We are going to be relying on a number of different technologies (in addition to Blogs@Baruch) to facilitate our work this semester.  Read through the descriptions of each platform, and where appropriate,  follow my instructions for setting up access to each of them.  Reach out to me or to one of your peers if you encounter any difficulties.

• Slack -Many workplaces use Slack or similar applications to allow coworkers to communicate with one another without the hassle of email, telephone calls, or endless text chains.  Imagine Slack as a giant group chat for our class. You can use it to ask questions about the course, to direct message the professor or another member of the class, or simply to chat with your classmates about whatever is on your mind.  This space belongs entirely to you, so feel free to add channels, initiate conversations, and explore the possibilities of the platform. Use this link to access our Slack channel.
• Zoom – We will be using Zoom as our tele-conferencing medium.  You can access Zoom from any computer, tablet, or phone that has a microphone.   For classes to be most fruitful, we will all join our zoom calls using both audio and video.  In cases where this is not possible, you will need to email me to explain your situation.  During our scheduled class time on Mondays (12:30 – 2:05), we will use Zoom for one on one conferences, group meetings, and drop-in office hours.  On Wednesdays  we will meet at 12:30 for a mandatory class session.  Use the following link to access our calls: https://baruch.zoom.us/j/88155451973
• Google Docs – We will be using Google Docs for sharing some written assignments and essays with me and with your peers.  You will need a google account in order to create and share files via Google Docs.
• Hypothesis – We will be experimenting a little this semester with Hypothesis, an open source platform that allows for “social annotation.”  This means that we will all have the opportunity to highlight, comment on, and add notes to the same online texts by literally writing in the margins, in much the same way we might make notes in a textbook.  Use this link to join our Hypothesis group.  Hypothesis is easiest to use as a Chrome extension.  If you are already using Chrome as your browser, great – you can download the Chrome extension for Hypothesis.  If Chrome is not your browser (and you don’t want to give it a try), don’t worry.  I will explain how to use hypothesis without it.  In the meantime, everyone should join the group via the link.