Throughout the semester, students will keep a blog that addresses the following issues:

1) How do various communication technologies change the way we communicate? Special emphasis should be given to the way discussion takes place in the class. For example, reflect on how communication is different when the class discussions take place via the discussion board versus in the virtual classroom versus face-to-face.

2) What is going on in your own personal communication experiences with relation to communication technologies? How are these technologies influencing your daily life? Reflect on the day to day impact communication technologies have on your life. For example, when you want to communicate with a friend out of state, do you call them on the phone? Email them? Write a letter? Why do you make the communication technology choices you do? How does this change you (or your relationships)? Or, where do you get your news? From radio, TV, the Internet? Why do you make the choices you do? What is the impact of these choices?

3) What evidence do you see of the impact of communication technologies on our society? This can come from personal experiences, articles you come across in the newspaper, stories from TV etc. - anything that demonstrates changes in society due in part to communication technologies.

4) Critical reflection on what the Bible has to say about how we use communication technologies. For example, does the Bible have anything to say about maintaining relationships via mediated communication as opposed to face-to-face interaction? Or, do new communication technologies make it easier or harder to fulfill the Great Commission, or mature in our own relationship with God?

5) Go on a one day media fast. You may select any day over the semester. Refrain from ALL com tech usage (even low tech such as print newspapers). If you break the fast, begin again (emergencies are an exception). Blog about what it was like to go one day without com tech.

Each individual blog entry does NOT have to address every issue. You may choose to focus on only one for an entry, or you may choose to address more than one in an entry. However, over the course of the semester, all five issues should be addressed in depth and in breadth. In addition, each entry should consider the implications of the technology theories raised in class where applicable. Each student is required to write 13 blog entries (an average of one per week). Each entry should be no less than two paragraphs and no more than a page in length. You are not required to write your blogs on any specific day (though each entry should be dated and titled by number). However, you are strongly encouraged to keep up with the one per week average. Falling behind will likely lead to entries that aren't very reflective and won't earn as good a grade. Be aware that these blogs will be made available to the instructor and the rest of the class.

Blogs will be graded based upon the quality of the reflections and their ability to address the required issues. Thus, basic criteria such as clarity of thought are important. By Feb. 21st., students will post one blog entry for analysis. I will provide feedback to indicate strengths/weaknesses of the entry so that you will have a clear idea of where you stand in terms of the grading criteria.
Journal entries 2 through 4 will be due on March 6.
Journal entries 5 through 7 will be due on March 29.
Journal entries 8 through 10 will be due on April 19.
Journal entries 11 through 13 will be due May 10.

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