Assignments (40 points of 100):
Students are required to complete the following assignments.
A1: Techno memoir, guiding questions for the semester. 5 points
A2: Shot analysis, 10 points
A3: Operating System analysis, 10 points
A4: Response papers 15 points


Assignment Descriptions
A1: Write a techno-memoir, detailing your relationship with technology. Where do you end and where does technology begin in determining who you are and what you do in the world? Let this narrative exploration guide you into identifying 2 or 3 aspects of your identity, of your friend group, or of your larger culture that seem inextricably linked to technology in some way. Can you identify certain ideologies -- beliefs and ideas that seem natural or universal -- that are linked to your use of technology?
1 page, 12pt font, single-spaced, submit via eCommons
Due by the end of the day on April 8.

A2: Analysis of Still/Moving images. To correlate with the archive theme. You will select an image (such as an advertising still) or a moving image sequence. The still or sequence must be archival - from the computer history archive or the Prelinger Archive. Image or moving image must foreground a technology in some way. Your choice should lend itself to a formal analysis that tells you something about the culture in which it was made. Discuss format, medium and context; from there, describe what meanings or conclusions you have drawn.
Include image or link to image or video. 2 pages, 12pt font, single-spaced, submit via eCommons
Due by the end of the day on April 22.

A3: Analysis of Operating System. Your operating system is what manages all the programs and files on your personal computer. It seems invisible to us, and it should, because it is merely there as an interface to our programs. But the operating system belies a number of assumptions, ideologies, beliefs about what a computer is, what software is, and how we should be interacting with it. Using formal techniques used in your still/moving image analysis and presumably new ones, analyze the OS of your computer, describing scenarios of use and your conclusions. You may want to review some of the analysis Galloway provides in Form. Be sure to specify what operating system you are using and please include at least one screen shot.
2 pages, 12pt font, single-spaced, submit via eCommons
Due by the end of the day on May 20.

A 4a 4b + 4c: 3 weekly response papers due at the end of three weeks of your choosing. What questions arise for you at the end of each week of class readings, lectures and discussions? Use references to the weekly texts. Your writing should be an engaging, serious consideration of the readings and the ideas of the class. Good questions that are supported by textual references are prized. You may use quotes, but don't be super heavy handed with them.
Each response paper is to be 1 page, 12pt font, single-spaced, submit via eCommons
Please note: even though eCommons shows the due date of 6/03, your response papers are due on the week that you are writing about.

Extra Credit Opportunity: The Digital Art and New Media Graduate MFA Exhibition, Blind Spot, will be showing from Thursday, April 28 - Sunday, May 1, 2016, 12-5pm at the DARC building. Discuss the themes of the overall show and the works that inspired you. Connect to themes and materials from 136c. Up to 3 points. Turn in by Friday, May 4th on eCommons.