Homework  

Before the First Class

1. Read the syllabus and assignments. Note any questions you have and be prepared to share them in class.
2. Share some information about yourself on this google slide (you'll need to use your SDSU google ID to access it). 
3. In Canvas edit your "profile" setting (if you have not already done this for another class)..

Week 1: Tuesday 01/26 

1. Join the course wiki. To do this, go to the front page of the course wiki. At the top right corner of the page click on the “Request Access” link.
   You will soon receive an email inviting you to set up you wiki account (your username will be your email address). Follow the instructions, then try logging
   into the wiki.
2. Go to the Canvas Discussion Board and click on the "Introduce Yourself" thread. You will be prompted to say a bit about who you are, but also to talk about
   your academic interests and potential topics you might want to explore in this class.
3. Read Thompson's “Public Thinking,” and post an analysis to the discussion board. Describe three of his most important claims. Which parts of the text seemed
   most interesting or useful, and why? What connected most to your own experiences? Discuss elements you disagreed with, had questions about, or would
   like to know more about. 
4. Compose a brief response to the texts by McNamee  and Tufecki (they are short - just one page long.) These two authors present a much darker vision of social media. 
   Discuss a claim and a persuasive strategy, and discuss an element of one text that seemed interesting or relevant.      
5. Reply to two of your peers' posts. 

Week 2: Thursday 01/28

1. Come to class ready to discuss the texts from Tuesday. Review your discussion board posts and those of your peers. 
2. Students who have been assigned to introduce the texts will spend a few minutes at the start of class sharing their analysis.

Week 3: Tuesday 02/02

1. Read Ong's text. Ong claims that in "oral cultures," or cultures without writing, thought, knowledge, and communication 
   tend to take very particular forms. What are some of these forms? What did you think of Ong's claims?
   
   Ong argues "orally composed texts" (texts composed without writing) take distinctive forms. For example, they tend to
   be somewhat repetitious, there is often redundancy, and many "formulas" (sayings, proverbs, stock characters).  Texts
   often take the form of songs or poems, since these are easier to memorize, and they tell a story that is dramatic.
   
   Use Ong to examine a sample oral composition, “Sundiata.”  The Sundiata text is a short example of an orally composed story/song. The text contains two versions
   of the story. The first has been turned into a traditional "literate" prose text, and the second is a transcription of an oral performance.
   Read version 1 for background, but analyze version 2 (the "song"). Discuss two or three features of the text that seem to fit Ong's list. The text
   has been translated, so any analysis will involve some guess work. Give it your best shot, and don't be afraid to speculate. (1-2 pages.) 
   What are some elements of the “Sundiata” text that seem to fit Ong's list of characteristics?
   
   
2. Discuss one or two of Sacasas's main claims. How does Saracas extend Ong's arguments? 

Week 4: Tuesday 02/09

1. Describe three of Boyd's most important claims. Which parts of the text seemed most interesting or useful? Discuss elements you
   agreed/disagreed with, had questions about, or would like to know more about.  
2. Boyd claims the “rhetoric of digital natives” has been damaging. Why has it been damaging, and what does she argue we should we
   replace “digital natives” and “digital immigrants” with?
3. Boyd claims that young people should be taught critical digital literacy. Do Boyd's suggestions for equipping young people with
   critical digital literacy skills seem useful? How relevant do they seem to you? Are there things she leaves out that you think need to
   be added? What sort of critical digital literacy skills would you like to learn?
4. Skim the Stanford History Group's short paper on digital literacy. Their 2020 study suggest we are not teaching students the 
   skills they need. What is the problem?
5. In your opinion, what can, or should, be done to combat fake news, disinformation, maniulation, and information warfare?
6. What do you think can we do to teach young people critical digital literacy, and to learn the skills needed for digital citizenship?

Week 5: Tuesday 02/16

(Note: this is a light reading/writing week. You can choose to respond mostly to Tufecki, or also apply Tufecki's insights to the short videos from the
impeachment. The questions about how you acquired digital literacy skills is meant to be answered informally, drawing on your experiences and personal thoughts.)

1. What did you make of Tufecki's argument that we need to rethink free speech in the age of social media?
2.  Tufecki argues social media complicates traditional understandings of free speech. After watching/reading the following 2 short videos: Rep. Castro on Trump's use of language and social media, and  Cadwalladr on Facebook, Brexit, and the 2016 US election  (TED talk, 15 minutes). does Tufecki help us understand the issues? Some questions being debated are the point at which speech becomes something else - opinion, a call to action, or even incitement, and whether social media supports the principles of free speech; another question is whether banning the president from Twitter undermined free speech. (Optional/related videos: Rep. Swalwell (speech from impeachment hearing; video or transcript). Video of language of Capitol rioters - just minutes 30-38) 
3. Reflect on how you have acquired/learned critical digital literacy. What were some of the most useful skills you acquired? Both Boyd and Wineburg et al. claim educators have failed to provide students with critical digital literacy skills. What skills do students and citizens need?

Week 6: Tuesday 02/23

1. Take a quick look at this document which outlines some potential elements of critical digital liteacy. Based on your
   own experience, what elements seem useful, what might be missing , and is there anything you would add or take out? Do
   you have any questions? 
2. Read the short texts by Oremus, Weiner, Phillips, Donovan, and Phillips. What were the big takeaways for you? What seemed
   most interesting, useful, or debatable? Did you have questions?
3. What do these texts tell us about how fake news works, why people believe it, what are its causes and effects, and what
   solutions might work?
4. Phillips' "Facts are an Insufficient Response to Fake News" contains many links to useful sources. Follow one of these links,
   read the source, and provide a brief summary of the main points (if a link has been covered by a classmate's post, try to select
   a different one, so we cover more. In essence, let's "crowdsource" the sources).   
   
   
5. Extra credit opportunity: Phillips links to this source, Kreis's "The Media Are about Identity, Not Information." Compose a
   two paragraph summary of the main claims.

Week 8: Tuesday 03/09

1. What are Winner’s main claims? What do you think is most useful, interesting, surprising, or problematic about his argument?
   Can you think of any examples that confirm, illustrate or challenge Winner’s argument?  Can you see Winner’s claims applying to
   new media?   
2. Read this handout on the "moves" found in much academic research (focus mostly on the first few pages). Next, re-read the 
   first two pages of Winner. Can you identify "moves" that Winner makes that fit the patterns described in the handout? 
3. Summarize and evaluate Pariser and Allen's, "Our Democracy Needs Digital Public Infrastructure." What are the main strengths
   and/or weaknesses of the argument? What connections to Winner do you see? After watching Pariser's, "Social Media Platforms
   and the Social Good." what were your main takeaways?
4. Extra credit:  discuss a claim, pose a question, or give a grade to Werry’s "Imagined Electronic Community.” 

Week 9: Tuesday 03/16

1. Summarize Roberts Miller's main claims. Share questions, comments, or responses to her argument. Have you encountered the kind of
   rhetoric she describes, and if so, in what form? Do you see it anywhere today?
2. Describe where you see characteristics of demagoguery in the target texts (Wallace, Warner, Earnest), and discuss the apparent strategy
   or purpose, behind it. 
3. Compose a paragraph describing one or more potential topics for your proposal.  What questions, issues, or problems interest you?
   Are there authors you have read (either in this class or another) you would like to explore further? 

Week 10 Tuesday 04/06

1. What parts of Mercieca's argument in "Dangerous Demagogues and Weaponized Communication" did you find most interesting, useful or
   relevant? What are some of her main claims?  
2.  Stanley's Movie at the Ellipse: A Study in Fascist Propaganda provides an analysis of the movie played to the crowd just before the Capitol riots. Watch
   the 2 minute video, and Stanley's analysis. Do you agree with his analysis? What does it suggest? Which parts seemed most/least persuasive?
3. Read Kuznia et al., Stoking the Flames of Capitol Hill Riot and watch the short video, then read McLaughlin, “We Tried to Warn You.” 
   What connections do you see between these texts and Merciaca and Stanley? What are their most interesting points?
4. Extra credit 1:  Read Ornatowski's, “Totalitarian Rhetoric” What are his main claims? What distinguishes totalitarian rhetoric? Share your 
   findings with the class.
5. Extra credit 2:  Read/watch Authoritarian Rhetoric in the 2020 Election – a Short Multimodal Analysis. What are the main claims? How
   does this text relate to the others we have read? Share your 
   findings with the class.

Week 11 Tuesday 04/13

1. Review the handout for analyzing authoritarian populist rhetoric.  Re-read the excerpts from President Trump’s January 6, 2021
   speech, and the sample statements preceding the attack on the capitol. Select two characteristics of authoritarian populist rhetoric
   and use them to analyze A) an example from Trump's speech, and B) an example from the statements preceding the attack.
   
2. Watch the short video of statements by people who stormed the Capitol. Do you see examples of authoritarian rhetoric? 
   Do you see connections between Trump's statements, or the statements preceding the attack?  
3. Tufecki is one of the most influential, important writers on social media today. Which parts of her argument did you find most
   interesting or important?
4. Fisher claims “clicktivism can and does work.” Do you agree, and are you persuaded by the case he makes?
5. Gladwell is more pessimistic about using social media to create change. Why? What differences does Gladwell establish between
   “weak tie activism” and “strong tie” activism?