Sociology 3280: Society and Technology

SP 2011

Teaching Professor Robert O. Keel

This syllabus contains:

Textbooks:

  1. Required (a free copy of this eBook is provided by Xplana): Volti, Rudy. 2010. Society and Technological Change, 6th edition. Worth Publishing. New York. ISBN: 978-1-4292-2121-4
  2. Optional (buy from amazon.com): MacKenzie, Donald and Judy Wajcman. 1999. The Social Shaping of Technology, 2nd edition. Open University Press. Philadelphia. ISBN: 0-335-19913-5 (paperback)
  3. Other relevant books (available through Mr. Keel, the Thomas Jefferson Library, etc.) :

Important Information:

Teaching Assistants (well, we don't really have official teaching assistants for this course, but three graduate students and an undergraduate have been assigned to assist me this semester with other courses. They can serve as "back-up" help and assistance)

Course Description:

This course will provide an in depth analysis of the critical, dialectical relationship between socially constructed reality and the specific institutional elements of technology and technological innovation. A historical focus will be used to assess the interdependent relationship between human interaction, social structure, and technology. The main focus will be upon contemporary social reality and the information based technology that is rapidly restructuring the nature of human interaction.

This course will provide an in depth analysis of the critical, dialectical relationship between socially constructed reality and the specific institutional elements of technology and technological innovation. A historical focus will be used to assess the interdependent relationship between human interaction, social structure, and technology. The main focus will be upon contemporary social reality and the information based technology that is rapidly restructuring the nature of human interaction.

Course Objectives, Learning Goals, and Expectations:

The basic objective of this course is to provide a comprehensive survey of the development of sociological theories of societal development and change, focusing on technology as a social construct rather than as objectively independent force. An additional objective of this course is to survey the current information and research on the specific impact of modern technology on contemporary society in order to understand the personal and social structural dimensions of technological change; including the implications for social identity, communication, work, inequality, power, deviance and social control. These issues will be analyzed within the context of the interactivity of society and technology, and the changing nature of socially constructed reality.

Specifically, students will be expected to:

Expectations, Class Conduct, and Student Responsibilities (a must read!)

Course Requirements (Students who submit work past a due date are subject to penalties, point deductions, or not having their work accepted for grading.)

Students will be evaluated on their completion of the following:
  1. Syllabus quiz: due by Sunday, January 30, 2011, end of day: Unless otherwise posted, assignments are due by the end of the day listed: 11:59 PM (23:59). (15 points possible)
  2. Class Engagement:
    1. Attendance (30 points)
    2. Online and In-Class Participation (including the Introductory message): 30 points )
    3. Project 1: Group Wiki Set-up and development (25 points)
    4. Project 2: 24 hours with Technology (50 points)
    5. Projects 3 and 4: 2 Group Wiki Presentations on assigned reading. (75 points each: 150 points)
    6. Project 5: Individual/Group Project and Presentation (100 points)
  3. Final Exam : 100 points
1. Syllabus Quiz (15 points)

2. Attendance: Expected (30 points possible).

3. Online and In-Class Participation--Sign of Life (SOL) (30 points expected).

I consider attendance to involve more than simple "presence," so some "sign of life" (basic response or question) is expected from every student, twice each week. Except for week one (see introductory message, below), your first SOL each week must be posted in the upcoming week's SOL thread by 3:00 PM on the Monday of that week (week 2's SOL must be posted by 3:00 PM on Monday of Week 2). If you "attend" by viewing the archives, then you will need to document your presence by posting an additional comment concerning the class session in the class discussion board ("Society, Technology and Everyday Life" forum) sometime during the week--such as, what you found most interesting and/or what is still confusing to you. Students who attend live sessions and fail to participate even minimally, must also earn their full attendance/SOL points by posting an additional comment in the Sociological Imagination forum.

For all students: A mandatory first forum (introduction) message is due by Monday, January 24, 3:00 PM

Students should display their understanding of basic sociological concepts, theories, and analysis in main class discussion forum, and/or during in-class discussions and presentations.  Messages and commentary in the for-credit forums should be questions, comments, extensions of in-class discussion, "mini-reports" on individual research, and/or replies relevant to the theme of the ongoing online discussion.

NOTE:  Multiple messages posted on a single day to a single forum may not necessarily count towards the semester total unless they each contribute substantially to the forum topics.  Multiple messages in the final weeks and/or days of the semester by students who have not been active in the class do not reflect "class engagement," and will NOT necessarily be counted toward your point total.  All students will receive periodic feedback (public and private) from the instructor (or TAs) to keep them aware of their progress with this requirement.  It is critical that students check their campus email to receive private communication from the instructor.  See the orientation message in the general discussion forum for more information.

The instructor and TAs will post questions of substantive concern for class discussion, but students are encouraged to initiate their own discussion topics.  Students are expected investigate relevant resources, and participate in the ongoing, online, class discussion; and attend weekly in-class discussions on a regular basis.

Expected: Two (2) comments a week (with one beiung posted online by Monday of each week), one point per comment/posting, 30 points over the course of the semester. Students may earn up to 2 additional points a week for more frequent and exceptional work, Additionally, students who wish to earn attendance credit via use of the mp3/mp4 recordings must make at least 2 additional postings in the SOL forum in a given week. (NOTE: missed contributions in the early weeks of the semester CANNOT be "made-up" by multiple contributions at the end of the semester).

For-credit forums will close on Sunday, May 8, 2011 (end of day)

4. Project 1: Group Wiki (25 points)

5. Project 2: Wiki Essay: 24 Hours with Technology (50 points possible):

    1. See the details of this assignment in the "Wiki Presentation" folder (Assignments area) and via the "Project Requirements" page.
    2. Essays should be 2-3 pages in length and published in your group wiki (Group Areas section of the class MyGateway site).
    3. You will be evaluated on both the content you develop, your use of the wiki format, your presentation (grammar, spelling, documentation, and bibliography), as well as your group's synthesis.
    4. Due dates are posted with the assignments, and available via the Assignments, Readings, and Course Schedule.
    5. 30 points for individual essay, 10 points for group presentation, 10 points for comments: 50 points
6. Projects 3 and 4 Group Wiki Project and Presentation (75 points each, 150 points total):

7. Final Project (individual or group) and Presentation (Project 5: 100 points possible):

Academic Dishonesty, and other misconduct will not be tolerated. See the partial listing of conduct for which students are subject to sanction at the end of this syllabus. Or, view the entire document by visiting: http://www.umsl.edu/studentlife/dsa/student_planner/policies/conductcode.htm

You are expected to be able to convey your ideas in a cogent and coherent manner.  An assessment of your papers' and or forum postings' organization, grammar and spelling will be included in its evaluation.  There is a writing lab available to help you with your papers. The Writing Lab is located in room 409 SSB.  Call ahead to schedule an appointment: 516-5950.

8. Final Exam (100 points)

There will be one Final Exam (50 questins, 2 points per question, 100 points per exam) given during the semester.  The Final Exam is designed to evaluate your comprehension of the basic material presented in the course: assigned readings, online lecture notes, and other online resources.  All these resources will be supplemented by in-class and online discussions.  Class engagement and participation (face-to-face, online, and written work) will be another part of your evaluation-they are not designed to cover "what is on the Final Exam," rather they are designed to evaluate your ability to synthesize course material and develop a sociological understanding of life in modern society. 

  • The Final Exam can be found in the Assignments area of the class MyGateway site.
    • The "Course Documents" area contains study guides, Final Exam study tips, and other utilities to help you prepare for the quizzes and exams.
  • The Final Exam is of mixed, objective format, consisting of multiple choice and true/false questions.
  • The Final Exam will be available for approximately one week and must be completed by the end of the day (11:59 PM) on Thursday, May 12, 2011.
  • The Final Exam will cover both the assigned readings associated with project 3--Volti chapters 6-10, the social shaping of technology project 4, project 5, as well as the key concepts and theories focused on throughout the semester.
  • The Final Exam may be taken from any Internet location, so in effect, it is "open book." The Final Exam is "timed" and it is advisable to only use the Firefox web browser.
  • The Final Exam can be taken two times. Your high score will serve as you final score on the Final Exam.
  • Following completion of an attempt of the Final Exam, you will receive feedback--the questions, your answers, and whether your answers were right or wrong. It makes sense to use the feedback from a first attempt at a Final Exam as a study resource prior to taking an additional attempt.
  • You will have 75 minutes to complete the Final Exam.  If you go over time on a Final Exam attempt, you will be subject to a penalty of 4 points per minute (or fraction thereof) over time or not having the attempt count.
  • An attempt is an attempt. You may request one reset of a failed Final Exam attempt (for technological "glitches"). A submitted exam will not be available for reset.
  • BE PATIENT: when you click the "Begin" button to access an exam, ONLY CLICK ONCE, a double click will count as two attempts (and an attempt is an attempt).
  • Any concerns regarding your Final Exams must be addressed before the end of the semester.
  • Make-up Final Exams will be available for students who can document exceptional circumstances that prohibited them for completing at least one attempt of a Final Exam during its regular availability period. You must contact the instructor within 24 hours following the close of a Final Exam to arrange for a make-up. There will only be one attempt available for a make-up Final Exam.
    Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in a Zero (0) being recorded for the Final Exam/Final Exam in question.

Grading:

Final grades will be calculated based on a total of 500 points. Students who submit work past a due date are subject to penalties, point deductions, or not having their work accepted for grading.

72 hour rule: Grade updates will be posted in MyGateway throughout the semester. Students are expected to review their grades on a regular basis--especially following a grade update. I work hard to let you know where you stand in the course at any given time--I expect you to show due diligence and concern as well. Concerns about posted grades must be addressed within 72 hours of grade posting, otherwise posted scores will be considered accurate and final, up to the time of posting.

Items included in calculating the point total:

NOTE: All course grades will be posted in the online Grade book in the class MyGateway site.  Students can access their individual grades via the “My Grades” link located in the “Tools” area of the class MyGateway site.  The grades in MyGateway are for individual Final Exams, quizzes, and assignments only.  The “current estimated grade” found in the grades area of MyGateway will reflect your current estimated grade based on available points at the time of an announcement indicating an update (NOTE: Final Exam and Exam scores are not automatically included in the "current estimated grade." "Current estimated grades" will be updated with exam scores (usually) the day after an exam deadline, and an announcement will be made).  Final grades will be based on the following scale:
      • 465 and above A
      • 464-450: A-
      • 449-435: B+
      • 434-415: B
      • 414-400: B-
      • 399-385: C+
      • 384-365: C
      • 364-350: C-
      • 349-335: D+
      • 334-315: D
      • 314-300: D-
      • 299 and below: F
Percentages displayed for "current estimated grade" in the MyGateway grade book represent letter grades as follows:
      • 93% and above A
      • 90-92% A-
      • 87-89%: B+
      • 83-86%: B
      • 80-82%: B-
      • 77-79%: C+
      • 73-76%: C
      • 70-72%: C-
      • 67-69%: D+
      • 63-66%: D
      • 60-62%: D-
      • 59% and below: F

Academic Dishonesty and other misconduct will not be tolerated. See the partial listing of conduct for which students are subject to sanction at the end of this syllabus. Or, view the entire document by visiting: http://www.umsl.edu/studentlife/dsa/student_planner/policies/conductcode.htm

Extra Credit: The idea of "extra" credit is an oxymoron.  There is only credit! THERE IS NO EXTRA CREDIT in my classes. Students can earn additional points for exceptional levels of participation in the class discussions and online forums; however, if you are having difficulties with the course work, get help as early in the semester as possible.  Adding more work will NOT help you, and if you cannot do the regular work adequately, any additional work will not be to your benefit.  More IS NOT (necessarily) better.  Rather than worrying about doing more work-FOCUS on the regularly assigned work and do it to the BEST of your abilities.

Delayed Grade Policy: If a student is unable to complete the Final Exam (due to exceptional circumstances), a Delayed Grade can be negotiated.  Students MUST contact the instructor by 5:00 pm on the last day of the Final Exam to document their reason for being unable to complete the Final Exam, and to request a delayed grade.  If students DO NOT initiate the request for a delayed grade, a score of ZERO (0) will be assigned for any uncompleted work. Delayed grades MUST be made up by the end of the following semester (Summer and Interim Semesters excluded).  Failure to make-up a delayed grade by the end of the following semester will result in an F being recorded for the course grade.  Delayed grades WILL NOT be extended past one semester unless exceptional circumstances (as decided by the instructor) are evident.

Withdrawals: From the Office of the Provost--The close of the 12th week of the semester is the last point that a student may drop a class without compelling reasons. Having a low grade at the 12th week point is NOT a compelling reason to drop a class. If there is a compelling reason, e.g. serious illness or injury that incapacitates a student, being called up for military service, the death of an immediate family member, etc. Dropping after the 12th week requires approval of the instructor and the dean. Here’s the Bulletin policy:

Dropping/Adding Courses
To add courses to their original enrollment, students must get approval from their advisers. Students may not enter courses after the first week of a regular semester or the first three days of the summer session. Courses may be dropped, without approval and without receiving a grade, through the fourth week of a regular semester. Spring, summer, and fall session calendars include specific deadlines. Students who officially drop one or some of their classes may have fees reassessed and/or refunded based on the current fee reassessment schedule.

From the fifth through the twelfth weeks of the fall or spring semesters (for summer session, the third through the sixth weeks), students may withdraw from a course with an "Excused" grade, providing they are passing the course and receive the approval of their instructor, adviser, and dean's office representative. Otherwise, a failing grade is given.

Students not attending classes who fail to drop officially receive F or Y grades, depending on how much they participated in class. After the allowable period, "Excused" grades are given only in exceptional instances where the instructor's approval and dean's approval are given. These grades are recorded on the students' official records at the end of the term. If an F grade is recorded, it is counted in computing the grade point average. No partial credit is granted to students who withdraw from a course during any semester or otherwise fail to complete the work required for full course credit.

Written work submitted in this class will be subject to plagiarism checking using Turnitin.

Turnitin, a plagiarism detection software, is now available to all students and instructors. This tool checks your paper against proprietary databases of papers and the Internet. After submission, your instructor will receive an "originality report" containing results of the matching process. Your paper will also be added to UMSL’s internal section of the anti-plagiarism database to be used to compare future submissions by other students and to help protect your work from plagiarism.

You can also use Turnitin yourself to check drafts of your papers. The English Department Writing Lab has created a free course site on MyGateway where you can go to find resources to help you in writing and citing papers properly. By enrolling in this course, you can submit drafts of your work to Turnitin. You will then be able to privately view the “originality report” and make corrections to your work before submitting it formally to your instructor. Go to "The Writing Lab@UMSL" module on your main MyGateway page and follow the instructions to enroll in the Writing Lab course site.

NOTE: From the U.M. Collected Rules & Regulations, 200.010 - Standard of Conduct (Amended Bd. Min. 3-20-81; Bd. Min. 8-3-90;Bd. Min. 5-24-2001): Academic dishonesty is a serious offense that may lead to failure on the assignment in question, failure of the course involved, probation, suspension, or expulsion. One form of academic dishonesty is plagiarism--the use of an author's ideas, statements, or approaches without crediting the source. Academic dishonesty also includes such acts as cheating by copying information from another student's examination, take-home test, or laboratory manual. The Code of Student Conduct is in the Bulletin and is also available in the UMSL Student Planner.

ANY STUDENT WHO HAS A DISABILITY WHICH WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO COMPLETE COURSE ASSIGNMENTS OR Final ExamS AS OUTLINED IN THIS SYLLABUS: PLEASE MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH ME IMMEDIATELY SO THAT I CAN EITHER ARRANGE FOR APPROPRIATE ASSISTANCE OR DESIGN AN ALTERNATIVE PROCEDURE TO EVALUATE YOUR WORK. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE OFFICE OF DISABILITY ACCESS SERVICES IS LOCATED IN 144 MSC; PHONE: 516-6554.
THIS SYLLABUS IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE INSTRUCTOR TO ACCOMMODATE INSTRUCTIONAL AND/OR STUDENT NEEDS.

URL: http://www.umsl.edu/~keelr/280/280syllabus.html
Owner: Robert O. Keel: rok@umsl.edu
Last Updated:
Wednesday, January 11, 2012 11:48