I always try to get a few interesting ideas out there on the first day of class to pique interest, and generate early discussion. For 101, I’m stuck on doing horoscopes and conspiracy theories. I’m not sure what I’m going to do for my first day in Urban (last year’s ‘Subways and Situationists’ as two perspectives on cities–looking at the differences between Tokyo’s and the U.S.’s address system as well–worked as an orienting logic for first day discussion).
I think that I’m going to have two little stories for my new Media, Technology, and Sociology class: The first is the narrative framework and viewing options (online, ipod, on-demand) for HBOs new series ‘In Treatment,’ and the second is the ramifications of the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007, which ties financial aid to colleges assisting in industry anti-piracy efforts. A section of the bill–which looks to be going up for debate in February–is called “Campus-based Digital Theft Prevention,” and it states:
Each eligible institution participating in any program under this title shall to the extent practicable […] (2) develop a plan for offering alternatives to illegal downloading or peer-to-peer distribution of intellectual property as well as a plan to explore technology-based deterrents to prevent such illegal activity.
If interested, read more here and here. I’m also thinking of using David Lynch’s faux-iPhone commercial, and Mike Wesch’s video essay.
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