Unit 1
Assignment 1.2
(Thursday, due Monday)
Reading
Read “What the Luddites Really Fought Against” by Richard Conniff, 2011,
Smithsonian. (If you have trouble with a link, try copying and pasting it into your
browser window. This one has caused some people trouble, but you should be
able to find the article this way. I just checked.)
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-the-luddites-really-fought-against-
264412/?no-ist.
Also, read this rebuttal to the rebuttal to Marc Prensky’s original article on Digital
Natives/Immigrants: https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-
%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf. The title is
“Do They Really Think Differently?” Note: You can read the first article, too, if you
want, but I felt this second one was good for our purposes. The first article was
called “Digital Natives, Digital Immigrants.” I just copied and pasted this link to
make sure it works. It did. If it doesn’t work for you, you should be able to find it
through googling it. Try “Mark Prensky” “digital natives” “part 2”…I’ve included
the links for both of the original articles below, but I think this one—his response
to his critics—is more relevant to our concerns.
Before You Read/Instructor Notes
I’m including this first article for its history, but also because we’re still in the part
of the course where we’re getting to know each other. (Remember, I swore I
wouldn’t start my Icebreaker by saying, “I am not a Luddite”…)
Luddite is one of the terms that float around when people talk about technology.
Here’s the common definition of Luddite: “one of a group of early 19th century
English workmen destroying laborsaving machinery as a protest,” followed by
“broadly: one who is opposed to especially technological change” (Merriam-
Webster). It’s this second definition that I kept coming across in researching this
course. It’s almost as if anyone who casts any doubt or even voices concern
about the narrative of coming tech bliss, feels obligated to deny his or her
Luddite-ness. You’ll notice it a few times over the semester. However, only one
of the authors we’ll encounter might actually have identified as a Luddite, and he
also went by the name “Unibomber”!
Two other terms you will encounter are digital native and digital immigrant. The
second article will address those concepts.
Your task for this assignment will be to familiarize yourself with these terms and
do a little self-assessment: Can I relate to the Luddites at all, and if so, how?
Where do I fall on the digital native/immigrant spectrum? And more importantly,
what are the pitfalls of these oppositions?
I’ve also included a Kevin Kelly video below, as he touches on the definition of
technology as well as many of the issues of the course. (He’s also generally
considered to be a tech optimistic. I’m including him because of his premise that
technology “wants” something, thus the name of his book, What Technology
Wants.)
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to buy/order the required books for the
course. We’ll start with Garreau’s Radical Evolution next week (the first three
chapters).
Further Notes on the Two Required Essays (in Brief)
(Note: I will also post more on these in the left-hand menu. This is a bit of
information for those of you who are mega-curious or like to know more
than what’s in the syllabus. The process of writing these essays will unfold
as we do the weekly assignments and engage in the material. ***Don’t jump
the gun as that actually just causes you to miss what’s in front of you,
which is what you need to be focusing on. Sticking to the schedule will
minimize stress!)
The Self-Study
This essay will be your chance to delve into how you experience technology,
essentially giving us your “tech self-portrait.” The idea is that your writing process
will enable you to wake up to the ways in which technology surrounds and
influences us. How has technology shaped your life? How does it help you or
limit you? Do you have problems related to technology that you'd like to solve?
The essay can rely on the rhetorical methods of narration, description, process
analysis, synthesis, etc. The key point is that you are using yourself—your life
and your personal experience—as the material. Of course, you can also use
what you know of your circle of friends, family, coworkers, etc. as material.
A key point is that the Self-Study is an essay you can write without doing
formal research—as in don’t do formal research for the Self-Study.
This essay should be 5-7 pages long. Use the next month to ponder what
aspects of your life will be pertinent and interesting for your self-study. aT
that time, I'll have you start discussing topics, then drafts. There will be
discussions dedicated to peer response of both topics and rough drafts before
you submit the final drafts. This assignment is worth 20% of your grade.
The Research Project
This essay will be your chance to follow up on some of your interests or
concerns. You won’t be expected to come up with a topic till after the self-
study has been submitted—about halfway through the semester. The
course’s required texts are to prime the pump and stimulate ideas for this writing
project. This essay will require formal research. Your approach can be through
the social sciences or the humanities or a combination both. Of course,
interdisciplinary research is encouraged!
The research essay should be 7-10 pages long. As with the self-study, there will
be discussion forums dedicated to peer response of topics and drafts. (You will
also compile an annotated bibliography before the rough draft.) This assignment
is worth 30% of your grade.
Links
More on “Luddites”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luddite
Kevin Kelly, a tech “enthusiast”
http://www.ted.com/talks/kevin_kelly_on_how_technology_evolves.html
Marc Prensky’s original articles from 2001 (interesting info on brain
neuroplasticity, among other topics)
https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-
%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part1.pdf
and
https://www.marcprensky.com/writing/Prensky%20-
%20Digital%20Natives,%20Digital%20Immigrants%20-%20Part2.pdf
When you’ve finished reading, go to the discussion board.
