Composing Ourselves Online: The Promise of Equity
Description
Students will locate, examine and evaluate claims made about the nature of identity in
cyberspace or the relationship between "real life' and "virtual reality." Students will write a position paper, discussing some controversial or constructive aspect of online evironments, such as the potential for abuse or the potential as an expressive or educational medium.
Topic Suggestions
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Of the readings from this section, choose one, locate the main claim for or against the promise of the internet, show how that person came to his or her conclusion/s, then respond to the claim/s with your own evaluation.
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Compare and contrast the claims made by any two writers. What did the internet promise? What motivated them to use the internet? Evaluate the conclusions they came to. Who do you find more convincing and why? Give examples from your own experience and the experience of others.
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To what extent do you think the "electronic frontier" metaphor criticized by Laura Miller is manifested or promoted in the essays by Kornbluth, Ehrenreich, or Dibbel?
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Describe and evaluate the Turing/Loebner tests as evaluations of what it means to be human. What assumptions about human nature does Platt make? Do you agree or disagree? Clearly explain your stance and provide support from your own experience or the experiences of others.
- Compare and contrast present day culture and William Gibson's vision of the near future. Enumerate similarities and differences. What current trends could lend credence to his narrative? Do you think we face a future filled with "technical boys," "lo-teks," or some variation?
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Critically evaluate the use of the conduit metaphor by Lakoff in Boal's article by comparing to any of the other articles.
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Locate Spender's major claims. How does she evaluate the promise of the internet in terms of gender equity? Are you persuaded by her examples? Give examples from your own experience which either support or refute her claims.
- Regarding the relationship between "real life" and virtual computer spaces, one of Turkle's subjects asks, "Why grant such superior status to the self that has the body when the selves that don't have bodies are able to have different kinds of experiences?" How might this question be answered by Platt, Spender or Gibson?
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Propose a paper combining any of the readings from the text to date.
Final draft will be 6 pages, typed, double spaced, MLA format with appropriate Works Cited page.
Due Dates:
4/3, substantial rough draft ready for development (4 pages)
4/17, Editing draft (MLA Format)
4/24, Final draft, working drafts, worksheets and self eval in a pocket
folder
You may send questions to the class MOO *List *MP-1A-7 or *MP-1A-8.
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