Information and Communications Technologies and Society

Office: 316A West Hall

Office phone: 372-8866 (office)

E-mail: mhornin@bgsu.edu

Twitter: @mhorning

Gmail (Chat): mhorningpsu@gmail.com

Office hours: TR- 1:00 -2:00 p.m.

MW- 1:00-3:00 p.m.

Other hours by Appointment
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
I hold a Master’s degree in Communication and Media Technologies from the Rochester Institute of Technology and a PhD in Mass Communication from Penn State.
My formal communications interests have focused on social science research that explores the effects of communications technologies on both individuals and communities. In addition to this work, my most recent work has focused on research in the field of human computer interaction. HCI research has its roots in computer science, where the focus has been on UI/UX (user-experience/ user interface design). My work in this area has focused on the design of mobile applications that support civic, social and economic goals of geographic communities.
There are many similarities between HCI and media effects research. My research has epistemological roots in both traditions.
ABOUT THE CLASS

From the invention of the printing press to the World Wide Web to more recent advancements with mobile applications and social media, scholars have examined the social and psychological impacts of information and communications technologies (ICTs) on community life. Theorists have often been divided on the extent to which such technologies facilitate any significant positive societal change. The purpose of this course will be to contextualize that debate as well as explore such topics as the impact of ICTs on social capital, community identity, civic and political engagement, and community collective efficacy.

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  To develop an understanding of the historical and cultural contexts in which information and communications technologies (ICTs) are situated
  
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  To examine various theoretical approaches used in ICT research
  
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  To gain an understanding of the various methodological approaches used in ICT research
  
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  To examine contemporary research that explores the effects of ICTs on society, with a particular emphasis on the impact that ICTs have on community life
  
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  To apply ICT research towards the development of more effective interface designs
  
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  To develop original research the explores the impact of ICTs on community life
  

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  First, provide everyone with a short summary of the readings. You are also encouraged to bring in other context relevant to the papers.
  
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  Second, be critical/skeptical of the papers that we’re discussing. In this role, your goal is to pick away at the arguments, methods, assumptions, etc discussed in these papers. The idea is to help us all become more aware of the kinds of criticism that we’ll face in our own work, so that we might develop sharper research skills.
  
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  Third, while you may work with another person to facilitate this discussion, you should independently submit a 4-5 page critique of the works you’re discussing.
  

4/2 Design Prototypes Due

4/23- 4/25 Paper Presentations

4/30 Final Papers Due

B 80-89

D 60-69

Acts of dishonesty in academic work constitute academic misconduct and may result in an F for a particular assignment or an F for the course. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

1. Cheating -- Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information or study aids in any academic exercise.

2. Plagiarism -- Representing the words, ideas or data of another as one's own in any academic exercise.

3. Fabrication -- Unauthorized falsification or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.

4. Aiding and abetting academic dishonesty -- Intentionally or knowingly helping or attempting to help another student commit an act of academic dishonesty.

The instructor and students in this course will adhere to the university’s general Codes of Conduct as defined at www.bgsu.edu/studenthandbook.
Students with Disabilities

Any students with disabilities should follow the procedures established by the university. Students with disabilities must verify their eligibility through the Office of Disability Services for Students at 413 South Hall (419-372-8495). In accordance with the university policy, if the student has a documented disability and requires accommodations to obtain equal access in this course, he or she should contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester and make this need known. For more information, please see: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/sa/disability.

Cary, J. (2008). Technology and ideology: The case of the telegraph. In Communication as

prominent camps. New Media & Society, 3(2), 157–177.

Inc.
Fischer, C. S. (1992). America calling : A social history of the telephone to 1940. Berkeley:

University of California Press.
Postman, N. (1993). The ideology of machines: computer technology. Technopoly (pp. 107-122).

New York: Random House.

2006-9. New Media & Society, 12(8), 1262–1279.

application of the social influence model to perceptions and uses of mobile phones within

personal communication networks. Communication Monographs, 70(4), 317–334.
Park, N., & Lee, K. M. (2010). Wireless Cities: Local Governments’ Involvement in the Shaping

of Wi-Fi Networks. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 54(3), 425–442.

sociology of science and the sociology of technology might benefit each other," in

Wiebe Bijker, Thomas P. Hughes, and Trevor Pinch, The Social Construction of

Technological Systems: New Directions in the Sociology and History of Technology

(The MIT Press, 1989).

347–360.

agency and community. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 17(4), 369–

386.
Sum, S., Mathews, R. M., Pourghasem, M., & Hughes, I. (2009). Internet use as a predictor of

sense of community in older people. Cyberpsychology & Behavior: The Impact Of The

organizations use social media. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication,

(2004). Participatory design in community computing contexts: tales from the field. In

organization in a low-income community. Communication Quarterly, 60(1), 103–121.

networking: How nonprofit organizations are using Facebook. Public Relations Review, 35(2), 102–106.

awareness and participation in community-oriented activities. In Proceedings of the 1st

and mediated access to social capital through participation in local social settings. New

urban space. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 16(3), 407–423.

building potential of urban screens. In Proceedings of the 20th Australasian Conference on Computer-Human Interaction: Designing for Habitus and Habitat (pp. 243–246). Cairns, Australia: ACM.

community participation and community satisfaction. Journal of Computer-Mediated

attachment: A longitudinal study. American Behavioral Scientist, 53(8), 1095–1110.

and political participation in Singapore. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication,

Thursday February 28 Interview Projects Due

spaces of aestheticized public voice. In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Communities and Technologies (pp. 50–59). Brisbane, Australia: ACM.

class”: increasing students’ sense of community with video commenting. In CHI  ’09 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 4405–4410). Boston, MA, USA: ACM.

and places. American Behavioral Scientist, 53(8), 1194–1207.

community collaboration and social benefit: PetSearch. In Proceedings of the

selections between collocated strangers in public urban places. In Proceedings of the 11th

*Carter, M., Gibbs, M., & Arnold, M. (2012). Avatars, characters, players and users: multiple

identities at/in play. In Proceedings of the 24th Australian Computer-Human Interaction Conference (pp. 68–71). Melbourne, Australia: ACM.
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validation of a scale for measuring identification in MMORPGs. In Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Fun and Games (pp. 126–134). Leuven, Belgium: ACM.

networked individualism. International Journal for Urban and Regional Research 25(2):

227–252.
New Media Technologies and Community
Week 12: Sense of Virtual Community
Abfalter, D., Zaglia, M. E., & Mueller, J. (2012). Sense of virtual community: A follow up on its

measurement. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(2), 400–404.

of belonging. In Proceedings of the 35th Annual Hawaii International Conference on

(virtual) community by evacuees from Gush Katif. American Behavioral Scientist,

experienced sense of virtual community. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(6), 2215–

2223.
Week 13.2: Virtual Communities: Space and Place and Interactions
Tuesday April 2- Design Prototypes Presentations Due
Harrison, S., & Dourish, P. (1996). Re-place-ing space: The roles of place and space in

collaborative systems (pp. 67–76). ACM Press.

community experiences for everyone. Computers in Human Behavior, 20(2), 201.

through video sharing. Int. J. Web Based Communities, 6(3), 317–333.

an online gaming community. Human Communication Research, 33(4), 427–449.

engagement through citizen journalism. In Proceedings of the ACM 2012 Conference on

Robinson, S., & Deshano, C. (2011). Citizen journalists and their third places. Journalism

journalism: The social media account of the 2010 Toronto G20 protests. Journalism,