Hint: Read all class materials carefully and notify Dr. Loggins is you have any questions or trouble finding something.

Weekly Overview:

Getting Started: I hope you do enjoy getting started this week!  For this week, be sure to review available class materials, become familiar with them, and become familiar with all of our class policies. Once you have the gist of what to expect, you should read the assigned chapter and utilize the included materials to start grappling with social scientific research methods in Informatics.

The links in the “Activity Check List” below can help you access the material:

1. The link for the reading goes to our course page in FHSU’s online bookstore. Once you log in, find our class to get information about both texts and to purchase them.  We will begin reading the second text after we finish the first one.
2. The second link allows you to download a PowerPoint. It reviews the reading assignment and may have some additional material you’ll find in the upcoming quiz.

In addition to becoming familiar with class resources and starting your reading, you should:

1. Adjust your portfolio within this blog and
2. Create a new post to share research interests.
3. Plus! Group 8 will create presentations of our first chapter.
   • As of August 12, Group 8 includes:
     • Ricardo Lujan,
     • Caitlin Witherspoon,
     • Kemoy Taylor,
     • Samira Farfan, and
     • Carly Ferland

The first is for extra credit to help us get to know one another. The second is a graded activity that will (a) ensure you have a basic understanding of this interface, (b) help you start thinking about research, and (c) help identify classmates with common interests. The last is a project that each group will work on intermittently as assigned to help everyone prepare for upcoming quizzes and exams.

Hints:

• Getting both books as e-texts can help you with our open-book tests. 
• You can search the videos’ close-captioning to find discussions of any of the specific topics from Part One. 

Week 1 Learning Tasks:

A. Activity Checklist:

1. Review the Syllabus
2. Become familiar with our Bb site and this blog.
3. Patten – Read Part 1
4. Lecture Slides One – Intro to Research Methods

B. Assignment Checklist:

1. Extra Credit: Adjust your CampusPress Profile
   • Provide a short bio (one point extra credit)
   • Add a picture (additional point of extra credit)
   • Note: Help with the extra credit assignment is available on the “Welcome” page of the blog in “Course Info.” While “My Grades” in Bb will note whether you earned both points of extra credit, the points will not be added to your grade until after finals, when I report your final grade to the university.
2. Week 1 Blog Post: Introductions and research ideas (required)
   • For your first blog post, let us know your thoughts on the class and what you might research. This can be a general or specific area of interest, it can be inspired by your work or your hobbies, it can be anything. My only suggestion is to stick to social scientific questions related to how humans interact with technology and information. The blog’s “Welcome” page has a tutorial on creating your own post. Additionally, the assigned reading will help you better understand social scientific research and appropriate research topics.
   • When you write your post:
     • Title it in a way to help us understand your post. Stay away from a generic assignment name or using your name in the title, and use a title that helps us understand what’s in your post and how it’s different than others.
     • Include a good visual (Pixabay makes this easy) and organize the post for quick and easy reading.
     • Remember: Suggest a name for your discussion group (see below).
     • Be sure to put it in the “Week 1 Blog Post” category and only that category,
     • Add tags (just the words, no # marks) to note your areas of interest, when it comes to research.
   • Group 8 Presentations on Part 1 of Patten & Newhart.
   • The rubric is now on the blog for your review.

DUE: Monday, August 30 at 2 pm Central

Hint: Review the rubric in “My Grades” to ensure you get full credit for your initial blog post.

Discussion Groups: When you follow the group link to Bb, you’ll see two different groups.

1. Class Section: I provided that to help me communicate with students and to give you an option to email just the folks in your section.
2. Topic Group: In addition to the presentations that will be assigned to a different group each week, the topic group is the group of students that, ideally, you will reply to on a fairly regular basis throughout the semester.  This week, knowing who else is in your Topic or Discussion group may help you suggest a name or concur with a group member on your name.