Studio Session 5 (4/9)

Overview

Today we move from the collaborative development of an overview of your projects to the development of two extensions of that work. First, we will explore how our diagrams -- mind maps of the topics we are studying -- are connected to each other, in time and by theme. Second, we will drill down into our diagrams, as it were, to extract specific events and topics, and connect these to concepts we have been developing throughout the course

Exercise 1: Collaborative Mega Map [15-20 minutes]

• First, we look at this Prezi presentation of each group's diagram.

• Second, we create a collaborative "mega map" that combines the salient ideas from all of the maps. We do this as follows:
  • Each table spends 5 minutes coming up with a short of the core ideas expressed in the group's diagram. What are the most salient topics described that can connect to the other diagrams? What are the key structural concepts you came up with which may be of general use?
  • After this, representatives from each group will come up to the front (a designated whiteboard) and will collaboratively create the diagram.
  • And here is the result:

Exercise 2: Connect Events and Features to Course Topics [45 minutes]

• Define key events and features associated with your topic and correlate them with concepts and analogies covered in lecture and readings. Sample concepts (things to find examples of) include:
  • Events
    • Transductive mediation, i.e. media events that convert a private experience into a public symbol
    • Biography of symbolic events, e.g. of memes
  • Organization
    • Leveraging the Long Tail, e.g. for social action
    • Presence of Open Source style organization and values
  • Structures and Conflicts
    • Relationship between old and new media
    • Relationship between internal and external diasporas
    • Relationship between physical and virtual places
  • You may come up with your own as well
• Have a scribe collect a list of your results and turn in at end of class

Don't forget to write your studio reflection post (aka "article") after class. The sooner the better!