How does it appear the media did with this issue? What types of bias if any did you pick up from the reports? How long was the media cycle on this issue? Was it long enough to make it fair?
On the opinion side of things, we do have to remember that this is a rare sight in the middle east to actually have lots of candidates who actually have a chance to win on the ballot. The people voting actually have a voice. This is not true in Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt. What do you think that the people in these countries think about today's elections?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4b65k17MOk&feature=channel_page
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Digital TV
Though I have been completely annoyed by the number of reminders about the conversion to digital television over the last four months and I am ready for it to end, I'm not sure that having 6.5 million people without the buzz of the daily news cycle is a good thing for our country. We already push people out of the need to care about politics and issues by eliminating their tax burden to below zero, but now no television news. How will the change affect you?
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/01/28/digital.tv.delay/index.html
Monday, January 19, 2009
Death of the CD
I figured that there would be a day when my 300 CDs would become relics, but it has happened sooner rather than later. Check out this story and podcast. Comment below.
http://www.slate.com/id/2208441/pagenum/2
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99312293
http://www.slate.com/id/2208441/pagenum/2
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=99312293
Moderate Islam??
How do stories like these get buried in the news cycle? This story provides hope that the moderate elements of Islam have a louder voice than the media sometimes portrays. Tell me your thoughts.
http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20090103/ZNYT03/901033014?Title=Preaching_Moderate_Islam_and_Becoming_a_TV_Star_for_Youths
http://www.gadsdentimes.com/article/20090103/ZNYT03/901033014?Title=Preaching_Moderate_Islam_and_Becoming_a_TV_Star_for_Youths
Tony Blair on Gaza
If there is one issue that truly speaks to the fact that there are multiple views provided by the media, it is Israel v. Hamas. How do we know the truth? What media is unbiased? What is the truth as you currently know it?
Watch this video, and then comment below.
http://votersthink.org/?p=1005
Watch this video, and then comment below.
http://votersthink.org/?p=1005
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Syllabus
Below is the class syllabus. I know that it is long, but please review. I promise not to read it again on the 29th, but it does speak to the weekly work, which is due on January 27. Note that each week has guiding questions that are a good way to prepare for class. There will be more videos posted before we meet on the 29th so please keep checking back.
Bob Dillon
Office Hours: By Appointment or 7-8 p.m. on Thursday
Surviving the 24 Hour News Cycle
Phone: 314-495-7474
Thursday 4:30-7:00
E-mail: dillonr@gw.kirkwood.k12.mo.us
Course Description:
Are you looking for a way to survive the 24-hour news cycle? Does it seem like there is a never ending flow of information from the internet, blogs, social networking sites and cable television? This class is a chance to remove yourself from the streaming news on your computer and the endless aggregator on your blackberry for just a few moments for a weekly discussion about how we got to this point, the current events that shape this non-stop news cycle, and a look at best ways to be consumers of news. This isn’t a class for passive learners, and it is designed as a discussion about the issues of the day with a focus on the course’s big ideas that new ‘news’ serves many roles; our global interconnectedness has a huge potential to grow democracy; and that there is a huge need to develop systems for sorting and sifting new information. This is an excellent opportunity for students on all majors to think about the impact of the news on their area of emphasis. Students that have previously taken the media literacy in the information age will find this class as a companion to the thinking in that class, but it is certainly not a prerequisite.
Big Ideas:
1. The integration of new forms of information coverage (cable news, internet, podcasts) has led to many transformations in our society. Some of the impacts have promoted the values and ideals of a free and open society, while others have created negative impacts on people and process of the global community.
2. Freedom of the press has been marked as the harbinger of growth and development throughout the world. The role of the 24-hour news cycle has accelerated this phenomenon as our global interconnectedness continues to reach new heights.
3. Information is non-stop, and a well-informed citizen has a responsibility to gather, sort, and analysis data on a variety of subjects. This task is growing exceptionally more difficult with the volume and speed of today’s society. Effective information digestion can lead to more productive and efficient lives at home and in the work place.
Course Performance Objectives:
COMMUNICATING: To develop students’ effective use of the English language and quantitative and other symbolic systems essential to their success in school and in the world. Students should be able to read and listen critically and to write and speak with thoughtfulness, clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness.
Students will demonstrate the ability to: analyze and evaluate their own and others’ speaking and writing, conceive of writing as a recursive process that involves many strategies, including generating material, evaluating sources when used, drafting, revising, and editing, make formal written and oral presentations employing correct diction, syntax, usage, grammar, and mechanics, focus on a purpose (e.g., explaining, problem solving, argument) and vary approaches to writing and speaking based on that purpose, respond to the needs of different venues and audiences and choose words for appropriateness and effect, and communicate effectively in groups by listening, reflecting, and responding appropriately and in context.
HUMANITIES KNOWLEDGE: To develop students’ understanding of the ways in which humans have addressed their condition through imaginative work in the humanities; to deepen their understanding of how that imaginative process is informed and limited by social, cultural, linguistic, and historical circumstances; and to appreciate the world of the creative imagination as a form of knowledge.
Students will demonstrate the ability to: describe the scope and variety of works in the humanities, explain the historical, cultural, and social contexts of the humanities, and develop an understanding of the differences and relationships between formal and popular culture.
Assessments:
Our class is designed around three big ideas. My goal is to lead you through a variety of information and experiences that will grow your understanding in these areas. You will be asked to show your understanding at a high level of proficiency. You will have six assessments which along with your weekly work for class and class participation will be the basis for your final grade. The assessments will be 70% of your grade, and the weekly work and class participation which being 15% of your final grade.
It is important to me not to hamstring your creative and individual learning in regard to developing products that show your learning. I recognize that it can be difficult to develop your own assessments, but we will spend time as a group talking through these ideas in the first three weeks, and I am happy to meet individually to develop a personalized assessment plan for you. My focus is on you demonstrating your learning, and I view assessment as an on-going process. If you want to continue to revise and rework your assessments for a strong grade, I am comfortable with this, but remember that the end of the semester is the end, and I do need time to provide quality feedback.
Weekly Work:
Each week, you will need to send a combination of three print and video links for classroom use to my e-mail by Tuesday morning prior to the upcoming class. The first links are due on January 27. These should be electronic links found on the Internet that revolve around prior conversation, speak to upcoming guiding questions or something that you think will promote classroom discussion. We will begin each class with discussion surrounding these topics. I will order your submissions, giving all a chance to lead the discussion, but also realizing that we don’t have time for 30 plus links each week.
Classroom Norms:
1. This class relies of learning from each other. To maximize this, the attendance of all is necessary. If you have an emergency that keeps you from participating in class, communication with the professor is essential. Multiple absences can affect your grade.
2. Though much of the class revolves around gathering information, please be respectful of all by silencing phones, blackberries, etc. If you must take an EMERGENCY call, please step out of the room.
3. We will all make mistakes in this class. Be respectful through these times. This also includes opening your thinking to new perspectives.
4. Turning in your assessments on time is important as it gives me a sense of your learning and helps me to shape future classes; deductions may be made for late work.
5. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. University policy will be followed if you turn in the words, ideas of other with proper documentation.
6. Being absent on a due date does not excuse you from the due date. assignments should be sent electronically if you are going to be absent on a due date. No assignment should be assumed received by me unless you receive a return e-mail from me stating that I have received the assignment.
7. Please keep in mind that this is a weekly class, and if you miss more than one class, please schedule a conference with me.
Text: Infotopia by Cass Sunstein
Syllabus and Guiding Questions:
Each of our classes will be based on a set of guiding questions each week. The list is not all inclusive, but the questions are designed to promote discussion, cover material, and leave no surprises about what’s ahead. You will notice that the reading for each week is listed next to each week. Please check out the links that are present for each week, and prepare for class by completing the reading. Please remember that this schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the class. Once in March and once in April, I have purposely left the agenda for the class as to be determined as these evening may be used for guest speakers, remote class meetings, student presentations, or extending on a concept or catching up from previous guiding questions. These will be meaningful sessions, but this flexibility in the schedule will hopefully maximize learning.
January 22- The content for this class session will be available on-line.
Please view our class blog at http://24hournewscycle.blogspot.com/
What is the 24-hour news cycle to you?
Who are we has news consumers?
What caused the shift to continuous news?
What are some of the positive effects of continuous news?
Why does having a continuous news cycle create negative situations?
What information or topics do you find yourself craving more of?
January 29- Infotopia- Read Introduction and Chapter 1
Listen to the following: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4671485
What four methods of aggregating information does the book address? p.7
What is your ‘Daily Me’? p.9
Do you accept that concept of an information cocoon? How do you resist yours? p.9
What is Groupthink? How does it occur? p.13 (NASA, CIA)
How do market prices create accurate information? p.15 (Las Vegas, Google, Real Clear Fantasy ’08)
Why people like rotten tomatoes? p. 23 (movie aggregator)
What is the Condorcet Jury Theorem? p.25
What conditions are essential for the CJT to function? p.27
What are the shortfalls of using this method of information aggregation? p.28
Do statistical averages outperform experts? p.38 (real clear politics average, Copenhagen Consensus)
What could be the positive outcomes a more enlightened electorate? p.38
February 5- Deliberating- Read Chapter 2
Does the process of deliberating draw us to more accurate answers?
Who was president in 1956?
Why did we fight the Civil War?
Who is the author of House on Mango Street?
What percentage of our electricity comes from coal?
Whose statue can be found outside the United Center in Chicago?
How can deliberation foster more extreme ideas? p.45
Does deliberation reduce the range of opinions? p.55
What pressures keep groups from placing all the information on the table? p. 66-67
What guidelines are essential for strong deliberation? Aristotle, Rawls, and Habermas p. 49
How does the theory about a ‘marketplace of ideas’ work? p.50
What mechanisms allow for great outputs from deliberative groups? p. 53
Do blogs truly create a marketplace of ideas or a like-minded deliberation? p.58
What conditions perpetuate excellent deliberation? p. 63
How does social status impact deliberation groups? p.70
February 12- Media Sources and Deliberation (Don’t Read Chapter 3)
What is the best source of objective information http://www.fair.org/index.php?
Was Bernard Goldberg right that all media is biased http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Goldberg?
What is the importance of http://english.aljazeera.net/?
Why do people look at the Drudge Report http://drudgereport.com?
What examples of the big four errors of deliberation can we generate? p.75
Were the You Tube Debates important for our democracy?
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=YTdebates&view=playlists
Does having embed reporters in war lead to a less filtered view of the battlefield news?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbNIPOAPi5k
Respond to this quote: “Groups are more likely than individuals to escalate their commitment to a course of action that is failing—and all the more so if members identify strongly with the groups of which they are a part.” p. 79
What is the effect of new media technologies on polarization? p. 97
February 19- Market Forces for Finding the Truth- Read Chapter Four (Class at UMSL ends at 6:30)
FIRST DUE DATE (TURN IN TWO ASSESSMENTS)
How do market forces give us the right answers? P.104-105
What benefits can come from creating a prediction market? p. 133
http://www.biz.uiowa.edu/iem/
http://www.intrade.com/
What fields could use prediction markets? How would they be used? p.119-120
How do market-based systems that ask people to “put their money where their mouth is” accurately provide information? p.121
What tools do we have to adequately comparison shop? p. 128
Why do people buy overpriced stuff? p.128
What are information cascades? How do they impact the markets?
When do markets work the best? p. 135
What are good and poor examples of places where dispersed information exists to aggregate?
How do avoid “hometown” bias?
Can prediction markets work on matters of value, not just with some factual situations? p.143
February 26- New Media as audio…The impact of iTunes, MP3s, and podcasts (Listen to Lawrence Lessig on reforming copyright http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98591002)
What are podcasts do you listen to? Why are they are part of your “daily me”?
Do you remember Napster?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/20644/a_brief_history_of_filesharing_from.html
When did all of this file sharing start?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_sharing_timeline
How has the IPod changed the face of information flow?
Why did Radiohead give away their latest music? Is this a good idea?
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/09/radioheads-newo.html
What are the top podcasts?
What does this say about the podcast audience?
Will the iPhone be the next great change?
Why does copyright matter? Should we care about copyright?
What are the future trends of information sharing?
http://informationarchitects.jp/start/
http://www.matthewbuckland.com/?cat=52
http://www.slideshare.net/matthewbuckland/future-web-trends
March 5- TBD
March 12- How Open Sharing Leads to Experts…the rise of Wikis?
Read Chapter 5 (through p.164)
Who is collaboratively filtering you? Do you like it? p.147
How do you avoid the cocoon of your collaborative filter?
Why Wikipedia works?
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/How_does_MediaWiki_work%3F
http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Main_Page
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
Is Wikipedia truly an effort of the masses? p.152
50% by .7%
Is the Creative Commons License an effective tool? p.153
http://creativecommons.org/
How does Wikipedia meet or beat the price theory used on prediction markets? p.156
What does the rise in raw video mean for information and news coverage?
www.Liveleak.com
What benefits do you see from wikis?
What types of wikis could be helpful for a smaller audience?
March 19- How Open Sharing Leads to Experts... (Class at UMSL ends at 6:30)
Round Two, Open Source and Blogs (chapter 5 from p.165-195)
SECOND INFORMAL DUE DATE (TURN IN TWO ASSESSMENTS)
What is Open Source Software? p.164
How does something get ‘copylefted’? p.167
How can this concept move beyond software? (Linux, Apache)
70% of servers use Apache and open source piece of software
Discuss the concept of building cathedral and bazaars? What are the differences? p. 172
Why do people contribute to open source with no financial incentives?
What is Mozilla?
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/
Who’s looking at your blog?
Who can possible read all this stuff on the blogs? (new blog every 2.2 seconds)
How do you become a top 50 blog? (Instapundit.com, dailykos.com, talkingpointsmemo.com)
How does blogging achieve the challenge of pooling knowledge? p.186
Can I believe any of this stuff on the blogs? (errors, cascades, group polarization) p.187
What does your echo chamber look like? p.188
Are blogs inherently circular with no escape of your specific ideas? p.188
March 26- Spring Break , No Class
April 2- Social Networking as Information Sources
How has social networking sites increased your information flow?
Have we lost all of our privacy through myspace and facebook?
How can social networking provide positive social activism?
Are you twittering? What does this mean for society?
Why on earth is Facebook free?
Does social networking and electronic communication save us from face-to-face contact?
How has Facebook and other social networking changed advertising?
What about the Ning?
April 9- Chapter 6 and Conclusion
What is the best ways for individuals and groups to make better decisions with the information available today?
What group functions best promote full information disclosure, creativity, and accuracy decisions?
What does it mean to be a team player? p.201
Could our culture shift to the benefits of group success over individual success? p.205
What impact does the Delphi Method hold? p.209
When is it good to have a Devil’s Advocate? p. 210
Are we really smarter than those before us? p.217
If the Internet fostered the environment for the best in thinking and the worst in thinking, what are we to do?
April 16- Looking Forward- How News and Information will Reach Consumers (Class at UMSL ends at 6:30)
What is the effect of new media censorship throughout the world?
http://www.newmedia.org/
Which of these new media predictions will become reality?
http://beingpeterkim.typepad.com/files/Social%20Media%202009.pdf
What weight does the court of public opinion hold?
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/israels-info-wa.html
What does it mean to be media literate today? How will it benefit our news filter?
http://newmedialiteracies.org/
What does it mean to be a part of a participatory media?
http://www.economist.com/surveys/displaystory.cfm?STORY_ID=6794156
April 23- Putting the Old Guard Out of Business
When did social media catch up and fly by traditional media?
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/james_surowiecki_on_the_turning_point_for_social_media
Do newspaper in their traditional nature make sense?
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/john_markoff_on_newspapers.html
How will we pay for in-depth news? (New Yorker, BBC, NY Times)
When should we have to pay for information?
When will local television begin going out of business like newspapers?
What void is created when we lose viewpoints from the marketplace of ideas?
April 30- TBD
THIRD INFORMAL DUE DATE (TURN IN TWO ASSESSMENTS)
May 7- Choosing to Unplug- The Push Back to 24-Hour News, Completing Course Evaluations
Is news addicting?
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/09/overcoming-news-addiction/
Has this been a problem for this long?
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950257,00.html
Can we really turn it all off?
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb/09/entertainment/et-women9
http://www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2008/12/a-self-imposed.html
Bob Dillon
Office Hours: By Appointment or 7-8 p.m. on Thursday
Surviving the 24 Hour News Cycle
Phone: 314-495-7474
Thursday 4:30-7:00
E-mail: dillonr@gw.kirkwood.k12.mo.us
Course Description:
Are you looking for a way to survive the 24-hour news cycle? Does it seem like there is a never ending flow of information from the internet, blogs, social networking sites and cable television? This class is a chance to remove yourself from the streaming news on your computer and the endless aggregator on your blackberry for just a few moments for a weekly discussion about how we got to this point, the current events that shape this non-stop news cycle, and a look at best ways to be consumers of news. This isn’t a class for passive learners, and it is designed as a discussion about the issues of the day with a focus on the course’s big ideas that new ‘news’ serves many roles; our global interconnectedness has a huge potential to grow democracy; and that there is a huge need to develop systems for sorting and sifting new information. This is an excellent opportunity for students on all majors to think about the impact of the news on their area of emphasis. Students that have previously taken the media literacy in the information age will find this class as a companion to the thinking in that class, but it is certainly not a prerequisite.
Big Ideas:
1. The integration of new forms of information coverage (cable news, internet, podcasts) has led to many transformations in our society. Some of the impacts have promoted the values and ideals of a free and open society, while others have created negative impacts on people and process of the global community.
2. Freedom of the press has been marked as the harbinger of growth and development throughout the world. The role of the 24-hour news cycle has accelerated this phenomenon as our global interconnectedness continues to reach new heights.
3. Information is non-stop, and a well-informed citizen has a responsibility to gather, sort, and analysis data on a variety of subjects. This task is growing exceptionally more difficult with the volume and speed of today’s society. Effective information digestion can lead to more productive and efficient lives at home and in the work place.
Course Performance Objectives:
COMMUNICATING: To develop students’ effective use of the English language and quantitative and other symbolic systems essential to their success in school and in the world. Students should be able to read and listen critically and to write and speak with thoughtfulness, clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness.
Students will demonstrate the ability to: analyze and evaluate their own and others’ speaking and writing, conceive of writing as a recursive process that involves many strategies, including generating material, evaluating sources when used, drafting, revising, and editing, make formal written and oral presentations employing correct diction, syntax, usage, grammar, and mechanics, focus on a purpose (e.g., explaining, problem solving, argument) and vary approaches to writing and speaking based on that purpose, respond to the needs of different venues and audiences and choose words for appropriateness and effect, and communicate effectively in groups by listening, reflecting, and responding appropriately and in context.
HUMANITIES KNOWLEDGE: To develop students’ understanding of the ways in which humans have addressed their condition through imaginative work in the humanities; to deepen their understanding of how that imaginative process is informed and limited by social, cultural, linguistic, and historical circumstances; and to appreciate the world of the creative imagination as a form of knowledge.
Students will demonstrate the ability to: describe the scope and variety of works in the humanities, explain the historical, cultural, and social contexts of the humanities, and develop an understanding of the differences and relationships between formal and popular culture.
Assessments:
Our class is designed around three big ideas. My goal is to lead you through a variety of information and experiences that will grow your understanding in these areas. You will be asked to show your understanding at a high level of proficiency. You will have six assessments which along with your weekly work for class and class participation will be the basis for your final grade. The assessments will be 70% of your grade, and the weekly work and class participation which being 15% of your final grade.
It is important to me not to hamstring your creative and individual learning in regard to developing products that show your learning. I recognize that it can be difficult to develop your own assessments, but we will spend time as a group talking through these ideas in the first three weeks, and I am happy to meet individually to develop a personalized assessment plan for you. My focus is on you demonstrating your learning, and I view assessment as an on-going process. If you want to continue to revise and rework your assessments for a strong grade, I am comfortable with this, but remember that the end of the semester is the end, and I do need time to provide quality feedback.
Weekly Work:
Each week, you will need to send a combination of three print and video links for classroom use to my e-mail by Tuesday morning prior to the upcoming class. The first links are due on January 27. These should be electronic links found on the Internet that revolve around prior conversation, speak to upcoming guiding questions or something that you think will promote classroom discussion. We will begin each class with discussion surrounding these topics. I will order your submissions, giving all a chance to lead the discussion, but also realizing that we don’t have time for 30 plus links each week.
Classroom Norms:
1. This class relies of learning from each other. To maximize this, the attendance of all is necessary. If you have an emergency that keeps you from participating in class, communication with the professor is essential. Multiple absences can affect your grade.
2. Though much of the class revolves around gathering information, please be respectful of all by silencing phones, blackberries, etc. If you must take an EMERGENCY call, please step out of the room.
3. We will all make mistakes in this class. Be respectful through these times. This also includes opening your thinking to new perspectives.
4. Turning in your assessments on time is important as it gives me a sense of your learning and helps me to shape future classes; deductions may be made for late work.
5. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. University policy will be followed if you turn in the words, ideas of other with proper documentation.
6. Being absent on a due date does not excuse you from the due date. assignments should be sent electronically if you are going to be absent on a due date. No assignment should be assumed received by me unless you receive a return e-mail from me stating that I have received the assignment.
7. Please keep in mind that this is a weekly class, and if you miss more than one class, please schedule a conference with me.
Text: Infotopia by Cass Sunstein
Syllabus and Guiding Questions:
Each of our classes will be based on a set of guiding questions each week. The list is not all inclusive, but the questions are designed to promote discussion, cover material, and leave no surprises about what’s ahead. You will notice that the reading for each week is listed next to each week. Please check out the links that are present for each week, and prepare for class by completing the reading. Please remember that this schedule is subject to change based on the needs of the class. Once in March and once in April, I have purposely left the agenda for the class as to be determined as these evening may be used for guest speakers, remote class meetings, student presentations, or extending on a concept or catching up from previous guiding questions. These will be meaningful sessions, but this flexibility in the schedule will hopefully maximize learning.
January 22- The content for this class session will be available on-line.
Please view our class blog at http://24hournewscycle.blogspot.com/
What is the 24-hour news cycle to you?
Who are we has news consumers?
What caused the shift to continuous news?
What are some of the positive effects of continuous news?
Why does having a continuous news cycle create negative situations?
What information or topics do you find yourself craving more of?
January 29- Infotopia- Read Introduction and Chapter 1
Listen to the following: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4671485
What four methods of aggregating information does the book address? p.7
What is your ‘Daily Me’? p.9
Do you accept that concept of an information cocoon? How do you resist yours? p.9
What is Groupthink? How does it occur? p.13 (NASA, CIA)
How do market prices create accurate information? p.15 (Las Vegas, Google, Real Clear Fantasy ’08)
Why people like rotten tomatoes? p. 23 (movie aggregator)
What is the Condorcet Jury Theorem? p.25
What conditions are essential for the CJT to function? p.27
What are the shortfalls of using this method of information aggregation? p.28
Do statistical averages outperform experts? p.38 (real clear politics average, Copenhagen Consensus)
What could be the positive outcomes a more enlightened electorate? p.38
February 5- Deliberating- Read Chapter 2
Does the process of deliberating draw us to more accurate answers?
Who was president in 1956?
Why did we fight the Civil War?
Who is the author of House on Mango Street?
What percentage of our electricity comes from coal?
Whose statue can be found outside the United Center in Chicago?
How can deliberation foster more extreme ideas? p.45
Does deliberation reduce the range of opinions? p.55
What pressures keep groups from placing all the information on the table? p. 66-67
What guidelines are essential for strong deliberation? Aristotle, Rawls, and Habermas p. 49
How does the theory about a ‘marketplace of ideas’ work? p.50
What mechanisms allow for great outputs from deliberative groups? p. 53
Do blogs truly create a marketplace of ideas or a like-minded deliberation? p.58
What conditions perpetuate excellent deliberation? p. 63
How does social status impact deliberation groups? p.70
February 12- Media Sources and Deliberation (Don’t Read Chapter 3)
What is the best source of objective information http://www.fair.org/index.php?
Was Bernard Goldberg right that all media is biased http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Goldberg?
What is the importance of http://english.aljazeera.net/?
Why do people look at the Drudge Report http://drudgereport.com?
What examples of the big four errors of deliberation can we generate? p.75
Were the You Tube Debates important for our democracy?
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=YTdebates&view=playlists
Does having embed reporters in war lead to a less filtered view of the battlefield news?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbNIPOAPi5k
Respond to this quote: “Groups are more likely than individuals to escalate their commitment to a course of action that is failing—and all the more so if members identify strongly with the groups of which they are a part.” p. 79
What is the effect of new media technologies on polarization? p. 97
February 19- Market Forces for Finding the Truth- Read Chapter Four (Class at UMSL ends at 6:30)
FIRST DUE DATE (TURN IN TWO ASSESSMENTS)
How do market forces give us the right answers? P.104-105
What benefits can come from creating a prediction market? p. 133
http://www.biz.uiowa.edu/iem/
http://www.intrade.com/
What fields could use prediction markets? How would they be used? p.119-120
How do market-based systems that ask people to “put their money where their mouth is” accurately provide information? p.121
What tools do we have to adequately comparison shop? p. 128
Why do people buy overpriced stuff? p.128
What are information cascades? How do they impact the markets?
When do markets work the best? p. 135
What are good and poor examples of places where dispersed information exists to aggregate?
How do avoid “hometown” bias?
Can prediction markets work on matters of value, not just with some factual situations? p.143
February 26- New Media as audio…The impact of iTunes, MP3s, and podcasts (Listen to Lawrence Lessig on reforming copyright http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=98591002)
What are podcasts do you listen to? Why are they are part of your “daily me”?
Do you remember Napster?
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/20644/a_brief_history_of_filesharing_from.html
When did all of this file sharing start?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File_sharing_timeline
How has the IPod changed the face of information flow?
Why did Radiohead give away their latest music? Is this a good idea?
http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/09/radioheads-newo.html
What are the top podcasts?
What does this say about the podcast audience?
Will the iPhone be the next great change?
Why does copyright matter? Should we care about copyright?
What are the future trends of information sharing?
http://informationarchitects.jp/start/
http://www.matthewbuckland.com/?cat=52
http://www.slideshare.net/matthewbuckland/future-web-trends
March 5- TBD
March 12- How Open Sharing Leads to Experts…the rise of Wikis?
Read Chapter 5 (through p.164)
Who is collaboratively filtering you? Do you like it? p.147
How do you avoid the cocoon of your collaborative filter?
Why Wikipedia works?
http://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/How_does_MediaWiki_work%3F
http://www.dkosopedia.com/wiki/Main_Page
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Main_Page
http://www.urbandictionary.com/
Is Wikipedia truly an effort of the masses? p.152
50% by .7%
Is the Creative Commons License an effective tool? p.153
http://creativecommons.org/
How does Wikipedia meet or beat the price theory used on prediction markets? p.156
What does the rise in raw video mean for information and news coverage?
www.Liveleak.com
What benefits do you see from wikis?
What types of wikis could be helpful for a smaller audience?
March 19- How Open Sharing Leads to Experts... (Class at UMSL ends at 6:30)
Round Two, Open Source and Blogs (chapter 5 from p.165-195)
SECOND INFORMAL DUE DATE (TURN IN TWO ASSESSMENTS)
What is Open Source Software? p.164
How does something get ‘copylefted’? p.167
How can this concept move beyond software? (Linux, Apache)
70% of servers use Apache and open source piece of software
Discuss the concept of building cathedral and bazaars? What are the differences? p. 172
Why do people contribute to open source with no financial incentives?
What is Mozilla?
http://www.mozilla.org/projects/
Who’s looking at your blog?
Who can possible read all this stuff on the blogs? (new blog every 2.2 seconds)
How do you become a top 50 blog? (Instapundit.com, dailykos.com, talkingpointsmemo.com)
How does blogging achieve the challenge of pooling knowledge? p.186
Can I believe any of this stuff on the blogs? (errors, cascades, group polarization) p.187
What does your echo chamber look like? p.188
Are blogs inherently circular with no escape of your specific ideas? p.188
March 26- Spring Break , No Class
April 2- Social Networking as Information Sources
How has social networking sites increased your information flow?
Have we lost all of our privacy through myspace and facebook?
How can social networking provide positive social activism?
Are you twittering? What does this mean for society?
Why on earth is Facebook free?
Does social networking and electronic communication save us from face-to-face contact?
How has Facebook and other social networking changed advertising?
What about the Ning?
April 9- Chapter 6 and Conclusion
What is the best ways for individuals and groups to make better decisions with the information available today?
What group functions best promote full information disclosure, creativity, and accuracy decisions?
What does it mean to be a team player? p.201
Could our culture shift to the benefits of group success over individual success? p.205
What impact does the Delphi Method hold? p.209
When is it good to have a Devil’s Advocate? p. 210
Are we really smarter than those before us? p.217
If the Internet fostered the environment for the best in thinking and the worst in thinking, what are we to do?
April 16- Looking Forward- How News and Information will Reach Consumers (Class at UMSL ends at 6:30)
What is the effect of new media censorship throughout the world?
http://www.newmedia.org/
Which of these new media predictions will become reality?
http://beingpeterkim.typepad.com/files/Social%20Media%202009.pdf
What weight does the court of public opinion hold?
http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/12/israels-info-wa.html
What does it mean to be media literate today? How will it benefit our news filter?
http://newmedialiteracies.org/
What does it mean to be a part of a participatory media?
http://www.economist.com/surveys/displaystory.cfm?STORY_ID=6794156
April 23- Putting the Old Guard Out of Business
When did social media catch up and fly by traditional media?
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/james_surowiecki_on_the_turning_point_for_social_media
Do newspaper in their traditional nature make sense?
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/john_markoff_on_newspapers.html
How will we pay for in-depth news? (New Yorker, BBC, NY Times)
When should we have to pay for information?
When will local television begin going out of business like newspapers?
What void is created when we lose viewpoints from the marketplace of ideas?
April 30- TBD
THIRD INFORMAL DUE DATE (TURN IN TWO ASSESSMENTS)
May 7- Choosing to Unplug- The Push Back to 24-Hour News, Completing Course Evaluations
Is news addicting?
http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/09/overcoming-news-addiction/
Has this been a problem for this long?
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,950257,00.html
Can we really turn it all off?
http://articles.latimes.com/2007/feb/09/entertainment/et-women9
http://www.michaelhyatt.com/fromwhereisit/2008/12/a-self-imposed.html
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Opening Video
I was hoping that this video didn't look like a scary horror movie, but I don't know if I succeeded. Anyway, here is a little introduction. The syllabus should be up shortly, and there will be a few other videos prior to the 29th.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Welcome
I was hoping to figure out a way to be present for our January 22 meeting, but it has proved imposssible. In lieu of meeting face-to-face for the first time, I am providing some information through our class blog. Please review the introduction video, the course syllabus, and the other general information in the postings. I am asking that you read the guiding questions for January 22, and post a reply on the blog answering the questions. Also, the syllabus talks about your weekly work. Review this section, and e-mail me your links by Tuesday. Feel free to e-mail me or contact me with any questions. We will hit the ground running with introductions, conversation, and more on January 29.
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