Communication Technologies
Dr.
Christopher Martin
Department
of Communication Studies
University of Northern Iowa
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50614
U.S.A
Telephone: 319-273-2788
Fax: 319-273-7356
martinc@uni.edu
http://www.uni.edu/~martin
University of Klagenfurt
Room E.1.42
Course Description: Examination
of past, current, and emerging technologies and how they affect those who
use them.
Emphasis on the variety of social consequences,
intended or not, that can result from use and interaction with communications
technologies.
Syllabus
Date
and Time |
Topics |
Relevant
Web Links |
Wednesday
22.5.2002
13-17
(1-5 p.m.) |
The Post-PC Era
Production, Distribution, Display
The Organization of the Internet
The Effects of the 1996 Telecommunications Act on the U.S. and the
World
History of Communication Technologies
The 3 Stages of Development of a Mass Medium
Telephony
Luddites, Techno-utopians, and Technorealists
The Range of Communication Technologies
The Relevance of Broadband Technology
|
Bluetooth
Palm
Wireless Personal Area Network (Bluetooth)
Nokia
Ericsson
Motorola
The
Benton Foundation's Telecommunications Act of 1996 Page
History
of ARPAnet
Hobbes'
Internet Timeline
Internet
Society (ISOC): All About the Internet
ARPAnet
Maps
The
Media History Project
Technorealism
"Demystifying
Broadband," Digital Divide Network, 2001
"International
Issues," Digital Divide Network
|
Thursday
23.5.2002
14-18
(2-6 p.m.) |
Media Convergence
Satellite Communications
Cable
Ownership Issues and Communication Technologies
Media conglomerates
Open-source software/Linux
The Creative Process and Communication Technologies
Popular Music, Video Games, and Digital Video
|
Intelsat
(Commercial Satellite History)
SES
Americom
Vincor
Satellite Charts
C-Band
TV
DISH Network
Teledesic
50
Years of Cable Technology (Communications Engineering and Design, 1998)
Columbia
Journalism Review -- Who Owns What
Media
Giants (Frontline site)
Salon.com:
The Free Software Story
Yahoo!
Broadcast
D.FILM
Digital Film Festival
ifilm.com
AtomFilms.com
|
Friday
24.5.2002
9-12 |
Electronic Publications
Measuring Media Use -- History and New Technologies
E-Commerce
Communication Technology Laws and Regulations (U.S.)
Piracy, Copyright Law, Digital Watermarks and Other Anti-Copying Technology
World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)
Fair Use
Social and Cultural Consequences
Hacktivists
Journalism and New Technologies
|
Internet
Advertising Bureau
Jupiter
Media Metrix
Nielsen//Netratings
NUA
Internet Surveys
Arbitron
Webcast Services
Nielsen
Media Research
Arbitron
-- Portable People Meter
World
Intellectual Property Organization
U.S.
Copyright Office
ASCAP
BMI
SESAC
RIAA-
Recording Industry Association of America
MPAA
Boycott-riaa.com
Fat
Chuck's.com -- Corrupted CDs
Andy
Patrizio, The DVD Hack: What Next? Wired, 11/4/1999
About.com
-- Urban Legends and Folklore
Christian
Science Monitor, "Newest Tool for Social Protest -- The Internet," 6/18/99
TheHacktivist.com
Independent
Media Center (indymedia.org)
MediaChannel.org
|
Monday
27.5.2002
9-12 |
Democracy and Communication Technologies
New Voting Technologies
Interactive Systems: Minitel (France), Qube (U.S.) , and the
Full Service Network (U.S.)
Educational Technologies
Distance Learning
Teaching with Computers
The Future of Communication Technologies
Connectivity versus Surveillance
|
EU
Student Vote 9-23 May 2002
The
Rise of the E-Citizen
Internet
Voting: Bringing Elections to the Desktop
Politics
Online -- Online FundRaising
georgewbush.com
(official site) | gwbush.com (parody
site)
Jacob
Weisberg, G.W. Bush vs. gwbush.com, Slate (Sept. 28, 1999)
John
McCain
Rick
Valelly, "Voting Alone: The Case Against Virtual Ballot Boxes" (The New
Republic, 9/13-20/1999)
"The
French Minitel," (D-Lib Magazine, 1995)
Alcatel's
Webtouch
Ken
Freed, "When Cable Went Qubist"
Iowa
Communications Network (ICN)
The
Internet and Education (2001)
Center
for Democracy and Technology - Privacy Issues
Federal
Trade Commission -- Privacy Initiatives
|
Tuesday
28.5.2002
time to be announced |
Complete Any Unfinished Topics
Discuss Paper Topics and Assignment |
|
Term Paper
The course grade will be based on a term paper, which should be 12-15
pages (12-point font, double spaced), with at least 10 academic citations
on the topic. The paper should be a critical review of a communication
technology or issue that connects with at least one of the themes we have
covered in the class.
Sample topics for presentations include:
Web-based auction services, political campaigns and the web, digital
technology and the ease of piracy, satellite technology and direct
broadcasting services, how inexpensive video cameras change the way we
document our lives; how the Internet affects human relationships; the impact
of telecommuting on work.
The paper should use a critical approach, with Description, Analysis,
Intepretation, and Evaluation.
Some of the questions you can address in your presentation and paper:
-
Describe and explain what this communication technology or issue
is, or what it does.
-
Comparatively analyze this technology or issue. How is it
similar to other past and present technologies or concerns about technology?
-
Interpret: Where is (or what should be) this technologyís
place in society? What makes it worthwhile? What is the importance
of this issue? Why should we care?
-
Evaluate: Make a judgment: Is this technology, with
its current or proposed applications, a good thing or a bad thing?
Explain. What is your position on this issue? Why?
On the last class meeting, we will discuss paper topics, and I will approve
topic ideas. The papers will be forwarded to me in the U.S. at a
later date so that I may grade them.
Additional Web Resources
Some Published Resources
-
Erik P. Bucy, Living in the
Information Age: A New Media Reader
(Belmont, CA: Wadsworth,
2002).
-
John V. Pavlik, New Media
Technology: Cultural and Commercial Perspectives, 2nd ed. (Boston:
Allyn & Bacon, 1998).
-
Andrew L. Shapiro, The Control
Revolution: How the Internet is Putting Individuals in Charge and Changing
the World We Know. (New York: PublicAffairs, 1999).
Last update May 17, 2002