CSCW and Groupware (Spring 2007)


Course Syllabus

instructor information

Professor: Elizabeth Lane Lawley
Office: 70-2545
Phone: 585-475-6896
Email: ell at mail dot rit dot edu
Office Hours: Online office hours from 12-4pm on Mondays, using the AIM screen name "proflawley"
Class Chats: TBD

textbooks and readings

There are no required textbooks for this class. Instead, I will be assigning readings from the web, and from various electronic resources provided through the Wallace Library.

important rit deadlines

Last day of add/drop is March 19, 2007.

Last day to withdraw with a grade of “W” is April 20 (the end of the 6th week of the quarter). Forms may be obtained from your department office and need your instructor’s signature.

NOTE: IT department policy states that a student has one quarter to challenge any grade. After that, grades cannot be challenged.

course description

From the catalog: This course will examine the role of information technology in collaborative work settings. An overview of relevant theory, technologies, and standards will provide the context for examining the integration and strategic use of e-mail, distributed networking, the World Wide Web, conferencing and enhanced messaging.

From the instructor: CSCW is a field that is changing rapidly. In addition to more traditional collaborative tools like email and conferencing, we will also discuss more recent tools and environments, including weblogs, wikis, social bookmarking, instant messaging, online project management, and calendaring.

course goals and objectives

The goal of this course is to provide an overview of existing research in CSCW, and to critically examine collaborative and groupware technologies currently in use.

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Identify and describe influential research and researchers in the field of CSCW
  • Identify, describe, and critically analyze current CSCW and groupware technologies

prerequisites

The only prerequisite for this class is graduate standing, and a willingness to do reading, research, and writing on a graduate level.

grading

Grades will be based on the following, all of which are discussed in more detail in the assignments section of this site:

  • Discussion Participation (chats and/or class weblog): 10%
    I expect you to respond to discussion questions posted on the class weblog, and/or participate in weekly chats (time to be determined during week one based on student availability)
  • Lab Assignments: 10%
    Each week I'll assign an online activity, typically involving the use of one or more of the software tools we're discussing that week. After completing the assignment, you will need to post about it on your weblog--typically I will tell you what information should be posted (answers to questions, links to completed work, etc). Lab assignments should be completed by the end of the day on the Sunday following each week (so the week 1 assignment will be due by 11:59pm on Sunday, March 18). Some weeks there will not be a lab assignment. These are primarily a form of participation, so everyone will receive 9/10 points simply for fully completing the assignment. Work that is particularly well-written, insightful, or detailed may receive a 10/10. Work that fails to address all aspects of the assignment requirements, or that is turned in late, will receive deductions.
  • Weekly Reviews: 20%
    You will need to choose one of the readings assigned each week to review on your blog. You will also need to find and review at least one additional reading on one of the topics for that week. The second reading can be, but does not have to be, from a peer-reviewed journal or conference. It could also be an online essay or blog post, a book or book chapter, or even an in-depth newspaper article. However, it should have some analytical content--a short news item describing a new software package, for example, would not be appropriate. When in doubt, ask me. Weekly reviews are due at the same time as lab assignments. I will assign grades for these at the end of week 4, week 7, and week 10--but I will also comment on the entries on an ongoing basis.
  • Midterm Exam: 20%
    The midterm will be a take-home essay question exam, which you will have one week to complete. I will post the midterm exam at the end of week 5 (on Friday, April 13).
  • Topical Literature Review: 40%
    Your major research project for the quarter will be an in-depth literature review of one topic related to the course material. You should submit your topic for approval no later than the end of the second week of the quarter. The literature review should be more than just a bibliography--it should include detailed reviews and analysis of the works you choose, and should cover the range of resources available on that topic.

Please note that the grade received for work that meets all assigned criteria is a "B". An "A" is reserved for work that clearly demonstrates MASTERY of the material, and an in-depth knowledge of the underlying theories. Late work will lose half a letter grade (5/100 points) per day.

academic honesty policy

Please review the IT department and RIT policies on academic dishonesty.

I will not tolerate plagiarism of any kind in this class. Students who are found to have plagiarized material will be failed not just for the assignment, but for the entire class (and will not be allowed to withdraw).

If you're uncertain as to what constitutes plagiarism, I strongly encourage you to review any or all of these resources: