Social Software                                               

Course Description: Social Software is an expression that is used to describe the many kinds of software systems that facilitate group interaction. Popular examples include online systems that help build community by facilitating the exchange of information (Amazon Reviews, Facebook, Flickr), web-based software that is designed to facilitate collaborative projects (wikis, google docs), and multi-player games (Second Life, WoW).

In this course we will learn about social software both from technical and critical perspectives. Hands-on work in conceptualizing, designing and developing social software projects is informed by exploring the dynamics underlying social interaction, the evolution of social software and its impact on society, and through the study and use of current social sofware.

In this course we will learn about social software both from technical and critical perspectives. Hands-on work in conceptualizing, designing and developing social software projects is informed by exploring the dynamics underlying social interaction, the evolution of social software and its impact on society, and through the study and use of current social sofware. Technical underpinnings for projects will be developed through hands-on learning of PHP/MySQL and several web API’s including the Flickr API and the Facebook API.

Readings: One of my main goals for this class is for you to develop a deeper and broader appreciation of how the web is developing as a social medium that I hope will help stimulate ideas and inform the projects that you do in the class. To this end we will regularly read articles relevant to the class, write responses, and discuss collectively. These articles can be found on the web. For each reading you must submit a response that is at least one page long (double-spaced). These responses are not summaries. Unless we pose a question to you ahead of time in class, you should write your thoughts about the reading (e.g. what was interesting to you, what do you agree with, what do you not agree with, what do you not understand etc.). These responses are to show me that you read the materials closely and prepare you for class discussion. Submit yor responses through the weekly moodle assignment set up for this purpose.

Attendance and Grading: Class time will be split up between classroom discussion and brainstorming, mini-lectures, student presentations and computer lab activities. Attendance at all classes is required. You are allowed up to three absences. Each absence beyond this threshold will result in a letter grade deduction from your final grade. Attendance includes participating in social software facilitated interaction that we conduct outside of class.

Your grade for the class will be based on the lab work, Assignments, the final project, written responses to readings, and participation.

Labs: 25%
Assignments and Presentations: 15%
Project: 20%
Midterm: 10%
Written Responses: 20%
Participation: 10%

Reading Responses: You will have weekly reading assignments. For each reading you must write a typed response that is at least one page long (double-spaced). These responses are not summaries. Unless we pose a question to you ahead of time in class, you should write your thoughts about the reading (e.g. what was interesting to you, what do you agree with, what do you not agree with, what do you not understand etc.). These responses are to show me that you read the materials closely and prepare you for class discussion. Bring a hardcopy of each reading response to class. Late reading responses should not be emailed to me but put in my mailbox in the Natural Science office and will be marked down.

Assignments and Presentations: In addition to weekly readings/responses there will be a number of short assignments designed to promote greater familiarity with existing social software and to help us along the road towards conceptualizing and designing our final projects. During the course of the semester you will do a class presentation on a social software application, a case study on the use of social software, or a social media art.

Labs: The labs will be a combination of self-paced work using worksheets and instructor led activities.  Hand in your completed, signed, worksheets before the start of the next lab.

Midterm: The midterm will focus on technical material covered in the first part of the course and wil take place the week of October 18.

Text: We will be using the first four chapters of Build Your Own Database Driven Website Using PHP & MySQL 4th Edition by Kevin Yanks, These chapters are available for free online. You might want to buy the book if you learn well with a book as it could be helpful with more advanced material.

A couple of the readings are from the book Here Comes Everybody by Clay Shirky. He is an insightful thinker in social computing matters and I recommend reading the entire book.

Special Needs: I encourage students with disabilities to let me know as soon as possible during the semester what, if any, special accommodations they will need.  After-the-fact accommodations will not be possible.  All students requesting accommodation for disabilities need to provide documentation from the Office of Students with Disabilities.  This office is located in the Counseling Center, in the basement of Humanities (Room 0012).  Call Ronnie Mait, who directs the office, at (914) 251-6035, or call the Counseling Center, (914) 251-6390.  They are happy to answer questions.  For more information, go to http://www.purchase.edu/studaff/specialstudentservices.

Syllabus: This syllabus is subject to change. Always refer to the class moodle site. for the current syllabus, live hyperlinks and class announcements.