Topic outline

  • General

    TU-E6150 - Technology and Society

    Responsible teacher: Johanna Ylipulli 

    Course assistant: Adeola Ikuesan

    firstname.lastname@aalto.fi

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    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.

    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 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.

    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. Teaching will be given in-person at Aalto University campus. Hybrid/remote participation to the course is, unfortunately, not possible this time.

    Assessment Methods and Criteria

    The course teaching consists of lectures and group presentations and discussions. In the beginning of each week, a lecturer introduces a theme that is deepened through readings and group work. The group work consists of preparing a presentation on one theme and facilitating the following discussion for the rest of the students, and actively participating in the discussions on other themes, facilitated by other groups.

    Subject to slight changes

    • 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
    • Participating in seminars on Fridays, 1/3
    • Participating in preparing a group work presented in Friday’s seminar, 1/6
    • Learning diary to be returned by the end of the course, 1/6

    More detailed description of the assessment can be found on the bottom of this page, after the schedules.

    Schedules and topics of the lectures 2023

    Mon 9.1. - Fri 13.1. Course practicalities and Introduction to the course by Johanna

    The first week's teaching consists of a prerecorded video lecture and of a live lecture on Fri at 10-12. NOTE: On Monday 9.1. there is no live lecture!

    Overarching theme:

    Mon 16.1. 12:15-14: Kai Kimppa, University of Turku - Ethics of Information Technology

    Sub-theme: Smart Cities

    Mon 23.1. 12:15-14: Sara Zaman, University of Helsinki: Potential alternative smart city imaginaries: meaning, community, and creativity

    Mon 30.1. 12:15-14: Karolina Drobotowicz, Aalto University: Public AI services

    Mon 6.2. 12:15-14: Alina Wernick, University of Helsinki: Smart cities and human rights (in-person in T2, not Zoom!)

    Sub-theme: Games and Play

    Mon 13.2. 12:15-14: Janset Shawash, Tampere University: Urban gamification

    Mon 27.2. 12:15-14: Maria Ruotsalainen, University of Jyväskylä: Gender and games

    Mon 6.3. 12:15-14: Katriina Heljakka, University of Turku: Toys and play across the lifespan

    Sub-theme: Social Media

    Mon 13.3. 12:15-14: Salla-Maaria Laaksonen, University of Helsinki: Technology-mediated political organization

    Mon 20.3. 12:15-14: Minttu Tikka, Aalto University: Disaster communication

    Mon 27.3. 12:15-14: Asko Lehmuskallio, Tampere University: Visual Studies (in person session)

    Subject to slight changes

    Schedules and topics of the discussion sessions in small groups

    Every Wed at 12:15-14, starting from 18.1. to 29.3. The topics follow the topics of the lectures.

    Schedules and topics of the seminars

    Every Fri at 10:15-12, starting from 20.1. to 31.3. The topics follow the topics of the lectures.

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    Detailed assessment methods and criteria

    The grading is based on

    • 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
    • Participating in seminars on Fridays, 1/3
    • Participating in preparing a group work presented in Friday’s seminar, 1/6
    • Learning diary to be returned by the end of the course, 1/6


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

    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.

    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.

    Group work

    Each group prepares an 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.

    From the group work you can earn 0-5 points depending on the quality of the work you have done. Criteria will be described separately in My Courses pages. 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.

    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 (ethics, smart cities, games and play, social media). The format of the learning diary is rather free, but for example, you can write a short entry on each one of these.

    The text should also ponder connections between at least some of the themes, for example, between ethics and smart cities, and/or smart cities and games and play.

    Explain what aspects, perspectives, or views you found particularly intriguing in the whole course, and why.

    Reflect on how you could apply these perspectives in your future career. If you are not sure what you will do after graduation, you can write based on what you would like to do.

    Further, reflect on what were the most important learning outcomes for you in this course. Instructions and criteria for assessment can be found from Assignments section.

    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.