INFM 741 – SOCIAL COMPUTING TECHNOLOGIES AND APPLICATIONS Section 0101, Shady Grove, Building 3, Rm 4206, Thursday 6:00 PM– 8:45 PM Instructor: E-mail: Office: Office Hours: Dr. Brian Butler bsbutler@umd.edu 2117b Hornbake Building TH 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM and by appointment Online communities, online discussions, Twitter, Social Networking Systems, Web 2.0, social media, crowdsourcing, Facebook, blogs, wikis, social recommendations, collective intelligence…. these are just a few of the many terms and technologies which making up the rapidly evolving domain of social computing. Successfully deploying social computing technologies requires a blend of technical and organizational knowledge and skills. Knowledge of both the core technologies and central social dynamics is essential if you are to develop effective social computing applications. The goal of this course is to develop your ability to recognize and capitalize on opportunities to use social computing technologies to advance the goals of individuals, organizations, and communities. Specifically, upon successful completion of this course you will be able to: Recognize ways to use social computing technologies in a variety of domains o Identify key technologies and vendors o Locate activities that would benefit from the application of social computing technologies o Evaluate the fit between needs and capabilities of particular social computing platforms Develop strategies for successfully applying social computing technologies o Outline design and plans that use social computing technology to address particular problems or needs o Identify the challenges which limit the successful deployment of social computing systems o Determine ways of mitigating the risks associated social computing projects Implement social computing technologies o Use key social computing technologies and platforms o Select the proper social computing technology for given task or projects o Specify and implement core social computing tools, techniques, and platforms Course Materials BLACKBOARD/ELMS On Blackboard you will find the course syllabus and schedule, presentation materials, announcements, assignment details, and additional readings, videos, and podcasts about the topics covered in the class. It is important for you to visit ELMS regularly for announcements and course materials. Reminders about specific assignments and due dates will be posted on Blackboard during the INFM 741 Syllabus 1 Butler semester. Make sure your email address in Testudo and the University directory is accurate. SOFTWARE AND LAPTOPS In addition to the reading materials, we will use a variety of different social computing tools and sites throughout the semester. For assignments, extra activities, and the project you will be asked to examine and experiment with many different systems. To allow this, you should have access to at least one computer that you have ability to install new software on. Grading The class grades will be assigned based on the following distribution of points; Class Participation & Professionalism (individual) Posters (7 @ 20 pts each) Technical Assignments (individual) Course Project (individual or groups) Proposal Progress Report Prototype & Paper Total 60 points 140 points 100 points 100 points 200 points 400 points 1000 points Class Participation: The class sessions combine lecture, discussion, poster sessions, and other activities designed to help you develop your ability to effectively use social computing systems. These sessions complement the rest of the course (readings, assignments, projects, etc.). The interactive nature of the class means that your active participation in class is critical for both your efforts to learn the materials and those of your fellow students. Class participation will be assessed on the basis of your participation in the classroom activities. Posters: Throughout the semester you will prepare posters (6-8 Powerpoint slides, printed onesided) about various topics that you will bring to class. These posters will provide important examples, background, and further details for the class discussion. Guidelines and signup for each of the poster assignments will be provides in ELMS. Technical Assignments: To develop and test your ability to use the core social computing technologies you will complete at least 10 hands-on implementation activities. Example activities will be provided for each class. You may also propose comparable activities if you would like to experiment with additional tools or complete a more in-depth investigation of a technology, platform, or standard. Course Project: The primary deliverables for the course project will be a prototype and a paper suitable for submission to a conference such a CHI or CSCW. The project can be done individually or in small groups. To insure that you make adequate progress on the project, and provide you with comprehensive feedback you will prepare a project proposal, present an intermediate progress report at the project workshop (mid-semester), and present the final project deliverables. INFM 741 Syllabus 2 Butler Late work A 10% penalty will be deducted for each day or part of a day that an assignment is late. Please prepare in advance so that you will not encounter technical difficulties that will result in your work receiving a late penalty. If you have a conflict with the due date, assignments can always be submitted early. Students with disabilities If you have a disability for which you are or may be requesting an accommodation, you are encouraged to contact me and Disability Support Services (301-314-7682), as early as possible in the term, but not later than the second week of class. Disability Support Services will verify your disability and determine reasonable accommodations for this course. Academic Integrity The University of Maryland, College Park has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity, administered by the Student Honor Council. This Code sets standards for academic integrity at Maryland for all undergraduate and graduate students. As a student you are responsible for upholding these standards for this course. It is very important for you to be aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism. For more information on the Code of Academic Integrity or the Student Honor Council, please visit http://www.shc.umd.edu. To further exhibit your commitment to academic integrity, you are asked to sign the Honor Pledge on all examinations and assignments: "I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this examination (assignment)." INFM 741 Syllabus 3 Butler INFM 741 TOPIC SCHEDULE Week # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Date Topic 8/30 9/6 9/13 9/20 9/27 10/4 10/11 10/18 Course Introduction & What is Social Computing? Online Communities and Groups Online Community Platforms Wikis & Blogs Wiki and Blog Platforms Crowdsourcing Crowdsourcing Technologies Project Workshop 9 10/25 Social Networking Systems 10 11 12 11/1 11/8 11/15 13 14 11/29 12/6 Social Network Analysis Social Networking Technologies & Platforms Social Bookmarking/Social Filtering/Collaborative Search November 22– No Class -- Thanksgiving Social Computing Application Workshop Final Project Presentations SEE ELMS FOR WEEKLY ASSIGNMENTS AND READINGS INFM 741 Syllabus 4 Butler