionalism and respect may result in dismissal from class and demerits against your grade. See full course policies for more detail.
In general, if you have an issue, such as needing an accommodation for a religious obligation or learning disability, speak with me before it affects your performance; afterward it is too late. Do not ask for favors; instead, offer proposals that show initiative and a willingness to work.
Academic Integrity: “The promotion of independent and original scholarship ensures that students derive the most from their educational experience and their pursuit of knowledge.” Violations include cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and participating in or encouraging dishonesty. I will and have reported violators to the Office of Student Conduct.
There are 1000 points at stake over the course of the term. This is converted to letter grades on the basis of thresholds; they are not rounded.
Because this is a upper-level course, I give greater freedom than in introduction classes where I require things like essay proposals and formal peer review. Being prepared and getting good feedback are still essential to doing well, I just don’t make you do it: you have greater freedom to do poorly. Also, because this is a capstone, I’d like for you to have work products you can be proud of. So if you have a creative idea, please let me know!
(200 pts) Class participation – which entails much more than (even perfect) attendance. Note: participation is not an easy “gimme grade”; I probably grade this more severely than anything else.
(50 pts) QICs (Question, Insight, Connection)
Ninety minutes prior to class leave a signed Question, Insight, and/or Connection from the readings. You must leave 15 over the course of the semester; you may not add them after the fact. You are welcome to add one in response to someone else’s. However, you also don’t want to give the appearance of only reading the most trivial of the readings and then piggy-backing on your peers. Please keep careful count, you can number your QICs if you wish.
(200 pts) Essay on user influence and motivation
Write a ~1500 word essay on a chosen topic related to influence and motivation; follow writing requirements below. I strongly suggest you send me an email with a short proposal at least a week before it’s due and that you ask one or more peers to give you feedback on your assignment before turning it in. Previous topics included: “Influence and Motivation in Reddit”, “The Online Dating Game”, “Persuading Others to Persuade: How Ello.co got so much attention”, “Instagram: Instant Motivation”, “Crowd-funding and Motivation”, and “Getting Healthy with Hashtags.”
Projects
Each of the following projects includes a written and debrief component. The ~1500 word reports must follow the writing requirements and specific instruction below. When students give five minute presentations as part of the debrief, they may be in-person (like a TED talk) or an online YouTube video (like Veritasium) and should follow the presentation recommendations.
Social media breaching experiment (writing = 150pts)
Choose one or more breaching experiments that will allow you to discuss and analyze the role of social norms in an online community. Follow the writing requirements of a traditional essay and the ethical requirements associated with a class-only report of a confidential space that you disguise. Hand in your printed assignment in class and “Turn It In” at BlackBoard. On the debrief day you each will be give a 5 minute (maximum) presentation with Q&A at the end of the session. See my tips and rubric for presenting; if you wish to present from my Chromebook, make your deck public and link to your slides in this Google Doc.
Experiential learning: Wikipedia contribution (article = 100pts; reflection= 100pts)
In a 1000-1500 word essay, reflect upon your contributions to Wikipedia in the light of what we’ve learning about online community. Write this on a subpage of your Wikipedia User page—not your Talk page. While you will be writing in the first person about your experiences, be analytical and engage class concepts. You may structure it thematically or chronologically. Follow the ethical requirements associated with a public report of a public space.
Your Wikipedia contribution will be assessed on the basis of Wikipedia’s perfect article criteria, your reflection will be assessed via my writing rubric. Additionally, your reflection should make use of Wikipedia features such as Wikipedia citations and links to page versions and specific contributions (or “diffs”) (see my user page Link section for a demo). Instead of a paper copy and TurnItIn, email me a link to your reflection—and among its links will be one to your article. In the debrief, we will discuss rather than have presentations.
Community design critique (writing = 200pts)
Given what we’ve learned about community design, write a critique of a site (or you may compare sites) that identifies what they do well and what could be improved. (See Wikipedia’s list of online communities.) Write up your analysis using a public Web-based platform (e.g., Tumblr, Scribble, or medium.com). You must still engage and reference our reading sources but write using the conventions of your chosen platform (such as using links rather than citations, as one might see at the Atlantic or DailyDot). Follow the ethical requirements associated with a public report of a public space. Don’t ignore material from the latter half of the course. Send me a link to your critique before the debrief day; that day we will have a group discussion.
TRACE
Our college requires all students to complete TRACE evaluations at the end of the semester even if you (anonymously) opt-out of completing the survey.
Traditional written assignments (greater than 450 words) must be double-spaced, 12 point font, 1-inch margins. (One contains approximately 250 words.) Pages must be numbered and stapled together. Citations must be in the APA style.
No APA cover page is required. In fact, so as to avoid bias, I read assignments “blind” without knowing the author until the last page. Hence, your name (and final word count absent bibliography) should only appear on the back side of the final page. That is, I should only know your name by turning the assignment over.
All assignments should be reviewed by two peers and assessed according to the writing rubric. Make use of Hacker’s Pocket Manual and my writing tips handout. On the due date, assignments are due at start of class (print copies must be submitted in class and the electronic version must be submitted to BlackBoard Turnitin). If you have permission to revise a written assignment for re-assessment, please see these revision instructions.
The course rubric notes that “A” students have all of the following attributes.
Many links are found through-out this syllabus to my public
wiki (remember, control-f
is your friend), but I’ve gathered some of the most important ones below. As
I explain in this video about tracking assignment
requirements, I have high expectations and send a lot of information your way, I recommend you use
a tool, like zim wiki or Evernote, so as to “make
the information your own.”
Tip: temporarily place requirements and rubrics into your work (e.g., at the top of the response file template).
Most readings are linked to from this page, if not check this password protected zip file (the password is my dog’s name in lowercase). However, you must acquire the following:
I also expect you to have a copy of:
Like other skills, bibliography is something you learn to do well. Technology can make it easier. NU makes RefWorks and EndNote available to students; you can also use the freely available browser-based Zotero.
Note that for selections, I specify the chapter (ch=) or pages (pp=) to read.
We learn each other’s names, review the course objectives, and get started with Wikipedia with the help of guest Amanda Rust, our Wikipedia Ambassador and NU librarian.
Wikipedia task 1
Also:
We begin with motivation, starting with requesting and enhancing motivation. What is some of the science behind motivation?
We make a slight digression to consider one of the dominant means of online design (A/B testing) and in understanding the Wikipedia community. Bring your device.
Wikipedia task 2
As you read the short essays think about what makes reddit works? What is it good at and what are some of the challenges it faces as an online community?
Meet at 90 Snell Library (next to Special Collections). Note, we will do this assignment in class rather than it being due before class, so bring a device. However, you should experiment with how to make Wikipedia citations.
{{User sandbox}}
template included; this creates an easy to use button to move the page into Wikipedia’s
article space when you are ready.)What are the types of motivation and to what extent can they be “gamed”?
Is it possible for extrinsic motivators to “crowd out” intrinsic motives?
In the next few classes, we will be looking at how to encourage commitment from members towards a community. We begin with what is called “affective” and “bonds-based” commitment.
While I will not be asking you to conduct formal interviews it is still important for us to consider the ethical implications of studying online communities. Do you think Facebook and OkCupid were ethical? Should academics be held to a higher standard?
Today, I am asking you to read about normative and needs-based communities. When you think of exemplar communities, what kind are they? I’ve also provided a couple of short readings about how online communities can “lock-in” their members.
Wikipedia task 4
Under the “Help out” section of the Community Portal do one of each:
We are now going to spend a couple of weeks on how communities regulate and govern themselves. Today, we’re looking at limiting bad behavior and the effects thereof, especially with respect to making norms salient. Also, consider the juxtaposition of the farcical “Internet rules” with actual community codes of conduct.
Due: Essay on user influence and motivation
Let’s continue reading about community regulation and norms. Garfinkel is summarized well in the Wikipedia article but I provide the PDF on BlackBoard for use in your assignment.
Begin your social breaching experiment.
Let’s focus specifically on questions of governance, specifically: how are decisions made? Also, what kind of sanctions and decision making processes are available to censure users?
Guest: We will also be joined by Corey Clapp (one of the Gay Gods of Gaming) to talk about governance in League of Legends.
I’m asking you read two chapters from two different books. In the one, we return to the question of why it is that online communities often struggle, and in the other we look at Wikipedia’s collaborative culture, and if there is something there that contributes to its success?
Wikipedia task 5
In many regards, having newcomers to a community is a good problem to have. Nonetheless, it can be a problem. Hence, how do successful communities keep and integrate newcomers into their fold? I’ve also asked you to read about a particular gateway to new membership.
Why do people sometimes feel such an affinity for groups that abuse them?
Wikipedia task 6
Guest: Alexis Ditkowsky
Today we will consider the role of gratitude within a community.
Guest observer: Prof. Elise Dallimore
Newcomers are sometimes explicitly (or implicitly) expected to learn rudimentary knowledge before joining the community. But is it alienating to ask them to first “read the fucking manual”? Can you find an example of a “FAQ slap” in which someone is told to RTFM?
The final chapter from Kraut et al. asks that if one is starting a new community, how best to bootstrap it? I’ve also asked you look at how one community manages its “issues.”
Today we take a bit of a digression, but one that explains, in part, the competitive bootstrapping of community platforms. Do you think Facebook friends are a “winner take all society”?
We’ll also be joined Amanda Rust, our Wikipedia Ambassador, so bring your device for our final editing Q&A.
Due: Wikipedia task 8
Let’s consider additional bootstrapping tactics; do you think Uber will win the day?
We again focus on that sense that if one doesn’t join a community soon, one might be left behind. Is this something online communities and marketers should take advantage of? Or do you think it unethical? Bring your device for a class activity.
While many people focus on recruiting and governing members within a community, what about exit? Why do people leave?
Due: Community Analysis and debrief. Come to class prepared to briefly describe your community/platform, insights, and your recommendation.
© 2014 Joseph Reagle. Please reuse and share!