Jim's
Tutorials

Fall 2008
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Oct 8

So far this semester, I have begun my first tutorial, Communication Technology, Culture, and Society. I spent the first week searching for adequate books to base the tutorial off of and ended up choosing one called Communication in History; Technology, Culture, Society.
Each week, I have been reading a chapter on my own and a chapter during the my scheduled tutorial time. Initially, I was planning on reading the entire book, however, it became apparent to me that the only pertinent information that I needed was in the later chapters. I changed the syllabus to reflect these changes, and sped up the process. Throughout this process I used the material to come up with a paper topic.
As of 10/1, I had amassed enough information to begin choosing a topic relating to technology and how it relates to society. I had finished the first of my textbooks (Communication Technology) and sought out others for both this class and my Cold War Era class with Kate. Initially, it was my plan to use this tutorial as a place to sit down and really think about how I can tie my courses together (technology, American history, sociology). I'm only writing one 20-page paper for Kate and decided on: How Television as Mass Media Was a Tool of Propaganda during the Cold War. I searched for material in the Library and there are plenty of sources (I have a half-dozen), and during my search I came across more books that fit this Tutorial. They include:
Paper topics could possibly include: Exploring the modes of exploitation in media. Exploring the most effective form of mass media -- how information gets to the masses. Technology innovation. What drives the technology forward?

I was wondering if I should pursue a paper for you in television that coincides with the paper for Kate. But I've heard about something called double-dipping? I'm not sure what that's about.

Oct 14

I've been reading and finding more and more on different areas that interest me. It seems like each article I read leads me to another few articles. I'm finding myself getting incredibly distracted with this paper and it seems like it has no direction. Tomorrow I will talk to you about how I can better manage myself in order to show that I am doing work, as this shorter assignment seems...like a distraction from what I'd like to be getting out of the tutorial. Perhaps we can engage in discussion of the material more, like we did last time.
I'd like to have one final paper summing up all of the information I have gathered and learned about, with possible subsections (perhaps these could be the smaller papers, if I continue to do them). I think a paper of this length would have to weigh heavily in my grade.
Paper structure: No thesis as of yet. social implications of: I. Radio II. Television III. Internet
I need a question to be writing about -- something more specific that 'What were the social implications of...'

Oct 22

Ongoing Bibliography:
Completed:
Books:
Articles:
Between Messages and People: A Multilevel Model of Memory for Television Content Southwell Communication Research.2005; 32: 112-140 How short term memory is affected by television, looking at viewer perceives after viewing.
For the record: popular music and photography as technologies of memory Keightley and Pickering European Journal of Cultural Studies.2006; 9: 149-165 Means of “free expression” of subjects with or without agenda. How they are subjective and how this works in their favor for popular opinion.
Television and the Collapse of Memory Hoskins Time Society.2004; 13: 109-127 Depicts the television as the first easily consumed medium. One can watch but does not interact with.
Medium Meets Message: Can Media History Technology Communicate? Journal of Contemporary History 2005; 40; 793 Looks at how most media history does not go in to explain how integral the media was in certain events. How different histories are kept.
Television and Internet Differences by Design: Rendering Liveness, Presence, and... White Convergence.2006; 12: 341-355 Explores the differences in how instenanious each medium is and how “live” affects the viewer. Chats, web cams, instant updates, etc.
Television under construction: American television and the problem of distribution,... Sterne Media Culture Society.1999; 21: 503-530: Looks at how the television sets achieve mass consumption by the public. How many sets per household, who owns the stations and how this affects the viewer choice.

Currently Reading:

Oct 22

Jim looking at wikipedia :

Nov 5

In light of the current news of Barack Obama winning the 2008 Presidential Election, I've decided to look at how the candidates utilized technology throughout their campaigns.

Nov 19

Picked up two new books: Media in America (Gomery) and Boxed in (Miller). However, seeing as the semester is coming to a close, I'm thinking I will only make it through one of them.
More on the technology usage during the election:
Wondering how independent and primary sources are used when researching technology. What is a primary source? Would the technology itself (such as websites, television shows, radio broadcasts be the only means of primary sources?
On using copyrighted Material: http://dailykenoshan.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7164&Itemid=108 , claiming it under fair-use.
I've been researching what it would take to get the radio station broadcasting either in FM or AM and found some very interesting articles relating to Low-Power stations (LPFM vs LPVAM) and have been researching Carrier Current (essentially using a building's internal wiring as an antenna). http://www.lpam.info/

Dec 2

Media Bombardment Is Linked to Ill Effects During Childhood: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12 Sixty-five percent of 31 studies evaluated reported a statistically significant association between increased media exposure and poor academic outcomes such as low standardized test scores or grades/01/AR2008120102920.html
Working on final paper. Need to decide on a due date -- The 10th is the last day of classes. Before then I need to: beef up this notes page, finish writing final paper including bibliography.
http://cs.marlboro.edu/ courses/ fall2008/tutorials/ adamk/ notes
last modified Wednesday December 3 2008 10:27 am EST

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