LIS 201 - The information society (news feed)

And BAM! Gamer society FTW! Accepted into the art community!

2011-11-11T23:04:00.000-08:00

And teachers said that we'd grow out of it.
Please. We made it a cultural revolution.

By a general show of hands, who here was raised on the N64, GameBoy, NES, Atari? I wasn't born when the NES or the N64 came out, but I sure played them like I did. I even bring out the good ol' green N64 that came with Donkey Kong just to play a couple rounds of Pokemon Stadium.

I feel as if those "video games are violent and gross and inhumane" people were at a loss for words when the Supreme Court stated that video games are a form of art. (We didn't even use the Konami code for that one.)

Oh, yes. The Judicial Branch head-honcho told California to zip it and let games express themselves. You see, California wanted to change the way it sold violent video games, stating that video games can't be art because they are "interactive". That argument was instantly rebutted with the fact that art has always been interactive, like make-your-own-adventure books.

Because button-mashing makes this NOT art
(This is a screenshot from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood.)

It's not only the Supreme Court. Even the Smithsonian Museum has caught on to the beauty of video games. In 2012, the Smithsonian Museum is going to have a video game art exhibit including games like Halo 2, Final Fantasy VII, and Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The exhibit is going to show the growth of video game art over time, which I think would be exciting and awesome.

Xbox360 gamers probably remember her.
She's my twin. (Fear)

Video games are making their way up in the world. I'm not talking about Dance Central. Ignoring the weird things that the Wii is coming out with. I'm talking about the games that you become a new character and become a part of an adventure. They suck you into the storyline and you become one with the character.

Someday, the world is going to understand why I love video games so much, but these small triumphs make me feel awesome too.

Gamer girl signing off.
...to play Skyrim.

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-06-27/tech/supreme.court.video.game.art_1_sale-of-violent-video-video-games-hansel-and-gretel?_s=PM:TECH
http://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/archive/2012/games/#games

"Social Media is about People"

2011-11-11T07:38:00.001-08:00

When I was wasting away my life on Facebook yesterday, I came across this video. My cousin, a freshman at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, posted it to his Facebook page after watching it in his business class. Videos like this circulate from time to time, providing us with statistics that may or may not be true, causing us to question the role of social media in our lives.

While I find these video clips to be fascinating, this one specifically caught my interest in the first ten seconds, when it said, "Social Media is about People". Without people, social media would not exist. Who would post new information for us to read?

During this past weekend, we were instructed to go technology for 48 hours. After much deliberation and inspiration from the Disconnected movie in class, I was determined to go the full 48 hours without any social media. When the weekend was over and I was working on my discussion post for our section blog, I realized that the most difficult part of the assignment wasn't that I couldn't check my Facebook 4,000 times a day. For me, the most difficult part was the fact that I couldn't call my mom or my sister, two people that I talk to on the phone almost every day. Social media isn't about stalking other people's pages or seeing who can have the most followers on Twitter. It is about people, exactly like the video says.

At 0:57, Erik Qualman is quoted, saying, "We don't have a choice on whether we do social media, the question is how well we do it." Social media is an indisputable part of our lives today. But Qualman is right. Social media receives a negative connotation because we use it for the wrong reasons. So many connections can be made through these forms of social media and it is our responsibility to reach out to people, to grow as a society.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SuNx0UrnEo

http://www.socialnomics.net/

Post It Today: Regret It Tomorrow.

2011-11-09T23:28:00.000-08:00

I was on Twitter today.

Now this is not an unnatural occurrence as I am an avid follower of Twitter – even if I’m not much of a tweeter myself. What was a big deal, however, was what I found on my feed. As I’m sure many of you know, Joeseph Paterno – the head football coach for Penn State – was fired last night in relation to the cover-up of multiple accounts of child molestation by a former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky.

But I’m not going to go into that.

What I want to bring up is the reaction that followed on Twitter. Some tweeters defended Paterno – though most maligned him. “Jo Pa” and “Penn State” were trending topics – it seemed like everyone had an opinion on the matter.

One particular opinion stood out.

Former 70s Show & Two-And-A-Half Men star Ashton Kutcher tweeted the following in response to the news that Paterno had been fired:

@aplusk: How do you fire Jo Pa? #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste

Almost immediately angry replies swarmed the “@aplusk” feed. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Tweeters replied, outraged. With over 8 million followers, Kutcher quickly realized his gaffe. Within minutes he posted an apology and claimed ignorance to the details surrounding the firing of Jo Paterno.

But it was too late.

Screen caps of the offending tweet were everywhere even after it had been deleted. Facebook, Tumblr, and various other social networks spread it like a wildfire – all in under less than an hour. As I watched this unfold I couldn’t help but think about the permanence of posting on the internet. Anything that is posted can be stored by practically anyone. Facebook photos, tweets, blog posts – once put out they are extremely difficult to take back. Much like the library of Babel from our first discussion, we have reached a time where it is possible to record almost everything.

The question now is how do we deal with that? What are we going to do knowing that everything we put out has the possibility of never being forgotten?

References:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/10/sports/ncaafootball/penn-states-joe-paterno-wants-to-retire-at-end-of-season.html

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/story/2011-11-09/Joe-Paterno-fired-Penn-State/51147098/1

https://twitter.com/#!/aplusk

What You See isn't Always What You Get

2011-10-29T13:38:00.000-07:00

During Betty White’s infamous SNL opening monologue, she chose to mock Facebook, exclaiming, “Back in my day, looking at pictures of other people’s vacations was considered a form of torture!”

Indeed, today you would be hard pressed to find someone who hadn’t turned a little green from envy one time or another after logging on to Facebook and seeing their cousin’s pictures from Cancun, that their friend had just gotten a promotion at work, or that that one kid in their Biology class had just adopted the most adorable puppy. And yet we all do it. We scroll through our Newsfeed just looking for reasons to compare our own lives to others. Why? Perhaps we’re bored. Perhaps we’re genuinely interested in other people’s lives. Or perhaps its just human nature. Regardless, recent studies have shown that Facebook can have an effect on people’s moods.

Having a particular effect on kids that have poor self-esteem, Facebook nonetheless can make anyone feel as though their lives simply aren’t as good as that kid that they’re friends with. This is worrisome, because looks can be deceiving. Naturally, most kids only want to post the positives in their lives, not the negatives. They want to make themselves seem attractive, smart, well-liked, outgoing, and fun, and so that is the kind of image they create on their Facebook page; not who they actually are.

Besides depression, Facebook can also become associated with cyber-bulling and privacy infringements. It has been connected to eating disorders and the splitting up of marriages as well.

Studies show that 51% of Americans over the age of twelve have Facebook profiles. It is obviously not going away anytime soon. However, one should always remember that when it comes to Facebook, what you see is not always what you get, and should not let it bring them down.

Sources:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42298789/ns/health-mental_health/t/docs-warn-about-teens-facebook-depression/#.Tqxjj2CLE00

http://www.zmescience.com/research/kids-suffer-from-facebook-depression-study-shows-4325345/

http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/0406/the-facebook-effect-good-or-bad-for-your-health.aspx

Voyeurism in Art

2011-10-29T13:28:00.000-07:00

Much of fine art skirts an indistinct line between pornography and tasteful voyeurism. American photographer Robert Mapplethorpe is notorious for his images of homo-erotica that are frequently mistaken for pornography, and Sally Mann published a highly controversial series of photos of her young children, many of which involved nudity that some viewers found beautiful and others obscene. When public opinion on work such as this is so divided, it can be difficult for artists to receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, an independent government-funded agency that gives money to artists and brings art to public spaces.

The mission of the NEA is to support the most excellent art and make it widely available. However, much of the art supported by the NEA has been viewed by its audiences as pornographic or obscene. In response, the NEA sates that “obscenity and pornography are degrading, and that is not what art is about. Obscenity is the antithesis of art; it has no soul.” Though Mapplethorpe does include elements of erotica in his work, the intent is not to capture an erotic/pornographic scene; rather, Mapplethorpe’s photos are a light study of the form and beauty of human bodies and skin, along with other formal photographical elements. In a similar vein, the work of Sally Mann’s that features her children, often half-clothed or unclothed has come under fire from critics of the NEA. Many people see the work as an abomination; they find it unthinkable that Mann profits on what they view as an exploitation of her children. However, the work again did not have anything to do with the nakedness of with sex appeal, it was simply a study of children in a comfortable family environment.

Often, the interpretation of art is left up to the discretion of the viewer. However, in cases like this, art can often be misconstrued as something that it is not, or social mores can lead the viewer to believe that something is wrong with what he/she is seeing. Understanding the artists’ intent is key to understanding and appreciating the work.

Sources:

http://pastpresentfuturelondon.blogspot.com/2010/07/sally-mann.html
http://www.adhikara.com/robert-mapplethorpe/sitemap.htm
What Remains. Dir. Steven Cantor. Perf. Sally Mann. Stick Figure Productions, 2005.
Robert Mapplethorpe. Dir. Nigel Finch. Perf. Robert Mapplethorpe. British Broadcasting Corporation, 1988.

The End of the World

2011-10-21T13:49:00.000-07:00

When researching/ thinking of what on earth to write about for my honors project, I came across the significance of today- October 21, 2011. Today is the day that American Christian radio host Harold Camping predicted would be the end of the world, five months after the Rapture and Judgment Day on May 21, 2011. The Rapture, in theological tradition, is the taking up into heaven of God's elect people. According to Camping, this would take place amongst many natural disasters including earthquakes across the globe. These natural disasters would continue until the end of the world on what was supposed to be today. Hopefully that won’t happen between the time I post this blog and 12:00 AM tomorrow morning.

At first, Camping’s predictions didn’t seem to have much to do at all with the Information Society. However, upon thinking about it, the two are inextricably linked. We recently read the article "When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth” by Cory Doctorow in which he talks about the flash attacks that nearly brought an end to the human race and the world as we know it. Further, the teachings of Harold Camping were largely spread by the technology of the Network Society, much like the Facebook page Wael Ghonim created in response to the public beatings by the Egyptian police as mention in “The Internet: For Better or For Worse” by Steve Coll.

In “When Sysadmins Ruled the Earth,” bio-terror attacks and large scale attacks with other weapons killed millions of people across the planet, threatening to essential bring an end to the world that would be inhabitable. These attacks nearly caused the entire Internet to crash as no one was alive to protect it from spam. In much the same way, Camping predicted an end to the world caused by natural disasters. In both Camping’s predictions and Doctorow’s article, the future looked bleak and that nothing could survive. However, Felix and other sysadmins were able to weather the storm and emerge from the network cages without being infected or killed; therefore allowing them to restart the Internet. Similarly, Camping’s predictions surprisingly did not come true (at least not yet) and we are still alive to keep the Internet buzzing as well.

The end of the world predictions were made more prominent by the internet, just like the public outrage in Egypt was made much larger by Ghonim’s Facebook page. The internet allowed Camping and Ghonim to spread their ideas across the globe. We are still seeing the effects in Egypt to this day. In terms of Camping, many people quit their jobs and around 5,000 ethnic Hmong gathered at a remote town in Vietnam's Muong Nhe District, where they planned to await the arrival of God for judgment. By posting online, we in the network society are able to spread our ideas across the globe in seconds, allowing for larger protests, stronger reactions, and larger interaction.

At first, Camping’s predictions seem completely separate from our studies of the Information Society. However, by looking at our last two readings, we can see that he is as much a part of the Network Society as anyone else. Yes, his predictions failed in 1994 and now in 2011, but people still believe him. That is the power of the Network Society.

References:

Huffington Post- October 14, 2011 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/14/oct-21-2011-end-of-world_n_1007859.html#s279937&title=End_of_Days

Wikipedia- "2011 end times prediction"

"The Torture Lab"

2011-10-19T20:10:00.000-07:00

Inclusionism – our class first encountered this word in the article, “After the Flood.” The word symbolized the idea that there was a significant population that wanted to include all information within the Wikipedia library, without questioning the information’s significance. Within the same paragraph, Inclusionism was countered with Deletionism – the removal of trivia. Both of these words got me thinking – what about Exclusionism? The opposite of Inclusionism, but not deletionism; Information Exclusionism – the idea of simply excluding information. This concept is fairly broad however, so my question is - what is your opinion on Information Exclusionism, specifically government secrets vs. public knowledge?

Still too broad? Let me give a couple examples to get you thinking.

In the book “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism,” Naomi Klein explores economist Milton Friedman’s free market revolution and how shocks and violence were used to implement radical economic policies. One of the shocks: In the 1950’s, the CIA funded a series of confidential experiments. These experiments were to be conducted under the supervision of Dr. Ewan Cameron, the director of the Allan Memorial Institute at McGill University. The goal of the experiments was to discover whether or not it was possible to reduce the adult mind to a preverbal, infantile state – essentially brainwashing. The ‘patients’ at the time - average citizens/students - wished to seek help from Dr. Cameron for a wide range of minor psychiatric ailments, only to be subjected to treatments that ranged from large doses of LSD and/or PCP, to isolation, to electroshock therapy.

The minds of the patients "treated" with these forms of involuntary torture were forever altered, or some would say shattered. The CIA funding of the experiments was not revealed until the 1980’s.

Information Exclusionism

What else has the government excluded from our general knowledge?

Last year, we witnessed a second wave of Wikileaks. This time, thousands of previously confidential diplomatic cables were made available to the public.

Was this a good or bad thing?

Are there limits to the information society?

Is there such thing as too much transparency?

What is your reaction to the experiments conducted at McGill University?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Read this NY Times Opinion Piece comparing "The Shock Doctrine" to the demonstrations here in Madison last spring: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/25/opinion/25krugman.html

"The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Shock-Doctrine-Rise-Disaster-Capitalism/dp/0805079831

Wikileaks and Transparency: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/26/world/26wiki.html

Wikileaks in a negative light: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/derrick-ashong/the-truth-about-transpare_b_789196.html

The Third Revolution

2011-10-19T17:00:00.001-07:00

In Kurt Vonnegut’s chapter of Player Piano, there is a brief discussion of “the third revolution”. Dr. Proteus tells his assistant, “In a way, I guess the third one’s (revolution) been going on for some time, if you mean thinking machines. That would be the third revolution, I guess- machines that devaluate human thinking.” Dr. Proteus may have been talking about a revolution in a fictional world, but the rise of machines that can replace, or replicate, human thinking is very much relevant in reality.

For the past few week, technology blogs have been a-buzz with reviews of the newly-released iPhone 4S and its new feature, Siri. In case you haven’t heard of Siri, yet, “she” is voice-activated software that can carry out tasks like send reminders, suggest restaurants, and call contacts. Furthermore, Apple says that that more you use Siri, the more she knows about you, and the more she is able to tailor results to your preferences.

In a similar vein, Watson, IBM’s supercomputer that beat out Jeopardy champions last February, is capable of recognizing a spoken question, determining the intent of that question, and then finding the answer. Now, after Watson proved itself on the national stage, IBM is putting it to work and marketing Watson as a potential diagnostic partner for doctors.

Obviously, the kinks in artificial intelligence technology need to be worked out. Already, there are thousands of YouTube videos dedicated to weird things that Siri says, and Watson answered a question in the “U.S. Cities” category with “What is Toronto?” The technology is not perfect. Yet. The point is that the so-called “Third Revolution” is upon us, and with the usefulness and marketability of artificial intelligence software programs, Siri and Watson are not going away anytime soon.

Sources:

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/312868?tp=1

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dr-watson-how-ibms-supercomputer-could-improve-health-care/2011/09/14/gIQAOZQzXK_story.html

http://www.apple.com/iphone/ios/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/danny-groner/watsons-ijeopardyi-win-wh_b_825633.html

http://asmarterplanet.com/blog/2011/02/watson-on-jeopardy-day-two-the-confusion-over-an-airport-clue.html

Lazich's new sex ed bill takes the "ed" out of sex

2011-10-08T11:22:00.000-07:00

Confession: I'm writing this post about something which I have already written for the Daily Cardinal last week. But, I can explain! The reason I bring it up again is because it's very important, not only to me but to all Wisconsinites. Also I can be more opinionated here than in the paper- I'd love to get a discussion going! Last week, State Senator Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, proposed a bill which would do several things to the state's schools which offer sexual education programs:

1. Require an abstinence- preferred curriculum. This would include a focus on the socioeconomic benefits of marriage and parenting, and an emphasis on adoption.

2. Prohibit volunteer health groups such as Planned Parenthood from giving educational speeches at schools, a practice which Lazich termed "irresponsible."

3. Remove from the curriculum the requirement to teach students about various methods of contraception and their effectiveness.

To me, no matter what your views on abstinence may be, this bill is the real thing that is "irresponsible." While Lazich may have good intentions in hoping that the bill will lower teen pregnancy rates by teaching abstinence, I would like to pose this question: How will avoiding teaching students about contraception help them to avoid the very thing that is feared here: conception? It is a known fact that, no matter what the policy of the school is, some teens will have sex, anyway. That being said, is it not better to give them the tools they need about contraception? If, as the bill emphasizes, it is best for married people to conceive, should we not give students all of the information possible on how to avoid that conception until they are married? It seems that Lazich is being a little idealistic here. It's time to wake up and smell the roses; some teens have sex, and they don't always get married after. Who's with me, here?

If you are interested in more information, here are several sources for you:

Article in Isthmus

Lazich's memo describing the bill

Daily Cardinal article

Extra credit #2 - Fall 2011

2011-10-06T07:23:00.001-07:00

As promised in lecture:

Understanding Politics Study
You are invited to participate in a study concerning the role of new media in how individuals understand politics to receive extra credit. For your participation, you will receive extra credit. Also, the first 300 students who participate in the study will also receive $5, in cash, upon completion.
In this study, you will be asked some questions concerning your media use and views toward society. You may also be asked to engage in a short online discussion with another UW student. In total, we expect your participation to take approximately 30 minutes.
To participate in this study, you will need to complete two parts. The first part is a 5-minutes online survey that can be taken from any computer with Internet access. At this time you will also schedule an appointment to complete the second part of the study. The second part involves a 25-minute activity that requires students to come to the School of Journalism Computer Lab. The lab is located on the 5th floor of Vilas Communication Hall (Vilas 5011).
You must complete the first part of the study, before you complete second. Appointments for the lab times run from Tuesday October 4th through Friday October 14th, with appointments available in the morning or afternoon on most days.
Link to part 1 of the study https://research.journalism.wisc.edu/edgerly/smad/
As with any research, your participation is voluntary, and all of the information you give will be kept strictly confidential. If you have questions about the project or your rights as a potential participant, please contact Prof. Young Mie Kim at ymkim5@wisc.edu or Stephanie Edgerly at edgerly@wisc.edu
A research presentation will be given on Monday November 21 at 8am in Vilas 5055 as an alternative form of extra credit. Monetary incentive will only be given for completion of lab activity.
Thank you in advance for you help with our study.
Stephanie Edgerly
Ph.D. Candidate
School of Journalism & Mass Communication
University of Wisconsin-Madison
5132 Vilas Communication Hall
821 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

"Information is not knowledge"

2011-10-03T22:53:00.000-07:00

Google has been at the forefront of some intriguing projects, many of which have been fostered by its 20% rule. This rule allows Google employees to dedicate up to 20% of their work time on personal projects. Many of these are unsuccessful, but others, such as Gmail and Google News, become extremely popular.

Recently, Google has become involved in several collaborations such as the Google Books Ngram Viewer and the Google Art Project. Its latest addition to the project family is the Google Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Project.

On September 26th, Google and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem released digitized versions of five of the scrolls: the Great Isaiah Scroll, the Community Rule Scroll, the Commentary of Habakkuk Scroll, the Temple Scroll, and the War Scroll. All of the scrolls have a resolution of 1,200 mega pixels and can be magnified and examined closely. They also sport both a search and English translation tool.

This advance in making information accessibility is fascinating. With projects such as this and the Google Art Project, anyone has the ability to read rare texts and see the works of the masters even if they do not have the means to travel. Of course the experience will never be quite the same, but such technologies help provide to every echelon of society the resources for a good education and cultural literacy.

However, although more and more resources are becoming available, access does not mean understanding. The next move in the development in these technologies should be to incorporate a variety teaching tools. It is difficult to say how this could or will be accomplished, but its potential seems to be almost without limit.

References:

http://dss.collections.imj.org.il/project

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/under-god/post/google-takes-the-dead-sea-scrolls-online/2011/09/27/gIQAPBHf4K_blog.html

http://www.geek.com/articles/geek-cetera/google-employees-can-tinker-in-company-sponsored-workshops-20110430/

Bloggin' with our Noggins

2011-09-28T15:23:00.000-07:00

To say the least, blogging is not my favorite activity. Its not that I don't enjoy doing it, its just that I have never been fantastic at forming interesting web pages or learning to write witty and clever arguments online for all to see. To all those who have the talent to host their own online blog: Cheers!

However, I think there is a fine line between what is important information to share with others on the Internet, and what is not. For example, blogging all about one's personal falls and triumphs, meals and outfit selections do not, for me, qualify as interesting enough material to be posting on the Internet for all to see. While probably cathartic, venting all of one's life issues on the Internet on an "online diary" of sorts, may not be the best possible way of communicating information and emotions to others, particularly strangers or even worse: bosses.

Needless to say, I don't know what the point is of celebrity blog postings. It seems like most celebrities today have a reality television show that shares enough information with the audience and rest of the world. I thought celebrities always complained about the media and paparazzi ruining their life by invading their privacy! How can a celebrity's life be invaded if it is not only already in the public domain, but permanently posted on the World Wide Web?

So what then are blogs important for? I think they are a good way for politicians (link to my hometown district's representative, Jackie Speier's blog), interest groups, or large scale organizations to share information with those not easily in contact with these groups and people otherwise. For example, I know when I traveled abroad two summers ago, my group of friends and I created a blog to share information and stories with our families back home. To me, that was an excellent way to stay connected.

I understand that blogs are important to keep others up to date about what is happening in our everyday lives. Really, I do. It is nice that we live in a world where talking to our families and friends across several continents is possible because of computers and the Internet. But honestly, some blogs are better left unwritten.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog

http://adventurebuddies.net/blog/tag/jackie-speier/

TO WATCH an example of an online college blog:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaFM2-ZOOAg

Another Look at Wikipedia

2011-09-26T18:24:00.000-07:00

As I spent the beginning of my Monday night pondering what I would post about in this blog, I came across the extra credit survey Professor Downey posted about two weeks ago. On behalf of my procrastination, I decided to take the survey. It began by asking me multiple questions about my opinions on the environmental impact of meat production. Then, I was asked to read an article, and before I knew it the survey had swapped topics to one about Wikipedia and it's reliability. I thought this survey accurately represented the variety of topics that are discussed on Wikipedia, and did a wonderful job at intricately questioning it's reliability. It also related back to the article we read during the first week, "After the flood," by Jamies Gleick. This posed quite an interested discussion topic for the class blog.

While first being questioned about the effects of meat production on the environment, I found I had very little knowledge on the subject. After, I was asked to read an in-depth article discusses a few major effects that our environment has been devastated with. Immediately after reading the article, I was once again asked about these same effects. However, this time, I felt I knew much more about the subject. The next few sets of questions were about the reliability of the article I had just read. It was then that I realized I had never even bothered to check the Wikipedia article's sources or question it's credibility. I had simply taken everything I had read as accepted fact. Though the survey did not allow me to return back to the article, I later reviewed it myself and discovered that the article had provided 22 sources of reference at the bottom of the page. However, I still pondered it's reliability.

The end of this survey was easily relatable to Gleick's argument that Wikipedia information is not always the most credible of sources. He spoke about how an individual's ability to edit and re-write Wikipedia article's provides for an unmeasurable amount of possibilities of inaccuracy. As I read the article presented to me in the survey, I thought back to this argument. How many people have altered the actual facts that may have once been present here? How do I know that the information from the references cited has not been erased or changed between the time it was published and the time I am currently reading this article? I found the concepts explored throughout this survey were relevant to both my own research as well as to this class as well. I encourage you all to take the survey! (The link is posted below)

Sources:

Survey: http://stkate.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_d0bL6aLuPs80PdO

Original Article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_impact_of_meat_production

James Gleick, "After the flood," in The Information: A history, a theory, a flood (2011)

2011-09-23T15:11:00.000-07:00

How important is your privacy? How much of your personal information are you willing to share with strangers? These are very important questions in regards to today's information society. Many people freely post every detail of their lives on Facebook and Twitter, public sites that anyone can visit. Photos, age, location, and all sorts of personal details are posted on the internet for almost anyone to see. Some may view this as perfectly normal behavior, others may see it as an action that may cause future embarassment or even danger to the poster. Whatever may happen with this information, it is always the individual's choice what and how much to post.

But what if you no longer had that choice? Personal information can be incredibly valuable these days, as it can be used by advertisers, spambots, and other unsavory online characters to make money or cause mischief. Accordingly, many people wish to keep their personal information close. However, a newly proposed law right here in Madison may make that a bit harder to do. Recently, an ordinance was passed by the Madison city council that would require anyone selling their used books, games, CDs, and other physical media to a store to have their photograph and information recorded and stored in a database. The idea is that if anyone was trying to sell stolen goods, the police would then have their identifying information and could catch the criminal. Unfortunately, this also means that anyone selling their own used items would have their information stored as well, even thought they did not and likely never would do anything wrong. Recent news events have shown how easily seemingly secure information can be hacked, so it would be difficult to be sure your information was not going to fall into the wrong hands. Obviously, this proposal would be useful for catching criminals, but at what cost? I'm sure many would agree that taking and storing the personal information of numerous law-abiding citizens simply for selling their used items is going a bit too far.

For more information: http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/crime_and_courts/blog/article_666fc230-e08d-11e0-881f-001cc4c03286.html?mode=story

Running For The Hills

2011-09-20T15:39:00.000-07:00

We've struck up a slightly cynical tone about the internet. I've decided to give that a rest. While I don't disagree with some of the points made so far this semester, here's a story that made me happy we discovered that which is the Internet. It's about politicians, the things they do, and how cyberspace reacts.

A regional governor buying up diamond-studded watches; a government ministry ordering a gilded bell made of rare wood; a city buying over sixty thousand dollars worth of mink; the President's administration purchasing over ten million dollars' worth of BMW's; an absurd photoshopped image of local bureaucrats examining a road they were supposed to inspect. These are different examples of thick & thriftless politicians' actions. Though these politicians were located across two continents, with little in common but their corruption, spending habits, and boneheadedness, their actions led to the same results: their own embarrassment and regret.

As citizens in the politicians' countries (China and Russia, in this case) began to adapt to the conveniences that the internet was bringing them, some of them saw the opportunity to do more than expedite their communications and general life functions. They saw the chance to take back some of their country, if only a small part. They took to their blogs, to their websites, and their Twitters (the Chinese equivalent is Weibo; access to Twitter is blocked by the Chinese government), and found ways to expose some of what their government was doing to the country and the people's trust.

In some of the above cases, the orders were cancelled mere hours after they were blogged about. The Chinese politicians who were involved in the photoshop scandal instantly became pariahs in their country. The Chinese weibo-sphere even used humor to aid in its battering of the officials, as you can see in the above picture. The sheer number of reposts and retweets these blogs garnered caused the politicians to leave their cocoons of corrupt comfort and see reality. Even in their environment where corruption is largely tolerated, the embarrassment these politicians have suffered has made few of them wanting to seek reelection. Simply put, the politicians were sent running for the hills by people whose identity they didn't even know.

The argument can be made that the internet removes us from reality and keeps us in a fantasy world of ease. But as the above cases show, the internet is the only antidote to fantasy we have for some members of our society. Those who govern us--those who, theoretically, should face reality to a greater extent than anyone else--all too often find themselves living in a world of no consequences. Fortunately for the common folk out there, the internet is here to save their overlords from chimera.

Sources:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2009957/Photoshop-picture-Chinese-officials-inspecting-road-ridiculed-world.html

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/04/04/110404fa_fact_ioffe?printable=true&currentPage=all

Announcement: PAVE

2011-09-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

From time to time I will post announcements of general interest to the class blog. Usually they do have some interesting connection to "the information society," broadly defined. The ways that safety and public health messages are communicated through creative means certainly falls into that category:

Dear Professor Downey,
My name is Aly and I am the outreach coordinator for PAVE (promoting awareness, victim empowerment)! October is Dating/ Domestic Violence Awareness Month and we are hosting a variety of events to inform students about dating violence.
We will be running a specialized workshop on dating/ domestic violence in the media on October 13th, hosting The Yellow Dress Program as our Keynote on October 19th, and holding a screening of the film "Waitress" on October 25th. (As of now, locations are undetermined).
The Yellow Dress Program is a one woman theatrical act based on the experiences of a woman in an abusive relationship. The evening will consist of half an hour of performance and half an hour of discussion.
Here are links to the Keynote website and the trailer for Waitress.
http://www.deanaseducationaltheater.org/yellowdresscollege.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZccnrYn8dA
I am contacting you to ask that you pass these opportunities on to your students.

Google Book Project in the campus news

2011-09-15T04:18:00.000-07:00

Hey! An article in the Badger Herald this morning connects directly to our lecture from Tuesday:

Five universities participating in efforts to digitize books for student usage, including the University of Wisconsin, are battling a lawsuit over copyright protections filed by author guilds and authors.
The Authors Guild, the Australian Society of Authors, the Quebec Writers Union and eight separate authors filed the suit Monday afternoon, stating the digitalization of the universities’ library books violated authors’ copyright protections.
This digitization effort targets the sued universities’ participation in HathiTrust, which contains approximately 10 million digital files as a result of working with Google since 2004, according to Deputy Director of UW Libraries Ed Van Gemert.
Headed by the University of Michigan, HathiTrust is a collaboration of more than 40 universities that first create digital copies of their books and then combine these digital libraries.
Authors Guild President Scott Turow said this digitalization threatens the books’ rightful preservation.
“These books, because of the universities’ and Google’s unlawful actions, are now at needless, intolerable digital risk,” Turow said in a recent Authors Guild press release.
The Library Copyright Alliance — which includes the American Library Association, the Association of Research Libraries and the Association of College and Research Libraries — disagrees with the lawsuit, according to a statement released Wednesday.
“We are deeply disappointed by the Authors Guild’s decision to file a lawsuit […] against HathiTrust and its research library partners,” the statement said. “The case has no merit and completely disregards the rights of libraries and their users under the law, especially fair use.”

Read the rest here and tell me what you think.

Extra credit #1 - Fall 2011

2011-09-13T12:39:00.000-07:00

Students who participate in the study described below will earn 0.5 points of extra credit, to be applied to the maximum of 2.0 points that may be earned over the course of the semester. Remember what it says on our syllabus:

To claim any extra credit, at the end of the semester you need to email your TA with a list of each study you participated in, including the date of participation and one sentence describing the study. (We will compare your list against our master list of experiment participants.)

OK, here's the study announcement:

Please participate in a credibility study concerning Wikipedia!!

You are invited to participate in a research study on “Factors Affecting Credibility Judgments of Wikipedia.” The study is being conducted by Sook Lim, associate professor in the Master of Library and Information Science program at St. Catherine University, St. Paul, MN, working in collaboration with Kristin Eschenfelder, associate professor in Library and Information Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

It will take approximately 25 minutes to complete and can be accessed from any computer terminal with access to the Internet. More information about the study can be found when you login to study's web site. Participation in this study is entirely voluntary.

To participate in this study, please click or copy the following link into your web browser:

http://stkate.qualtrics.com//SE/?SID=SV_d0bL6aLuPs80PdO

This study will be available through October 3, 2011. If you have any questions, please send Sook Lim email at slim@stkate.edu.

Thank you for your participation.

Sook Lim, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Masters of Library and Information Science
St. Catherine University
2004 Randolph Ave.
St. Paul. MN 55105
651 690 6888
Web page: http://sooklim.org

Thoughts on Dots

2011-09-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

The above portrait, created by Chuck Close, is based off of a photograph taken of composer Philip Glass. By repeating over and over again the same exact dot at varying shades, Close created a complete image. This meaning of this portrait rests entirely upon the relationship between the dots, which each exist individually. This style thus places emphasis on the process—repeating and repeating and repeating; ultimately creating. This portrait in particular, mirrors the nature of our internet system.

What is the internet? One possible answer could refer to the physical infrastructure of wires, hard drives, and data storage facilities. This explanation is, of course, lacking a large part of what the internet is. The same problem arises for defining a human being by reference to their physical parts alone. We are all more than the sum of our parts; we are a coordination of our parts—a relationship unto ourselves. Likewise, the internet is a relationship of individuals to a whole. The web is made up of physical strands from one pc to another. Each individual is a dot, but when we come together, we form a portrait, becoming more that just a pile of computers and wires.

The practical implications of this thought can be seen in the Wikipedia phenomenon. Wikipedia, rather than a top-down effort, is an amalgamation of individual households of unpaid editors and contributors. Individuals banded together to create a database that can brag of a greater volume of articles written in many more languages than any rigorously planned academic encyclopedia. And it is still going. Wikipedia is a work in progress, constantly being improved. By showing the emergence of value from seeming chaos, Wikipedia confronts us with the concept of spontaneous order.

Although Close’s portrait was, of course, planned and reflected upon (“centrally planned” in political terms), perhaps this is because his portraits are made of dots, not human beings. Does Wikipedia, and the internet in general, shed new light on the feasibility of an anarchist society? Can humans prosper without dictates from a transcendent sphere of society, cooperating instead by means of market forces, rational self-interest, benevolence, or other such incentives?

Sources:

http://www.robintroy.com/nyt/glass.htm

Catalan, Jonathon M. (2010), Wiki and the Misesian Vision. Auburn, Alabama: Ludwig von Mises Institute.

Perls, Frederick S. Gestalt Therapy Verbatim. Lafayette, CA: Real People, 1969.

Honors Project Blog Post

2011-09-09T10:05:00.001-07:00

In light of this weekend being the tenth anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11^th, I chose to write my blog post on the extreme presence of commemorative events this weekend. This weekend, a plethora of events that honor and serve as memorials to the attacks will take place. On December 7^th, 1951, nothing special occurred. It was just a normal day like any other. The front pages of The New York Times and Los Angeles Times had no mention of any major events in our nation’s history, let alone an event that essentially began the United States’ involvement in the Second World War. Why is it that the ten-year anniversary of Pearl Harbor was utterly overlooked, even ignored, while that of September 11^th is a major ordeal?

A fairly superficial and obvious reason is that by December 7^th, 1951, we were allies with Japan in the beginnings of the Korean War. Acknowledging that just ten years earlier the relations between our two countries was incredibly volatile would have been detrimental to the new alliance and “positive” relations.

On a deeper level, I think that the significantly higher availability and rapid dissemination of information contemporarily also plays a key role in the greater remembrance and “importance” of the anniversary. The average American knows much more about the goings on in things related to the attacks, such as the War on Terror, than the average American did about the repercussions and occurrences following Pearl Harbor. The internet, vast television presence, and increased communication between individuals most definitely keeps the memory of September 11^th alive more than anything kept Pearl Harbor’s memory in the front of people’s minds.

Getting ready for Fall 2011

2011-09-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hi folks. LIS 201, The Information Society, is almost ready. Our first lecture will be Tuesday September 06 2011, 4pm, in 5208 Social Sciences. See you then!

An infographic on e-waste

2010-12-23T07:44:00.000-08:00

Print it out, hang it on your walls, look at it in remembrance of your LIS 201 experience: GOOD magazine has released an infographic on e-waste: http://awesome.good.is/transparency/web/1010/digital-dump/flat.html

Extra credit opportunity #4 - Fall 2010

2010-12-10T06:26:00.000-08:00

Here's the last extra-credit opportunity for LIS 201 this Fall. It's another survey about the course itself — specifically, about some of the technological components. Many of you took the "pre-survey" at the start of the semester; this is the "post-survey" which compares before and after. Access it here:

https://uwmadison.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_4TrPjWYrF2mOeyg

The survey should take about 15 minutes to complete.

As an additional incentive, since DoIT is sponsoring this survey, all students who complete both the pre- and post-surveys will be entered into a drawing to win and iPad!

P.S. This makes four extra-credit opportunities provided this semester, each worth half-a-point, for a total of two possible points of extra credit for the course. Remember to send your TA a list of all the extra-credit opportunities you took advantage of this semester. And remember, we will spot-check these lists so that we keep honest students honest.

Darnton on a bunch of themes we've talked about in LIS 201

2010-12-06T10:14:00.000-08:00

...with an emphasis on libraries.

The Library: Three Jeremiads

Extra credit opportunity #3 - Fall 2010

2010-11-12T13:18:00.000-08:00

Here's another one, worth the standard half-point:

You are invited to participate in an online survey, conducted by a graduate student in the School of Journalism & Mass Communication. The online study seeks to understand and explore perceptions of social networking sites such as Facebook, and motivations for news and information sharing online.

In total, we expect your participation to take approximately 20 minutes.

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera, or Safari) and an Internet connection. If you do not have an Internet connection at home, you can complete the study from a campus computer lab or library.

As with any research, your participation is voluntary, and all of the information you give will be kept strictly confidential.

If you are interested in learning more about the research project, its goals or post-survey information, please contact Abhiyan Humane at ashumane@wisc.edu

To participate in the online study, simply click on the following link:

https://uwmadison.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_bJmc0T199nzcDD6

If you experience any difficulties, please contact ashumane@wisc.edu and we will try to provide technical assistance.

Thank you in advance for your help with the study

Extra credit opportunity #2 - Fall 2010

2010-11-12T07:23:00.000-08:00

LIS 201 sometimes offers extra credit for participation in research studies run by faculty and graduate students. You can participate either as a research subject or as an attendee at presentations about the methodology of the studies being conducted this semester. (You will only earn credit for the same experiment once.) You may receive one-half point for each study you participate in, up to a total of two points.

Study Description:

Here’s another opportunity for you to earn 1/2 point of extra credit. You are invited to participate in an online survey, conducted by a research group in the School of Journalism & Mass Communication, concerning the effects of discourse surrounding illegal immigration.

In this on-line survey, you will be asked to assess the strength of specific arguments about immigration. In total, we expect your participation to take approximately 30 minutes. You need to complete this survey before Nov. 20th, 2010.

If you are interested in learning more about the research project, post-survey information and initial result presentation sessions will be held on Thursday, Dec. 2nd at 10 a.m. and Friday, Dec. 3rd at 9 a.m. in the Nafziger Room (5055 Vilas Hall).

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera, or Safari) and an Internet connection. If you do not have an Internet connection at home, you can complete the study from a campus computer lab or library.

As with any research, your participation is voluntary, and all of the information you give will be kept strictly confidential. Of you have questions about the project or your rights as a potential participant, please contact Profs. Dhavan Shah or Douglas McLeod at mcrcsurvey@journalism.wisc.edu

To participate in the online study, simply click on the following link and follow the directions:http://research.journalism.wisc.edu/mcrc/.

If you experience any difficulties, please contact us and we will try to provide technical assistance. Once again, all questions should be directed tomcrcsurvey@journalism.wisc.edu

Thank you in advance for you help with our study

Extra credit opportunity #1 - Fall 2010

2010-10-19T13:43:00.000-07:00

I mentioned on the course web site that there may be some extra credit opportunities in LIS 201:

LIS 201 sometimes offers extra credit for participation in research studies run by faculty and graduate students. You can participate either as a research subject or as an attendee at presentations about the methodology of the studies being conducted this semester. (You will only earn credit for the same experiment once.) You may receive one-half point for each study you participate in, up to a total of two points.

At the end of the semester you need to turn in a typed list of each study you participated in, including the date of participation and one sentence describing the study. (We will compare your list against our master list of experiment participants.)

Here's the first one, worth one-half point:

You are invited to participate in an online study concerning your opinion on candidates running for office in the 2010 midterm elections. This study is being fielded by a student in the Journalism and Mass Communication department as part of their dissertation research.

In this online study, you will be asked to evaluate candidates running for office in the 2010 elections, after which you will be asked to complete a second questionnaire with questions about your feelings, attitudes and behaviors. In total, your participation should take approximately 30 minutes. You need to complete this study by Monday, November 1st at 11:59 p.m.

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser and an Internet connection. A high-speed Internet connection is recommended, but not required. If you do not have an Internet connection at home, you can complete the study from a campus computer lab or library. You may only complete this study for credit in one class, although you are welcome to attend the alternative extra credit presentation for credit in a second class.

If you are unable to participate in this online research study, you will be able to attend a 30-minute presentation on the research on Monday, November 8th from 11:00-11:30 a.m. in 5055 Vilas Communication Hall. This alternative presentation will be worth the same amount of credit as the experiment.

As with any research, your participation is voluntary, and all of the information you give will be kept strictly confidential. If you have questions about the project or your rights as a potential participant, please contact Emily Vraga at ekvraga@wisc.edu.

To participate in the on-line study, please click the following link and follow the directions: <http://research.journalism.wisc.edu/ekvraga/candidate_study/>. If you experience difficulties, please contact me and I will provide technical assistance.
Thank you in advance for your help with my study. I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Emily Vraga
ekvraga@wisc.edu
School of Journalism and Mass Communication

Why do students take LIS 201?

2010-09-20T08:37:00.001-07:00

Here's what you said in Fall 2010:

I think I'm glad that only three of you "heard it was easy" ...

Modern print culture and literacy debates

2010-09-16T07:04:00.001-07:00

Professor Downey brought this up in class, but debates about traditional print literacy are still active today. In addition to Jacoby, who published the book we read in class in 2008, a recent article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution argues for the importance of traditional forms of reading. It primarily focuses on the importance of print collections in libraries.

You would just as soon cut “Romeo and Juliet” from a high school curriculum as you would cut algebra. Both train young minds how to think in critical ways. Both foster problem solving and spatial reasoning. Both create adults who question and ontribute to society. Fundamentally, reading creates better societies. This is not a theory. This is a quantifiable fact: There is a direct correlation between the rate of literacy in a nation and its success.

This is why the funding of American libraries should be a matter of national security. Keeping libraries open, giving access to all children to all books is vital to our nation’s sovereignty. For nearly 85 percent of kids living in rural areas, the only place where they have access to technology or books outside the schoolroom is in a public library. For many urban kids, the only safe haven they have to study or do homework is the public library. Librarians are soldiers in the battle for our place in the world, and in many cases they are getting the least amount of support our communities can offer.

The short article is worth a read and might help for brainstorming some ideas for our first paper assignment.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/fight-for-libraries-as-611271.html?cxtype=ynews_rss

Ignite Assignments

2010-09-15T17:05:00.000-07:00

Thinking ahead about your Ignite presentations? The first part of this blog post from Noupe, a blog for web designers and developers, provides links to several different sites to download templates.

But scroll down to the second part of the Noupe post. Beginning with a section called "More Keynote and PowerPoint Resources," you'll find a variety of sources for creaeting powerful and persuasive presentations.

Even if you're a presentation pro, you'll likely be able to find something helpful here.

http://www.noupe.com/how-tos/40-awesome-keynote-and-powerpoint-templates-and-resources.html

The Purdue OWL

2010-09-15T08:42:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to share a great resource for learning more about college-level writing. Check out the Purdue OWL--it is Purdue University's "Online Writing Lab" and it provides excellent overviews of several aspects of writing. (So get over your Big 10 rivalry and go learn something!)

The parts that you might find most helpful are the General Writing Resources page and the Research and Citation page. The General Writing Resources page is a great starting point for any college-level writing assignment. It covers the writing process in general, academic writing, grammar, and punctuation, among other things. (So if you have since forgotten your comma rules from grade school, this is a good place to learn more. There is no shame in refreshing your comma usage skills!) My sections will find the Developing an Outline page in the Writing Process section familiar. Explore the rest of that section for more writing strategies and tips, including how to develop a thesis statement.

The Research and Citation page is a great place to learn more about how to use and evaluate primary and secondary sources and how to use APA style. The APA Formatting and Style Guide is extremely useful for directions on how to cite your sources correctly, for both in-text citations and the reference list.

The Purdue OWL has consistently provided me with great information, from the perspective of both a graduate-student writer and a college-level teacher. I hope you find it as helpful as I do!

iPads in the Classroom

2010-09-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

In a couple of related articles, the Chronicle speaks on iPads in the classroom.

The first describes universities experimenting with iPads to get a better feel for how useful the technology is. Sounds familiar -- I wonder if our 201 class can learn anything from the schools mentioned in the article.

More Universities Announce iPad Experiments

The second discusses a recent decision at St. John's College in Annapolis to ban iPads in the classroom. Educators at the school suggested that the technology interferes with their "Great Books" curriculum. Check out the comments for some dissenting opinions.

No Homer on Your iPads, Please

Reader is available

2010-09-03T04:17:00.000-07:00

Our course reader is ready and waiting at Student Print, for the low, low price of $31.15 -- which includes binding, recycled paper, and a fine front cover color which will be a surprise to me as well. See you all on Tuesday!

Reader is submitted

2010-08-31T08:47:00.000-07:00

The course reader has been submitted to Student Print and will be ready for purchase by the Monday before our first lecture (September 06).

Getting ready for Fall 2010

2010-08-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody. I'm recombobulating the web site, weblog, and wiki spaces for the Fall 2010 version of LIS 201. It's going to be bigger and better than ever! More soon ...

Final exam guide

2009-12-14T12:12:00.000-08:00

LIS 201 - Fall 2009

Final Exam Study Guide

FINAL EXAM WILL BE IN 1100 GRAINGER HALL

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 23

12:25pm-2:25pm

Short Answer Terms to Study

Five of the following terms will appear on the exam. In a couple of sentences, identify and give the significance of each. (1 point each)

Memex
ARPANET
Internet
World Wide Web
cyberspace
Science Citation Index
hypermedia
digital convergence
Google
YouTube
Wikipedia
Facebook
Second Life
brokerage services
social network services
avatar
global convergence culture
digital divide
broadband
geodemographics

Essay Questions to Study

One of these two essay questions will appear on the final exam. You must answer it in an eight-page blue book. (5 points)

(1) Read this excerpt from a July 2009 New York Times article. The article discusses a research study released by the Pew Research Center “Internet and American Life” project:

The survey, conducted in April by interviewing 2,253 Americans, found that while accessing the Internet via a mobile phone was increasing, the swell was reflected most sharply among African-Americans.

“The typical early adopter of a dozen years ago was a white guy in his mid- to late thirties,” said John Horrigan, associate director of the Pew Internet Project and principal author on the report. “Now you see the cutting edge in mobile Internet being populated by younger people of color.”

The report found that nearly half of all African-Americans and English-speaking Hispanics (the study did not include a Spanish-language option) were using mobile phones or other hand-held devices to surf the Web and send e-mail messages. By comparison, just 28 percent of white Americans reported ever going online using a mobile device.

[...]

The heightened activity among African-Americans and English-speaking Hispanics helps offset lower levels of access to the Internet from traditional outlets, like desktop computers, laptops and home broadband connections. For example, an earlier study conducted by the Internet Project found that African-Americans trailed the national average in broadband access at home.

Use what you have learned in LIS 201 to analyze this news report. See if you can use it to make an argument about what the “digital divide” means today. Be specific in your use of material from lectures, films, and readings.

(2) Read this excerpt from a November 2009 New York Times article. The article discusses the online media company America Online (AOL):

On Thursday, AOL announced it would cut its work force by one-third by eliminating close to 2,500 workers. The move comes as the company prepares to be spun off from its parent company, Time Warner, into an independent, publicly traded company.

[...]

At its height, AOL had more than 20,000 employees in 2004. It currently has about 6,900 and after the latest round of layoffs will be left with about 4,400 workers, making it roughly a fifth of the size it once was.

In terms of what was once its core business — selling dial-up Internet access — AOL had the most subscribers in the third quarter of 2002, when it counted 26.7 million of them. At the end of the most recent quarter, it had 5.4 million. Through the first nine months of 2009, AOL lost 1.9 million subscribers, or more than 200,000 a month.

This business is still profitable for AOL, although it is declining rapidly. Mr. Armstrong, in the face of continuing declines in the access business, has singled out several areas for growth, including premium content, online mapping and local services, communications like instant messaging, and online advertising.

Use what you have learned in LIS 201 to analyze this news report. See if you can use it to make an argument about what an “online business” means today. Be specific in your use of material from lectures, films, and readings.

H.P. Lovecraft - The Black Seas of Copyright

2009-12-04T22:51:00.000-08:00

Here's a link to an easy-to-read and fascinating research project on the murky question of copyright law regarding H.P. Lovecraft which I alluded to briefly in my sections:

http://www.aetherial.net/lovecraft/index.html

P.S. We're going ahead with our audiobook of Lovecraftian horror.

The Information Trade? Beware of Russian Flea Markets!

2009-12-03T22:06:00.000-08:00

From the Financial Times:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8fe2b26e-d962-11de-b2d5-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Announcement: Spring course of interest for LIS 201 students

2009-11-10T05:25:00.001-08:00

Computer Science 202
Introduction to Computation
Meets 1:20 – 2:10 Mon, Wed, Fri (3 Cr)
Instructor: Professor Andrea Arpaci-Dusseau

Would you like to understand how computers work? Do you want to know
how to use computation to solve problems?

Designed for a diverse audience, CS 202 focuses on understanding
algorithms, step-by-step methods for accomplishing a complex task.
Algorithms are useful in more places than you might imagine.
Algorithms specify the work that must be done for large, complex tasks
like sequencing the human genome. But, algorithms also describe how
people approach everyday problems like finding a path out of a maze or
solving a rubik's cube. Understanding how to solve problems in a
step-by-step fashion is useful for more than just computer scientists.
In this course, you'll investigate the types of problems we currently
know how to solve with computation and you'll compare different
algorithms that solve the same problem to determine which are the most
efficient.

In this course, you’ll also learn how modern computers perform
computation. For example, you’ll understand how hardware and software
store data, run applications, and display and find web pages. You’ll
learn about a wide range of areas in computer science, such as
robotics, human-computer interaction, and artificial intelligence.

To obtain hands-on experience with algorithms, we will be using a new
programming environment called Scratch. Scratch enables beginners to
create sophisticated programs by simply dragging and dropping
predefined instruction blocks. Thus, you will acquire experience
decomposing problems into well-defined steps without the fear of
frustrating ``syntax'' errors. You will use Scratch to create
animated stories, art, and educational games!

All majors are welcome!

For more information, please see:
http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~dusseau/Classes/CS202/

Extra credit opportunity #2

2009-11-09T08:09:00.001-08:00

This one will also net you another 1/2 point if you complete it.

You're invited to participate in a study evaluating issue content. The study's purpose is to test the effects of different ways of presenting information about current events.

To participate in the study, you’ll need to complete an online survey that should take about 15-20 minutes of your time.

You can access the survey by clicking on this link:

http://research.journalism.wisc.edu/edgerly/hme2/introz.html

The study will be available online until 5:00 PM on Monday, November 23, 2009.

You can complete the survey at your convenience and may use either your personal computer or a computer on the UW-Madison campus. You simply need an Internet browser like Mozilla Firefox, Safari, or Internet Explorer to complete the survey. Please make sure to enter your name and class number at the end of the survey to receive credit for your participation.

Your participation is completely voluntary, but you can earn extra credit for participating. Also, if you choose not to complete the study, you may attend a presentation on the research in the Nafziger Conference Room on the 5th Floor of Vilas Hall at 1:30pm on Monday, November 23, 2009 as an alternative way of earning extra credit.

If you experience difficulties, please contact me and I will try to provide technical assistance. Thank you for your participation.

Stephanie Edgerly, Graduate Student, School of Journalism and Mass Communication

edgerly@wisc.edu

Stephanie Edgerly
Graduate Student/Teaching Assistant
5132 Vilas Hall
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
University of Wisconsin-Madison
821 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53706

Extra credit opportunity

2009-10-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

Calling all LIS 201 students!

A group of LIS grad students needs your help in gathering data for a study on the use of video chat tools like Skype at UW Madison.

Please fill out this short online survey about your use of video chat. (It should take 10 minutes or less) :

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=dnXR05zwSg9OXC1JQOVOHQ_3d_3d

What’s in it for you?

1) 0.5 extra credit points in LIS 201 (which can make up for a botched midterm or quiz question)
2) The satisfaction of helping out fellow TAs and classmates
3) A chance to participate in the global network society using “Web 2.0” tools

Thanks for your help!

Darcy Gervasio

Essay questions for the midterm

2009-10-07T07:37:00.000-07:00

LIS 201 - Fall 2009

Midterm Study Guide

Essay Questions to Study

First, read this excerpt from a New York Times article on “tablet
computers” published on 04 October 2009:

The high-tech industry has been working itself into paroxysms of
excitement lately over an idea that is not exactly new: tablet
computers.

Quietly, several high-tech companies are lining up to deliver versions
of these keyboard-free, touch-screen portable machines in the next few
months. Industry watchers have their eye on Apple in particular to
sell such a device by early next year.

Tablets have been around in various forms for two decades, thus far
delivering little other than memorable failure. Nonetheless, the new
batch of devices has gripped the imagination of tech executives,
bloggers and gadget hounds, who are projecting their wildest dreams
onto these literal blank slates.

In these visions, tablets will save the newspaper and book publishing
industries, present another way to watch television and movies, play
video games, and offer a visually rich way to enjoy the Web and the
expanding world of mobile applications.

[...]

Another former Apple executive who was there at the time said the
tablets kept getting shelved at Apple because Mr. Jobs, whose incisive
critiques are often memorable, asked, in essence, what they were good
for besides surfing the Web in the bathroom.

The success of the iPhone may have partially helped to answer that
question. As of last month, developers had created 85,000 applications
for the iPhone and iPod Touch — video games, social networking
software, restaurant finders and more. Analysts believe that all those
programs will immediately work on the new tablet while developers
begin to tailor new software for the larger screen.

Despite the preponderance of apps, there is still the persistent
question of whether regular people will really find a use for tablet
computers. Smaller cellphones are increasingly multipurpose and fit
nicely in a jacket pocket. And low-end laptops are inexpensive, run a
full-fledged operating system and offer the luxury of a keyboard.

[...]

Now, pick one of these questions and answer it in your 8-page exam
blue book.

(Please note that in each case, the audience for your answer is
probably not familiar with specific terms from our LIS 201 class, so
will need you to briefly explain any such terms that you use as part
of your essay.)

(1) You have graduated from UW-Madison, and you work as a researcher
for a large transnational corporation. Using specific concepts and
examples from the LIS 201 class you took years ago, write a memo to
your CEO that makes an argument about whether tablet computers will
revolutionize your business.

(2) You have graduated from UW-Madison, and you work as a researcher
for a non-profit advocacy organization. Using specific concepts and
examples from the LIS 201 class you took years ago, write a letter to
your donors that makes an argument about whether tablet computers will
exacerbate social inequality.

(3) You have graduated from UW-Madison, and you work as a researcher
for a large midwestern state. Using specific concepts and examples
from the LIS 201 class you took years ago, write a position paper for
your governor that makes an argument about whether tablet computers
will transform your state’s economy.

Short answer terms for the midterm

2009-10-07T07:36:00.000-07:00

LIS 201 - Fall 2009

Midterm Study Guide

Short Answer Terms to Study

Five of the following terms will appear on the exam. In a couple of sentences, identify and give the significance of each.

technological determinism

soft determinism

path dependence
SAGE

ARPANET
literacy
internal communication
crisis of control

rationalization

digitalization
RCA

ENIAC
pre-industrial society

industrial society

post-industrial society
second industrial revolution

information technology
telematics

POTS

TNCs
network society

space of flows
technological fix

spatial fix
the problem of leisure

services sector

digital divide
Fordism

Scientific Management

manufacture of consent
comparative advantage

deindustrialization

multiplier effects
megalopolis

edge city

creative class

A new kind of anti-information-society space

2009-10-06T06:50:00.001-07:00

Troubled that legally you're not allowed to jam wi-fi internet and cell phone transmissions using electronic means? Looking to insulate yourself from the rest of the information society? Paint may be the answer, according to this article in the BBC news:

Researchers say they have created a special kind of paint which can block out wireless signals.
It means security-conscious wireless users could block their neighbours from being able to access their home network - without having to set up encryption.
The paint contains an aluminium-iron oxide which resonates at the same frequency as wi-fi - or other radio waves - meaning the airborne data is absorbed and blocked.
By coating an entire room, signals can't get in and, crucially, can't get out.

Prediction of the day: Ten years after all UW buildings and classrooms are made Internet-accessible by wireless technology, we will see the first designated "non-Internet" classrooms (where wi-fi and cellphone signals can't get in or out) rolled out.

Is this a pattern that we've seen before? Did the eventual penetration of telephones to every home and business motivate the need for technology to keep the telephone from intruding on our lives? (Answering machines?) Did the rapid adoption of television produce an opposite desire for special, designated, video-free spaces? When did campaigns to remove billboards from neighborhoods and highways begin? How do we decide when "instant information accessibility" becomes "information overload"?

SAGE history link

2009-09-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

http://www.computermuseum.li/Testpage/IBM-SAGE-computer.htm

also has a link to ARPANET history for those interested...

What are your "essential" online student tools?

2009-09-04T06:12:00.001-07:00

The always-interesting (but often-overwhelming) social media news site Mashable today lists "15 essential web tools for students" on its page. For example:

15. Zotero – If you need to cite your work in a more obscure style, then check out Zotero. This Firefox extension automatically collects your research sources and then lets you create citations in any of one of over a thousand different styles. Zotero also lets you take notes on your sources and is available in over 30 different languages.

What online tools do LIS 201 students use?

Welcome to LIS 201 - UPDATED

2009-09-02T04:55:00.000-07:00

Hi folks, welcome to LIS 201, "The information society." Although this is the first day of classes for Fall 2009, we won't meet in discussion section until next week (week 2) and we won't meet in lecture until the week after that (week 3). Please see the calendar on the course syllabus web site for more details.

I've posted a brief online movie introducing you to some of the ideas in the class. I hope to post a brief online survey as well. I'll send out a class-wide email to alert you when this happens.

I'll be using this news blog to post general class information and other articles of interest that might come up over the semester. Feel free to leave a comment on any of these posts!

LIS 201 for Fall 2009 is almost ready

2009-08-24T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hi folks. Welcome back to another year of LIS 201. I've just finished printing out the course reader and I'll get it over to Student Print tomorrow. The web site is nearly finished too. Now if I could just write those lectures...

Thanks for a lively semester!

2008-12-21T04:59:00.000-08:00

Hope you enjoyed LIS 201 — grades will be posted online late Friday, Dec. 26. Good luck in the rest of your UW career, and do keep in touch!

Extra credit #10: Movie night! - UPDATED

2008-12-08T10:19:00.000-08:00

This Thursday, Dec. 11, we will screen 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) at 6pm in 2195 Vilas Hall.

NOTE THE LAST MINUTE ROOM CHANGE- 2195 VILAS HALL.

Attendees may claim this as one of their 1/2-point extra credit exercises.

Extra credit #9

2008-12-05T13:31:00.000-08:00

When it rains, it pours.

You are invited to participate in an online study concerning the role of the media in covering current issues and events. A research group in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication is conducting this study about attitudes toward news coverage.

In this online study, some questions concerning your media use and views toward society will be asked through a self-report questionnaire. You will also encounter some news content about current issues and events followed by a second short questionnaire. In total, we expect your participation to take approximately 25-35 minutes. You need to complete this study before Thursday, December 11th at 11:59 p.m.

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera, or Safari) and a high speed Internet connection. You need a high-speed connection so that you can download the media content. If you do not have a high-speed connection at home, you can complete the study from a campus computer lab or library.

As with any research, your participation is voluntary, and all of the information you give will be kept strictly confidential. If you have questions about the project or your rights as a potential participant, please contact Profs. Dhavan Shah or Douglas McLeod at mcrcsurvey@journalism.wisc.edu.

If you do not wish to participate in this study, but still wish to receive equivalent extra credit, you may choose to do an alternate extra credit assignment. This alternate assignment will require you to attend a presentation about this research that should last the same amount of time as participation in this study. The presentation will take place Friday, December 12th at 9 a.m. in the Nafziger conference room (5055 Vilas Communication Hall).

To participate in the online study, simply click on the following link and follow the directions: http://www.journalism.wisc.edu/smad/08study/start.html. If you experience any difficulties, please contact us and we will try to provide technical assistance. Once again, all questions should be directed to mcrcsurvey@journalism.wisc.edu.

Thank you in advance for your help with our study.

Final exam terms and questions

2008-12-05T06:23:00.000-08:00

Hi folks. Here are the terms and essay questions to study for the final exam. (You'll see why I needed to make it PDF and not just text when you download it.)

Be prepared to discuss these terms and essays in Monday's lecture and in discussion section next week.

And do a good job on your final papers!

Recap of week 14 from web site

2008-12-04T09:48:00.000-08:00

Since the server for our web site has been having a breakdown this week, I thought I'd repost the assignments and readings for "week 14" here:

Online citizenship

In-person lecture

Monday 9:55am: The 2008 election (a discussion).

Online lecture

Your question is: Why did the Obama/Biden Democratic ticket win the presidential election of 2008, and did information technology have anything to do with it? Find an online analytical article from a respected news source or interest group which attempts to answer this question, and post a link to it on your discussion section weblog. Then summarize the article's argument and describe on your posting whether you agree or disagree, and why.

For extra credit (the standard 1/2 point): Tell the President-Elect your story. Then talk about telling your story in your discussion section weblog.

Please complete before next Monday.

In-person discussion section

First five minutes: Quiz!

Start discussion with two student presentations.

Discuss this week's lecture and required readings.

Online discussion section

Following your in-person discussion, your TA will ask you a follow-up question concerning either lecture or readings, posting this question on your discussion weblog. Each student must contribute a substantive comment in response to this question.

Please complete before next week's in-person discussion section.

In-person student presentation

Live presentations 17 (Chadwick) and 18 (Zenos & Foot): perform in discussion section.

Respond to emailed recording with one way you can improve your delivery.

Online student presentation

Podcast presentations 07 (Chadwick) and 08 (Zenos & Foot): record, upload, and link to wiki.

Please complete before next week's in-person discussion section.

Writing assignment due online

Before you come to section this week, peer reviews of paper three due on your section wiki, below each student's polished draft.

Quiz in discussion section

Quiz 10 (last one): Short quiz on either Monday's lecture (to see if you attended) or this week's readings (to see if you did them).

Required readings

Andrew Chadwick, "Parties, candidates, and elections: E-campaigning," in Internet politics: States, citizens, and new communication technologies (2006).

Michael Zenos and Kirsten Foot, "Not your father's internet: The generation gap in online politics," in W. Lance Bennett, ed., Civic life online: Learning how digital media can engage youth (2008).

Optional readings

Clive Thompson, "Can you count on these machines?" New York Times (06 Jan 2008).

Joe Trippi, "The open source campaign," in The revolution will not be televised (2004).

Extra credit #8

2008-12-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

You are invited to participate in a "media message evaluation" study.

The study will take place during the period of Wednesday, December 10 through Friday, December 12. This study will require you to come to our lab. It will take no more than 20 minutes.

To participate in the study, you need to do two things: (1) complete an online signup, and (2) show up at the designated lab at the time of your session.

Please use the following url address to complete the online signup (You should do so ASAP)

http://webresearch.ffcomputing.com/survey/

If you run into technical problem, please switch to using a different machine. The sign-up page might not work well with all computer setups or setups of different web browsers.

If you have questions or run into difficulties, please contact me at sunyounglee@wisc.edu.

Thank you.

--
Sun-Young Lee
Ph.D. Candidate
School of Journalism and Mass Communication
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Extra credit #7

2008-12-03T06:47:00.000-08:00

We need as many students as possible to complete this "post-survey" dealing with how the collaborative tools of our class — weblogs for discussion and wikis for peer reviews — worked or didn't work.

Complete the survey and claim your standard 1/2 point of extra credit. (Remember the maximum is 2-1/2 points, or five extra credit experiences.)

And if you already have all 2-1/2 points of extra credit, you might want to complete the survey anyway because you could win something nice from DoIT.

You can access the survey here.

Extra credit #6

2008-12-03T06:45:00.000-08:00

As mentioned on your updated course web site, if you submit a story or a "vision" of America to the Obama/Biden transition site, change.gov, you may claim a standard 1/2 point of extra credit.

Advice to all sections on paper #3

2008-11-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

Less breathless praise of your chosen website.

Fewer hyperbolic statements ("incredible! fantastic! unprecedented!").

Make sure you don't sound like the advertising agency for your chosen website.

More analysis.

More critical analysis.

More critical analysis using the tools from scholarly articles like the ones you've been reading all semester long.

Don't just do a "book report on a web site." Answer the "so what?" question — why does this matter? Why should we care?

And finally ...

Write the best paper you can. This is your chance to show insight, creativity, individuality, integrity, and improvement.

Another service opportunity: Wisconsin Idea fellowships

2008-11-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

Here's another opportunity which may be of interest to LIS 201 students:

Wisconsin Idea Undergraduate Fellowships (WIF)

Are you interested in helping to address a significant community issue (local, national, or global)? Learning while making a difference? Becoming a more engaged citizen? You can do all of this And Receive Academic Credit and a Financial Stipend for your efforts.

To find out more, attend the information session on Monday, November 24 at 5 p.m., 154 Red Gym, or Tuesday, December 2, 4:30 p.m., Red Gym, Mezzanine.

http://morgridge.wisc.edu/students/wif.html

Tech Shop Madison - service-learning for credit in Spring 2009

2008-11-24T09:01:00.000-08:00

Here's a great Spring 2009 service-learning opportunity (I know the faculty involved in this). It would make a good mix-in to LIS 202!

Want To Help Local Non-Profits With Their Technology Needs?

Want to Earn Course Credit and Gain Valuable Experience in Your Community?

TechShop Madison has service-learning opportunities available to students for the Spring 2009 semester. Credit is given through directed study or a 1-credit add-on to an existing class.

Work with our committed team of student leaders, UW-Madison faculty and staff, and non-profit partners to build the technology capacity of local community organizations. Students work one-on-one with non-profit staff in order to meet the technology needs of the organization over the course of the semester.

Students from all disciplines are welcome! Good communication skills and willingness to develop expertise in the selected technology topics are required. The 40-hour commitment (over the semester) includes all training and service requirements.

Visit our website at http://comm-org.wisc.edu/techshop/news.php or contact Emily Christian at echristian@wisc.edu for more information on the application and interview process.

New course in Spring 2009: LIS 202!

2008-11-19T06:23:00.000-08:00

Folks, if you enjoyed the topics we covered in LIS 201, boy have I got a treat for you. The School of Library and Information Studies is running a second class in this sequence: LIS 202, "Informational Divides and Differences in a Multicultural Society," taught by Professor Ethelene Whitmire. Plenty of seats are still available among the six lab/discussion sections. The lecture is scheduled for 9:30 on Tuesdays & Thursdays in Grainger Hall (the Business School). This is going to be another innovative class on the global information society that will meet your L&S Ethnic Studies requirement to boot! (You may even see me pop up as a guest lecturer.) Sign up now!

Summer internships in technology

2008-11-17T06:56:00.000-08:00

Never too early to start thinking about this, I guess (and it connects with this week's theme in our class):

Looking for an Internship/Job in IT?

The Information and Technology Association of Wisconsin has set up a job and internship board where any company in the state can post openings. Currently there are more than 80 positions available with companies including Miller/Coors, Sentry Insurance, Nielsen, and American Family Insurance. Go to www.itawi.org.

Synergistic Marketing in the Information Society

2008-11-08T09:39:00.000-08:00

The new Bollywood movie Dostana provides several uncanny examples of themes from this weeks’ readings. Besides being set in the offices of Verve magazine, the movie was produced with cross promotion in mind. The producers contacted sponsors while it was still being written in order to allow them to partcipate in the creative process. Arun Nair, a movie production employee, suggested it provided “authenticity to the movie.” Check out a clip below. With its exaggerated Bollywood style, the trailer seems strangely surreal.

This article describes the startling mishmash of 3rd world movie making, product placement, and crossover marketing. One section particularly related to our class predicts this type of movie production will likely escalate in the future.

This perhaps marks the beginning of a trend where marketers and film-makers move from plain vanilla deals that toss brands into a script to ones that are integrated seamlessly into the story.

Post-election reactions that connect to LIS 201?

2008-11-05T06:59:00.001-08:00

Any reactions out there to the election results that people want to discuss on our class weblog? Specifically I'm wondering about how students might see the election as related to the information infrastructures that each campaign used -- from online social networking media like Facebook to traditional broadcast media buys on television and radio to old-fashioned interpersonal and print media methods of walking the neighborhoods and handing out flyers. I know that a number of discussion sections were chewing on this question yesterday (including mine). Was this a case of one party using the current information environment to greater advantage? Was this rather a referendum on war, economics, racism, or generational change where the message transcended the medium? Was this simply an example of raising and spending campaign dollars through the "spaces of flows" of capital and control in a new and more efficient manner? Or was it all three? Share your comments below.

Election day special: Online interactive history of US elections

2008-11-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

From my good friend professor Rob MacDougall and his superb website Old is the New New comes this link to a cool interactive animated history of US election patterns put together at the University of Richmond. Very revealing to put a century or more of voting patterns in motion!

Oh, and by the way, REMEMBER TO VOTE.

Extra credit #5

2008-10-22T06:15:00.001-07:00

Here's another; we'll keep posting these as we get them. Remember you can do a maximum of five of these, at one-half point each, for a maximum of two-and-a-half extra credit points. Keep a record of the studies you participate in.

You are invited to participate in an on-line study concerning the mass media and the presidential campaign.

In this on-line study, you will be asked some questions about your media habits and your opinion about the campaign through a self-report questionnaire. You may also encounter campaign advertising content during your participation. In total, your participation should take approximately 20-25 minutes. Please make sure to enter your personal and class information at the end of the study to receive extra credit in your class. You need to complete this study by *November 3rd, 2008 at 11:59 p.m*.

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser and an Internet connection. A high-speed Internet connection is recommended, but not required. If you do not have an Internet connection at home, you can complete the study from a campus computer lab or library.

To participate in the online study, simply click the following link:

http://www.journalism.wisc.edu/~djcarr/Mapor_Survey/index.htm

Your participation is voluntary and any information you provide will be kept strictly confidential. As an alternative to this participation, you may attend a 30 minute presentation about this research on Thursday, November 20th at 11:30 am in 5013 Vilas Hall.

Thank you in advance for your help with our study.

Extra credit #4

2008-10-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Here's another opportunity:

I am a graduate student in Library and Information Studies. I am conducting a pilot study concerning your use of technology in organizing your research information and am inviting you to participate.

In total, I expect your participation to take approximately 20 minutes. You need to complete this study before Oct. 31, 2008 (Friday).

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera, or Safari). This study must be completed in one session but you may do it in any location of your choice.

Your participation in this study is voluntary and your answers will be kept confidential. If you have questions about the project or your rights as a potential participant, please contact Crystle Martin, camartin5@wisc.edu.

To participate in the online study, simply click on the following link and follow the directions:

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/camartin5/web/consent_form.html

Please email me if you have any questions or problems, please email me at camartin5@wisc.edu.

Thank you in advance for your help with our study.

Talk on elections and online media TONIGHT

2008-10-20T07:16:00.001-07:00

Elections & Social Media:
Entrepreneurial Paths to Participation

Interactive Panel Discussion
7-9 p.m.
Monday, October 20, 2008
AT&T Lounge, The Pyle Center
702 Langdon Street

Find out how entrepreneurs are changing the face of politics in this election at a free event hosted by Wiscontrepreneur and Project Youthanize. Our non-partisan discussion will explore youth involvement in politics, the impact of entrepreneurship and implications for a democratic society. Panelists include:

• Lee Brenner, MySpace - Director of IMPACT (Public Affairs)
• Charlie Berens, UW-Madison student and MTV citizen-journalist
• Dhavan Shah, UW-Madison professor, expert on psychology of media influence
• Katy Culver, UW-Madison School of Journalism & Mass Communication
• Preston Austin, software developer and Madison entrepreneur
• Angelo Carusone, blogger on 2008central.net

For more information contact: Doug Bradley (bradley@ocr.wisc.edu) or visit Wiscontrepreneur.org

Quiz terms for week 8

2008-10-20T06:10:00.000-07:00

Since I'm only giving some sections one night to study for this week's quiz, I'm making the terms very straightforward:

information infrastructure
informational environment
first communications revolution
second communications revolution

Hint: These terms all come from the Richard John article from last week.

Last week and this week in LIS 201 (copied from main web site)

2008-10-14T16:56:00.001-07:00

Since our course web site is down right now I've copied the relevant portions of last week's and this week's assignments.

October 06

WEEK 06

Print culture and literacy

In-person lecture

Monday 9:55am: The history of the library

Online lecture

During the second portion of the course, each week's online lecture will be more of a research and exploration exercise. Each of these "scavenger hunts" will require you to write something about your experience at the end on your discussion section weblog. You may want to work through these with a friend. Each one should take between 45-90 minutes to complete.

This week's online lecture begins with an exhibit at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum on a World War II technological information system known as "V-Mail." Visit the main V-mail web site and read through the introductory material. Spend some time exploring this site, taking notes both on the social purposes of V-mail and the information/communication technologies needed to make V-mail work. Make sure to try the "V-Mail service in action" interactive portion and view the V-Mail newsreel from 1944. Would you argue that V-mail was a success?
Now spend some time searching for the ways that soldiers communicate with the homefront today. See if you can track down a "milblog" (military weblog) written by a soldier about his or her experiences in Iraq, Afghanistan, or elsewhere around the globe.
For another written view on the war in Iraq, check out the last few entries from the "Baghdad Burning" weblog where an Iraqi woman wrote about her experiences during the war for several years.
Go to your discussion section weblog and post something about what you've found. Reply to a fellow student's post on this online lecture activity as well.
Please complete before next Monday.

In-person discussion section.

First five minutes: Quiz!
Start discussion with two student presentations.
Discuss this week's lecture and required readings.
Graded paper one handed back.
Discuss writing tasks and strategies for paper two.

Online discussion section

Following your in-person discussion, your TA will ask you a follow-up question concerning either lecture or readings, posting this question on your discussion weblog. Each student must contribute a substantive comment in response to this question.
Please complete before next week's in-person discussion section.

In-person student presentation

Live presentations 07 (Brandt) and 08 (Thompson): perform in discussion section.
Respond with one way you can improve your delivery when your TA emails you your recorded performance.

Online student presentation

Podcast presentations 15 (Brandt) and 16 (Thompson): record, upload, and link to wiki.
Please complete before next week's in-person discussion section.

Writing assignment due

None.

Quiz in discussion section

Quiz 4: Define and give the significance of a key term from last week's readings or online lecture (TA choice).
Likely terms: space of flows, megalopolis, "sophisticated consumers of place"

Required readings

Deborah Brandt, "Accumulating literacy: How four generations of one American family learned to write," in Literacy in American lives (2001).
John B. Thompson, "The digital revolution and the publishing world," in Books in the digital age: The transformation of academic and higher education publishing in Britain and the United States (2005).
Click here to access readings.

Optional readings

Richard D. Brown, "Early American origins of the information age" (2000).
David Levy, "A bit of digital history," in Scrolling forward: Making sense of documents in the digital age (2001).
Walter Ong, "Orality, literacy, and modern media" (1982).
Click here to access readings.

October 13

WEEK 07

Network culture and communication

In-person lecture

Monday 9:55am: Linking telegraph, telephone, and post office with messenger boys.

Online lecture

The Prelinger Archives contains thousands fantastic vintage educational and corporate promotional films, some of which deal with information and communication technology. Many of these films are in color with sound, and most are short (15 or 20 minutes). Your challenge is to search this archive for telecommunications-related films (telephone, telegraph, etc.) and find the most interesting vintage film for a 21st century class on the "information society" that you can. Post a link to your film on your discussion section weblog and make an argument about why this film is useful to students of our modern information and communication infrastructure — what can we learn from the film you found?
Watch at least one of your fellow students' suggested films and post a comment with your reaction.
Please note: Within each section, every student needs to find a different film to post! This means you need to see what's already been posted in your section to avoid duplication! (And students who do this assignment earlier might have an easier time of it.)
Please complete before next Monday.

In-person discussion section

QUIZ CANCELLED; instead, turn in a printout of the results of your three presidential interest surveys for one point (see below).
Start discussion with two student presentations.
Discuss this week's lecture and required readings.
Create new peer review groups for paper two.

Online discussion section

Following your in-person discussion, your TA will ask you a follow-up question concerning either lecture or readings, posting this question on your discussion weblog. Each student must contribute a substantive comment in response to this question.
Please complete before next week's in-person discussion section.

In-person student presentation.

Live presentations 09 (John) and 10 (Downey): perform in discussion section.
Respond with one way you can improve your delivery when your TA emails you the recording of your performance.

Online student presentation

Podcast presentations 17 (John) and 18 (Downey): record, upload, and link to wiki.
Please complete before next week's in-person discussion section.

Writing assignment due online

Before you come to section this week, post your polished draft and outline of paper two to your discussion section wiki, on the same page as your draft of paper one.

Quiz in discussion section

Quiz 5: Instead of an in-class quiz this week, take each of these online surveys to determine who you "should" vote for based on your issue positions: Glassbooth issue quiz ; ThoughtPlay "who should you vote for"; and Political Base presidential quiz. Print out your results page each time so you can turn it into your TA and prove you did each quiz. Was your recommendation the same in all three surveys?

Required readings

Richard R. John, "Recasting the information infrastructure for the industrial age," in Alfred Chandler jr. and James Cortada, eds., A nation transformed by information (2000).
Greg Downey, "Telegraph messenger boys: Crossing the borders between history of technology and human geography," The professional geographer 55:2 (2003). (Yes, this was written by your professor. Don't worry, you can still be critical of it.)
Click here to access readings.

Optional readings

Ruth Schwartz Cowan, "Industrial society and technological systems," in A social history of American technology (1997).
Steven Lubar, "Telegraph" and "Telephone" in Infoculture (1993).
David Nye, "Shaping communication networks: Telegraph, telephone, computer," Social Research (1997).
Kurt Vonnegut jr., Player piano (1952), selections.
Click here to access readings.

Is it time to abandon Facebook?

2008-10-13T07:48:00.000-07:00

An interesting little essay I saw today courtesy of the magazine AdBusters, reprinted on AlterNet:

In march, at the peak of Facebook popularity, I quit. with four swift clicks of the mouse, I canceled my account. Gone was the entire online persona I had created for myself -- profile pictures, interests and activities, work history, friends acquired -- all carefully thought out to showcase to the world the very best version of me, all now deleted.
Ironically, the decision to destroy my carefully built-up virtual image came as a result of wanting to enhance my profile. All that particular week I'd been hungry for new quotes on my page, something to reflect the week I'd been having: something introspective. I perused a quotes website and found this one attributed to Aristotle:
"We are what we repeatedly do."
I became despondent. What, then, was I? If my time was spent changing my profile picture on Facebook, thinking of a clever status update for Facebook, checking my profile again to see if anyone had commented on my page, Is this what I am? A person who re-visits her own thoughts and images for hours each day? And so what do I amount to? An egotist? A voyeur?

Keep reading here if you like. Are you ready to quit Facebook yet? (I'm not sure I am.)

Related material from the Scout Report for this week's Information Infrastructure article

2008-10-10T12:02:00.000-07:00

Today's Scout Report included a section on a web site from the Library of Congress entitled, "Creating the United States." One section of this site is particularly relevant to the John article for this upcoming week. John suggests that resistance to Great Britain was one motivating factor for the expansion of the American postal service. John also proposes that the idea of informing a nation of citizens was central for that service. He writes, "it was not until after the framing of the federal Constitution in 1787 that this ideal was finally translated into law" (57).

On the LOC web site, we can see that this ideal of an informed citizenry was not necessarily a potential outcome of the Constitution. It showcases several documents demonstrating how some of the founders favored a centralized republic over a more democratized government. Of particular note is William Johnson's "Report of the Committee of Style" and James Madison's Federalist essay. The former adds the clause "We the people of the United States" to the Constitution, while the latter argues for a strong "republic not a democracy."

I wonder what Dyer-Witheford would have to say about this political struggle and the postal system that became a part of John's Information Infrastructure?

Extra credit #3

2008-10-08T12:17:00.001-07:00

Here's a third extra credit research opportunity, this one involving Facebook activity rather than a formal survey (remember you can do up to five, for a half-point each).

I'm a doctoral student in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication doing a research study on Facebook use and I need your help. I want to study what kinds of information you decide to share on your Facebook page, how you interact with your 'friends,' and how all of that influences your thoughts and opinions on subjects, such as politics. Only I will know you participated in the study as all participants will be anonymous in the final research paper.

If you would like to participate, you can do one of three things. Go to your Facebook page and search for the group “Wisconsin Facebook Study” and join it. If that doesn’t work, search for “Patrick Wright Wisconsin” and add me as a “friend”. Then I could send you to the group. If you are in the Facebook University of Wisconsin network, I should be the first one to come up. If you want to join the study but didn’t have any luck with the first two options, please send me an e-mail at jpwright2@wisc.edu and include your Facebook name and other identifying information. Then I will friend you from the Facebook site.

For the study, I would check out your Facebook pages on a regular basis to see what information you are choosing to post. After observing various interactions, I will contact random participants to follow up on why they chose to post and discuss certain topics. Your participation is entirely anonymous and I would never use your name in any resulting journal articles or publications. I'm using the information to analyze the Facebook interactions in order to say something meaningful about the college community. I'd be happy to share whatever results I get down the road as well.

Thank you for your help in this ground-breaking study.

Sincerely,

Patrick Wright
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Journalism and Mass Communication

Extra credit #2

2008-10-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

Here's another extra credit opportunity:

You are invited to participate in an online study concerning the role of the media in covering current issues and events. Graduate students and faculty at the School of Journalism & Mass Communication are conducting this study about how news coverage of current issues influences public attitudes.

In this on-line study, some questions concerning your views toward society will be asked through a self-report questionnaire. You will also encounter some news content about current issues and events followed by a second questionnaire. In total, we expect your participation to take approximately 20-30 minutes. You need to complete this study before Oct. 13, 2008 (Monday).

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser (e.g., Internet Explorer, Mozilla, Firefox, Opera, or Safari). Feel free to complete the study at home, though bear in mind that the study must be completed in one sitting.

As with any research, your participation is voluntary, and all of the information you give will be kept strictly confidential. If you have questions about the project or your rights as a potential participant, please contact Timothy Fung at kfung3@wisc.edu.

To participate in the online study, simply click on the following link and follow the directions:

https://mywebspace.wisc.edu/kfung3/survey2/consent.html

If you experience any difficulties, please contact us and we will try to provide technical assistance. Once again, all questions should be directed to kfung3@wisc.edu.

Thank you in advance for your help with our study.

Public lecture of interest to LIS 201 students

2008-10-07T11:35:00.000-07:00

Here's a public lecture on a topic that connects quite well to our class:

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION COUNCIL'S ANNIVERSARY MARKED AT UW-MADISON EVENT

MADISON - The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, a statewide nonprofit group devoted to protecting access to public meetings and records, will mark its 30th anniversary with a program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison on Monday, Oct. 13.

The program, hosted by the UW-Madison School of Journalism and Mass Communication, will include an address by Shirley Abrahamson, chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, on the importance of open government in Wisconsin.

The event, which runs from 4-5:30 p.m., is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Nafziger Conference Room on the fifth floor of Vilas Hall, 821 University Ave.

"We are proud that the council has survived and thrived," says Bill Lueders, council president. "Perhaps that's because the need of the people for information about the workings of their government has never faded."

The event will also feature a debate between Lueders and state Rep. Marlin Schneider, D-Wisconsin Rapids, over online access to court records and a performance of "The Open Records Blues," by Madison singer-songwriter Peter Leidy.

Extra credit #1

2008-10-06T13:09:00.000-07:00

Here's the first extra credit study (see announcement below):

You are invited to participate in an on-line study concerning the mass media and the presidential campaign.

In this on-line study, you will be asked some questions about your media habits and your opinion about the campaign through a self-report questionnaire. You may also encounter news content during your participation. In total, your participation should take approximately 20-25 minutes. Please make sure to enter your personal and class information at the end of the study to receive extra credit in your class. You need to complete this study by October 20th, 2008 at 11:59 p.m.

You can participate in this study from any computer equipped with a Web browser and an Internet connection. A high-speed Internet connection is recommended, but not required. If you do not have an Internet connection at home, you can complete the study from a campus computer lab or library.

To participate in the online study, simply click the following link:
http://www.journalism.wisc.edu/~ekvraga/
campaign_study2/index.html

Your participation is voluntary and any information you provide will be kept strictly confidential. As an alternative to this participation, you may attend a 30 minute presentation about this research on Tuesday, October 21st at 11:30 am in 5013 Vilas Hall.

If you experience difficulties, please contact me and I will try to provide technical assistance. Thank you in advance for your help with my study. I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Emily Vraga
ekvraga@wisc.edu

Extra credit in LIS 201!

2008-10-06T12:48:00.000-07:00

We are going to allow students to earn up to 2.5 points of extra credit in LIS 201 by participating in various research studies that deal with the topic of information and communication in society.

I will post each research opportunity to this weblog as it arises.

Each time you participate in a research opportunity, you will earn 0.5 points, up to a maximum of 2.5 points for the semester (that's a maximum of five different research activities).

At the end of the semester, to claim your extra credit points, you MUST turn in to your TA a written list of the extra credit studies you participated in, noting the date and topic of each research study in this list. Vague or incomplete lists will not be accepted.

(The researchers keep records of who participated in which study, so we may spot-check your participation claims.)

Online lecture now posted (UPDATE)

2008-10-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

The online lecture is now posted. There is a printed file of the slides, a printed handout of the notes, and a read-along audio file. Thanks for your patience.

You were "born digital"

2008-10-02T06:19:00.000-07:00

A short interview at the Inside Higher Ed web site today discusses a new book about your generation — present-day college students who were supposedly "born digital" (meaning you grew up with all sorts of computer, wireless, and social networking technologies as a natural part of your lives):

Kids these days! If the technologies students use — and sometimes abuse — add up to an overwhelming jumble for some professors who teach them, John Palfrey and Urs Gasser have written a book that they hope will bridge the generation gap, at least when it comes to an understanding of the different habits, learning styles and ideas about privacy attributed to so-called “digital natives.” Their book, Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives (Basic Books, 2008), covers a lot of the territory mined at Harvard University’s Berkman Center for Internet & Society, where Palfrey is a faculty director, and is part of its ongoing Digital Natives project.

One of the issues they discuss is particularly relevant to our LIS 201 class: the question of thinking critically about information found online. (They refer to "kids" in this comment but I think they mean their arguments to apply to college-age young adults too.)

Q: Does being exposed to many and varying media, including multiple sources on the Internet, make students think more critically about the information they consume? Or are digital natives increasingly used to trusting what they see online, so much so that a “cut-and-paste” culture is becoming a threat to educational ethics?
UG: From our interviews, we’ve learned that many digital natives place high trust in the pieces information that they find online. Only a very small number of the kids we’ve talked to, for instance, are aware that the hugely popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia can in fact be edited by any Internet user. By and large, the kids we’ve spoken to assume that the Wikipedia is a credible source of information and that all entries are accurate. Younger kids in particular are relying on quite surprising clues to make quality assessments online. The color of a Web site, for example, or the amount of text displayed on a Web site are frequently used as indicators of the level of quality of information. It’s rather obvious that these features are not necessarily reliable proxies. However, among the digital natives that spend a lot of time online, we see a different pattern emerge: They tend to be more skeptical when it comes to online information, and they usually visit more than one site to check whether the information found on a given Web site is credible or not. It’s somewhat counterintuitive: The more time kids spend online, the better the skills to make sound quality judgments. But it’s also important to understand that it’s generally challenging for children to assess the quality of information, regardless of whether on- or offline.

(You can read the rest of the interview here.)

So, as "digital natives" yourselves, what do you think of all this?

A good question about various "information societies"

2008-10-01T05:03:00.001-07:00

A student emailed me recently to ask:

I'm in your LIS class and I'm reviewing the online lecture of the "three information societies" and have a pretty general question. I see the three societies, although arising at different times, all still co-exist. From my understanding it isn't one "society" takes place and then it ends when the next starts, it is just a new view has arose. Is this way off base? Should I be looking at them as one after another?

This was my reply:

You are exactly right. One could make a case for each of these views today; but the three views did arise at different historical moments and they each claimed to be the best concept around to understand their contemporary society. It is up to students to wrestle with these and decide which ones (if any) are convincing and useful theories about how our world works. Bravo!

Keep those questions coming.

LIS 201 seniors: Interested in graduate school?

2008-09-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

A BRIEF ADVERTISEMENT FROM YOUR PROFESSOR ... Any seniors in LIS 201 who might be thinking about graduate school AND who are finding the subject matter of our "information society" class interesting might want to check out this recruiting session for our own School of Library and Information Studies doctoral program:

The School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison cordially invites individuals who are interested in pursuing doctoral studies in library and information studies for an informational campus visit. The Prospective Doctoral Student Campus Visit will be held October 16-17, 2008.

During the Prospective Doctoral Student Campus Visit, potential students will have the opportunity to converse with faculty, staff, and students about pursuing a PhD in SLIS, learn about campus resources, and participate in a SLIS class seminar. In addition, potential students can tour campus and the highly livable and progressive city of Madison, Wisconsin.

To apply to attend the Prospective Doctoral Student Campus Visit, send an email by September 29 including the following: name, contact information (address, phone, and email), current position, resume, a brief statement about why you are interested in pursuing doctoral studies in library and information studies, and a brief description of your areas of research interest. (If you are interested in archival research, please see the attachment for details.) Please send your information and any questions you may have to Kate H. Vo Thi-Beard, coordinator, via e-mail at vothibeard@wisc.edu. Spaces are limited and we recommend you send in your applications as soon as possible. Partial funding may be available for students needing assistance to attend the campus visit day.

NOTE: Travel and lodging grants to attend the Prospective Doctoral Student Campus Visit and waiver of the graduate school application fee may be available for students from underrepresented groups. Please ask Kate for more information about travel and lodging grants in your email.

For additional information email Kate or visit http://www.slis.wisc.edu/academics/phd-page.html. We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Louise S. Robbins Kristin Eschenfelder Ethelene Whitmire
Professor and Director Associate Professor Associate Professor

***About the SLIS PhD Program***

The PhD program at the University of Wisconsin School of Library and Information Studies is a research intensive program that prepares graduate students for university-level careers as researchers and educators in LIS programs around the globe. The program requirements address six major areas: Information use, users and context, Information organization and access systems, Cultural histories, philosophies and debates, Information policy, management and institutions, theoretical approaches, and research methodologies.

Faculty in the program have broad expertise in the study of information systems, practices, and agencies in social, political, economic, and historical context. Areas of shared faculty interest include: intellectual property and intellectual freedom; hidden labor supporting archives and information systems; information needs and strategies of disadvantaged social groups; history of print culture and reading; children's literature and school librarianship; government information; and the role of material culture and recorded information in society

Application to the SLIS PhD program does not require GRE scores. The SLIS PhD program attempts to offer funding to current PhD students on a competitive basis. SLIS will also work with students to obtain funding from external sources such as the ALA Spectrum Scholarship or the IMLS Archival Studies Fellowship described below. More information about the PhD program is available fromhttp://www.slis.wisc.edu/academics/phd-page.html.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kate Vo Thi-Beard
PhD Student and LAMP Diversity Assistant
School of Library and Information Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison
vothibeard@wisc.edu

By the way, SLIS here at Madison also has a 2-year Master's degree program leading to a "Master's in Library Science" for any seniors considering a career as a librarian or information specialist.

How should the candidates try to get your vote? (UPDATED)

2008-09-23T10:41:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned that this week instead of an online lecture, I want you to watch the first presidential debate on Friday night. Here's a related challenge: National Public Radio is sponsoring a "Get my vote!" web site which invites the audience to upload video, audio, or text explaining to the major parties how they could win your vote.

Q: What is Get My Vote?

A: Get My Vote is an online space where people explain their core political beliefs and share personal stories about how those beliefs were formed. It is an online discussion that seeks to move beyond the talking points and conventional wisdom of the 2008 election season to get at the heart of what people want from their politicians.

It all starts with one question: What will it take for a candidate to get your vote?
[...]
Q: How is the site being used by NPR? Will I be on-air?

A: Shows produced by NPR will monitor Get My Vote commentaries to better understand how the public sees the issues shaping the election. Contributors to Get My Vote may also be asked to appear on air. So when you upload a commentary, please keep in mind that it could be broadcast on the radio.

Now that you LIS 201 students are such experts in posting text and video to the web, perhaps you'd like to give this a try?

UPDATE: It occurred to me that many of you may still be trying to figure out which candidate or party best matches your own political, economic, and social philosophy. (Or you may be trying to figure out just what your own political, economic, and social philosophy is -- no shame in that, you're young adults in college after all.) The weblog Political Base -- which in its editorial stance is clearly more left-leaning than right-leaning -- has what I think is a pretty good nonpartisan "Presidential Quiz" to help you decide which major-party candidate, McCain or Obama, matches your ideals most closely. It also allows you to click into explanations of each of the issues it raises. Highly recommended no matter where on the political fence you may find yourself.

Take the quiz.

UW students want online lectures -- are they willing to pay for them?

2008-09-23T04:52:00.000-07:00

An online academic news source we faculty often read, Inside Higher Ed, has an article today about a study performed here at UW dealing with student reaction to online lectures:

A new study released today suggests not only a willingness but a “clear preference” among undergraduates for “lecture capture,” the technology that records, streams and stores what happens in the classroom for concurrent or later viewing.

The study, sponsored by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s E-Business Institute, tackles the much-discussed question of students’ preferences for traditional versus online learning with unusual rigor. Based on a survey of more than 29,000 undergraduate and graduate students at the university, the study had a response rate of over 25 percent. Almost half of the undergraduates — 47 percent — had taken a class with lectures available for online viewing.
[...]
Students who responded to the survey clearly understood the benefits of lectures that are available as Webcasts, such as making up for missed classes — which, at 93 percent, ranked as the top advantage — and “watching lectures on demand for convenience” (79 percent) or other reasons, such as reviewing lectures before class.

But the real focus of the study wasn't just preference; it was cost recovery:

At the same time, the survey addresses potential cost concerns, which have given pause to administrators who worry about the financial strains of scaling up their educational efforts as well as to students who would bristle at added technology fees for all of their classes. Over 60 percent of respondents said they would pay for lecture capture capabilities, and of those, 69 percent said they would be willing to pay on a “course-by-course” basis rather than bundled fees.

(Read the full article here.)

Now, I know that for most of you my online lecture is surely the highlight of your week. (Ahem.) But would you be willing to pay extra for it? (I'm not sure that you should be.)

If you think my online lectures are lame, here are some experts

2008-09-19T14:19:00.001-07:00

Ok, I admit it, I'm new to the online lecturing medium and rather unpolished at it. So imagine my delight when I saw this article in the New York Times today about online professors as the new media stars:

Recently, I set out to learn something — anything, as long as it was a little bit impressive — from lecture videos online. Though some of the audio-only tracks on iTunes U interested me, I chose to focus on lectures I could also watch. I didn’t know how to be systematic, so I wasn’t. Instead, I watched lectures that seemed prestigious, popular, both and neither; I followed my interests and I followed other peoples’ interests. I got a particular kick out of seeing lecturers — like Harvey Mansfield of Harvard — that I’d heard were legendary and whose disquisitions I’d insecurely imagined as conspiratorial meetings in which it was formally decided that those present were truly educated and the rest of us weren’t. And so, finally, I would be in on the secrets! And truly educated! Herewith, the five charisma-senseis that no online student should miss.

Check out the full article for downloadable video of these lectures.

Online lecture for week 3 is up! (UPDATED)

2008-09-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

The online lecture for week 3 is now RE-posted to the main course web site (under the listing for week 3 of course) in two formats this time: a big Flash format and a slightly smaller Quicktime format. One or the other should work for you. (Try to get on the fastest network you can find.) I've also posted the slide images and detailed lecture notes. Have a good weekend!

Terms for next week (and a note about online lecture for this week)

2008-09-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

This week's online lecture will arrive sometime tomorrow (Friday) once I'm more awake to narrate and on a fast internet connection to upload. You'll be happy to know that I retooled it at the last minute so that it would better cover readings for this week and quiz terms for next week. (We aim for flexible, round-the-clock, "just-in-time production" here at LIS 201.)

What are these quiz terms, you might ask?

How about: control, rationalization, Scientific Management, and "manufacture of consent"?

These four terms are all in your readings for week 3. I will also discuss them more in the online lecture. Tomorrow. Must sleep now.

The information society and the economic crisis

2008-09-18T09:29:00.001-07:00

There's a fascinating column by the technology reporter of the New York Times today which explores the question of why the expensive and complicated scientific computer models that Wall Street firms use to manage risk in their investments apparently didn't do their job (as evidenced by yet another round of investment bank failures):

Before I started covering the Internet in 1997, I spent 13 years covering trading and finance. I covered my share of trading disasters from junk bonds, mortgage securities and the financial blank canvas known as derivatives. And I got to know bunch of quantitative analysts (”quants”): mathematicians, computer scientists and economists who were working on Wall Street to develop the art and science of risk management.

They were developing systems that would comb through all of a firm’s positions, analyze everything that might go wrong and estimate how much it might lose on a really bad day.

We’ve had some bad days lately, and it turns out Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers and maybe some others bet far too much. Their quants didn’t save them.

I called some old timers in the risk-management world to see what went wrong.

I fully expected them to tell me that the problem was that the alarms were blaring and red lights were flashing on the risk machines and greedy Wall Street bosses ignored the warnings to keep the profits flowing.

Ultimately, the people who ran the firms must take responsibility, but it wasn’t quite that simple.

In fact, most Wall Street computer models radically underestimated the risk of the complex mortgage securities, they said. That is partly because the level of financial distress is “the equivalent of the 100 year flood,” in the words of Leslie Rawl, the president of Capital Market Risk Advisors, a consulting firm.

But she and others say there is more to it: The people who ran the financial firms chose to program their risk-management systems with over-optimistic assumptions and to feed them oversimplified data. This kept them from sounding the alarm early enough.

You can read the rest of the piece here if you're interested.

What do you think? Does our current economic crisis point to: a failure of the strategies, technologies, and assumptions of the information society; a need to re-intensify our reliance on information gathering and processing techniques; or something quite unrelated to the concerns of our class?

Readings for week three: Don't despair!

2008-09-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

At our weekly LIS 201 professor and TA meeting this morning, I was reminded of something that I wanted to mention in lecture today but didn't have time for. You may have noticed that this week's readings are very challenging -- especially the "Long history of the information revolution" -- and you may be wondering, as you work your way through them, "Am I supposed to recognize every single name and term that these authors are throwing at me as they breeze through hundreds of years of political, economic, cultural, and technological history?" Well, no. Of course not. We professors aren't supposed to admit this, but I don't catch all of the references in dense articles like these either.

Remember, the point of working through a college-level text like this is not to memorize every word or to fret over understanding every obscure reference. The point is to extract the author's main lines of argument, key conceptual definitions (like the terms "Control Revolution" or "Scientific Management") and get a sense for what kind of evidence they are using to make their arguments. What you'll find is that each of these articles in the first few weeks of the course allows for repeated readings -- you'll want to come back to them at the end of the semester and see if they make more sense to you at that point than they did upon first contact (and they will, believe me).

Do you best working through these articles and console yourself with the fact that most students in this university never critically examine this "information society" that they claim to live in. Mark up the text with your pencil and circle both the things you seem to understand and the things that seem incomprehensible. In discussion section this week, I predict you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much you actually "get" from these articles (and at how much you can safely "bleep over" as you're reading).

The online lecture is up!

2008-09-11T22:05:00.000-07:00

OK, the online lecture for week two is now live. You can get to it from the main course web site (scroll down to week two and follow the instructions to click on the appropriate icons). I posted this 35-minute lecture at exactly one minute before midnight on Thursday so technically I suppose it still counts as being available on "Thursday night." One reason for the delay was because I decided to totally switch the theme of the lecture to a topic more connected to your first writing assignment (yay!); the other reason was that stupid Apple Keynote has been broken by the latest QuickTime update and I had to jump through lots of hoops to get my slides and audio together in the same stupid movie file (if none of that made sense to you, don't worry). Anyway, if you notice that the audio gets SLIGHTLY out of sync with the slides during the course of the lecture, well, just pretend you're watching an old Godzilla movie. I'll work out the bugs next time, maybe.

Questions on first writing assignment

2008-09-10T04:56:00.001-07:00

A student asked me some questions about "making an argument about how that technology interacts with society and how it exemplifies or refutes the notion of an 'information' or 'postindustrial' or 'network' society," and I thought I'd answer them here for everyone.

1. Are these three types of societies defined or outlined somewhere or are they more arbitrary labels to develop a thesis?

They are general labels. They correspond to the three sets of articles in your reader for the next three weeks. They are meant to point you to various sets of arguments that tend to focus on the same ideas about how an information society might be defined.

2. In either case, what does post industrial society really mean? I was looking it up online and I understand it but I couldn't figure how to make sense of it in this context.

The best guide to how we're using this term in class is the articles from your reader (or another scholarly article you seek out to use); there are plenty of definitions of "postindustrial" that you can find online (say, on wikipedia or random sites that come up under Google) but without a thorough scholarly article full of explanations and examples to back them up those definitions won't help you for this paper.

3. Are we supposed to talk about all three of these or pick one?

With only four pages, I would suggest you only pick one to talk about.

Tips for writing on a weblog (especially ours)

2008-09-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

One of our TAs posted this to her sections this afternoon and I couldn't have said it better myself:

I want to remind you all that while the format for a blog can and should be less formal than a traditional written paper or in in-class oral presentation, this is one of the main sites for your online discussion and will be an important part of our activities (and grade) for 201. With that in mind, please modulate your written tone accordingly. You don't have to be stuffy, but remember that I (and your professor) are reading your posts and comments, and that it's about quality and not quantity.

It's also good to keep in mind that our blog is open to worldwide viewing. In one of Professor Downey's other classes with an online component, we made several posts responding to an article we had read for class. Within the day, the author himself found our blog and challenged us to defend our reading and interpretation of his article. It could happen to us, too! Keep in mind that there is an audience out there reading your thoughts and attributing them to you. Just as in class, we should strive for a collaborative and respectful space when interacting with each other.

Association for Women in Communications

2008-09-05T09:53:00.001-07:00

Here's a student society which connects with many of the topics of our class:

Kick-off meeting!
Wednesday, September 17
The Nafziger Room 5050
Vilas Hall, 7:00 p.m.

The opportunity to connect with professional women in the various fields of communications, internship and scholarship opportunities and meeting other college students with the same goals and interests.

Come to the first Association for Women in Communications student chapter meeting to learn more!

Contact E-mail: gjerde@wisc.edu

Service-learning opportunity (for credit)

2008-09-05T07:00:00.000-07:00

This is a really interesting new project that may be of interest to LIS 201 students:

Looking for a way to get credit for working with community organizations?

Want to help nonprofits with their technology needs?

TechShop Madison has student service-learning, 1-credit add-on, and directed study placements available for fall 2008. Work with this committed team of student leaders, UW-Madison faculty and staff, and nonprofit partners to build the technology capacity of local organizations. Students will be working one-on-one with nonprofit staff to develop Web or database capacity over the course of the semester.

Students with good communication skills from all disciplines are welcome. For placements working directly with nonprofits, students must be proficient in basic database architecture OR in at least one of the following areas of Web site functionality: design, programming, animation, forms, photos, or video. Additional non-technical placements focused on refurbishing donated computers, developing TechShop infrastructure and programs, and engaging in community-based research projects are also available.

The 40-hour commitment includes all training, service, reporting and evaluation requirements. Students must be available to participate in training from 1:00-6:00 pm on the afternoons of both September 21 and 28. Placement interviews will be required to determine service assignments.

This is a new project that will best meet the needs of students who are genuinely interested in learning, reflection, innovation, teamwork, and supporting nonprofit organizations in developing the capacity to pursue their missions.

For more information or to express an interest in this project, please contact student project manager Nikki Gilbertson at ngilbertson@wisc.edu.

For more info, see the TechShop Madison planning site.

Tip for using My WebSpace to upload a digital photo

2008-09-04T14:05:00.001-07:00

Folks, many of you are following the directions on your printed course syllabus to upload a digital photo of yourself to your "My WebSpace" account, but it looks like many students are putting that photo in a place that requires anyone viewing it to first enter their UW login and password. Our TAs tell me that if you take care to upload the photo into the "web" folder in your My WebSpace, we'll all be able to see it without any password restrictions. Please see if you can adjust the location of your photo accordingly. If you leave your photo in a password-protected place, your TA may have to edit your blog post to remove the photo and ask you to try again.

Web site is live and readers are in

2008-09-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

It's the day before classes start and here at LIS 201 command central we're ready to go:

- Web site is up and running -- complete with a cheesy five-minute introductory video from the professor.

- Course readers are now in stock at ASM Student Print for about $30 each.

- Flip Video cameras have arrived and are ready to be checked out from the SLIS library when needed.

Our only last-minute announcement is that if you find you need to switch discussion sections, our section 303 (Tuesday at 12:05pm) has plenty of openings in it. Please email TA Awa Zhu (xzhu2@wisc.edu) if you would like to be switched into this section.

See you in discussion section this week and in lecture next week!

Welcome to LIS 201!

2008-08-26T07:04:00.000-07:00

We've got exactly a week before LIS 201 is launched, but I think we'll be ready. The folks at ASM Student Print (basement of Memorial Union) have assured me that our course reader will be ready by the first day of class. Remember that although we don't start off with a Monday lecture (due to Labor Day) you will be expected to attend your discussion sections during the first week of class. And tell your friends: Seats are still open!