Welcome to the Class

COMM 3307; Social Media; Spring 2011
Dr. Lance Strate, Faculty Memorial Hall, Room 434A
Telephone: (718) 817-4864; E-mail: strate@fordham.edu
Office Hours:  Tues & Fri. 1-2, Tues. 7:30-8:30, or by appointment.

http://lancestrate.blogspot.com                          http://twitter.com/LanceStrate
http://www.myspace.com/lancestrate                 http://www.myspace.com/lancestrate/blog
http://www.facebook.com/lancestrate                 http://www.linkedin.com/lancestrate
http://www.youtube.com/lancestrate                   http://lancestrate.mevio.com
http://friendfeed.com/lancestrate                         http://foursquare.com/user/lancestrate

Point of View of This Course:
In this course, we will create a collaborative learning environment, and learning community, in order to explore, examine, and understand the contemporary online media environment, with special emphasis on the recent phenomena known as social media, including social networking and Web 2.0.

Required Text:

New New Media, by Paul Levinson

Additional readings will be provided in class or online.

Course Objectives:

1. To explore and participate in the contemporary online media environment and the social networking/Web 2.0 phenomenon.

2. To examine the contemporary online media environment from a variety of different perspectives, including the aesthetic, phenomenological, philosophical, critical, historical, anthropological, psychological, and media ecological.

3. To analyze the personal, social, and cultural implications of the contemporary online media environment.

Evaluation:

1. Participation. First, there is the Fordham College policy that unexcused absences are grounds for failure. Second, there is the basic requirement that you attend class with a minimum of absences (excused or unexcused), and that you come to class on time and remain for the full duration of class. Third, you need to participate sensibly during class meetings. Fourth, you need to participate in group activities online, including an exploration of social media sites such as MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube, and fulfillment of assignments related to that exploration. Participation will account for XX% of the final grade.

2. Written Work and Other Creative Activity. You will be required to produce written commentary and analysis and post it on our public blog. This will include assessments of assigned readings, discussion and analysis of online experiences and materials, and commentary on each other's work. Your written work will be graded in terms of quantity, timeliness, and quality, and will account for XX% of the final grade.

3. Examination. There will be a final examination, which will account for XX% of the final grade.


Tentative Schedule

Jan. 18    Introduction to the Class

Jan. 25    Web 2.0, Social Networking, and Social Media
Reading Due:  Preface & Chap. 1

Feb. 1        Blogging
Reading Due: Chap. 2

Feb. 8        YouTube
Reading Due: Chap. 3

Feb. 15    Facebook
Reading Due: Chap. 7

Feb. 22    No Class—Monday Schedule

Mar.   1     Twitter
Reading Due:  Chap. 8

Mar.   8    MySpace
Reading Due:  Chap. 6

Mar. 15    Spring Recess — No Class Meeting

Mar. 22    Digg
Reading Due:  Chap. 5

Mar. 29    Wikipedia
Reading Due: Chap. 4

Apr.   4        Second Life
Reading Due: Chap. 9

Apr. 11        Podcasting
 Reading Due: Chap. 10

Apr. 19         Costs and Consequences
 Reading Due: Chap. 11

Apr. 26         Politics
 Reading Due: Chap. 12

May 3         The Mobile Revolution
 Reading Due: Chap. 13

May 10     1:30-3:30 Final Exam