Inf 295: Environmental Issues in Information Technology

Fall 2009
Professor Bill Tomlinson
Return to Syllabus

Class Presentation Assignment

Summary

Groups of 2-3 students will work together to lead class discussion around one particular topic. This discussion will be informed by several readings, 1-2 chosen in advance by Prof. Tomlinson, and 1-2 determined by the students themselves. In addition, it may be helpful to involve one or more artifacts of some kind (e.g., web site, mobile phone). The goal is to allow each team to explore some topic deeply, and to engage the class in a discussion of that topic.

Specific assignments

At least one week before class (except for those students presenting in week 2, when this should be due ASAP):
Email Prof. Tomlinson web links or pdfs for the full text of the reading(s), or drop off paper copies in his mailbox.

By 5pm on the Monday before class:
Email Prof. Tomlinson a summary (~500 words) of the discussion topic for the class, including a list of key issues and questions. In addition to the summary, please include a brief timeline of how the two hours and forty minutes of class time will be used. (Remember to include a ten-minute break.)

In class:
Lead in-class discussion, including specific consideration of strengths and weaknesses of the various papers, the relationship between the papers, and their relationship to any other relevant bodies of content.

Note:
Alternate approaches to this assignment are welcome (e.g., field trips, interactive group exercises), if your group is interested in handling logistics, etc. Please check with Prof. Tomlinson before doing anything too non-standard, to make sure it's viable, develop a mutually agreeable grading plan, etc.