[ENGL 2: FUTURAMA]: February 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

[Close Reading: Humans and High Technology]

Here are the seven scenes you may choose from for your close reading next week. Again, you will be examining the ways in which humans interact with technology in a scene from a film via Aristotle's logos, pathos, or ethos. The goal is to closely analyze the scene and in order to reveal new levels of understanding. We will discuss how this is done in class this week.

"We Made You Cause We Could" from Prometheus (Ridley Scott, 2012)

"Mr. Eddie Vedder from Accounting" from Hackers (Iaine Softley, 1995)

"The Duel" from Electric Dreams (Steve Barron, 1984)

"Do You Know How to Get Out of Here?" from Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)—NSFW

"Dinosaurs Had Their Shot" from Jurassic Park (Steven Spielberg, 1993)

"I May Throw Up on Ya" from Star Trek (JJ Abrams, 2009)

"Mecha, Orga" from A.I. Artificial Intelligence (Steven Spielberg, 2001)

Sunday, February 28, 2016

[Week 6]

Week 6: Mo 2.29/We 3.2
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part Five: Peak of the Pyramid; eR—“The Basics of How to Read a Film” (Rutgers University WIRE), “How to Do a Close Reading” (Harvard College Writing Center)
Class: Reading Discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 3

Upcoming:

Week 7: 3.7/We 3.9
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part Six: Steering Faster
Class: CLOSE READ; Reading Discussion; Multimedia presentations; Lecture—“Persuasion and the Toulmin Method"
Due: REFLECTION 4

Friday, February 26, 2016

[Tech News 2.26.16]

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

[Reflection 3: Going Green —On the (Impending) Legalization of Marijuana]

In 2012, Colorado and Washington became the first states in the Union to legalize the recreational use of marijuana. In landmark votes, the peoples of those states not only overturned a decades-long prohibition on Cannabis, they also set the stage for a "states' rights" battle with the Federal government. Additionally, they joined nearly two dozen states with legalized medicinal marijuana mechanisms already in place. Indeed, the mainstreaming of marijuana in American culture has surprised both advocates and opponents of legalization. And while legalization on a national level is far from a sure thing, we are closer to it than at any other point in our history. But what are the implications of legalized marijuana? What does American life look like when recreational pot use is made legal? What would we gain and what would we lose as a society? And what lessons should we learn from alcohol and tobacco? Finally, how would legalization affect you?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

Requirements:

MLA Style
1.5 pages in length
Works cited page

Due: Wed 3.2

Sunday, February 21, 2016

[Week 5]

Week 5: Mo 2.22/We 2.24
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part Four: The Forces of Abundance
Class: DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY; Reading Discussion; Lecture—“Understanding Aristotle’s Modes of Persuasion”

Upcoming:

Week 6: Mo 2.29/We 3.2
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part Five: Peak of the Pyramid; eR—“The Basics of How to Read a Film” (Rutgers University WIRE), “How to Do a Close Reading” (Harvard College Writing Center)
Class: CLOSE READ; Reading Discussion; Multimedia presentations
Due: REFLECTION 3

Saturday, February 20, 2016

[Tech News 2.20.16]

Sunday, February 14, 2016

[Week 4]

Week 4: Mo 2.15/We 2.17
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part Three: Building the Base of the Pyramid
Class: DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY
Due: REFLECTION 02

Upcoming:

Week 5: Mo 2.22/We 2.24
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part Four: The Forces of Abundance
Class: Reading Discussion; Lecture—“Understanding Aristotle’s Modes of Persuasion”

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

[Tech News 2.10.16]

Tuesday, February 9, 2016

[Multimedia Presentations]

As you know, this semester you and a classmate (or classmates) will be responsible for a 10-minute multimedia presentation.

Requirements:

The work distribution is up to each group, though it should be somewhat equitable
The presentation must be approximately 10 minutes in length—everyone must present at least part of the time
There should be 10-12 slides, including at least one video clip (no more than 2-3 minutes in length)
On the day of your presentation, email both your presentation (or a link) to me at dhdelao@gmail.com.

You may utilize any presentation program you like (e.g PowerPoint, Prezi, Keynote). However, please sort out any technical issues before your presentation date (our room's projection system can be found throughout campus). Groups may be docked for a lack of preparedness.

The best presentations will:

Have an introductory slide which contextualizes the topic—very important
Use words economically
Include visually interesting illustrations—gifs are also acceptable
Avoid a heavy use of animation and effects
Have a style that complements the subject matter and strikes the appropriate tone
Engage the class through a conversational style, utilizing questions and/or activities
Embed a relevant video or audio clip (e.g. YouTube, SoundCloud)—ad blockers are also helpful in saving time
Conclude with a slide that summarizes the topic—also very important

This is an opportunity to be creative, so feel free to have fun with the visual layout of your presentation.

Lower scoring presentations might:

Begin without an introductory slide and/or fail to offer any context upfront
Be thinly researched
Allow visuals to overrun their content or lack a cohesive style
Fail to engage the class in any meaningful way—this is often achieved by reading an entire presentation
Lack multimedia
End without a concluding slide

Remember, you must provide your own laptop. Also, Macs will require an Apple-specific adapter to connect to the university’s projection system. Newer model PCs with HDMI-only connections will also require special adapters.

Presentation topics:

The Future of Cars
Beyond China: The World's Other Emerging Powers
Cybersex: The Fusion of Technology and Sex
Obsolete: Five Professions that Will Soon Disappear
Welcome to Earth: When We Make Alien First Contact
How Holograms Will Change Everyday Life
Drones in Everyday Life
Eating Frankenfoods
This Used to be My Playground: Understanding Gentrification
Megacities of the Future
In the Era of Designer Babies ...
How 3D Printing is Changing Everything
Millennials Explained
Resurrection: The Science of De-extinction
Cozy: Embracing the Microhouse Revolution
Blended: The Future of Race and Ethnicity
Welcome Aboard: The Future of Commercial Space Travel
Feeding the Future: Forthcoming Food Revolutions
Improving on God: Transhumanism and the Quest to Build a Better Human Being
In the Other Direction: Living Off the Grid
Inside the Virtual Reality Revolution
Home Base: Living in the House of the Future
Rewired: Technology and the Human Brain
Here and There: Inside Quantum Teleportation
Hacking 101
Wading into the Dark Web

Groups and dates:

Sec. 2-

Week 6 - Mo 2.29/We 3.2: Emily N./Garrett C./Savannah M. - This Used to be My Playground: Understanding Gentrification
Week 7 – Mo 3.7/We 3.9: Vivian L./Daniel B.- The Future of Cars
Week 8 - Mo 3.14/We 3.16: Daniella D./Oscar O. - Eating Frankenfoods
Week 9 - Mo 3.21/We 3.23: Monica B./Tai N. - Welcome to Earth: When We Make Alien First Contact
Week 12 - Mo 4.11/We 4.13: Diana R./Lilyann V. - Millennials Explained
Week 13 - Mo 4.18/We 4.20: Elsa L./Maria A/Rae-Ann S. - How 3D Printing is Changing Everything
Week 15- Mo 4.26/We 4.27: Mahelet A./Jesus A.- Hacking 101
Week 16 - Mo 5.2/We 5.4: Eric C./Madison C. - Megacities of the Future
Week 17 - Mo 5.16/We 5.18: Joseph M./Lai Ho - Obsolete: Five Professions that Will Soon Disappear
Week 18 - Mo 5.9/We 5.11: Luis G./Thao D/Nada H.- Cybersex: The Fusion of Technology and Sex

Sec. 6-

Week 6 - Mo 2.29/We 3.2: Ali L./Jennifer R.- In the Era of Designer Babies ...
Week 7 - Mo 3.7/We 3.9: Aarti S./Chelsea D. - Cybersex: The Fusion of Technology and Sex
Week 8 - Mo 3.14/We 3.16: Paris C./Karis T./Raye G, - Obsolete: Five Professions that Will Soon Disappear; Andre F. - Wading into the Dark Web
Week 9 - Mo 3.21/We 3.23: Darriell F./Courtney E./Veronica C.- Cozy: Embracing the Microhouse Revolution
Week 11 - Mo 4.4/We 4.6: Sierra P./Noradeli M./Emily P. - Resurrection: The Science of De-extinction
Week 12 - Mo 4.11/We 4.13: Leslie H./Akhil K./Megan S. - Inside the Virtual Reality Revolution
Week 13 - Mo 4.18/We 4.20: Sam B./KD. B./Quynh P.- Welcome Aboard: The Future of Commercial Space Travel
Week 15- Mo 4.26/We 4.27: Juliette G./Morgan J.- Home Base: Living in the House of the Future
Week 17 - Mo 5.9/We 5.11: Michael W./Lovejot S./Andrew L.- Welcome to Earth: When We Make Alien First Contact
Week 18 - Mo 5.16/We 5.18: Emma D./Celina W./Emily Y. - Millennials Explained

[Reflection 2: Stay Tuned—The Future of Television]

For most of the history of TV, if you wanted to catch an episode of your favorite show, you had no choice but to be home on the night and time it aired. Miss watching or recording the show and you had to wait until it reran or found its way to VHS (or eventually, DVD). Back then, the broadcast networks (of which there were only three: NBC, CBS, and ABC) had a far greater say in when and how you, the viewer, watched your favorite shows. But the Internet revolution and technological advancements have changed all that. The power to watch what you want—however and whenever—is now in your hands. In fact, Millennials have radically shifted the television paradigm. Not only does your age group refuse to watch television in the ways in which previous generations did, you also watch less of it. When you do watch TV, you're as likely to watch it on a device other than a television. What does all of this mean for the future of TV? Are exciting developments in television technology enough to lure you back into traditional viewing patterns? What will TV watching look like in 10-20 years?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

Requirements:

MLA Style
1.5 pages in length
Works cited page

Due: Th 2.17

Sunday, February 7, 2016

[Week 3]

Week 3: Mo 2.8/We 2.10
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part One: Perspective – Part Two: Exponential Technologies
Class: Lectures— “Writing as a Process” and “A Multimedia Presentation How-to”
Due: REFLECTION 1

Upcoming:

Week 4: Mo 2.15/We 2.17
Read: ABUNDANCE—Part Three: Building the Base of the Pyramid
Class: DIAGNOSTIC ESSAY
Due: REFLECTION 02

Monday, February 1, 2016

[Reflection 1: Swipe Right—The Ins and Outs of 21st Century Dating]

Facebook, Snapchat, eHarmony, Tinder, Grindr, POF, and other social media sites, have revolutionized the ways in which people, particularly those under 40, approach dating and sex. In this world of high-tech dating, emojis, relationships statuses, sexts, user profiles, selfies, catfishing, friend requests, and tagged photos have dramatically altered the rules of engagement. Today, people have far more available information about potential mates than at any time in the past—just consider how common the practice of Googling someone is these days. But new technology also means new standards. Just what are the spoken and unspoken rules of dating (or hookups) in the age of social media? What are some of the potential pitfalls of dating via technology? For example, what must you contend with that older generations did not? Finally, where is all of this headed? How will all of this affect the way we look at sex, marriage, and relationships in the future?

Include at least two of the following in your discussion:

Required:

MLA Style
1.5 pages in length
Works cited page

Due: We 2.10