Editing Building Successful Online Communities (Fall 2024) (section)

== Administrative Notes ==

=== Your Presence in Class ===

There are many students who have eagerly requested to join the class, but there are not enough seats. I want to include as many students in the class as possible, we will automatically drop anyone who misses the first two class sessions and try to replace them with unenrolled students who do attend. This is consistent with college policy and with the course description in the catalog.

As detailed in [[#Case discussion|section on case studies]] and in [[User:Benjamin Mako Hill/Assessment|my detailed page on assessment]], your homework in the class is to prepare for cases and case discussion is an important way that I will assess learning. Obviously, you must be in class in order to participate. If you need to miss class for any reason, please fill out the case opt-out form so that we know you are not coming and will not include you in our cold call list.

In the event of an absence, you are responsible for obtaining class notes, handouts, assignments, etc.

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=== Devices in Class ===

Electronic devices (e.g., phones, tablets, laptops) are '''not''' permitted in class. If you have a documented need to use a device, please contact me ahead of time to let me know. If you do get permission to use a device, I will ask you to sit in the very back of the classroom.

The goal of this policy is to help you stay focused and avoid distractions for yourself and your peers in the classroom. This is really important and turns out to be much more difficult in the presence of powerful computing devices with brightly glowing screens and fast connections to the Internet. For more on the rationale behind this policy, please read [https://medium.com/@cshirky/why-i-just-asked-my-students-to-put-their-laptops-away-7f5f7c50f368 Clay Shirky’s thoughtful discussion of his approach to this issue].

Of course, we will discuss assignments and topics that involve referring to things online. Toward that end, you might find it convenient to bring a laptop or tablet to class or section. If you want to look something up on your device outside of a time I clearly point out as device-allowed, please ask me. I will always point out explicitly in class if it's OK to use devices. 

'''Except during parts of class when I explicitly invite device usage—I ask that you refrain from using your laptops, tablets, phones, and pretty much any (digital) device with a screen.'''
=== Office Hours ===

The best way to get in touch with me about issues in class will in the Discord server via asynchronous messages sent to one of the text channels. This is preferable because any questions you have can be answered in a way that is visible to others in the class.

We will hold synchronous, in-person office hours once a week:

: '''Ellie's office hour''': The hour after class on Wednesdays in CMU 333 (i.e., If the class ends at 3:20p as scheduled, it will be from ~3:20-4:20p. However, if the class ends early at 2:45, it will be from ~2:45-3:45p) 
: '''Mako's office hour''': Fridays 9-1am in the “Office Hours” voice channel on Discord

If my planned office hours do not work for you, please contact a member of the teaching team in the Discord server or over email to arrange a meeting at another time.
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=== Religious Accommodations ===

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at [https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/ Religious Accommodations Policy]. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the [https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/ Religious Accommodations Request form].

=== Student Conduct ===

The University of Washington Student Conduct Code (WAC 478-121) defines prohibited academic and behavioral conduct and describes how the University holds students accountable as they pursue their academic goals. Allegations of misconduct by students may be referred to the appropriate campus office for investigation and resolution. More information can be found online at https://www.washington.edu/studentconduct/
Safety

Call SafeCampus at 206-685-7233 anytime–no matter where you work or study–to anonymously discuss safety and well-being concerns for yourself or others. SafeCampus’s team of caring professionals will provide individualized support, while discussing short- and long-term solutions and connecting you with additional resources when requested.

=== Use of AI Tools ===

Unless otherwise noted, work submitted for this course must be your own. Unless otherwise specified, any use of generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT, when working on assignments is forbidden. The use of generative AI outside of specified tasks will be considered academic misconduct and subject to investigation.

The assignments in this class have been designed to challenge you to develop creativity, critical-thinking, and problem-solving skills. Using AI technology will limit your capacity to develop these skills and to meet the learning goals of this course.

If you have any questions about what constitutes academic integrity in this course or at the University of Washington, please feel free to contact me to discuss your concerns.

Please note that I do not consider grammar/spellchecking to be a prohibited use of AI.

:<font size="-1">''Text adapted from: [https://teaching.washington.edu/course-design/chatgpt/sample-ai-syllabus-statements/ UW sample syllabus statements].''</font>

=== Academic Dishonesty ===

This includes: cheating on assignments, plagiarizing (misrepresenting work by another author as your own, paraphrasing or quoting sources without acknowledging the original author, or using information from the internet without proper citation), and submitting the same or similar paper to meet the requirements of more than one course without instructor approval. Academic dishonesty in any part of this course is grounds for failure and further disciplinary action. The first incident of plagiarism will result in the student’s receiving a zero on the plagiarized assignment. The second incident of plagiarism will result in the student’s receiving a zero in the class.

=== Disability Resources ===

If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please communicate your approved accommodations through their processes at your earliest convenience so we can discuss your needs in this course.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), you are welcome to contact DRS at 206-543-8924 or uwdrs@uw.edu or disability.uw.edu. DRS offers resources and coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities and/or temporary health conditions. Reasonable accommodations are established through an interactive process between you, your instructor(s) and DRS. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law.

=== Mental Health ===

Your mental health is important. If you are feeling distressed, anxious, depressed, or in any way struggling with your emotional and psychological wellness, please know that you are not alone. College can be a profoundly difficult time for many of us. 

Resources are available for you:
* UW 24/7 Help Line 1.866.775.0608
* https://wellbeing.uw.edu/topic/mental-health/
* https://www.crisistextline.org/

=== Other Student Support ===

Any student who has difficulty affording groceries or accessing sufficient food to eat every day, or who lacks a safe and stable place to live, and believes this may affect their performance in the course, is urged to contact the graduate program advisor for support. Furthermore, please notify the professors if you are comfortable in doing so. This will enable us to provide any resources that we may possess (adapted from Sara Goldrick-Rab). Please also note the student food pantry, Any Hungry Husky at the ECC.

=== Teaching and learning after COVID ===

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on all of us. Many of you may have gone to college expecting the classic face-to-face experience with a mix of classes and fun with new friends, only to find yourself in lockdown and online classes. We may have lost people we care about. We may be struggling to recover our own mental and physical health. For many of us life is still not back to “normal” and instead we are developing a sense of a “new normal.”

Many of us have experienced elevated levels of exhaustion, stress, uncertainty and distraction. We may have needed to provide additional support to others. I have personally experienced all of these things at various times over the past four years and I expect that some of you have too. We may find that our personal energy and emotional resilience is lower than it used to be. It has been and still is a difficult time.

I believe it is important to acknowledge these realities of the situation and create the space to discuss and process them in the context of our class throughout the quarter. As your instructor and colleague, I commit to do my best to approach the course in an adaptive, generous, and empathetic way. I ask that you try to extend a similar attitude towards everyone in the course. When you have questions, feedback, or concerns, please try to share them in an appropriate way. If you require accommodations of any kind at any time, please contact me.