Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!mailrus!sharkey!cfctech!iwblsys!idayton!jimf
From: jimf@idayton.intel.com (Jim Fister)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Use of network news in Social Implications Course
Summary: students are students
Keywords: implications, newsgroups, courses
Message-ID: <111@idayton.intel.com>
Date: 25 Sep 90 19:45:22 GMT
References: <40553@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Organization: Intel Corp. Dayton Sales Office
Lines: 28

> This year, for the first time, we are offering
> a course on social implications of computing.
> Part of the assigned work is to read the newsgroups
> comp.edu, comp.risks, comp.society, and comp.society.futures.
> Each Friday I have set aside for discussion of what has
> been happening on these news groups. The problem is
> that the response is meagre--today we had 20% absences
> and the other 80% had something to say, but little
> enthusiasm. Previous Fridays have been even quieter.

Wow, only 20% absent.  That sounds fairly good if the class is before 10:00.

Being a student myself (at times) I can't say that I always happily throw 
myself into my class assignments wholehartedly.  Therefore, I could understand
how your discussions might not be going so well.  Of course the assignment
sounds better than most that I get (no more Laplace transforms, please!)...

Perhaps your students just don't find the topics interesting enough to
discuss.  Or they could just be too confused by the normal net talk to care.
I'd say that the best bet would be to have them read the whole shebang (a
twenty hour assignment if I've ever seen one) and comment on something
that interested them.  Even the most jaded of students should find something
remarkable on the net (alt.sex ?)

Good luck and greetings from the Rocking Metropolis.

JimF