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INFSCI 2955: Special Topics
The Social Web

(Spring 2010, CRN 29346)


[ Formal Data | Syllabus | Tools | Wiki | CourseWeb ]


Syllabus

What is the "social Web"? A term to describe web technologies that are highly interactive, conversational and participatory? Or a term to describe future of WWW in which people are linked together in addition to documents? Why is "social Web" so important? In this graduate course we will explore the theories, technologies, and issues behind and about social Web. The theoretical component focuses on analytic and behavioral interactions in social web from different perspective such as social psychology, and economics. Using the insight gained from theory, the practical component of the course will focus on how to design and use social web applications. Several different social Web systems will be used routinely throughout the course.

Goals

Course Work and Grading

After a brief introduction into the field provided by the instructor we will switch to a regular work mode. Every week we focus on one or two topics and will read and discuss several research papers related to it. The list of topics related to the social Web is provided on the class Wiki. This course will attempt to cover about 3/4 of all topics. Doctoral students, guest speakers, and the instructors will alternate in leading presentation for each of these topics. Students are expected to read 2 papers every week and comment on the readings on the course blog. To complement the "reading part", the students will perform a range of weekly and course-level activities with several selected social Web systems. The project part of the course includes one programming assignmemy, one social systems study project, and large final research or development project, which can be peformed individually or in groups.

Attendance (12pts)

Weekly Coursework (6pts each week)

  1. Reading and reflection (3pts each week)
  2. Resource discovery, sharing, and tagging(3pts each week, up to 12 weeks)

Course-level activities (13pts)

  1. LinkedIn/CourseWeb Profile Assignment (4pts)
  2. CoMeT Assignment (4pts)
  3. Eventur Assignment (2pts)
  4. Show-and-tell (3pts)

Programming Assignment (20pts)

A Study of Social Systems (25pts)

Final Project (55pts)

Course Policies

Academic Integrity

You are expected to be fully aware of your responsibility to maintain a high quality of integrity in all of your work. All work must be your own, unless collaboration is specifically and explicitly permitted as in the course group project. Any unauthorized collaboration or copying will at minimum result in no credit for the affected assignment and may be subject to further action under the University Guidelines for Academic Integrity. You are expected to have read and understood these Guidelines. A document discussing these guidelines was included in your orientation materials.

Special Considerations

If you have a disability that requires special testing accommodations or other classroom modifications, please, notify both the instructor and Disability Resources and Services by the second week of the term. You may be asked to provide documentation of your disability to determine the appropriateness of accommodations. To notify Disability Resources and Services, call 64807890 (voice or TDD) to schedule and appointment. The office is located in the William Pitt Union, Room 216,

Copyright © 2010 Peter Brusilovsky
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