SlugAtlasUC Santa Cruz

CMPM 290ATopics in Computational Media

5 creditsGraduateStudent Option

Students learn about a current research area in computational media and make a contribution. Each course offering focuses on a different aspect of technical, creative, and/or interpretive work in the field.

Prerequisites

Enrollment is restricted to computational media and human computer interaction graduate students.

  • Topic Title: Advanced Topics in Ethnography and Computing. Description: The term ethnography (ethno: people, graphy: writing) means the “writing of people.” This class will focus on both the method – often semi-structured interviews and participants observations – and the textual practices (e.g., coding, memoing, writing up of results) of ethnographic inquiry, particularly in its application to analyzing use of and informing the design of computing. We will also discuss contemporary papers and debates surrounding ethnographic methods in human computer interaction and related fields such as CSCW (Computer supported Cooperative Work). This will be a reading-intensive, discussion-heavy, and academically-oriented course - while masters students are welcome, students will employ ethnographies with the aim to generate significant computing research contributions.

Find a section and add it to your scheduleLive seat counts, time-conflict checks and the walk from your previous class.

When it runs

Winter 2027Open Winter 2027

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01SeminarAsynchronousStaffOpen 0/15
02SeminarAsynchronousStaffOpen 0/5
03SeminarAsynchronousStaffOpen 0/10
50SeminarAsynchronousStaffOpen 0/10
51SeminarAsynchronousStaffOpen 0/20
52SeminarAsynchronousStaffOpen 0/10

Fall 2026Open Fall 2026

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Seminar
Mon 10:40am–1:50pm
Soc Sci 2 171A. KhalidOpen 3/5
02Seminar
Tue 3:20pm–6:30pm
Porter Acad 241A. LinOpen 4/5
50Seminar
Mon 10:40am–1:50pm
SiliconValleyCtrA. KhalidOpen 5/15
51Seminar
Tue 3:20pm–6:30pm
SiliconValleyCtrA. LinOpen 8/20

Winter 2026Open Winter 2026

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Seminar
Wed 4:00pm–7:00pm
Soc Sci 2 165A. LinOpen 6/15
50Seminar
Wed 4:00pm–7:00pm
SiliconValleyCtrA. LinOpen 11/24

Fall 2025Open Fall 2025

SectionTypeWhenWhereInstructorSeats
01Seminar
Tue Thu 9:50am–11:25am
Soc Sci 2 171A. KhalidOpen 4/15
02Seminar
Mon Wed 5:20pm–6:55pm
J Baskin Engr 372K. GonzalezOpen 7/30
50Seminar
Tue Thu 9:50am–11:25am
SiliconValleyCtrA. KhalidClosed 15/15
51Seminar
Mon Wed 5:20pm–6:55pm
SiliconValleyCtrK. GonzalezOpen 1/12

Who teaches it

InstructorRatingDifficultyWould take againReviews
Ayesha Khalid1.5 / 53.0 / 50%2

From RateMyProfessors, which is student-submitted and not a survey. Small review counts move a long way on one bad quarter.

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