Assignments: Computers, the Internet, and Society

Wayne State University College of Lifelong Learning Interdisciplinary Studies Program Fall, 2000 http://www.cll.wayne.edu/isp/drbowen/inetf00	Instructor: David R. Bowen 2311 A/AB Wayne State University Detroit, MI 48202	Daytime tel: (313) 577-1498 Evening tel: (248) 549-8518 FAX: (313) 577-8585 Email: d.r.bowen@wayne.edu
Instructor's home page (David R. Bowen) at http://www.cll.wayne.edu/isp/drbowen
eCommerce: Using the Web to Find and Service Customers AGS 3360 Section 986 Call Number 92073 or ISP 5500 Section 982 Call Number 92136	Computers, the Internet, and Society AGS 3340 Section 981 Call Number 96761 or ISP 5990 Section 982 Call Number 99915

Last updated: 9/24/00
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Assignments
AGS 3340 - Computers, the Internet, and Society

Change in Quiz 1 date
During class on September 20, I put Quiz 1 off from October 4 until October 18. The assignment schedule below has been changed to show the new date of October 18.

Naming your homework files

In this course, you will turn your homework in as word-processing files. If two people use the same file name, then the file that is turned in second will replace the file that is turned in first, and the work of the first person will be lost. Losing another person's work in this way will lose you credit. Also, as the Instructor, I want the file name to tell me about the person and the assignment. Therefore, make up the names for your homework files with the following parts, in order:

Your three initials. (If you do not have a middle initial, use the understroke character -- _ or Shift-dash -- instead).
One-letter assignment code as follows:
- "a" for Essay A
- "b" for Essay B
- "1" for Quiz 1 computer work
- "2" for Quiz 2 computer work
"cf0" to indicate Computers, the Internet and Society, Fall 2000
Normal extension for your word processor. (Note: Macs do not use file extensions, so Mac files would not have extensions.)

So for example, since I use Microsoft Word, the file name for my Essay A would be drbacf0.doc

When I grade the assignments, I will add a "g" to the end of the filename and return it.

Also, as backup file ID, include the following lines at the beginning of each file:

Your full name
Course (AGS 3340) and course name (Computers, the Internet, and Society)
Semester (Fall 2000)
Assignment (not just the code, write it out, e.g. "Essay A"
Word processor and version number (this is in case I have trouble reading it).
(In Windows, to find the name and version number of any program, including a word processor, open the program, click on its "Help" menu item, and then on the "About" item on the drop-down menu list.)

For example, for my Essay A I would include the following lines at the beginning of the file:

David R. Bowen
AGS 3340, Computers, the Internet, and Society
Fall 2000
Essay A
Microsoft Word 7.0

The essay title and text would start after this header.

Overview of Assignments

Essay A on an Internet Issue listed on the course web page of the same name. Five pages. Must refer to and make use of the course readings and online and in-class discussions.
Essay B on a topic from either Release 2.1 or The Lexus and The Olive Tree. Five pages. Must refer to and make use of the course readings and online and in-class discussions.
Personal web page. Can be produced with Microsoft Word, Microsoft FrontPage, or any other software. As with any web page, do not put anything in the page that you do not want to be public.
Quiz 1 and Quiz 2. Written in class using MS Word and other applications once they are covered. Specific questions will be posted on the course web site. Not cumulative, aside from use of MS Word.
Email. During the semester, send the following types of messages, writing which assignment it is in the message body:
- Direct, simple email to the Instructor (d.r.bowen@wayne.edu)
- Email to the Instructor, with an attached file
- Email to someone else with a cc to the Instructor
- Reply to another message with a cc to the Instructor
- Email to a list, which includes the Instructor
Final Exam. Similar to Quiz 1 and Quiz 2, except cumulative.
Conference postings. Aside from the course sessions, the course conference is the place for public discussion about assignments, readings, questions and anything else relating to the course. You should make a minimum of twenty substantive conference postings during the semester and at least three by September 22. Substantive means:
- Minimum of five lines on the screen.
- Relevant to course or to course assignments, including technical issues about Internet connection and use of software.
- Under an appropriate topic.
Attendance at class sessions as evidenced by completion of attendance form on course web site.
Weekly course progress reports using form on course web site.
You should also check the course web site at least weekly.

Please note: being out of town is a valid reason for missing a class. It is not a valid reason for missing a weekly course progress report, conference postings, updating your personal web site, turning in a report or checking the course web site. All of these can be done using the Internet, and Internet access is widely available at public libraries, work sites and other public institutions. If you are out of town for work reasons, and your employer does not provide Internet access, then I expect you to find the local library or other site where you can carry out these class assignments.

Assignment Schedule

Texts are identified in the table below by the author's name, as follows:

Brian Underdahl et al, Teach Yourself Microsoft Office97, IDG Books, Foster City CA. 1999.
Referred to as MO9 in the table below. References are to Chapter numbers.
NOTE: You are expected to be able to use the program features as you read them.
Esther Dyson, Release 2.1, Broadway Books, New York NY. 1998.
Referred to as R21 in the table below. References are to Chapter numbers.
Thomas L. Friedman, The Lexus and the Olive Tree, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, NY, 1999.
Referred to as LOT in the table below. References are to Chapter numbers.

Week	Wednesday	Reading (to be completed by this date)	Other assignment (to be completed and turned in by this date)
1	9/6	First week of classes.	First class meeting.
2	9/13	MO9 1 and 2 (Pp 28-32). Internet Issues (online).	Restricted lab.
3	9/20	MO9 3 and 4 (except Printing to Files). LOT 1 - 5.	Second class meeting. Three conference postings due.
4	9/27	MO9 5. LOT 6 - 10.	Restricted lab.
5	10/4	MO9 6. LOT 11 - 15.	Third class meeting.
6	10/11	MO9 7. LOT 16 - 18.	Restricted lab.
7	10/18	MO9 8. R21 Preface, Intro, 1.	Fourth class meeting. Quiz 1 (new date). Essay A due.
8	10/25	MO9 10. R21 2	Restricted lab.
9	11/1	MO9 14.R21 3	Fifth class meeting. Personal web page due.
10	11/8	MO9 15. R21 4	Restricted lab.
11	11/15	MO9 16. R21 5.	Sixth class meeting. Quiz 2
12	11/22 (scheduled as a Friday, lab will be open)	MO9 17. R21 6.	No class meeting.
13	11/29	MO9 23. R21 7.	Restricted lab.
14	12/6	MO9 24. R21 8 & 9.	Seventh class meeting. Essay B due.
15	12/13	MO9 25. R21 10 & 11.	Restricted lab.
16	12/20		Eighth class meeting (Final Exam).

NOTE 1: "Restricted" Vs "Open" labs. eCommerce and Computers, the Internet, and Society both meet in Room 113 Rackham on Wednesday evenings. If the other class is meeting that night (and you are not taking it), you are free to use the lab that night on a restricted basis -- sit in the back, no interruption of the other class. I will also be at the lab on Friday evenings for open labs, available for help and questions.

NOTE 2: I will allow you to redo assignments and turn in missing work after the course is over. Such work will not appear in your regular grade, but it will be taken into account in a Change of Grade, and it will eventually appear on your official transcript. The University will allow me to file a Change of Grade up to one calendar year after the end of the semester in which you took the course. For this course, that is through the end of the Fall 2001 semester. I will not accept major assignments during the last month of this period. If you are redoing an assignment, the original assignment with my comments and grades must be turned in along with the redone assignment. If you plan to make up work after the course is over, course reports are still required, every week.

The above is a liberal policy for late work and makeup assignments. The downside is that I am also allowed to be late in grading the makeup work, especially during the summer and at the beginning and end of each semester. If my workload for grading makeup is heavy, it can take a semester or more for me get around to your work. I will usually tell you or email you when I have graded your work and turned in a Change of Grade form. It often takes the University a month or more to record that change. If either of these delays puts the Change of Grade beyond one year, that is still OK, if I can make the statement that you got the work in by the one-year deadline.

Also, after the course is over, staying informed and on track shifts from being my responsibility to being yours. I will still be available for discussions, questions, reminding you about where the coruse web site is, and what your course passwords are, but it becomes your responsibility for locating and contacting me. If exams or quizzes need to be made up, if there is more than one person who needs this, one of that group must accept the responsibility for contacting the others and scheduling a date that is acceptable to all (including me, of course).

Computer Conference assignments

For AGS 3340, during the semester make twenty contributions to the course conference (postings or replies with a minimum of five lines). These contributions must be substantive, concerning the readings or other points from the conference. For example, "Gee, I thought that was right on" is not substantive -- it does not make a contribution. As an alternative, you can agree with another comment, and then explain it further, extend or go beyond it, or apply it in a new way. To get everybody started, a separate requirement is for three contributions by the third class on September 22.
NOTE: This does NOT mean that you have to log on to the computer conference more than once a week. You can make multiple contributions during a single session.