South Dakota State University

COURSE SYLLABUS GE 231 Technology, Society & Ethics South Dakota State University 3 credit course TIME: May 26 to Aug 2, 2015 - 10 weeks LOCATION: Online, via D2L software, log on at least three times a week. INSTRUCTOR: Associate Professor Byron Garry, M.S. Engineering Department of Construction & Operations Management 115C Solberg Hall 605-688-6229 OFFICE HOURS: On-line office hours will be posted on the class D2L page. EMAIL: Regular email: [email protected] D2L email: [email protected] This address will work within the D2L course shell only. You can expect a reply within 48 hours (excluding weekends and holidays). WEB PAGE: All class handouts, assignment sheets, reading references, discussion postings, chat sessions, submission of papers, grades, etc., will be through the class D2L page: https://d2l.sdbor.edu/index.asp

The instructor’s SDSU home page is here TEXTBOOK: Required: Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Science, Technology, and Society, 10th Edition, Thomas Easton, 2012, McGraw-Hill, ISBN 978-0-07-805027-5. (Edition 9 or earlier will not work)

This text is offered as an eBook through CourseSmart.

There may be additional readings that will accessed online, as indicated on the class D2L page. SDSU GENERAL EDUCATION: This course meets the requirements for IGR Goal #2, Cultural Awareness and Social and Environmental Responsibility for 2012 and later catalogs, and also for the Globalization Requirement under the 2014 and later SDSU catalogs. SDSU CATALOG COURSE DESCRIPTION: An examination of technological change by means of current problems and case studies. The creation and utilization of tools, machines, materials, techniques and technical systems will also be studied, as well as their environmental impacts. FURTHER DESCRIPTION: Those who deal with the scientific and technological issues of today must be able to consider, evaluate, and choose from among alternatives. Public debate about these alternatives can only be done if the science and technology involved are studied thoroughly. Experts are always ready to give their opinions, and we as active citizens must be able to choose from among these opinions, before we can help to begin to decide on what course of action to take, to do our part to find solutions for societies’ problems. COURSE PRE-REQUISITES: There are no formal prerequisites for this course; however, technology skills are required. These skills relate to use of internet resources, primarily browsers, Adobe Acrobat Reader, and the D2L course management system. The recommended browser is the Firefox (newest) or Chrome (newest). Basic technology (e.g., computer system, network, and software) requirements and assistance are seen at https://d2l.sdbor.edu/shared/sdsu/require.htm TECHNICAL SUPPORT: For D2L support, call the SDSU Helpdesk at 688-6776, or email to [email protected] COURSE REQUIREMENTS: See the course schedule and later in the syllabus for when these requirements are due. 1. Students are required to complete all assigned readings and view video instructor presentations on your own. 2. Students are required to participate in eight D2L Discussions. Students may participate in four individual or collaborative Alternative Learning Strategies, in place of four of the D2L Discussions. 3. Students are required to complete a Syllabus Quiz and two Learning Module Quizzes. 4. Students are required to complete three essay writing assignments: two Reaction Papers and one Final Paper. INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS USED TO MEET THE COURSE REQUIREMENTS: See the Course Schedule for details on when these instructional methods are used. You are required to work at the pace of the class, generally 1 Learning Module per week, through all 10 Learning Modules. This is to facilitate student-student discussion of 1 selected topics. There are some Learning Modules where you will do an online quiz, and those can be done at any time before that week’s deadline. If you have work or personal conflicts that come up in the summer that will prevent you from keeping to the 10-week schedule listed, contact Assoc. Prof. Garry and work out a personal schedule, in writing, ahead of time. Any Incompletes in the course must be cleared by the time Fall Semester starts, Aug 25. 1. Text Readings & Instructor Presentations: There will be Camtasia (voice added) PowerPoints posted in D2L for GE 231 Technology, Society, & Ethics Summer 2015 Text - Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Science, Technology, and Society, 10th Edition, Thomas Easton, 2012 Most Learning modules, except for the first week, are required to be done in a time frame of Sunday - Sunday. For those 8 days only, the Discussion for that week will be open.

For the Modules with Quizzes, or if you chose to do one of the Alternative Learning Strategies in place of a D2L Discussion, they may be done ahead of time – see the syllabus for details. Learning Dates Text Readings Course Work Covered Covered Covered Covered Module (Sunday to Requirement due IGR 2* Accred. IDEA*** Globalization Number Sunday) (see footnotes at SLOs SOs ** Objectives SLOs***** bottom) Introduction: Analyzing Syllabus Quiz May 26 – Issues in Science & & 1 May 31 1 1 4 Technology @ D2L Discussion (Tues-Sun) pages xix - xxxii for Module 1

May 31 – Issue 6. Is America Ready # D2L Discussion for 2 June 7 1,4 1,2 3 1 for the Electric Car? Module 2

Issue 4. Is It Time to Think June 7- # D2L Discussion for 3 Seriously about 1 1,2 1,4 June 14 Module 3 “Climate Engineering”?

June 14- Issue 5. Is It Time to 4 Quiz for Module 4 1,2,4 1,2 2,3 June 21 Revive Nuclear Power?

June 21 Reaction Paper 1 2,4 1,2 1,4 1

June 21 Issue 15. Can Machines # D2L Discussion for 5 2 1 2,3 -June 28 Be Conscious? Module 8

June 28 Issue 9. Should DDT Be 6 Quiz for Module 6 1,2 1,2 2,3 1 -July 5 Banned Worldwide?

7 July 5 - Issue 3. Should the @ D2L Discussion 1,2 2 2,3 July 12 Internet Be Neutral? for Module 2

July 12 Reaction Paper 2 Issue 16: Do Government July 12 - Internet Surveillance @ D2L Discussion 8 1,2,4 2 2,3 1 July 19 Efforts Threaten Privacy for Module 8 and Civil Rights? Issue 12: Are We Doing July 19 - Enough to Protect Earth # D2L Discussion 9 1,2,4 1 2 1 July 26 from Asteroid and Comet for Module 9 Impacts? Issue 11. Are Genetically July 26 # D2L Discussion for 10 Modified Foods Safe to 1,4 2 3 -Aug 2 Module 10 Eat? Aug 2 Final Paper 2 1,2 1,4 1

@ All must participate in D2L Discussions for Modules 1, 2, & 10, as described on page 2 of the syllabus. # Participate in D2L Discussions for Modules 3, 5, 7, 8 & 9, or you may choose to do Alternative Learning Strategies a) – d) {No more than two of any one type}, as described on pages 2 & 3 of the syllabus.

* Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for SDBOR IGR2 are listed on page 4 of the syllabus. ** Student Learning Outcomes for program Accreditations (SLOs) are listed on page 4 of the syllabus. *** IDEA Student Learning Objectives for GE 231 are listed on page 5 of the syllabus. ***** Globalization Student Learning Objectives for GE 231 are listed on page 4 of the syllabus.