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  • "How Did MySpace Become Your Space?"
  • Student Handout: How Did MySpace Become YourSpace?
  • Student Handout: Compete with MySpace!: Design a New Site
• Additional Lesson Ideas
  • Compete with MySpace!
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Additional Lesson Idea

Compete with MySpace!: Design a New Site

Overview:

In this assignment, students play the role of Web designer. This assignment lets students explore how the choices made by Web designers affect how people use a site. They work for a company that plans to launch a new social networking Web site that will compete with MySpace. They brainstorm a design for a new site that is different from MySpace, but that targets the same audience, and give a persuasive oral presentation to share their ideas.

Objectives:

Students will:

• Brainstorm unique ideas for online social networking tools
• Analyze effective and ineffective Web design, usability and visual appeal for the target audience
• Consider components that will appeal to social network Web site users
• Create a Web page design document
• Practice effective group collaboration and communication
• Present a complex idea in a persuasive, concise, timely way

Materials Needed:

• Materials to draw the design -- a large sheet of paper, whiteboard or chalkboard, with several colors of writing utensils
• Copies of Lesson 2 handout for each group

Time Needed:

• Step I. Brainstorm: 30-45 minutes
• Step II. Design Layout: 30-45 minutes (longer if you're using a computer program)
• Step III. Pitch the Design: 10 minutes per group

Procedure:

Divide into groups of three to five. Each group will complete the three steps shown on the Lesson 2 handout.

Assessment:

Use the following criteria to assess student work:

• Observation of group work -- everyone plays a role
• Concise and persuasive group presentation of design concept
• Presentation reflects thinking about the usability, marketability and uniqueness of the design
• Ability to answer questions confidently

Lesson Variation:

• Rather than having students design a MySpace competitor, have them design a social networking site for a different target audience, such as an older demographic or a specific group of people.
• The assignment can be changed from the design of a completely new site to the redesign and relaunch of the "new" MySpace. Students can focus on the same redesign concepts applied to changing and improving MySpace. Groups can still pitch the best redesign concept to the media executive.

 

Take Action: Classroom Ideas That Build from the Discussion Questions

Wild, Wild West

The Internet is sometimes labeled the new "Wild West." Is this true? Have students do a Web search to learn about what life was like in what is characterized as the Wild West. They should come up with a list of five themes that represent the Wild West and compare them to what the Internet is like.

Conduct an Interview

In the program, teachers discuss the role computers play in their classroom. One teacher appeared to eagerly adopt technology in his classroom to engage students' attention. Another teacher appears to hesitate as she finds it difficult to keep up with technology and is less comfortable using it in her class. She voices a sense of helplessness, saying, "My time is over." Do teachers generally feel this way about new media in the classroom? Do they fall into the "eager adopter" or "hesitator" categories? Are there other types of responses besides these two? Have students interview two different teachers by asking them whether and how they use new media (computers, the Internet, podcasting, etc.) in teaching and how they feel about the rise of technology in classrooms.

Me, Myself and Avatar

As a class, visit a networking site that uses avatars, such as Second Life or Habbo. Check out the options for creating an avatar. What values are embedded in the choices offered? How are dimensions of gender, race, occupation and personality depicted through various choices? Do you prefer an avatar that reflects what you look like or one that looks completely different? Why?

The Disconnection Experiment

Invite students to choose a day when they commit to completely disconnecting themselves from all forms of media: Internet, phone/cell phone, TV/movies, radio, music (including iPods!), books, magazines and newspapers. Make sure they choose a typical day in their lives -- not one when they're camping or playing sports all day. Can it be done? Have students reflect on their experience by considering the following questions:

• What were your initial feelings that day?
• What media did you miss most and why?
• What sorts of things did you do instead?
• Were you able to completely avoid all media?
• How did you feel at the end of the day?