When this class began I mentioned to you all that even though it was titled "the information society," I was going to refuse to give you an easy definition of that term, since the whole point of the class was to consider all the diverse and sometimes contradictory aspects of technology, knowledge, and social life that might fit into that concept. Well, anyway, here we are at the end of the semester and I wonder if you have any better idea of what "the information society" is all about than when you started.
It would be easy for me to ask you to write a 250-word blog post arguing for one particular definition of "the information society" for 0.5 points of extra credit. But in this class we don't take the easy way out. No, we push ourselves to imagine and communicate in new ways. So here's your extra credit challenge:
(1) Draw a picture that encapsulates your view of "the information society." Be creative. Maybe use some color? "Picture" means anything visual; diagrams or graphs or comics are all OK. Labels and arrows and stick people are fine. So what if you aren't an artist? You don't have to be Lynda Barry to do this. But I do want it to be hand-drawn.
(2) Digitize that picture (scan, photograph, hand-trace using a digitizing stylus, whatever) and upload it in a post to your discussion section weblog.
(3) In that same post, write a 250-word explanation or justification of your picture (you didn't think I'd let you get away with not writing, did you?).
This is worth 0.5 points of extra credit if you get it done by the end of this week, or Friday December 13 at 5pm central time.
