course project online technology conference 1
Course Project: Online Technology Conference
The final project is a presentation for an imaginary technology conference called in order to evaluate the impact of technology on culture. Students will pose questions of cultural concern in regard to new or emerging technologies and answer these questions in a multimedia presentation that uses scholarly research. The project will be completed in stages throughout the course and shared with the class in the final week. Students choose a new or emerging technology and ask the following questions about it (from Neil Postman, Building a Bridge to the Eighteenth Century):
- What is the problem for which this technology is the solution?
- Whose problem is it?
- Which people and what institutions might be most seriously harmed by a technological solution?
- What new problems might be created because we have solved this problem?
- What sort of people and institutions might acquire special economic and political power because of technological change?
- What changes in language are being enforced by new technologies, and what is being gained and lost by such changes?
Students answer these questions by doing research in the UMUC library. At least six scholarly sources must be employed to answer the questions.
Your exhibit will consist of a multimedia presentation on a particular technology and its relationship to culture. The exhibit will address the following issues regarding technology and culture:
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is for you to understand and articulate the relationship between technology and culture
Skills
The project will enable you to develop the following skills:
- Identify, define, and evaluate the influence of technology on human culture
- Analyze and evaluate specific relationships between technology and literature, writing, philosophy, religion, art, music, and posthumanism
- Articulate cultural critiques of technology
- Synthesize interdisciplinary scholarship in technology and the humanities
- Demonstrate the ability to design and produce multimedia communication appropriate to a given research or creative context (purpose, audience, event, form, genre, medium)
Knowledge
The project will enable you to obtain the following content knowledge
- Nature and function of technology
- Nature and function of culture
Part 1: Project Topic
Choose a technology to question in your final project in preparation for your presentation at the Online Technology Conference and answer the following questions about it:
- What is it?
- Why did you choose it?
- At this point, what do you think the answers will be? Why?
- What steps will you take to answer the questions?
- What obstacles (if any) do you see in your way to answering the questions?
Your responses should be at least 200 words, in total, adhere to MLA style guidelines (Times New Roman and size 12 font, 1 inch margins), and should be carefully edited and proofed for standard use of English.
Due Date for Part 1: This submission is due during Week 2, with the final day of submission being the Sunday of the two week (11:30pm ET). Please see the Course Schedule for the exact final due date for this submission.
Part 2: Project Resources
Create an analytical annotated bibliography of resources you will use for your project. These must include at least six scholarly resources. Each source should be at least 150 words.
General assistance with annotated bibliographies and MLA citations can be found on the UMUC website at the below links.
- How to Write an Annotated Bibliography: http://sites.umuc.edu/library/libhow/bibliography_tutorial.cfm
- MLA Citation Examples: http://sites.umuc.edu/library/libhow/mla_examples.cfm
- The Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue OWL) also has good resources on writing Annotated Bibliographies, including how to summarize, assess, and reflect:
- Overview: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/
- Sample MLA Annotated Bibliography: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/03/
- Additional assistance with MLA formatting can be found at Research and Documentation Online, 5th edition: http://bcs.bedfordstmartins.com/webpub/Ektron/ReWriting_basics%202e/rewritingbasics2e/resdoc5e/RES5e_ch04_o.html
Due Date for Part 2: This submission is due during Week 3, with the final day of submission being the Sunday of the third week (11:30pm ET). Please see the Course Schedule for the exact final due date for this submission.
Part 3: Project Outline
This week you will create an outline of your project. Next week you will use this outline to guide you as your create your presentation.
Use this resource for assistance on how to create an outline: Prewriting and Outlining | UMUC
Due Date for Part 3: This submission is due during Week 4, with the final day of submission being the Sunday of the fourth week (11:30pm ET). Please see the Course Schedule for the exact final due date for this submission.
Part 4: Project Media
With the outline you created last week, create media for your project using the below resources to guide you. Use this resource to help you think about how to best address your audience:
Resources to help you with the presentation:
- Sample PPT with Notes
- Twelve Tips for Creating Effective Presentations
- Website for help with designing a PPT
- Introduction to SmartArt Graphics
- Convert Slide Text to a SmartArt Graphic
This week your primary focus should be on the PowerPoint (or similar tool) itself. Next week you will submit a full draft of your presentation, which will include your audio narration.
Due Date for Part 4: This submission is due during Week 5, with the final day of submission being the Sunday of the fifth week (11:30pm ET). Please see the Course Schedule for the exact final due date for this submission.
Part 5: Submit First Draft for Feedback
This week you will submit a draft of your completed narrated presentation. The presentation should last at least 20 minutes and not more than 30 minutes. You may use PowerPoint to narrate your presentation or use a screen casting software to make a video.
Due Date for Part 5: This submission is due during Week 6, with the final day of submission being the Sunday of the sixth week (11:30pm ET). Please see the Course Schedule for the exact final due date for this submission.
Part 6: Submit Final Project
Taking the feedback from your professor, make any revisions necessary to your presentation. Submit your completed presentation to the assignment folder and also to the Week 8 Discussion: Online Technology Conference. Further instructions for the ‘conference’ will be found there. Your sources, including images, should be cited, and a Works Cited page should accompany the presentation.
Due Date for Part 6: This submission is due during Week 7, with the final day of submission being the Sunday of the seventh week (11:30pm ET). Please see the Course Schedule for the exact final due date for this submission.
