Tagging and New Media

So what exactly is tagging? Once upon a time, it meant someone spray painting a wall, often with gang-related graffiti. In Web 2.0-ease, however, it means something decidedly less violent or controversial, it means a way to organize information (watch this video--8:31--it is embedded below). Sometimes referred to as "folksonomies" (read this article), this type of user-based classification of date typically requires users to select a series of keywords to describe an online object, be it an image on Flickr, a blog entry to be listed on Technorati, or a book mark on del.icio.us. This user-based categorization offers an alternative way of slogging through the immense data cloud that is the World Wide Web. At least one author has used the term "hive mind" (read this article) to describe the phenomena.

Academics have become increasingly interested in the the topic in the last few years. One of the topics that has caught the attention of researchers is the idea of tagging as a tool for knowledge creation (read the PDF article-link is on the left). Not surprisingly, the Pew Internet and American Live Project (read the PDF of the study) has weighed in on the topic and even examined the ethnic composition of taggers.


Having read/watched the material for this week, explain in your own words what tagging/folksonomies is and what ideas struck you the most about the readings for this week. As usual, your comment should be 250+ words.

Paper Requirements and Project Due Dates

Your technology paper should meet the following requirements:

• At least 5 full pages of text
• double-spaced
• 1" margins
• Times New Roman
• Bibliography
• At least five non-blog sources
• Do not use Wikipedia as a source
• Title page with title and author's name
• Paper is worth 8% of your final grade

Paper is due in class at 3:00 p.m. Monday, December 3.

Other due dates:

Podcast #6 is due on eLearning or on a CD under my office door by 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 28.
The iTunes University podcast is due on eLearning or on a CD under my office door by 5:00 p.m. December 7.

Let me know if you have questions. Have a good Thanksgiving!