On this page are the assignments for Thursday of Week One. 

DEADLINES: Remember, each week I will post reading and writing assignments by Monday, 7 p.m. and Thursday, 7 p.m.

Each week, you should have the assignments that are posted Monday completed by Thursday, 7 p.m. You should have the assignments posted Thursday completed by Monday, 7 p.m.

Today's assignments, for Thursday, May 20, are due Monday, May 24.

Now that we are experienced online learners, we have numerous assignments for this day. Remember, you should have them all completed by Monday, May 24.

I wanted first to give you some very basic background about the Internet. I've digested many books and articles into some simple, brief PowerPoint-based presentations.

You won't need PowerPoint on your computer. But because PowerPoint is a Microsoft product, you won't be surprised to learn that these presentations function best with Microsoft's Explorer browser (you might be using it now anyway; or you might be using Netscape Navigator or Communicator).

If you are now in Netscape, you can give give the links below a try. If they don't work well:

* copy the URL address of this page

* open Internet Explorer (the big blue E on your desktop)

* use Explorer to open this page and take the links below.

1-History gives you a little background on the history of the Internet.

1-Structure gives you some information on how the Internet is structured.

a) Once you have read these presentations, I would like you to send me an email message that discusses the main points of the presentations. Take a screen or so and tell me what you have learned or if much of this is familiar to you. We always have a wide variety of experience -- in traditional and online classes.

DISCUSSION ISSUE:

FILE SHARING & COPYRIGHT

For our class discussion, I would like to take up one of the important, interesting issues surrounding Internet research.

Many students have already become expert in one particular area of Internet research: finding, sharing and downloading music and films.

As you probably know, such actions are highly controversial. Artists and copyright owners claim they are losing millions of dollars -- and the rights to control their work. Downloaders say that they are only sharing and that information online "wants to be free."

b) I would like you to read some essays about online file sharing. USA Today ran an acclaimed series on downloading that presented both sides of the argument. I have copied articles here:

Summary of arguments

Record Executive: Arrest them

Editorial: Improve Commercial sites

c) Please send me an email message that analyzes the main points of the articles. And then I would like to discuss the issue.

d) Once you have read and thought about these issues, please go to our online discussion area at http://bb.lehigh.edu and talk about them. What do you think of online file sharing? Have you done it? Have you thought about the rightness or wrongness of the act? Which of the essays made sense to you? Why?

Just write a screen or so. Tell us what you think and why. Make reference to the readings if you can. 

GRADING FOR CONFERENCE DISCUSSIONS

To get a solid B grade for your conference discussion, you should post three times over the next three days. You should write once early, before noon Saturday, responding to the assignment and making reference to the readings. Then before Monday, 7 p.m. you should post twice more, commenting on one or more of your classmates' postings. If you do less than that, your grade ultimately will suffer.

To get an A, you should be contributing and commenting more frequently. You should be reading and responding regularly to classmates. Some people write 5-10 comments per assignment. This is an online seminar. An ongoing, thoughtful dialogue is our main goal. 

You should know: The bulletin board software keeps track of when you visit the site, how many postings you read and how much time you spend reading and writing on the site. You will always get credit for your work.

If you do this well, we will have an in-depth, wide-ranging discussion of the issues. Indeed, I have found written conference discussions to be much more thoughtful and thorough than similar "in-class" talks.

I think you'll find online learning to be interesting and fun. See you in cyberspace. Remember: we never close.

P.S. Timely reminder: From the Grading link, you should recall that your first in-depth project, a "subject guide," is due Thursday, May 27. You have time but you may want to look ahead. Go to our Grading link on the syllabus for more details.

If you have any questions, just email me at jack.lule@lehigh.edu.

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