assignment shortcuts
  1. Cognitive Skills + Grading
    1. Grading
  2. Assignment #1: Dead Tech
    1. Prompt
    2. Skills:
    3. Resources
  3. Assignment #2: Mapping the Hidden Systems in the Landscape
    1. Prompt:
    2. Skills
    3. Resources
  4. Assignment #3: Discussion Lead!
    1. Prompt
    2. Skills
    3. Resources:
  5. Assignment #4: New Metaphors Unessay
    1. Prompt
    2. Skills
    3. Resources:
  6. Assignment #5: Reflection
    1. Prompt
    2. Skills

Cognitive Skills + Grading

This course will focus on developing three essential cognitive skills: information literacy, systems thinking, and meta-cognition. Each assignment will ask you to demonstrate some combination of these skills. Our grading system will reflect your ability to 1) meet the prompt and 2) display evidence of these skills. We’ll discuss and reference these skills throughout the course.

Information Literacy is the reflective discovery of information, the understanding of how information is produced and valued, the use of information in creating new knowledge, and the ethical participation in communities of learning. (Adapted from the ACRL Framework)

“Systems thinking is a way of seeing and talking about reality that helps us better understand and work with systems to influence the quality of our lives.” (Daniel H. Kim) In contrast to a linear perspective, systems thinking understands that there a lot of pieces at play in any situation/system that can all have different effects.

Meta-cognition is thinking about thinking. Specifically, “thinking about the contents and processes of one’s mind.” (Winne and Azvedo) It’s a key part of the learning process to reflect what’s happening during/after the experience.

Grading

We will use an adapted version of Specifications Grading, an alternative grading system. The goals of the system are to reduce the stress and mystery of grades while also raising academic standards. I chose this system to complement the technology we’ll be using/learning this term, to reduce grade anxiety, and to fit with our condensed four-week schedule. If you’d like to learn more, here’s a resource from UN-Lincoln.

Each assignment will be worth 3-6 points. You will receive 1 point for turning in the assignment and meeting the prompt (meaning it’s on time and it fulfills the mechanics of what is being asked). You will receive 1 point for evidence of each cognitive skill that is mapped to the assignment (see table below). Finally, you’ll receive up to 2 engagement points. 1 point for attending and participating in class that week and another for presenting on your assignments, engaging with course readings and discussion, etc. Each assignment will have specific suggestions for ways to demonstrate the skill. Assignments descriptions are below, but will be turned in on Canvas.

 #1 Dead Tech#2 Mapping#3 Discussion#4 Unessay#5 Reflection
Information literacyX XX 
Systems thinking X XX
Meta-cognition  XXX
EngagementXXXX 
Letter GradeRange
A21–22
A-19–20
B+17–18
B15–16
B-13–14
C+11–12
C9–10
C-7–8
D+5–6
D3–4
D-0–2

Assignment #1: Dead Tech

Due Tuesday 5/6 by 11:59am.

In order to understand our present, let’s look back at the tech that has shaped our past. In this assignment, you’ll assume the role of a media archaeologist. You will select a single piece of technology (broadly-defined) and research its creation, impact, and decline. Maybe you’ve heard jokes about Betamax or wondered what happened to all the phone booths – this is your chance to find out! Be curious. Your findings will be compiled in a 800-1000 word essay. This is a research-intensive assignment – you will be required to find, use, and assess 5-7 sources. You are encouraged to include images or video (properly cited). Some questions to consider, though you don’t have to answer them all or in this order. I want the interesting stuff!

What is this item? Who invented it? How was it made? How widely was it adopted? Why was it cool back in the day? What materials were used? What did this piece of tech enable? How did it die? What is its legacy? Can you still use this tech today? Can you still find it?

Prompt

  • This is a short research essay: 800-1000 words with 5-7 sources. It does not need to be fully argument-driven, but I encourage you to include your own conclusions about the forces at work in the life of this piece of media.
  • Turn in on Canvas by 11:59am on Tuesday, May 6th.
  • Print out 4 copies of a full-size color picture of your piece of media (or bring in the object itself!) for our in-class activity.

Skills:

  • Information Literacy: In addition to your essay, you will turn in a brief annotated bibliography. Annotated bibliographies help you engage more deeply with your sources beyond just grabbing a relevant quotation and moving on.
    • Your bibliography should use a citation standard (MLA, Chicago, etc), but I’m not picky about which one.
    • Each entry in your bibliography should include 2+ sentences - one to summarize the resource, another to analyze it. Why is it useful? Why not? Who created it? Who is the audience? What makes it a reputable? If it’s not reputable, why does it have value for your essay?
    • Your sources should include at least 2 academic sources (published in a scholarly journal or book). You should cast a wide net with your sources. Try old catalogs, newspaper articles, advertisements, exhibits, manuals, etc.
  • Engagement: In addition to attending class and be an active participant, engagement for this assignment looks like:
    • Presenting on your dead tech assignment in class
    • Participating in the curation activity
    • Drawing on ideas from our readings in your essay.

Resources

Assignment #2: Mapping the Hidden Systems in the Landscape

Due Tuesday, May 13th by 11:59am

In chapter 5, Bridle writes about psycho-geography and his search for “the places where the great networks of digital technologies become steel and wire.” In this assignment, you will uncover the hidden traces of technology in our local community. Armed with knowledge from our readings and guests in Week 2, you will identify a physical location where material technology exists (and hides) in the landscape. Your entry about this location will be added to a group map so we can see a fuller picture of our local infrastructure.

Prompt:

  • A 300-500 word description of the site that answers the following:
    • What is this? What is happening now or what was happening?
    • What is the technology at play?
    • Who owns the land and who is being serviced?
    • Who is benefiting and who is not?
    • How can you find out more information about this site?
    • What can’t you find and why?
    • What made you notice this site?
    • Why did you select it?
  • Include photos and video and any sources you used to learn more.
  • Uploaded to Canvas on Tuesday, May 13 at 11:59am.
  • You should also add a line to our spreadsheet to populate the map. Use this as a way to track who is working on what.

Skills

  • Systems thinking: In this assignment, you can demonstrate systems thinking by addressing the following questions:
    • How does W&L fit into its community?
    • How can you connect the local to the global?
    • How does our local context shape the technology around us?
  • Engagement: In addition to attending class and be an active participant, engagement for this assignment looks like:
    • Asking a question of our guest speaker.
    • Creativity in selecting a site for the map.
    • Exercising your new research skills in finding information about your site.
    • Sharing about your selected site in class.

Resources

Assignment #3: Discussion Lead!

Due May 14, 15, or 20 during class

Your turn to lead class! Since there are a few chapters in New Dark Age that we’re not covering in depth, your job for Assignment #3 is to work together with your group/table to present and lead class activities and discussion based on the chapter for 50-60 minutes. While you should plan to briefly cover the content of the chapter, I’m also very interested in the connections between this chapter and current events or topics that are present in your lives. You will ask your fellow students to do some additional reading before class.

Chapter signup

The chapters to covered are:

  • 4 Calculation - computation, big data, statistics, science
  • 7 Complicity - national security, global, surveillance
  • 8 Conspiracy - conspiracy theories
  • 9 Concurrency - weird YouTube videos for kids

Prompt

  • Design and deliver a 50-60 minute lesson plan based in one assigned chapter from our core text.
  • Submit 1 page lesson plan 24 hours before class time for feedback by Prof. Brooks via Canvas or in person.
  • Keep summary/lecture of chapter to a minimum.
  • Include discussion prompts and activities.
  • Select at least one additional reading for your classmates.

Skills

  • Information Literacy: In this assignment, you can demonstrate this skill by:
    • Identifying and selecting a relevant, interesting reading(s).
    • Connecting the New Dark Age chapter to current events or phenomena.
    • Thinking critically about the sources used by Bridle or other authors.
  • Meta-cognition: In this assignment, you can demonstrate this skill by:
    • Attending to how learning works in your lesson plan.
    • Considering how you as a student/citizen/future professional are situated within the context of the chapter.
  • Engagement: In this assignment, you can demonstrate this skill by:
    • Allowing all group members to have a chance to shine.
    • Designing activities that fully engage your classmates in the learning process.

Resources:

Assignment #4: New Metaphors Unessay

Due Thursday, May 22nd at 1:30pm

In New Dark Age, Bridle calls for “new metaphors: a metalanguage for describing the world that complex systems have wrought.” We’ve learned the reasons why “cloud” is an insufficient metaphor for the physical network it represents. We’ve seen examples of other metaphors created by companies and theorists. And we’ve seen visualizations of these metaphors from artists and others (I like Dan Nott’s personally).

In this assignment, you will be challenged to come up with your own new metaphor for a modern technological artifact or phenomenon of your choosing. The form of this assignment will be the “unessay.” You will decide, with the help of the class, the best presentation for your new metaphor, so long as it is compelling and effective. While we don’t do a formal proposal process, let’s chat through your ideas as soon as you’re ready.

Feeling uninspired? Check out these examples from a course called “Technologies of Text” by Prof. Ryan Cordell.

Prompt

  • Select a modern technological artifact or phenomenon and design a new metaphor for that thing. You are free to choose a topic on whatever interests or inspires you, though you will be asked to consult with Prof. Brooks just to check that you’re in the right zone.
  • Present your new metaphor in a form that makes sense for you, your skills, and your metaphor. My advice: work in a medium that excites you! If you like to paint, or draw, or collage - do it! If you like making videos or audio content - go for it! Board game? Paint by number? Sculpture? I will be sad if a five paragraph essay is what you come up with though.
  • You will present your unessay on the last day of class (5-7 minutes).

Skills

  • Information literacy: In this assignment, you can demonstrate this skill by:
    • demonstrate engagement with other thinkers on your topic.
    • conduct research and use findings to create new knowledge in the form of your metaphor.
  • Systems thinking: In this assignment, you can demonstrate this skill by:
    • considering the big and small, the short and the long.
    • recognizing complexity of your topic.
    • “addresses the reality of a world in which people, politics, culture, and technology are utterly enmeshed.” (Bridle 5)
  • Meta-cognition: In this assignment, you can demonstrate this skill by:
    • “embrace the unknowning” that is the limits of your own knowledge and what is knowable.
    • showing change in your thinking over time.
  • Engagement: In this assignment, you can demonstrate this skill by:
    • Presenting clearly and concisely about your unessay.
    • creatively choosing the form of your new metaphor.

Resources:

Assignment #5: Reflection

Due Friday 5/23 at 5:00pm

We covered a lot of ground in this course (and quickly!). This is your chance to process what you’ve learned. How has your relationship with technology changed? How do you see the world differently? Where do you see opportunities for agency and justice amidst our complex technological systems? Reflections should be 600-900 words.

Prompt

  • Turn in a 600-900 word piece of writing in Canvas.
  • You should address some combination of the following questions:
    • What did you learn in this course? What do you predict will stick with you in the coming months/years?
    • How did you improve at the skills we emphasized in this class? What will be helpful in future classes, other endeavors?
    • Thinking back to a few weeks ago, how have you changed your view of technology? How has your own relationship with technology changed? In good or bad ways?
    • What are actionable steps you can take to change the way technology operates in your life and in the world? What are barriers to those steps? For you? Or for other people?

Skills

  • Systems thinking
  • Meta-cognition
  • Engagement