{"id":451,"date":"2019-08-24T16:17:54","date_gmt":"2019-08-24T16:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/?page_id=451"},"modified":"2025-10-23T18:52:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T18:52:38","slug":"syllabus","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/syllabus\/","title":{"rendered":"Syllabus"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

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

Fall 2025 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0TR, 9:30-10:45 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 HCC 329<\/strong>\u00ad\u00ad<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Jeffrey McClurken
Office:\u00a0 GW105
Contact: Canvas, campus email\/phone<\/a>, before\/after class
Office Hours:\u00a0 please make appt.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

Departmental Course Goals and Objectives<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\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. \u00a0This course counts in the History and American Studies majors, the Digital Studies Minor, and the Communication and Digital Studies Major.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Course Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\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. All assignments must be completed to pass the class.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

Students are expected to attend all weekly class discussions (typically on Thursdays) having read the material and having prepared one brief (no more than a paragraph) question or comment based on that reading to be posted to the class wiki (https:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/wiki\/doku.php?id=hist325_history_of_american_technology_and_culture_fall_2025<\/a>) by 7 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.]\u00a0 Class participation includes contributing weekly questions\/comments and actively<\/strong> participating in class discussions.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

Research-Based Blog Project & Documentary<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\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 https:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/previous-hist325-student-projects\/<\/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.]\u00a0 Each group\u2019s digital project, created in WordPress, and video, posted with their digital project, will be linked to the class projects page<\/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 \u00a0https:\/\/courses.mcclurken.org\/325\/project\/<\/a> for more details about the projects.\u00a0 Students will receive a group grade and an individual grade for the research-based site and for the documentary.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

The proposal and outlines are intended to get you and your group started on your research project and documentary planning. First, the blogged project proposal (with annotated bibliography) due September 25 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.\u00a0 It should also address if and how your group proposes to use AI in your project and\/or documentary. Second, the project outlines due October 16 are intended to get you started on thinking about how that material will fit together on the site and in the documentary.\u00a0 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>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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

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

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A note about this semester and this class<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\r\n

This class is not the most important thing in your life. It\u2019s not the most important thing in mine. Don\u2019t get me wrong, there\u2019s much to learn here and I love and have so much fun exploring these topics with you and your classmates. But take care of yourself. Reach out to me if there are things in your life that end up taking precedence over this class. Let\u2019s talk about them.<\/p>\r\n

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

I believe in the Honor Code as an essential, positive component of the Mary Washington experience.\u00a0 You should know that if you cheat or plagiarize in this class, you will fail, and I will take you to the Honor Council.\u00a0 So, do not do it.\u00a0 On the other hand, I also believe that having friends or family read and comment on your writing and projects can be extremely helpful and falls within the bounds of the Honor Code (assuming the writing and work itself remains yours).\u00a0 If you have questions about these issues (such as if and when something should be cited \u2014 the answer is almost always \u201cyes\u201d and \u201coften\u201d), then you should talk to me sooner rather than later.\u00a0 Please, please talk to me before and about using AI in this class.<\/p>\r\n

Generative AI Policy\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

Use of AI is approved and encouraged in this course in some<\/span> cases<\/strong>;\u00a0 students should refer to individual course assignments for instructions regarding how to use and\/or document use of AI, if applicable to the assignment. [It is not allowed for the midterm\/final, for example<\/span>.]\u00a0 When in doubt, always cite what and how you have used to get to an answer\/project\/result.\u00a0 And ask me each time if you have the least doubt<\/span>.\u00a0 We are all learning how these tools can, and ethically how, they should be used.\u00a0 It will take us some trial and error to figure all of that out.\u00a0 But in this class that should always take place in conversation with me.<\/p>\r\n

Although AI use is permitted in some cases in this course, you should keep the following points in mind:<\/p>\r\n