This year, around 30 classes are participating in Domain of One’s Own. The program offers students the opportunity to purchase a web domain and publish their coursework online. Domain of One’s Own is part of a growing trend of integrating the Internet into undergraduate education, and we at the Wheel recognize that the program offers several opportunities to students at Emory.
We believe that the program will be an effective way for students to develop a public archive of work to present to potential employers. The Internet continues to become more important in contemporary life, and Domain of One’s Own will encourage and educate students to consider how to present themselves and their work online. Regardless of the field a student is interested in entering, an easily accessible body of work may be a great supplement to a student’s public and professional pursuits.
Though we support a more technologically-engaged educational method, we do have a few concerns. We worry that some instructors may not know how to best integrate Domain of One’s Own into their classes in a way that is organic and helpful for the course. We also worry that students may not be educated in online safety in regards to their private information. Students are required to pay for their domain name and its yearly upkeep, and we think that students who receive stipends for textbooks should receive financial assistance for this as well. Additionally, some students are using the program in multiple classes, and we hope that professors understand this and do not expect students to purchase more than one domain.
In spite of these hesitations, we approve of Domain of One’s Own and its presence on campus. We eagerly await to see how its use will evolve over time at Emory, but we are hopeful that it will be a positive step towards greater online literacy.
The above staff editorial represents the majority opinion of the Wheel Editorial Board.
The Emory Wheel was founded in 1919 and is currently the only independent, student-run newspaper of Emory University. The Wheel publishes weekly on Wednesdays during the academic year, except during University holidays and scheduled publication intermissions.
The Wheel is financially and editorially independent from the University. All of its content is generated by the Wheel’s more than 100 student staff members and contributing writers, and its printing costs are covered by profits from self-generated advertising sales.
