The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.

At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.

The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each unit.

Take a moment to think about how much time you spend using the Internet each day. Think about your use of social media on a daily basis. Consider the shopping you complete using an online vendor. Think about how and where you use your smartphone or tablet each day. Think about what type of data might be extracted from the selfies that you take.

Click here to read this article about "Sergeant Selfie."

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2014/08/the-sad-strange-saga-of-russias-sergeant-selfie/

The article raises a couple ethical issues. The first is whether an employer should be able to make decisions about employment based on information gained from social media. The second issue raised is whether pursuing "Web Money" is ethical.

Discuss the following:

• How much of your personal information and data are collected on a daily basis?
• Who knows where you are each day?
• Are we willing to give up certain types of freedom to have more convenience?
• Who is tracking your location data on a daily basis?
• Should important decisions about your employment be made using social media information?
• Are there any social, security, or ethical concerns when someone seeks donations on the Web?
• In the aftermath of 9/11 and the changes to laws dealing with GPS on mobile devices, do you feel that Internet service providers (ISPs) should be able to turn on GPS to help find you in a disaster?

Once you have collected a few thoughts about your daily Internet use and your location data, share your thoughts with your peers. Discuss with your peers if you feel that individuals should embrace this new era of data sharing as a reality of a new data-based culture.