About Homework Assignments
The assignments that are listed on this page are to be completed before class starts the day they are due. The latest assignment will be placed at the top to reduce scrolling.
for Wed, Dec 2
By class-time, please embed your Oral History rough draft #2 in your oral history video page on the wiki and underneath the video compose 3 – 5 questions that you have about the video. These can be concerns about the structure, narrative, new introduction, or about how to do something technically that you can’t figure out. In class we will use these questions to do a kind of peer response on the draft. I will use them to guide comments I have about the video.
If you are not uploading the video to YouTube, please create a page in your wiki to add the questions so they are online.
for Mon, Oct 26, Wed, Oct 28, & Fri Oct 30
For Monday, October 26, please read and be ready to discuss chapters 5, 6, and 8 in the Oral History Reader.
For Wednesday, October 28, please read chapters 9, 10, and 11 in the Oral History Reader.
Please also get started on the following, which is due by 11:00pm on Friday, October 30:
As discussed in class, Institutional Review Board (IRB) materials are an essential part of conducting research that involves human subjects. These materials include: completing the Protecting Human Research Participants training, completing an IRB Proposal, and completing an IRB Consent Form.
For the Protecting Human Research Participants training you must first Register. Go to the course, Protecting Human Research Participants and click on the Register link. Register for the course and then follow the instructions to complete the course. The course has 7 modules, 4 of which are followed by quizzes. It should take up to 3 hours to complete. Once you have completed the training, you will be presented with a congratulations screen (and perhaps an email will be sent to you). To see your certificate of completion, click on “Get Certificate” from the main menu. Take a screen shot of the certificate and sent it to Dr. Wolff in an email. If an email is sent to you, you can forward that instead of sending the screen shot.
The IRB Proposal is the document where you discuss your research goals and methodologies, why the research is important, and what safeguards you have taken to ensure the rights of your human subjects. The Proposal is a formal document, standardized by the institution to which you are submitting it.
I would like you to complete your own IRB Proposal. I have prepared an IRB Proposal Template (.doc, if using Internet Explorer, right click on link and save to your computer) to help you complete the proposal. You will see instructions at the beginning highlighted in yellow. They instruct you to to find all spaces where I have used ALL CAPS to tell you what to include in a specific space. I have filled in many of the responses for you already; please do not replace those responses. Please read the document in full before you begin to replace the ALL CAPS text with your own text. I have also prepared a sample IRB Proposal (.pdf) to give you an idea what they look like when completed. This IRB Proposal was submitted to the Institutional Review Board so that you will be able to conduct this research.
I have prepared your IRB Consent Form (.pdf) for you. Please look at it. You do not need to alter it in any way, but are still required to turn it in with the other documents.
You are also required to turn in a copy of your Protecting Human Research Participants certificate.
Instructions for turning in all materials are available at the bottom of the last page of the IRB Proposal. Make sure you complete the Investigator Checklist and turn in all materials by the requested time.
Do not wait until the last minute to get started on this. The materials must be turned in correctly and approved before you can conduct any interviews. If you have any questions, please email me.
for Wednesday, Oct 21
The below video assignment was recorded last semester, so please ignore any mention of the work being due on Monday, or discussion of considering “experts” in our proposal (we’ll address that issue at another date). Upload the assigned video to the course YouTube channel. As well as the web sites addressed in the video, and before your recording your proposal, please also take a look at the videos at the Oral History Video Archive to get an idea of the kinds of topics students explored last semester. Please upload your videos by class time.
for Monday, Oct 19
Please watch the Acts 3 and 4 in When the Levees Broke and prepare to discuss them in class. If you have time and want to get ahead, read Chapter 1 in the Or History Reader, which will be read for Wednesday.
for Wed, Oct 14
Please read chapters 3 and 4 in the Oral History Reader and be prepared to discuss them. Complete and upload your Hitler Downfall Remix.
for Monday, Oct 12
The below video explains the homework for Monday. It was recorded last semester when students had their own individual YouTube channels. Please post the response to the course YouTube channel. I’m looking forward to beginning the oral history discussions.
for Wednesday, Sept 30
The assignment for tonight is going to focus on fair use when using video and audio in an online environment. Please watch the following video:
Please also read Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Online Video (the above video comes from this page; no need to read the section “Getting to know your Code of Best Practices”) and watch a selection of videos from each category on the page Researcher’s Top Five Videos in Each Category (scroll down a bit) to get an idea of the complexity of current copyright law, see Copyright Term and the Public Domain in the United States 1 January 2009.
for Monday, Sept 28
Please download to your computer and watch the movie RIP: A Remix Manefesto. The 87 minute movie is downloadable via pay-what-you-want. You can pay $0 or $100, the choice is yours. Follow the links on the home page. Here is the trailer:
Be aware that the video is a huge file that can take up to 2 hours to download depending on your Internet connection speed.
Post a 3 – 5 minute video response in which you discuss the movie. If you would like, in your response, remix a portion of the movie trailer (importing the full movie into Movie Maker or iMovie would take too long). To download a copy of the trailer, right click on the compatible file link, select Save As, and save it to your computer. From there, you can import it into either iMovie or Windows Movie Maker: Windows Movie Maker-compatible version; iMovie-compatible version.
We will discuss the movie on M and W next week as we prepare for our second unit on memes and remixes.
for Wednesday, Sept 16
Please read Clive Thompson’s “Brave New World of Digital Intimacy.” Please also think about the question that you would like to ask for “The One” assignment. Post a 1 minute video to the WRT Fall 2009 YouTube Channel in which you introduce your question and talk about your reasons for choosing it, what kinds of responses you expect to get, and whatever else comes to mind. Perhaps even answer it yourself. Please post these by class time on Wednesday.
for Monday, Sept 14
Please watch the following videos. The first two are explorations of the implications of YouTube. The others are on Creative Commons licensing and copyright. After watching the videos, use your Flip Video camera to record a 3 – 5 minute response to the videos. Do not merely discuss whether you like them or not. Rather, talk about them in terms of video, contemporary culture, and the evolution of communication and writing. Also, do not compose your response on paper ahead of time. Rather, just set up the video camera on a flat surface and begin talking (yes, have some idea of the main points you want to have). The goal is not a flawless execution, but to get your ideas out. Upload your video to the course YouTube channel with an unique and meaningful title. In the description, please describe the the purpose of your video.
“An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube,” by Michael Wesch (55.33 minutes):
“A Crisis of Significance” by a student in one of Wesch’s classes:
“Larry Lessig on laws that choke creativity”
“A Shared Culture”
“Wanna Work Together”
for Wednesday, Sept 9
Please download, print, read, and bring to class the course syllabus (.pdf) read Computer Classroom Etiquette.
Download and install the Firefox browser (if you already have it, make sure it is the most recent version), and install the Download Helper plugin (requires Firefox). Download Helper allows you to save YouTube and other videos to your computer. Download and install Jing, which is a screen capture program that records all movements and sound on your screen as a movie.
Log in to the class account at Jaycut and YouTube (if you do not know the username and password, please email me). Please watch this video about how to use Jaycut (we will be using it in class on Wednesday, so this video is an important introduction):
Create accounts at Jamendo, Moby Gratis (film music), Splice Music, and Open Source Cinema using your school email address as your contact email. Jamendo and Moby Gratis are sites where artists have provided music that can be used by anyone for free. Moby’s site is specifically for “independent and non-profit filmmakers, film students, and anyone in need of free music for their independent, non-profit film, video, or short.” Splice Music allows you to connect with musicians and create your own music online. Open Source Cinema provides video clips that all users have permission to remix. Take the tours on each of these sites over the next week so that you become familiar with their features. They will be referred to in class but not necessarily shown how to use.
Remember to bring your Flip Video Camera to class!!