Thinking Through Technology: Science and Its Applications
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Winter - 2000
Doug Erickson
(630) 979-7651 (work #)
derickso@www.depaul.edu
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Hours:	Evenings
	6:30 - 9:30 pm
	(10 weeks)
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Number of Quarter Hours: 4
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Competences Offered:
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PW-2  Can employ scientific reasoning to describe and explain
natural phenomena.
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       A. Can demonstrate an understanding of science as a
       process of inquiry and how that process contributes to a
       description of the world.
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       B.  Can frame a question(s) amenable to reasoned inquiry
       regarding an event(s) in nature.
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       C.  Can use one or more of the reasoning and investigative
       processes associated with scientific inquiry in the
       description of an event(s) in nature.
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PW-B  Can explain the impact of technology on a society or
culture.
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        A.  Can define technology;
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        B.  Can articulate criteria by which the effect(s) of a
        technology on individuals or groups may be described or
        measured;
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        C.  Can apply A. and B. to a specific situation in the
        past, present, or future.

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WW - World of Work (WW) Developed by the student with the advice of the
Academic Committee.     
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1999 Competencies
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S-1-A Can explore natural phenomena or the world of everday experiences using scientific methods, and can use theories to interpret observations.
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S-3-A Can understand different perspectives on the relationship between technology and society, and describe the scientific principles underlying technological innovations.
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Course Description:
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History is marked by the development of technology; almost each
new invention and innovation represents both a solution to a
problem and the birth of a new tool with which to explore the
world, comfort of our lives, change how we live, or threaten
our existence.  This is perhaps more true in the past 100 years
than ever before and probably never exemplified more
dramatically than with the development of computers.
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Learning Experience:  Technology, as a product of research and
problem solving, will be explored as a means of understanding
and utilizing various approaches to problem-solving and
reasoning.  In addition, the impact and consequences of
introducing various technological developments will be examined.
Students will select a "technology", such as the telephone, and
trace its development as well as options to communication.  The
computer will be explored as a case in point which is teaching us
how we "think" and how that may be changing
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Grading Policy:
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Class sessions will include:
  Opening Exercises
  Lectures
  Video materials on automation, computers, and their social impact
  Discussions from homework assignments
  Discussions from textbook material
  Discussion from materials presented in class
  Mini Presentation
  Student Projects


Evaluation Technique:
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Laws of celestial motion are not written in the sky.  These laws
are theorized, applied, and then further developed.  What were
some of the milestones in the progression of technology?  What
were some of the social implications?
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Student evaluation will follow the two basic guidelines according 
to competency selected.
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The ability to understand a chosen technology as to where it
came from, where it is , and where is it is going.  What 
reasoning was involved in some of the discoveries along the way.
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What are some of the social implications of the technology?  What
benefit or destructive capability does the advancing of this
technology have.
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Projects and Essays:
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One essay and one mini presentation will be assigned.  
The essay will be a take home essay. 
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There will also be an individual project.  An outline of the 
project will be due during the sixth week with the final 
project due by the ninth week.
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The above will be reviewed with the competencies chosen.  
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Weighting Factors:
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Mini Presentation	20%
Essays	20%
Project	40%
Class Participation	20%
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http://condor.depaul.edu/~derickson/sylabus.html