This course provides an introduction to emerging communication technologies, such as mobile and wearable devices, drones, Internet of Things, social networking sites, and virtual reality, and examines how individuals interact with and communicate using the technologies, with a focus on their varying impacts on communication processes and outcomes. Specific goals of this course are:

• To provide a sense of backgrounds, histories, origins, characteristics, functionalities, and unique properties of new(er) communication technologies
• To develop critical thinking and analysis skills for examining the impact of emerging technologies and predicting their future developments
• To apply existing communication theories, research findings, and gained knowledge to research areas of emerging technologies and develop hypotheses regarding the technologies’ positive and negative impacts on communication and communicative behavior
• To have students engage in a series of hands-on exercises that are designed to familiarize them with new technologies