Nancy Hechinger

This introductory class is designed to allow students to engage in a critical dialogue with
leaders drawn from the artistic , non-profit and commercial sectors of the new media field,
and to learn the value of collaborative projects by undertaking group presentations in
response to issues raised by the guest speakers. Interactive media projects and approaches
to the design of new media applications are presented weekly; students are thus exposed to both commercial as well as mission-driven applications by the actual designers and creators of these innovative and experimental projects. By way of this process, all first year
students, for the first and only time in their ITP experience, are together in one room at one
time, and as a community, encounter, and respond to, the challenges posed by the invited
guests. The course at once provides an overview of current developments in this emerging
field, and asks students to consider many questions about the state of the art. For example,
with the new technologies and applications making their way into almost every phase of the
economy and rooting themselves in our day to day lives, what can we learn from both the
failures and successes? What are the impacts on our society? What is ubiquitous computing, embedded computing, physical computing? How is cyberspace merging with physical space?

Class participation, group presentations, and a final paper are required.