Topic outline

  • General

    TU-E6150 - Technology and Society

    Responsible teacher: Johanna Ylipulli

    Course assistant: Otso Koiso-Kanttila

    firstname.lastname@aalto.fi


    Description of the course content

    The course is designed for engineering and design students who want to learn a societal perspective into technology. The course provides an overview of how social sciences see the world, especially when it comes to technology and society. The course also sheds light on social science methodology, namely how a variety of methods are used in social sciences to study technology – its design and development processes, use and broader societal implications. The course does not aim to convert students into social scientists, but it rather intends to explain how engineering and design work is inherently societal whether the engineer or designer acknowledges it or not.

    After the course the student knows the basics of how social scientific thinking and perspectives can be applied in engineering and design work. Especially, the student learns how technology, society and culture are in profoundly reciprocal relationship shaping each other, and therefore, technology should not be seen as a separate from society or culture.


    Prerequisites

    This is a master's level course, so it is assumed that the students have a bachelor's degree or similar level of studies done.


    Overview

    NOTE: The Monday's lectures and Friday's seminars are held in Zoom until the end of the course.

    The course teaching consists of lectures, discussions in small groups, and seminars and group works presented in the seminars. In addition, the students familiarize themselves with the course literature.

    In the beginning of each week, a lecturer introduces a theme that is deepened through 1) readings, 2) discussion sessions in small groups, facilitated by a PhD researchers and held every week, and 3) seminars held every Friday, where one group of students presents an assignment to the others and facilitates the session. 

    The students will be divided into small groups for the discussions sessions and for the group work as soon as the registration ends. The time slots for the discussion sessions of approx. 1,5-2 hrs are agreed upon with the facilitator.

    In total there are introductory lectures, and 10 guest lectures arranged under 4 themes: Ethics of technology (1 lecture) and Smart cities, Games and Play, and Social media (3 lectures on each theme). More detailed topics can be found below.

    Subject to slight changes


    Assessment Methods and Criteria

    The grading is based on

    1) Participation to discussion sessions facilitated by PhD researcher level assistant teachers (prerequisite: participating in Monday’s lectures and reading the articles each week)

    2) Participation in seminars on Fridays

    3) Participating in preparing a group work presented in Friday’s seminar

    4) Learning diary to be returned by the end of the course.

    Detailed description of the assessment of the course can be found after the schedules.

    Subject to slight changes


    Schedules and topics of the lectures


    Introduction: Why we need to study technology AND society

    Mon 10.1. - Fri 14.1. Course practicalities and Introduction to the course by Johanna (recorded video lectures)

    The first week's teaching consists of recorded lectures, readings and participating in a small assignment online. Although there are not specific meeting times, it is highly recommended to watch the videos etc. before the next week when guest lectures and other activities start.

    Sub-theme: Ethics

    Mon 17.1. 12:15-14: Kai Kimppa, TY - Ethics of Information Technology (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Sub-theme: Smart Cities

    Mon 24.1. - - - : Aale Luusua, OY - Autonomous vehicles (prerecorded video lecture)

    Mon 31.1. 12:15-14: Karolina Drobotowicz, Aalto - Public AI services (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Mon 7.2. - - - : Jaana Parviainen, TaY - Smart City and Kinetic Values (prerecorded video lecture)

    Sub-theme: Games and Play

    Mon 14.2. 12:15-14: Mattia Thibault, TaY: Urban gamification (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Mon 28.2. 12:15-14: Katriina Heljakka, TY: Toys and play across the lifespan (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Mon 7.3. 12:15-14: Maria Ruotsalainen, JY - Gender and games (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Sub-theme: Social Media

    Mon 14.3. 12:15-14: Salla-Maaria Laaksonen, HY - Technology-mediated political organization (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Mon 21.3. 12:15-14: Minttu Tikka, Aalto - Disaster communication (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Mon 28.3. 12:15-14: Asko Lehmuskallio, TaY - Visual Studies (real time Zoom lecture + recording in MyCo)

    Subject to slight changes


    Schedules and topics of the seminars

    Every Fri at 10:15-12, starting from 21.1. to 1.4. The topics follow the topics of the lectures.


    Schedules and topics of the discussion sessions in small groups

    Every week, starting from 17.1. to 1.4. The schedule is agreed in the beginning of January with the assistant teacher facilitating the sessions. The topics follow the topics of the lectures.


    Detailed assessment methods and criteria

    The grading is based on

    1) Participating in discussion sessions facilitated by PhD researcher level assistant teachers (prerequisite: participating in Monday’s lectures and reading the articles each week), 1/3

    2) Participating in seminars on Fridays, 1/3

    3) Participating in preparing a group work presented in Friday’s seminar, 1/6

    4) Learning diary to be returned by the end of the course, 1/6

     

    Transformed into scale 0-100, this means the following:

    1) Participating in discussion sessions

    We have in total 10 different topics that will be discussed in small groups every week. The PhD researchers working as assistant teachers will mark if you are present or not. It is also expected that you will actively participate in the discussions, and that you have seen the lecture and read the articles of the week.

    Taking into account that you might fall ill or have some other good reasons for not being present every time, you can be away from one discussion session without consequences.

    In other words, the maximum number of points you can get is 9 – one point for each discussion session you take part in.

    One point of discussion participation is 3,7 points out of maximum 100.

    NOTE: if you have to be away more, or if you have very difficult schedules, you can substitute a discussion session by writing a short piece of 1-2 pages based on the lecture and the articles. You have to demonstrate that you have really read the texts and understood the main points.

    2) Participating in Fridays’ seminars

    There are in total 10 seminars on Fridays and again, we will mark whether you are present or not. Participation means actively participating in group discussions/group work facilitated by the group that is in charge of that Friday.

    For a good reason, you can be away once. Each seminar participation counts as one point. So, the maximum number of points you can get from this part is 9.

    Therefore, one point of discussion participation is 3,7 points out of maximum 100.

    3) Group work

    Each group prepares a short presentation and activity for the rest of the group based on the lecture and readings. The aim of this part is to explore how the topics that we go through can be applied; how they can be connected with every day issues that you may be working with in the future. The idea of the group work is explained in the first week's 'Practicalities' lecture, found in the Week 1 Materials folder.  Criteria will also be added separately in My Courses pages.

    From the presentation you can earn 0-5 points depending on the quality of the work you have done. You get 0 points if you don’t participate in preparing the group work and presenting.

    One point is 3,333 points out of maximum 100.

    4) Learning Diary

    Each student prepares an individual learning diary, and the deadline will the at the end of the course. The learning diary should address each one of the four themes of the course, and also ponder connections between them. The idea of the learning diary is explained in the first week's 'Practicalities' lecture, found in the Week 1 Materials folder.  Criteria will also be added separately in My Courses pages.

    Length of the text: approx. 1000 words

    Deadline: Tuesday 19th of April

    From the learning diary you can earn 0-5 points depending on the quality of the work you have done. You get 0 points if you don’t return your essay or if your text reveals that you have not even tried to write something sensible.

    One point is 3,333 points out of maximum 100.

    In order to pass the course, you need to gather points for each of the four areas.


    What comes to grades, our working model is currently as follows:

    0-50 points, failed.

    51-60 points, grade 1.

    61-70 points, grade 2.

    71-80 points, grade 3.

    81-90 points, grade 4.

    91-100 points, grade 5.

    We reserve the right to tweak this model a bit as we see how the course proceeds.