This assignment has two aspects, one substantive and the other reflexive. For the substantive aspect, teams of students will research particular topics, discuss the relevant theoretical issues, and design websites that feature their collective writings and multimedia resources. For the reflexive aspect, each student will evaluate the methods of "flexible production" used to produce the team website.
Part one: selecting topics and teams
Students are to imagine the class as a flexible organization commissioned by a client to design a website containing original research on how a technology or phenomenon illustrates an essential quality of the new economy. The client has asked to review six websites and rank them in order of quality. Our flexible organization has no particular guidelines or constraints upon which topics to cover or how to produce these websites; therefore, it is up to the class to choose six topics and divide into six student teams. On October 31st, time will be set aside in class for this task.
Part two: producing the website
Producing the website entails a variety of tasks: among them, researching the topic, making a theoretical argument, writing the various essays, finding images and links to incorporate, designing the website, and managing the team's collective work. Not everyone will be as adept or interested in each of these tasks. Therefore, rather than holding each student responsible for an equal amount or difficulty of work, I will let each team divide the necessary labor as it sees fit. Teams can also share their expertise with one another and even trade members after they have begun work. In fact, teams are allowed to work in any way conceivable, just as long as the final website (1) is original, (2) sticks to the assigned topic, and (3) includes the following elements:
1. An essay (1000-1500 words) describing the particular technology or phenomenon. Here you will introduce the topic in detail and with journalistic flair. Connect the topic to the new economy with evocative facts, quotes, and other details, saving the theoretical discussion for...2. An essay (1000-1500 words) offering a theoretical argument for how the particular technology or phenomenon illustrates an essential quality of the new economy. Here you will engage the larger ideas raised in class readings and discussions, incorporating and/or critiquing them to make a case for how the topic highlights or advances scholarly thinking on the new economy. Be sure to include bibliographical references for all your journalistic and scholarly sources.
3. Images and hyper links. Here you will illustrate the description and analysis using the visual and interactive options of the Internet. These supporting elements may be embedded directly into the essays or featured on a separate page. However, it is crucial that they be interpreted and contextualized with either their own captions or hyperlinks to particular passages in the essays. Do not simply provide an unannotated list of existing links and images. Be sure to give credit to the sources where you found the images.
4. A page for team credits. Here you will explain how the team divided the labor needed to research the topic and design the website. If you used uncoventional methods to organize the teams or produce the websites (e.g., bartering goods and services in exchange for participation, trading members), then describe them here. Remember, there is no wrong way to do this project short of plagiarism.
The websites must be completed by the beginning of class on December 3rd.
Part three: grading the websites
On December 3rd, each student will be given grade sheets with which to evaluate the other teams' websites according to specific criteria (originality of topic, understanding of topic's implications, accuracy of theoretical framework, value of multimedia display, how much was learned, overall quality of website). By December 5th, each student will visit the websites, grade them, and turn in their grade sheets. Group members will share the average grade (which I will calculate) that the rest of the class assigns them.
Part four: writing individual briefs
By December 10th (the last day of class), turn in a 2-4 page essay addressing the following topics:
1. How effectively did this assignment's flexible format accommodate the team's diverse styles of work and learning, ensure that each member made an equal effort (or at least was equally valuable), and result in what you feel was a fair grade? Be specific and concrete about particular team dynamics, and include any special considerations that you want me to know about which were not called to my attention earlier.2. How did this example of flexible organization and production illustrate broader social changes in the ways people obey authority, cooperate and compete with others, and accept individual responsibility for their livelihoods amidst uncertainty and inequality?
3. Is the flexible format of this assignment fairer and more just as a pedagogical method than a traditional research project in which students have no choice over the topic or format?
How the final assignment will be graded
For each team member, half of the assignment's grade will come from the grade which the class assigned to the team website, and the other half will come from the individual grade that I give your individual brief. This means, for example, that if you feel the flexible team format hurt your website grade, a persuasive and insightful essay that explains why will raise your overall grade.