Freedom of Speech in The People's Republic of China

This lesson plan  will inform the audience about freedom of speech issues related to computers in both American and Chinese cultures.  The laws of each country will be described as well as their application to the Internet.  A short lecture will present the information to the class.  Immediately after the lecture the class will engage in a debate based on a couple of scenarios. The debate intends to determine how each country would react to the issues presented. The debate will revolve around politics and the criticism of government  officials. The class will be broken into groups to represent both American and Chinese viewpoints. Finally the students will be assigned a short research paper in which they will be able to further explore issues related to freedom of Speech.

Goals for the activity:

Pre-Class Activity Goals:
 The pre-class activity is intended to gather information about the audience regarding the issue of Freedom of Speech. The assignment will prepare the class for a comparison of the laws and attitudes of the US and China.  This will give us a foundation for the rest of the class and post-class activity. Furthermore, the web links and other provided information will allow the class to begin preparing opinions and thought on the subject material. The questionnaire provided is intended to get the class to think about their own beliefs on freedom of speech as well as helping them identify their own prejudices.

In-Class Activities Goals:
 During the in-class activities we hope to expand on the pre-class activity and teach our audience the meaning and spirit of the laws regarding freedom of speech in the United States. This section of the class is intended to be brief but necessary to provide a basis for contrasting the laws enforced in China. Chinese laws will be presented and the compared to the laws of the United States. This section of the lecture is intended to spark a class debate.

 Secondly,  the impact of the Internet on issues related to freedom of speech will presented to class objectively and open end. Basically the intent of this lecture is to provoke students to think about freedom of speech in specific cases.

 The lecture attempts to teach the students how computers altered traditional notions of freedom of speech.  Also the  students are presented the opportunity to begin to understand a different society. The students will be able to explore different points of view and determine advantages and disadvantages of American and Chinese views.  Hopefully the students will also gain an appreciation for another culture..

 The lecture will be followed be an open debate. Several questions will be proposed to the class to provoke inquisitive thought  and foster a deeper understanding of issues surrounding freedom of speech in a multicultural setting. The primary objective this debate is to present the class a wide range of attitudes and opinions.

Post-Class Activity Goals:
 The post class activity will ask the student to write a short 5 page essay comparing and contrasting laws enforcing or denying  freedom of speech in a foreign country with those laws enacted in the United States. The assignment should some how pertain to computer technology. The purpose of this assignment is to broaden the studentís understanding of the increasingly multinational business world as well as the changing laws regulating the Internet.

Knowledge / skills / attitudes to be developed (behavioral objectives):
     This lesson is intended to compare and contrast the freedoms of speech between the U.S. and China. This lesson focuses specifically on  the criticisms of the government and of political figures.

    The activities are intended to boast the student's knowledge of both domestic and foreign laws regarding freedom of speech.  The incorporation of this knowledge increases the student's awareness of multicultural issues as well as exposing the student to conflicting ideals. The knowledge imparted by this lesson is directly applicable in the sense that the Internet is comprised of a wide array of individual cultures, beliefs and laws.

    By promoting awareness of other nation's laws and ideals, the student will hopefully be more respective and understanding of  other cultures. This acceptance of a broad range of cultures is integral component to international commerce. Many individuals in the Computer Science field will interact with foreign nations and cultures. As such, acceptance and comprehension of these ideals and laws will help the student succeed in the international business market.

Procedure:
1) Prior to class the students should visit www.gwbush.com , www.georgewbush.com , www.chinaspring.org.  as well as read the documents pertaining to Chinese laws handed out in the previous class, or sent via e-mail.. All of this information will be need in the in-class debate.  Student's are recommended to explore the other web sites provided.

2) The students will  fill out a short questionnaire on their attitudes towards various aspects of freedom of speech. The questionnaire is intended to get the class started thinking about the subject materials. Also the questionnaire will require the student to find web sites relating to Chinese laws.

3) The lecture will cover several specific areas of freedom of speech in the United States and then will compare U.S. laws with Chinese laws.

4) Explain how the differences in laws  across nations affect the Internet.

5) Break the class up into groups. Each group will be given a few moments to discuss the scenario. Each group will be asked to present an opinion. Then the debate will be opened to the class. This format promotes a lively exchange of ideas.

6) Assign students the post class activity. This assignment requires the students to research the laws regarding Freedom of Speech in a foreign country. The student is then required to write a 5 page single spaced paper comparing and contrasting the laws and applications of the laws between the U.S. and a foreign nation.. This paper should include several real world events and implications on how the difference in laws will effect the Internet.

Assessing outcomes:

Outcomes will be assessed in 3 distinct ways. The pre-class questionnaire will determine studentís predisposed attitudes. Also the pre-class activity requires the student to research the topic a before class.  The in-class group activity will reveal the studentís working knowledge of the subject material. Finally the out of class activity will reinforce the student's knowledge on the subject material. Also by requiring a short research paper the students technical writing skills will be enhanced.

These assessment phases seem realistic for the type of material being covered. The responses of the class should vary widely from person to person. The variations in opinions will expose the class to a diverse range of thoughts. The post class report will reveal the student's true thoughts on both their own beliefs regarding freedom of speech but will also present their opinion on foreign cultures. By requiring the essay to be made relevant to the Internet, the student will be required to explore the ramifications of their opinions and understanding of other nations.

For these assessments to work the information cannot be provided or presented in a biased manner.

Additional remarks: 

This lesson plan should provide the class with useful knowledge and background information. As the U.S. economy continues to move into the global market, understanding of other countries' cultures, laws, and beliefs become increasingly more important. Success in the global market is increasingly dependent on understanding the constantly changing international laws and attitudes. By making the students aware of the difference in international laws and culture, they will be more prepared to operate successfully in the global market.

    This lesson is intended only as an introduction to situations and issues that exist in the international market. This lecture is tightly focused on the Internet to maintain relevance to the target audience. Issues revolving around Freedom of Speech will continue to effect the Internet and Global community. By understanding the differences in rights among the citizens of the world, the class should appreciate the broad reaching freedoms provided by the United States Constitution. Also by understanding why other countries limit these freedoms, the students will be able to more easily interpret significance of world events.

    The right of Freedom of Speech is one of the concepts that the forefathers of the United States deeply instilled to heart and soul of this nation. As such the issues of protecting and maintaining these freedoms will continue to persist as an issue for the foreseeable future. In direct contrast, a broad reaching understanding of the motivations behind limiting free speech in other nations must be understood. While many students will disagree with limitations on limits on free speech, it is essential that they comprehend the limits and understand how they apply to their occupations.

Author contact information: James Kim masterj@vt.edu , Matt Weir cweir@vt.edu , Robin Fisherrofisher@vt.edu , Jason Meyer jameyer2@vt.edu , Derek Cox dcox@vt.edu