Schedule
Except for the final exam period, these dates may be adjusted to reflect our progress (or lack of it). Assigned readings more than two weeks ahead may be changed. (To read ahead, buy the optional books.)
All this means that you should check this page regularly for updates.
This page last changed on Wednesday, 11 Dec 2019.
(Photo credit: icanhascheezburger)
Week 1: Introduction
4 Sep (W)
Sections/labs do not meet during Week 1.
Week 2: Analog vs. Digital
9 Sep (M), 11 Sep (W)
First section/lab meeting this week.
read Rushkoff excerpts, Comer Ch. 3, Manovich excerpt
watch Wired Science: Analog vs. Digital (video, 9 mins.)
Optional: Comer Ch. 4
Week 3: Digital Convergence
16 Sep (M), 18 Sep (W)
read Comer Ch. 5, Comer Ch. 9, & Comer Ch. 10; Wilson Ch. 6
Week 4: Internet Architecture
23 Sep (M),
25 Sep (W)
InterACT Ch. 10-11,
InterACT Ch. 12-13, & Lanier Ch. 1 excerpts
Recommended: watch A Packet's Tale (video)
and only the first 3 minutes of How Does the Internet Work? (video)
Week 5: Markup and Layout Languages
30 Sep (M),
2 Oct (W)
Assignment #1 due (Monday, 9am).
Quiz #1 study guide released.
read Interact Ch. 14,
Interact Ch. 15-16-17, & Interact Ch. 15-16-17
optional: read Unwebbable, InterACT excerpt: Tables for layout? Welcome to hell!
Week 6: Algorithms, Search Engines
7 Oct (M),
9 Oct (W)
Quiz #1 (Monday).
read Duckett on Forms and iframes, Duckett on Tables, Battelle -- The Search (Excerpts)
optional: read Comer Ch. 25, Introna & Nissenbaum article
Week 7: Content Delivery Networks, Network Neutrality
14 Oct (M) (No Class Monday: Fall Study Break),
16 Oct (W)
No sections this week (Fall Study Break)
Assignment #2 due (Wednesday, 9am).
read Mahan's Scratch Tutorial (on the Web)
optional: Kitchin article
Week 8: Programming Fundamentals (cont'd)
21 Oct (M),
23 Oct (W)
Writing workshop feedback due at the end of lab/discussion section (explained in section)
read Graff excerpt, Booth et al. ch. 5 excerpt, Booth et al. ch. 8-9 excerpts
optional: Meet the Professional: What can you do with programming skills once you've learned them?
Week 9: Internet Platforms
28 Oct (M) & 30 Oct (W)
Provisional Project Idea due as explained in discussion section (Wednesday, 9am).
read Mueller Ch. 2, Rosen Ch. 3 (on the Web).
optional: Mueller Ch. 3,
Comer Ch. 16.
Week 10: Scoping, Typing & Open Source
4 Nov (M),
6 Nov (W)
Assignment #3 due (Monday, 9am).
Quiz #2 study guide released.
NEW: Optional Quiz Q&A 12:30-2:30 p.m. Thursday, G325 Mason Hall
read Reas & Fry; Processing Ch. 1, pp. 1-7,
Reas & Fry; Make: Getting Started with Processing: Ch. 1, pp. 18-19, 28-36, 325-334 (read these parts),
Reas & Fry; Make: Getting Started with Processing: Reference Chapters (skim and refer to as needed).
Optional: VICE: Meet Processing, the Lingua Franca of Creative Coding.
Week 11: APIs and Data Exchange
11 Nov (M),
13 Nov (W)
Quiz #2 (Monday).
read Comer Ch. 13, Comer Ch. 14, Sandvig Ch. 10.
Continue to refer to as needed: Reas & Fry; Make: Getting Started with Processing: Reference Chapters.
Week 12: Platforms, Standards, and Lock-In
18 Nov (M),
20 Nov (W)
Assignment #4 due (Monday, 9am).
EXTENDED: Your group's project topic sign-up form is due (Monday Wednesday, 9am) as discussed in section.
read Wibbels blog post.
on your own, find and do readings to help with your final project.
Week 13: Open Web
25 Nov (M),
27 Nov (W)
Final Paper Prompt released.
read What is the Open Web?,
The Web We Lost (both on the Web)
Optional: What is Web 2.0?
Week 14: Online Audience Tracking
2 Dec (M),
4 Dec (W) Workshop Day
No in-person lecture on Wednesday -- use this work time on our remaining deadlines.
listen to Secret Histories of Podcasting (~38 min.), Facebook's News Feed: Often Changed, Never Great (both on the Web)
optional: Sikos Ch. 8.
Quiz #3 study guide released.
NEW: Optional Quiz Q&A Friday from 12pm-1pm, 5386 North Quad.
Week 15: Life After #DigitalFound
9 Dec (M),
11 Dec (W)
Quiz #3 (Monday).
ROOM CHANGE: Wed class meets in the Hussey Room, 2nd Floor, Michigan League.
Final Project due (Wednesday in class)
Demo of project due during Final Project Fair
Finals Week: Final Paper Due
18 Dec (W)
Final Paper Due (Wednesday, 18 Dec, 4:00 p.m.)
No in-person final or meetings this week.
Meme Break: You can miss one lecture meeting without any explanation and your absence will not be counted against you. Knowing about this rule is your reward for reading to the bottom of the page. (This does not apply to section meetings, just lecture.)
