English 4310
Science, Technology and Communications

Demographic and Cultural Analysis of Internet Growth


Professor McGuire Office Hours: MWF 11-12
Skiles 365 Virtual Office Hours: TBA
894-7003
pm2@prism.gatech.edu

Our Goals

By the end of the quarter you should:

Texts
Claude S. Fischer, America Calling: A Social History of the Telephone to 1940
texts on library reserve for 4301
Web sites to be listed
The WebCrossing site at www.lcc.gatech.edu/cgi-bin/

Assignments

 The class will divide into 4-person teams.  Each team will be responsible for two projects:
 (1) a study of one or more critical factors in the evolution of the telephone, radio, broadcast television, or cable/satellite television industries and its relevance to the evolution of the Web/Internet and
 (2) a study of one of the Web/Internet cultures in terms of its size, growth, significance, and cultural characteristics.  Projects can be print documents, a Web site, or some unique artifact but must make a point, defend it with an argument, and include an extensive resource list.
 Each person will be responsible for an individual study of some area of Web demographics, Web culture, or the practical application of information about Web culture and demographics.  Please get your topic approved by the end of week 7.  Much of your grade depends on the quality of your individual and group research,  and the class will be effective to the degree that each of you contributes what you  have learned.
 

DAY BY DAY SCHEDULE OF ASSIGNMENTS

Unit 1: Models and contexts

Week 1 (9/21)
W  Introduction to course:  goals, content, projects; form project teams and assign projects

F  Introduction to the Web as physical artifact, economic entity, use-driven entity
 

Week 2 (9/28)
M  Introduction to the Web, continued

W  the evolution of the telephone system 1876-1940, technology, culture

F  telephone system 1876-1940, the development of business models, user demographics
 
 

Week 3 (10/5)
M no class

W  the evolution of radio broadcasting 1895 - 1940, technology, culture

F  radio broadcasting 1885 - 1940 broadcast networks, demographically-driven advertising
 
 

Week 4 (10/12)
M  the evolution of TV broadcasting 1935 - 1950, technology, culture

W  the evolution of cable/satellite television 1978 -

F  team project presentations due
 

Unit 2: The cultures of the Web/Internet

Week 5 (10/19)
M  introduction to “culture”:  general cultural issues related to Web/Internet

W Web/Internet cultures: (corporate) business to business buying and selling

F Web/Internet cultures: (corporate)  training
 
 

Week 6 (10/26)
M Web/Internet cultures:  (education)  K-12

W Web/Internet cultures:  (education)  higher education

F Web/Internet cultures:  (home users)  gamers
 

Week 7 (11/2)
M Web/Internet cultures:  (home users) marketing and selling to consumers

W  (We’ll fill this day later, depending on how things evolve)

F   (We’ll fill this day later, depending on how things evolve)

Unit 3: Finding and analyzing Web demographic data

Week 8 (11/9)
M  general introduction:  demographic issues and demographic data

W  the culture - demographics interaction

F  counting the Web/Internet population: tools and technology
 

Week 9 (11/16)
M  major Web count organizations: RelevantKnowledge and IntelliQuest

W  major Web count organizations: ACNielsen, GVU Web Survey

F  Sources for Web counts in specialized areas: K-12, home users
Team projects for unit 2 due
 

Week 10 (11/23)
M  Sources for Web counts in specialized areas: corporate training and marketing

W

F  Thanksgiving Holiday
 

Week 11 (11/30)
M  academic studies of Web counts and methodologies

W  conclusions: the current demographics and defensible projections

F   conclusions: the current demographics and defensible projections
 

Your paper is the final exam and is due on the scheduled final exam day.