[iDC] Course: The Social Web (Web 2.0: What went wrong?)

[John Hopkins]

>This is a great idea and as soon as my syllabus is complete (or I stop

I'm doing several one- & two-week workshops floating under the 
working title "STREAMING LIFE: CREATIVE PRESENCE IN THE SPACE OF 
NETWORKS" in Germany, France, Belgium, and elsewhere during the fall, 
and I don't have a syllabus.

I am invited in based on personal connection to faculty members who 
trust me, and the engagements include repeat and new connections.

I make no plans until I meet the people who are in the course.  I 
enjoy the deep fear of walking into the unknown, meeting strangers, 
and seeing what can be facilitated and enjoyed together given the 
initial premise (title), and a short proposal framework.   I believe 
that development of the local voice & pursuant praxis/action is more 
important than listening to a host of other 'important published' 
voices and following practices that are 'out there.'   I do not rely 
on English texts (although most students can cope in second 
language), because it tends to suppress what are often VERY latent 
concerns (thanks to the 'normative' educational system) and to 
displace the local by a pseudo-authoritative unseen Other.

I do carry extra white-board markers with me.

At any rate, Bravo, Trebor, with that fresh syllabus -- I admire, as 
always, your skills and insights, and, in the end, your praxis is 
more socially sustainable than mine anyway  ;-))

Cheers,
John


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Structurally, the workshop:

- examines a wide range of issues beginning from a fundamental 
definition of technology through to absolutely contemporary 
technological developments that affect socio-political and cultural 
scenarios

- presents a highly-developed model for comprehending the 
complexities of human presence and creative action in the 
contemporary world

- facilitates deep dialogue on local social/cultural/technical issues 
along with other issues relevant to participants

- establishes a broad-ranging, inspiring, and critical context for 
engaging a wide variety of technologies

- provides a powerful context for self-development and development of 
collaborative activities by presenting and subsequently exercising 
fundamental skills and awarenesses

- provides a comfortable discursive space to explore a wide range of 
historical and contemporary developments of art and science

- maps out connections between creative processes and technological mediation

- develops a deeper praxis-based starting-point for participants, 
helping them identify their own creative sources and tendencies

- involves practice-based exercises to develop personal creative focus

- provides a supportive atmosphere for rapid collective 
knowledge-building and collaborative sharing


This workshop will also cover a wide variety of practical and 
conceptual topics that address the core issues of remote 
collaboration and will culminate in a live event with global 
participation (depending on collective decisions, available 
infrastructures, and individual knowledge-sets). 

PARTICIPANT PROFILE
With an engaged and wholistic approach to facilitation, the workshop 
is ideal for students working in any discipline; it is designed to 
draw in a wide range of students, from those working with 
'traditional' art materials all the way to programmers and engineers 
and to project managers and cultural producers working in the 
landscape of technological implementation.

*** Specific technical knowledge is NOT necessary, as many of the 
topics touched upon are prerequsites to empowered and critical use of 
any technology. ***

However, strong technical knowledge-bases are welcome as well as 
strong creative practices! MOST IMPORTANT is a willingness to engage 
with others in open and honest discussion and to share personal 
skill-sets. An ability to focus attention and concentration is also 
very necessary.

The general student profile: engineering (CS & EE), media, art, and 
design; MA/MSc programs