FACE 1350: Elementary Facebooking

FACE 1350:  Elementary Facebooking

Autumn, 2015

“Move fast and break things. Unless you are breaking stuff you are not moving fast enough.” -Mark Zuckerberg   Course Goals: To enhance the understanding of using Facebook for the changing times. There will be extensive discussions on what image you portray of yourself and if you are doing so effectively. Required Materials: Texts: Mean Girls: The Movie Novelization by Tina Fey  

Grading

Your final grade in this course will depend on the following.

Taking This Course:

By taking this course, students cover the prerequisite criteria for taking the following courses: TWEET 2110, TUMBLR 3440, and TINDER 4550. An average grade of C must be achieved to get credit for this course.

More Details about Required Course Assignments:

Homework: Homework assignments will involve getting onto your Facebook account and posting.  These posts can involve what we have been talking about that week. (Example: Week 1: Create your Profile, Week 3: Cat Videos, etc.) You will also need to send/accept random friend requests, as well as messaging old friends that you have not spoken to in years. (Example: Old flames, relatives, old teachers whom you requested right out of high school when you thought it would be cool, etc.)   Lab activities: During recitation sessions, you will participate in real-life activities to supplement and extend the lecture material.  These will include mock online comment discussions (the comments will be said aloud by the students to one another in class), the using of groups and events to their fullest extent (creating an event and physically asking the people in the class to join before attempting to do so over Facebook), and poking (this will involve students getting up and running around poking all of the other students and the recitation instructor). There will be different topics for each event and discussion that will be provided by the recitation instructor at the beginning of class.   Funny Profile/Banner Pictures: For this assignment, you will be required to post a new picture every other week for your profile or banner picture. The photos must be ridiculous, and include hats, pets, grandparents, awkward friends, and or food. Points will be deducted if the objects listed are not in them. Exams:  This course has two common midterms and a cumulative common final.  It is important that you make preparations to be available during the exam times as there is little you will be able to do without our supervision. Students who have an unavoidable conflict should e-mail the course coordinator at least one week prior to each exam to make appropriate arrangements for taking an alternate or make-up exam, as the internet will be there, we think.  All exams are closed book.  For the midterm exams, students may use any ideas that they have gotten from Tumblr, twitter, or LinkedIn. You should also bring devices such as cell phones, as they are required for the exams and other assignments.

Late and Missed Work

Late Work:  Absolutely no late work will be accepted.  You should allow sufficient time to complete homework assignments and the course project so that you can get help if you need it.  If there are any questions that you have about the homework they should be addressed to your lecture or recitation instructor via email (Facebook messenger is used exclusively for class activities only). You should also plan to be in recitation every week so you can complete lab activities.  Computer failures and other technical difficulties are not valid excuses for submitting an assignment late, as the Facebook app on your phone is required for the course.   Missed Work: If there is any missed work, then the student must speak to their recitation instructor.  The repercussions that follow a missed assignment are that of comments written on your timeline. The manner of which the students are ridiculed are up to the instructors. Students may “Like” the comment on the timeline, but may not comment on it themselves until the lesson on Trolling has been taught.  

Disputes about Grades

Disputes over Grades will be handled via email with your instructor. There will be no re-grading if there is sufficient evidence that there has not been an attempt to complete the work (No objects in photos, not poking back, checking the notifications and seeing that there are some that have not been looked at, etc.).

Addressing Issues of Differing Abilities

Students with disabilities that have been certified by the Office for Disability Services will be appropriately accommodated and should inform the instructor as soon as possible of their needs. There will be no liberties taken with the conditions of the individuals when the instructor beings the Trolling lesson. Students are free to use this, though, as this is the point of the lesson.

Grading Scale

  Final grades in the course will be determined based on the following scale, and based on the percentage of total points (including extra credit) that you earn during the semester.

Course Outline

The following is a general outline of the course, and it is subject to change at the discretion of your lecturer.  Any changes will be announced in lecture and on Carmen.  Ideally, you should attempt to complete readings before the start of a new week so you can bring questions to class.  Some topics will be supplemented with instructors’ comments in your specific group.

Tips for Success in the Course

• Keep up with current evets for your posts.
• Get a pet, this will help in the long run.
• Linking your Facebook with other social media can greatly improve your chances of getting more material for homework assignments.
• Get a computer, as this will help you post on your own time.
• Friend request your enemies, this will ensure a great response to your commenting assignment.
• Start arguments. When you start an argument, there will be plenty of material for all of your assigned homework. (Note that you will only be able to do this after the lesson on trolling.)
• Pay attention to who can see what you post.  If people are not giving you good enough comments, then make sure that as many people as possible can see them.
• Say something stupid.  This will ensure that people will take notice of you, and that’s what you want.
• Overshare with Facebook itself.  When the website asks you questions, answer them truthfully.  There is no shame in including your full name, birthday, relatives, social security number, your bank account, etc. All of this will help you find friends.

-Norm Steinmetz, Staff Member