NOTE: Read this syllabus. It is a contract describing the way this course will be conducted. If there are statements that are unclear, or that you disagree with, please contact the instructor. Specifics are subject to change with appropriate notice.

Course Moodle (where all the action happens)

Course Description

In this course, IS 1091, we concentrate on the effects of technology on individuals, organizations, and society.

In this class, you will do significant reading, analyzing, and communicating (both orally and in writing). This course will demand active participation on your part in activities in the classroom as well as out of the classroom.

Course Objectives

• Explain and evaluate consequences of technology on individuals, organizations, and society.
• Critically analyze situations of technology use and descriptions of technology and policy proposals, identifying the salient issues and evaluating the reasoning behind them.
• Communicate with others about technology impacts in writing and speech.

Materials

Text:Society, Ethics, and Technology, (SET) 3rd ed. by Winston and Edelbach.

Moodle: Much of the communication about assignments, exams, papers, and other course events will take place on the course "Moodle" (a Web page for organizing a course). There is a link to the Moodle near the top of the syllabus. Go to this page and bookmark it. You are required to check the Moodle at least one time between class meetings. Announcements will be posted to the Moodle, and you will need to participate in online forums using the Moodle.

Grading

• Mini-papers (probably 4 of them, ~10% each): 40%
• Participation (in class and online): 30%
• Group presentation: 15%
• Signing up for and leading one discussion: 5%
• Essays (probably 2): 10%

Policies

• Participation. You will have the opportunity to earn points for participating in class discussions both online and in class. Just being there is not enough (and not being there is certainly not enough) to earn all of the available points. While attendance is not required, I will be "checking" that you have attended and making note about your participation. You will be asked to self evaluate your participation as well (with a justification for the grade). I will either agree with your assessment and give you the points you propose (if you have justified them and I agree with your assessment), or I will give you a different grade and tell you why.
• Class attendance. Class attendance is encouraged, but not "required" (however, you'll find it easiest to participate in discussions if you are there mentally and physically, and you won't be able to earn all of the participation points if you are not there, but you are an adult and can decide to not earn points). Excused absences require appropriate documentation, but clearly will not count as lack of participation.
• Assignments. Assignments are due by the beginning of class on the day indicated when the assignment is announced and are listed on the Moodle. Late assignments will not be accepted.
• Document format. Written assignments may be submitted on paper or by using the class Moodle. They should be in HTML, PDF, rich text, or text format. The file extension (name tag) should be one of html, htm, pdf, or txt. This makes it so that the file can be read by any computer (it avoids proprietary formats). Mini-papers must be typed. Class participation grade proposals must be on paper and will be collected each Tuesday for the previous week (or you can slide it under my office door before that, but after Thursday so you can really judge how much you participated). Please don't turn these in online. It makes it more difficult to grade them. You may turn it in on reused paper, though, to save trees if you wish.
• Class participation. Discovery does not arise from instruction but from personal engagement with controversial issues surrounding technologies and their impact on society. In this class, engagement will take several forms.
• You will be expected to read and interpret the articles in the book and the participation forum(s) posted on the Moodle by yourself and others.
• You will be expected to present and persuasively defend your positions on controversial topics both orally and in writing.
• You will be expected to critique the perspectives/opinions of both authors and classmates in discussions and position papers.
• On any given day, you may be asked to summarize and critique readings from the book or elsewhere for the class. On such occasions, you may to refer to notes you've made in response to the readings.
• You are responsible for bringing your textbook(s) and readings to class on the day assigned, as we may read from them during class. If the reading was only available through electronic reserve, you may elect to only bring your notes from the reading (unless you are a "paper referee").
• You will be expected to participate in class without distractions or distracting others. Thus, turn off your cell phones while you are in class (don’t just silence the ringer), and refrain from using them for text messaging, determining who has called you, etc.
• Academic Honesty. All students are expected to maintain traditional standards of academic integrity by giving proper credit for all work referenced, quoted, etc. Plagiarizing is defined by Webster’s as “to steal and pass off (the ideas or words of another) as one's own: use (another's production) without crediting the source.” Unless otherwise stated, all work is to be individual work by each student.

Teaching Approach

You cannot learn this by instruction. Your instructor can only guide and assist you---the learning is up to you. Thus, all class activities are designed to help you learn, and involve active participation and engagement.

The best place to start is by cultivating a respectful attitude toward thoughtful dialogue. We will make intensive use of classroom discussions and analytical writing assignments. You will be given many opportunities to express your positions on various situations where technology is having an impact. Equally, you will be expected to read and listen critically to the arguments of others. The goal is not to persuade other people with force of rhetoric; nor is it to "win" arguments. The goal should be to gain a better understanding of how technology changes society. Be open to changing your mind about issues.

You are entitled to your opinions, whatever they happen to be. Our job as a class is to ensure that you support your arguments effectively.

You will be expected to participate actively in discussions. On any given issue, you may be asked to summarize and critique reading assignments from the text or articles that you have read or summarize group discussions or positions. You will be expected to take any side of an issue and explain it and argue for it sympathetically, even though your personal views may be different.

Other Resources and References

• Other Resources offered by the author of our textbook
• The Harrow Technology Report by  Jeffrey Harrow
• Robotic Nation by Marshall Brain
• ACM TechNews
• How to Read a Research Paper by Spencer Rugaber
• Social and Ethical Implications of AI page
• Ethics Videos
• Internet Privacy: Federal Agency Use of Cookies
• comp.risks archive
• Groupthink Video
• Project ImpactCS
• Electronic Privacty Information Center
• Berkman Center for Internet & Society
• Harvard Law School Conference--Internet and Society 2000
• Bibliography on Computer Ethics
• Computer and Information Ethics Resources on the WWW
• Computer Ethics Institute
• Computer Ethics Resources
• Electronic Frontier Foundation
• Ethics on the World Wide Web
• Computer Professional for Social Responsibility

Official Grading policy:

A -- achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements.

B -- achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements.

C -- achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect.

D -- achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements.

S -- achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better (achievement required for an S is at the discretion of the instructor but may be no lower than a C-).

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F (or N) -- Represents failure (or no credit) and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I (see also I)

Academic dishonesty: academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for a course shall be grounds for awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course.

I -- (Incomplete) Assigned at the discretion of the instructor when, due to extraordinary circumstances, e.g., hospitalization, a student is prevented from completing the work of the course on time. Requires a written agreement between instructor and student.

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For undergraduate courses, one credit is defined as equivalent to an average of three hours of learning effort per week (over a full semester) necessary for an average student to achieve an average grade in the course. For example, a student taking a three credit course that meets for three hours a week should expect to spend an additional six hours a week on coursework outside the classroom.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is essential to a positive teaching and learning environment. All students enrolled in University courses are expected to complete coursework responsibilities with fairness and honesty. Failure to do so by seeking unfair advantage over others or misrepresenting someone else's work as your own, can result in disciplinary action. The University Student Conduct Code defines scholastic dishonesty as follows:

"Scholastic Dishonesty: Scholastic dishonesty means plagiarizing; cheating on assignments or examinations; engaging in unauthorized collaboration on academic work; taking, acquiring, or using test materials without faculty permission; submitting false or incomplete records of academic achievement; acting alone or in cooperation with another to falsify records or to obtain dishonestly grades, honors, awards, or professional endorsement; altering forging , or misusing a University academic record; or fabricating or falsifying data, research procedures, or data analysis."

Within this course, a student responsible for scholastic dishonesty can be assigned a penalty up to and including an "F" or "N" for the course. If you have any questions regarding the expectations for a specific assignment or exam, ask.

Much of the content of this syllabus is based on a similar course at Georgia Tech (similar in that it's also about ethics, though it's focus is more on computing).

The views and opinions expressed in this page are strictly those of the page author. The contents of this page have not been reviewed or approved by the University of Minnesota.