teaching: undergraduate: COM 482
Computer Mediated Interpersonal Communication
Course overview
This course will offer you a task-based introduction to computer mediated communication (CMC) and the impact of the internet on social interaction. On other words, the course looks at the internet from the perspective of language and interpersonal communication and examines online indentities, relationships and communities. In addition, COM 482 is concerned to examine how issues of power, ideology are exercised through 'new' communication technologies.
The course follows closely a specially designed textbook on CMC - in fact, the book is largely based on my CMC classes over the last six or so years. Accordingly, COM 482 is divided into four main strands of acivity which will require you to (1) learn basic theory, (2) critique central issues, (3) explore their own areas of interest, and (4) apply a range of practical knowledge about online communication technologies.
Amongst other things, COM 482 aims to:
- provide you with a foundation to the social and communicative nature of the internet;
- enable you to engage with the key theoretical issues associated with computer mediated communication;
- equip you with some of the necessary research and technical skills as a stimulus to independent CMC inquiry.
You will learn a lot while doing this course but you will also have to work quite hard because the course is about theoretical understanding as well as practical application. You do not, however, have to be a computer scientist to take COM 482 - CMC is concerned with the study of human communication and about the detailed workings of digital technology. There will be technical things to do but nothing out of the ordinary.
Link to the CMC Website
In addition to the actual coursebook, my colleagues and I have put together The CMC Website - a dedicated online resource hundreds of weblinks to materials and examples of the kinds of issues covered in the book and in COM 482. I hope that the CMC website will become a major source of information for you as we work our way through the course. You will certainly be expected to explore as many of the weblinks which we've gathered together on the website. See the spiral button on the left.