SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Week 1

SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Week 1: Blogging with Purpose

Online and Scared [Thomas Friedman, 1/11/17] The tipping point in late 2016 “…was the moment when we realized that a critical mass of our lives and work had shifted away from the terrestrial world to a realm known as “cyberspace. ” That is to say, a critical mass of our interactions had moved to a realm where we’re all connected but no one’s in charge. 2 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Exercise � Work in groups of two or three and discuss as you go. � Choose: one blog post or blogger contributed by student, or go to: http: //medium. com and find one. � Read quickly. � Discuss: � Does this grab you and why? � Audience? � Lead? � Structure? � Visual rhetoric? 3 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Blogging: The “Ancient” Art of Onlife � First blog (weblog) was roughly 1997. � Open Diary, 1998 on – pioneered commentary � Ev Williams � Blogger (1999 ) � Twitter (2006) � Medium (2015): https: //medium. com/ “The bottom line, Williams said, is that the internet is “a giant machine designed to give people what they want. ” It’s not a utopia. It’s not magical. It’s simply an engine of conven Those who can tune that engine well — who solve basic human problems with greater speed and simplicity than those who came before — will profit immensely. Those who lose sight of basic human needs — who want to give people the next great idea — will have problems. ” Wired 9/30/13 4 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

What is the Audience? Does it Matter? 5 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Jack Dorsey: twttr sketch https: //www. flickr. com/photos/jackdorsey/182613360 6 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Growth of Tumblr Blogs http: //www. statista. com/statistics/256235/total-cumulative-number-of-tumblr-blogs/ 7 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

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Assignment � Create � Each three blog posts, each better than the last post anchored in the readings of a given week � Key idea from a reading or readings as point of departure � Can and should go way outside the reading for examples or reinforcement � Can and should compare and contrast � Draw on your interests and knowledge � News 9 media, movies, music, culture etc. SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Assignment � Comment on other people’s blog posts � Quality and style � Substance of the argument/analysis � Each student … �… at least three substantive comments � … across at least two different blog posts � Deadlines: 10 see schedule and following slide SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Grading Rubric � Provides incentives to engage and improve � Best grades go for a combination of insight and demonstrated improvement 11 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Blogging Basics – Charlotte Boulay � Length [don’t exceed 380 words] � Spacing � Break you writing into small chunks @starrykick � Spontaneity � Strive for “casual timeliness” as a style � Interactivity � The challenge and opportunity of comments Charlotte Boulay [poet]: http: //charlotteboulay. com/ 12 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Blogging Basics – Charlotte Boulay � Links and community � Link out and link across � Create a blogroll of favorites � Visual rhetoric � Include � Illumination, � Odds @starrykick images or videos reference, humor, interest and Ends � Important information: redundant, linked � Don’t revise � Frequency: at least 3 x per week Charlotte Boulay [poet]: http: //charlotteboulay. com/ 13 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

April 4, 2007: http: //www. globalnerdy. com/2007/04/05/yes-werestill-here-nytimes-on-the-life-cycle-of-a-blog-post/ 14 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

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Exercise � Work in groups of two or three and discuss as you go. � Choose: one blog post or blogger contributed by student, or go to: http: //medium. com and find one. � Read quickly. � Discuss: � Does this grab you and why? � Audience? � Lead? � Structure? � Visual rhetoric? 16 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Blogging Advice from Chris Lysy � http: //freshspectrum. com/blogging-advice/ 17 SI 410 Ethics and Information Technology Winter 2017

Paul Conway Associate Professor University of Michigan School of Information pconway@umich. edu