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From: slimick@unix.cis.pitt.edu (John C Slimick)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: more on social implications of computers course
Keywords: social implications, ethics, courses
Message-ID: <25944@unix.cis.pitt.edu>
Date: 16 Jul 90 22:58:23 GMT
Organization: Univ. of Pittsburgh, Computing & Information Services
Lines: 59


Okay: first revision of course in social implications.

(1) Instead of having each student be a seminar leader,
consider the following: each student be responsible for
preparing a synopsis of the article of the day (+/- 3 minutes)
and the 4 to 5 discussion questions for the day for one meeting
during the term. I would remain the seminar leader.

(2) Have a heavy reading list in the library--currently available: 
	"Computers and Social Change"--Judith Perrole
	"The Cuckoo's Egg"-- Cliff Stoll 
	"Behind the Silicon Curtain"--Dennis Hayes
	"The Cult of Information"--Theodore Roszak
	"Parkinson's Law"--C. Northcote Parkinson
	"The Micro Millenium"--Chris Evans
	 & whatever else I can find

The question remains of how the students should report their readings:
	1. Reviews (would someone tell me exactly what that is?)
	2. Book Reports (likewise)
	3. Other ideas?

(3) Every student should subscribe to comp.risks (or should I merely
post the letters -- but that inhibits exploring netnews) and have a
discussion every other Friday (or so) on the themes running there.
Are there other groups that should be read as well.

(4) I am hoping for at least three outside speakers:
	A. Campus psychologist/counselor on meaning and
	value of work, as well as the impact of the loss
	of work.

	B. Long term employee of local plant (and one of our
	two year graduates) who started as a minimum wage
	hourly person yea many years ago and worked his way
	into an engineering slot (without a degree); I want 
	hime to talk about the two cultures inside a plant,
	how automation is perceived, how unions are perceived
	on the topic of automation, etc.

	C. Long term employee of PA BELL (now retired) on the
	Bell System efforts on automation and how it impacted
	the job force.

(5) I have not made up my mind which is better -- a term paper or
a presentation. Help!

slimick@unix.cis/pitt.edu
john slimick
university of pittsburgh at bradford
just 4 miles from NY and high taxes..




t
	him to talk about the two cultures, reaction to
	automation,