What This Course is About

In recent years, digital information technology has dramatically altered many aspects of human life, including personal and public communications about health. While we are early in the stages of the Internet revolution, its full ramifications on human health are only beginning to emerge.

One thing is clear: information technology is changing social institutions, group and individual behavior, and influencing public policy.

In the health arena, information technology is changing health education and prevention services. Consumers seek health information online, using the same databases as providers, and partly as a result of this, power relationships between patients and providers are shifting. Communities are taking advantage of new technology to empower themselves with a greater focus on health as a community asset. This shift occurs within a global context of social inequality, of very real "gaps" in health status between technological "haves" and "have-nots," sometimes referred to as the “digital divide.” This course will offer an introduction to the possibilities and limitations of electronic communication media for health education and interventions.

Electronic media of all kinds have been important to the development of health communication, especially public health campaigns. While blogs and bloggers have created something of a stir, if not a wholesale revolution, in journalism for their ability to shift the center of knowledge and authority. Blogging has also been very important in the field of education, for many of these same reasons (Downes, 2004). Yet, what’s been less well-explored is the potential of blogging for health communication, and that’s part of what we’ll be exploring in this class.

Blogger Basics

I've posted a document on Blackboard called "Blogger Basics" (filed under Course Documents). Please save a copy of this document on your computer at home and print out a copy and bring it with you to class next week.

First Class Day and Blog Roll

I was nervous going into this class (as I always am before meeting a class for the first time even after teaching for 10+ years), but by the time class was over was completely jazzed about the class, the people in it, and the semester before us all. I think it's going to be quite the fun ride.

I worry about the people who say that "technology hates them" or similar things (there are several folks). I hope everyone who is feeling that way now sticks it out in the class and feels a real sense of mastery by the end of the term. I also worry that people who are already pretty savvy in their use of technology will get bored too soon. It may be that at some point in the class, we adopt the "each one, teach one" model and get those with mad skills to help out those who are new to this. I'm curious about how students would feel about that.

I got email from most everyone in the class (I think I'm missing three) with their URL's for their blogs. I've posted those in the "links" section on the right. This is sometimes called a "blog roll" and you will see this a lot among bloggers (also known as the "blogosphere"). As you can tell from this paragraph, half the battle with technology is learning the lingo (or jargon)! People love to make up new words, don't they? Part of it is that because the technology really is new, new words are necessary. Still, it can be a bit mind-boggling at first. Hang in there, and soon you will sound like one of those "in the know" people.

Between now and next class (Tuesday, 2/7), please visit all your classmates' blogs and post at least one comment. Your comment can be anything, but lease keep it civil and respectful, as I know you will. Have fun!

20 Things about Me

1. I am the only child from my parents’ marriage, which was a second marriage for both of them.
2. I have two half-brothers, one from each of my parents’ first marriage. Now, I rarely talk to either of them.
3. I was born in Houston, Texas.
4. I live in New York City, and consider it home.
5. I think a lot about death.
6. I hope to die while in the city.
7. I can never imagine retiring.
8. I don’t believe in God most of the time, but I go to church almost every Sunday.
9. I don’t really believe in horoscopes, but I read mine everyday.
10. I’m a Scorpio, not that that means anything.
11. I am incredibly ambitious and driven.
12. I worry if I’m too ambitious.
13. I love documentaries.
14. Someday, I want to make a documentary.
15. I want to design my own clothes.
16. I love interior design magazines.
17. Someday, I want a room that I designed to be in a magazine.
18. I wrote a book that got published.
19. I finished my Ph.D.
20. I’m prouder of getting my degree than the publishing the book.