Overview: Drawing on material from Module 1, write a 3-page paper explaining how the recent transition to virtual socializing, learning, and/or working may be impacting society.
Assignment goals: Demonstrate understanding of key theories from Module 1; demonstrate ability to communicate effectively via writing; demonstrate ability to form an argument.
Instructions: Amidst the ongoing global pandemic, most of our everyday activities - including socializing, working, and taking classes - have moved online. Between Zoom meetings, remote learning on cuLearn, FaceTiming with friends and family, and other virtual activities, many aspects of our lives take place through a screen right now. This is a considerable technological shift.
The theorists we have looked at in Module I are all interested in understanding how large technological shifts impact culture as a whole. Drawing on three of the theorists listed below, explain how each might make sense of our current modes of digital communication and the consequences for society as a whole. You do not need to discuss every example listed above; you may select one (i.e., Zoom meetings).
Some questions to consider: What would John Durham Peters say about the fact that we rarely, if ever, experience face-to-face communication right now? What would Marshall McLuhan think about Zoom meetings? What might Nicholas Carr say about the transition to remote learning? How would Elizabeth Eisenstein think about video chat platforms and their impact on our social lives down the road? What might Marc Andrejevic say about the surveillance dimension of these platforms? You do not need to answer these specific questions; they are meant to get you thinking.
Sample Solution