Course Description: This is a 6 credit New Century College course, with an extensive online discussion/meeting component in addition to regular course meeting times. This mix of real-time and online meetings is called a "Hybrid" course. If you only come to the real time classes and neglect the online components you will be missing that class time during which we meet online. The subject of study is cyberculture and virtual communties. What began as a small group of people communicating over the Interne't in the days before the invention of a windows-type Web browser, has now been transformed into a multi-faceted international virtual world, with many subcultures interacting over the Internet, using many mediums of communication, such as newsgroups, discussion boards and blogs. We will examine who forms and has access to these communities (haves and have nots), the types of communities (social, professional, commercial)and how they represent themselves.  Even though online societies are relatively new, the examination of how and why people communicate has been around for a long time. We are fortunate to be in on the ground floor of a growing body of research about online communities.

An important part of exploring virtual communites is to become informed users of the Internet and learn to discern between credible and non credible information and organizations, based on a set of criteria we will establish. We will also read, discuss and write about significant social, cultural, ethical, business, educational and economic issues that affect people in society online. 

Prerequisite: NCLC 249 Internet Literacy, or permission of instructor. Students must be familiar with the use of email, ftp, internet browsing, web page creation on the mason system, and must have regular access to the Internet via an Internet capable computer (with a modem) and an active mason Internet account. Please have an up-to-date anti-virus computer program installed. Students who passed the prerequisite course (above) should have the required technology skills. This is not an advanced html course. We will have reviews of basic "how-tos" in class. (If you need additional assistance with these skills, consult the course resources and  http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/how-to.htm). You will be expected to take the initiative and avail yourself of STAR (Student Technology Assistance Resources) if you  need additional help.) 

• investigate and report on the characteristics of various types of virtual communities
• discuss and critique social, political, legal, ethical, commercial and psychological aspects of society online
• research, analyze, and critique Web resources for credibility and usefulness for academic research 
• become familiar with and observe copyright laws 
• create Web content using HTML code and some advanced concepts (such as working with HTML editing programs and ".gif" and ".jpg" graphics files) to post course work
• engage in online discussions and online journalling.
• critique various digital communication mediums
• provide detailed and thoughtful reflection on the knowledge acquired and skills learned in relation to chosen NCC competencies. 

  ---