{"id":18,"date":"2017-01-13T20:43:48","date_gmt":"2017-01-13T20:43:48","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/?page_id=18"},"modified":"2019-08-24T16:15:47","modified_gmt":"2019-08-24T16:15:47","slug":"2017syllabus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/2017syllabus\/","title":{"rendered":"2017 Syllabus"},"content":{"rendered":"

HIST 325: AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Spring 2017                TR, 11-12:15           HCC 329<\/strong><\/p>\n

http:\/\/historyoftech.mcclurken.org\/<\/a> — Course project site<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00ad\u00ad<\/p>\n

Jeffrey McClurken
\nOffice:  Monroe 219\/HCC 419
\nOffice Hours:  MW, 9-11; TR, 10-11 (please make appt.)<\/p>\n

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Course Description<\/strong><\/p>\n

This course will examine the development of American technology, culture and history by studying the creation, context, and impact of about twenty pieces, or artifacts, of American technology, ranging from the axe to the railroad to the light bulb to the electric washer to the personal computer. Special emphasis will be placed on the evolution and transfer of technology; government and business involvement; technology as a product of American culture and society; technology as changing American culture & society; evaluating how culture and society deal with new technology through resistance, adaptation, and changes in work habits and lifestyles.<\/p>\n

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Departmental Course Goals and Objectives<\/strong><\/p>\n

This course will help students build upon a range of skills, including the ability to make discipline-specific oral presentations to groups; the ability to utilize technological resources in research, data analysis, and presentation; and the ability to read critically primary sources and modern authorities.  As a course that counts for the Human Experience and Society General Education requirement, this course also has the following skill objectives: students will be able to explain human and social experiences and activities from multiple perspectives; students will be able to draw appropriate conclusions based on evidence; students will be able to transfer knowledge and skills learned to a novel situation.  This course counts in the History and American Studies majors, the Digital Studies Minor, and the Communication and Digital Studies Major.<\/p>\n

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Course Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n

Students are expected to attend all lectures, read all assigned texts, participate in class, create a research proposal, prepare a research-based online project and a documentary short on an artifact of technology (and present it to the class), and take a midterm and a final examination. Late assignments will be severely penalized, or, after 24 hours, not accepted for credit. [All assignments must be completed to pass the class, however.<\/strong>]<\/p>\n

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Discussions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Students are expected to attend all weekly class discussions (on Thursdays) having read the material and having prepared one question or comment based on that reading to be posted to the class wiki (http:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/wiki\/doku.php?id=325:questions:hist325–history_of_american_tech_culture–spring_2017<\/a>) by 9 AM. The question or comment should be aimed at provoking class discussions on the reading. [Since part of the goal is to prepare you for class discussion, late questions will not be accepted.]  Class participation includes contributing weekly questions\/comments and actively<\/strong> participating in class discussions.<\/p>\n

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Research-Based Blog Project & Film <\/strong><\/p>\n

Each group of 3-4 students will create an online research-based project and a short (10-15 minute) documentary-style video about the history of an artifact of American technology. [Topics cannot duplicate those of other groups, cannot duplicate those of previous HIST 325 projects at http:\/\/historyoftech.mcclurken.org\/<\/a> (unless you can make the case that they will improve on those projects in some substantive way), and cannot overlap with those covered in class lectures.]  Each group\u2019s digital project, created in WordPress, and video, posted with their digital project, will be linked to the class project site<\/a> and will explain the background and invention or adoption of the piece of technology, as well as examining its impact on American society and culture. Advance deadlines have been set for topic approval, proposal with bibliography, project outlines\/storyboards, the research-based digital project, and the documentary, as well as a chance to revise one of the projects; be sure to meet these deadlines. See  https:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/project\/<\/a> for more details about the projects.  Students will receive a group grade and an individual grade for the research-based site and for the documentary.<\/p>\n

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The Research Proposal & Project Outlines<\/strong><\/p>\n

The proposal and outlines are intended to get you started on your research project and documentary planning. First, the blogged research proposal (with annotated bibliography) due February 16 is also intended, like most proposals, to prove to me that your group will have enough scholarly material to complete the larger research-based site and documentary film. Second, the project outlines due March 16 are intended to get you started on thinking about how that material will fit together on the site and in the documentary.  The research proposal with bibliography and the outlines for the site and documentary are collectively worth 5% of your final grade. See https:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/project\/project-proposal-and-outline\/<\/a> for more details.<\/p>\n

Grades<\/strong><\/p>\n

Final grades will be determined based on class participation (10%), the research proposal and project outlines (5%), performance on the research-based project site and documentary (20% each) and a presentation to the class on it (5%), and on the midterm and final exams (20% each). [Unsatisfactory mid-semester reports will be reported for anyone with a grade of D+ or below on work completed at that time.]<\/p>\n

<\/u>Grading Scale<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
A<\/strong><\/td>\nUnusual Excellence<\/td>\n93 or higher=A; 90-92=A-<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
B<\/strong><\/td>\nDistinctly Above Average<\/td>\n87-89=B+; 83-86=B; 80-82=B-<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
C<\/strong><\/td>\nAverage Quality<\/td>\n77-79=C+; 73-76=C; 70-72=C-<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
D<\/strong><\/td>\nBelow Average Quality<\/td>\n67-69=D+; 60-66=D<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
F<\/strong><\/td>\nFailure, No Credit<\/td>\n0-59=F<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Accommodations<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Office of Disability Resources has been designated by the University as the primary office to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. If you receive services through the Office of Disability Resources and require accommodations for this class, make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodation needs. Bring your accommodation letter with you to the appointment. I will hold any information you share with me in strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise. If you have not made contact with the Office of Disability Resources and need accommodations, I will be happy to refer you. The office will require appropriate documentation of disability. The office\u2019s phone number is 540-654-1266 and they can be found at http:\/\/academics.umw.edu\/disability\/<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Honor Code<\/strong><\/p>\n

I believe in the Honor Code as an essential, positive component of the Mary Washington experience. You should know that if you cheat or plagiarize in this class, you will almost certainly fail, and I will take you to the Honor Council, so do not do it. On the other hand, I also believe that having friends or family read and comment on your writing can be extremely helpful and falls within the bounds of the Honor Code (assuming the writing itself remains yours). If you have questions about these issues, then you should talk to me sooner rather than later.<\/p>\n

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Required Texts<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nye, David. Electrifying America: Social Meanings of a New Technology<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Pursell, Caroll, ed. American Technology<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Assorted additional readings available online.<\/p>\n

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<\/u>Class Schedule and Reading Assignments
\n<\/strong>[Can’t find the reading? Have you checked the Readings page<\/a>?]<\/h3>\n

Jan. 17<\/u><\/strong>    \u2014 Introduction<\/p>\n

Jan. 19<\/u><\/strong>    \u2014 The Evolution of Technology<\/p>\n

\u2014 Discussion of reading   \u2013 <\/strong>What is \u201ctechnology\u201d? What is the \u201chistory of technology\u201d?<\/p>\n