PUB 101 aims to develop your own capabilities and resources for presenting yourself online. Our learning goals for this course are expressed more in terms of disposition and confidence than skills and abilities. This course provides an opportunity for you to engage with facets of contemporary media constructively: we learn through doing, building, and sharing within a community of practice.
By the end of the course, you will have developed a portfolio of sorts, according to your own design and vision. But more than just a portfolio of past work, it also can serve as the platform for your future building, learning, and working. Formal assessment for this course—and your official mark—is primarily based on written work, partly individual and partly in collaboration with partners and/or larger groups.
The quality of your writing will be part of the official assessment. This means you need to take extra care with grammar, usage, spelling, syntax, and structure. What you write is being published. Anyone can see it. You want the most polished version of your work on your blog. This means proofreading your work before it goes out. Informal assessment for this course—and you will be the judge of that—is all about your contribution to the community gathered here.
You will be given two formal formative feedback reports on October 20 (week six) and November 17 (week 10).
Here’s the marking breakdown:
- One short (~750-wds) essay: 15%
- Online development & Process posts (weekly): 35%
- Timely posting each week (12%)
- Content (23%)
- Website Accessibility: 10%
- Mini assignments: 10%
- Five assignments @ 2% per
- Peer-review activities: 15%
- Peer Review one: 3%
- Peer Review two: 5%
- Peer Review three: 7%
- Participation: 10%
- Attendance: 6%
- Class contribution: 4%
- Flexible Five: 5%
Assignment Details and Due Dates
Online Development and Process Posts (weekly) (35%)
Your Process Posts are where you will document your work on your online publication, and reflect on everything you do: writing, media, link sharing, editorial, design, and the cultivation of social media as an organized whole. You will be assessed on your ability to describe, account for, justify, complicate, assess, and otherwise intelligently write about your own online publication. We will also be looking for evidence that you have been keeping up with the weekly readings and attending lecture, demonstrated through your ability to integrate those readings and discussions into your own writing. These posts will be assessed weekly, with feedback provided on a semi-regular basis. You can choose how to integrate these posts into your site, as long as they are clearly discoverable by your instructor.
Additionally, you will post content for your audience each week. The growth of your website is dependent on fresh and consistent content. You might choose to have your core content be a blog, podcast, vlog, imagery, clay animation, videos, or other media. While we will be using WordPress as the CMS, feel free to use whatever additional tools or platforms that best represent your creativity. This content is specifically for your public.
Regularly creating and sharing new content is a key part of building your online presence. You are expected to post every week (both for your site’s public and process posts). Your assessment will reflect how timely you post.
Collaborate! You can partner up on content development.
Website Accessibility (10%)
Accessibility creates a more equitable world. Websites should be available to anyone whose interest they pique. There is a grade is attached to your website’s accessibility. You are building your site from scratch, which gives you the best opportunity to use widely available free tools to build born-accessible websites.
Mini-Assignments (10%)
Throughout the semester, you will be given short, fun assignments. Each is worth 2% of your overall grade. Due dates: Week Three (Sep 29); Week Four (Oct 6); Week Six (Oct 20); Week Nine (Nov 10); Week Eleven (Nov 24).
Peer Review One: developing an online self (due Week 5 – Oct 13) (3%)
With an assigned peer from your own tutorial, write (appreciatively, constructively) a review of what they have developed on their site thus far, with a focus on the development of a clearly articulated online self. The review should assess any content and design decisions made thus far, and should engage clearly with course readings on developing an online self. Is the writing clear, free of typos, and carefully edited? Your review should be 400+ words and posted to your Process Blog, with clear links to your peer’s site.
Peer Review Two: design (due Week 8 – Nov 3) (5%)
With an assigned peer from the course’s other tutorial, write (appreciatively, constructively) a review of their website’s design. Link well; use resources from your readings, please. The review should assess theme and customizations, typography, layout, social media integration, site structure, usability, and any other design decisions you notice. Your review should be 400+ words and posted to your Process Blog, with clear links to your peer’s site.
Peer Review Three: audience and channels (due Week 11 – Nov 24) (7%)
With an assigned peer, write (appreciatively, constructively) a review of their website’s marketability to their intended audience group. Link well; use resources from your readings, please. The review should thoroughly assess both content and design from the perspective of a reader/user. Your review should be 400+ words and posted to your Process Blog, with clear links to your peer’s site.
Participation (10%)
You are expected to attend all classes and all labs (tutorials). PUB 101 is collaborative, with an emphasis on learning from one another. Your participation mark is based on your activity in conversation, reflection, giving feedback to colleagues, and contributing new ideas and resources. If you have to miss a class, please let your instructor and/or TA know. Show up. Ask questions. Take part in the classes and tutorials. Contribute to the class resources. Be present.
Flexible Five (student-determined grade) (5%)
Each student can choose how they want to use this 5%. The options are: assign a self-assessment grade for overall participation, growth, contribution to the class (or other criteria); assign the 5% to one category of the existing assessment breakdown (peer reviews, process posts, essays, participation); present your site on the last day of class.
You can also *lead a discussion on a topic of your choice for an additional 3 points.
*There are seven slots available for Lead a Discussion. These will be allocated on a first-come basis. The topic is up to you, but should tie in with that week's topic. Look through the course outline. If you see something of interest that you can talk about using your own experience, a case study or research you've done, sign up to present. Describe where the topic lives in social media, summarize the theme, present the main points of view, and give the class two points or questions to discuss. You can find the sign-up sheet here. Have fun! For this option, a total of 3 points can be allocated.
Essay (due Week 10 – Nov 17) (15%)
You have a choice of topics for this essay. Your essay should be at least 750 words (1250 maximum). It should be posted on your site (either as a page or a Process Blog post). It needs to have at least three academic references, and they need to be properly cited. Use links where appropriate.
"Choose Your Own Topic" If you choose your own topic, please consult with Suzanne at least two weeks before the due date to discuss your idea. Once approved, you will need to submit a summary of your topic by November 10th.
"The Rise of AI: Navigating the Opportunities and Challenges" Artificial Intelligence is rapidly transforming our world, impacting education, the workplace, and our daily lives. This assignment requires you to explore the ethical, social, and practical considerations surrounding the integration of AI in society. Choose ONE of the following perspectives: A Student: Analyze the potential impact of AI on your education, including the benefits and drawbacks of tools like ChatGPT. Discuss how schools should approach AI usage, considering both the risks and the potential for enhancing learning. A Content Creator: Examine how AI tools can be used to assist in content creation (e.g., writing, image generation, video editing). Discuss the ethical implications of using AI-generated content and the potential impact on creativity and originality. In your essay, address the following questions: • What are the potential benefits and drawbacks of AI? • How can we ensure the ethical and responsible development and use of AI? • Should AI be regulated, and if so, how? • What are the potential long-term societal impacts of widespread AI adoption? Support your arguments with evidence and examples. You may research current AI technologies and their applications.
