Unit 3: Mediated Experience
Project: Screen Self Portrait
» Optional Exercise (bonus points)
Identity Interface
- 400–500 words + media; 5 bonus points
- Instructions below
» Optional Blog Entry (participation credit)
- * reminder optional prompt from 21-Nov
» Write a reflection (100−200 words) after creating the “snapshot portrait” of your digital identity: does this profile glimpse seem/feel like me, as a representation of your activity? (or a separate identity?) Perhaps elaborate your conclusion, thinking of yourself being categorized by institutions or in a database…
Include an idea/term/quote from Rettberg chapter 5–6: note your new perspective, about digital identity concerning technology and culture. Also, perhaps look ahead to Project 3 and consider what of this mediated experience (in snapshot) you might now include in your Screen Self Portrait.
→ also as warm-up to project 3, include one media form (any type) that expresses your subjective sense (feeling, attitude, mood, emotion) of the snapshot portrait.
» Optional Exercise (bonus points)
Identity Interface
- 5 points; 400–500 words + media (1 instance minimum)
- Post on your blog or in D2L (by 29-Nov)
» Prompt:
Considering the novel Super Sad True Love Story as well as Rettberg’s Seeing Ourselves through Technology, discuss a proposal or speculation: how we might better understand, recognize, express, control, or use digital identity—as you experience and observe it today, looking ahead considering trends and implications too. As with all our study, you might consider and address any factors concerning technology (devices, interfaces, databases); networks (social, technological, institutional); media ecology (types of media) and culture (contemporary or past, real or fictional); social conventions, especially with network platforms, groups/affiliations, communication, and self-understanding (self-construction?).
» The main objective is to propose an idea, not concerned with realism or likelihood, for greater/enhanced self-awareness or self-representation in the digital networked age. Besides technological issue, this is likely more a question of (our uses of) media and culture in networked conditions and social conventions (rhetoric, performance, subjectivity/experience, affinity/affiliation, perceptions, etc.). Think about how the nature of identity is changing and how we mediate our experience (and our “Selves”) now, particularly through media and culture forms: propose a thoughtful idea for the present and future—a mediated socio-cultural “identity interface”—taking into account and speculating developments in technology, institutions, and experience.
- While your entire discussion should address this prompt, using specific examples (from your experience and observation), you should also draw upon our recent readings to help discuss an “identity interface”: Rettberg Chapter 5–6 (at least one reference/concept) and Super Sad (at least one reference/example). Feel free to use any other readings from the course (especially your project 2 annotated bibliography) or other classes/media as well! Note, these readings should be integrated to help support your discussion: avoid responding to these texts narrowly, for instance (i.e. don’t write a reaction to Rettberg or Shteyngart; instead, use their ideas in your proposal, reflecting thoughtful consideration and specialized discourse).
» Additionally, include one instance of digital media (any form, found or created). As warm-up to Project 3 and multimodal composing strategy/advantage, use a media form to express or illustrate your idea(s). The form can be any of your choosing (photo, image, edited, collage, GIF, video, music); the key strategy is using (without discussing) the media form to convey what you discuss/describe, concerning digital identity.
* Bonus option: convert your written proposal into a short video (screencast with voiceover easiest) and post to one of your social networks
Assessment Criteria (from syllabus):
Posted to personal blog (or D2L), these informal compositions illustrate attentive reading of assigned materials, progress toward project, and engagement with class topics relative to schedule.
Credit is assigned for (1) submitting on-time, with required length and media (if assigned);
(2) demonstrating attention to class topics, content knowledge, and critical thinking, particularly by describing insights and connections;
(3) providing thoughtful and relevant responses to prompts, through specialized discourse;
(4) with specific examples from personal knowledge and/or respective readings,
(5) while extending rhetorical knowledge and mastery of writing conventions, practicing efficient prose (i.e. minimizing /avoiding summary, repetition, digression, and unnecessary discussion).