STS 1010

STS 1010

Survey of Science and Technology in Society
Section 041, Summer 2019

Instructor: Prof. Pamela E. Mack
E-mail: pammack@clemson.edu
Office: Hardin 006--by appointment
this syllabus on the web: http://pammack.sites.clemson.edu/sylSTS1010.html

Note: syllabus subject to change; changes will be reflected in Canvas LMS

Course Description: Surveys historical, philosophical, and social studies of science, introduces the basic requisites for scientific and technological literacy, and considers the problems of responsible participation in a scientifically and technologically advanced society.

Course Learning Objectives and Outcomes:
By the end of this course, students should be able to

Provide details of the inception, development, and reception of scientific ideas and technological innovations by answering related factual questions
Construct and critique arguments concerning the function and significance of social phenomena related to the inception and development of scientific ideas and technological innovations
Analyze and critique arguments concerning the function and significance of scientific ideas and technological developments in social contexts
Explain and analyze ways in which society is affected by science and technology, and vice versa
Formulate logical, well-supported arguments about topics related to science and technology in society

Successful completion of the course will meet the Science and Technology in Society General Education Competency:
demonstrate an understanding of issues created by the complex interactions among science, technology, and society.

Required texts and materials:

• Culture and Technology: A Primer by Jennifer Daryl Slack and J. MacGregor Wise (second edition)
• Reliable internet access throughout the duration of this summer session
• Office Suite (Microsoft, OpenOffice.org, or Google Drive)
• Ancillary texts (articles, PDFs, videos, slides) provided in Canvas and through Internet links

Minimum technical skill requirements:
Students are expected to have a minimum working knowledge of computers and a word processing program to be successful in an online class. You must be comfortable with your computer system and willing to deal with any problems that may arise. Lack of technical knowledge can greatly interfere with your learning a new subject. For this online course, you need to have the ability to:

• Use a web browser
• Log in to Canvas with username and password
• Attach files to email messages and upload files to Canvas
• Compose written documents in a Word processor such as Microsoft Word
• Complete word processing tasks (type, cut, paste, copy, name, save, rename, etc.)
• Download information (e.g., PDFs) from the Internet
• Complete online forms
• Back up your files
• Install and maintain anti-virus and other software

Students are expected to be comfortable accessing the online course site and downloading or viewing files such as Microsoft Office documents, YouTube videos, and PDFs. In addition, students should be able to use Microsoft Office or Google Docs to compose written documents. For technical assistance with the online course site, students should contact ithelp@clemson.edu or visit CCIT's website: (http://www.clemson.edu/ccit/help_support/).

Course Requirements:
This is a course where you will learn concepts and learn to apply those concepts to examples that you research and analyze yourself. It is therefore a course with a lot of writing, though you get to drop one of the essay grades and that can be an essay that you don't write. The essay assignments are structured to lead you step by step to develop the analysis expected in this course and the discussion boards allow you to share thinking and research with your classmates.

Five essays                  55%   drop the lowest grade
reading responses        15%
topic discussions         15%
takehome final            15%

Essays will be downgraded 5 points for every calendar day late, other assignments will not be accepted late. Students will be dropped from the course if they have not written at least one essay and done at least 3 smaller assignments by 8 am July 11.

Numerical grades out of 100 will be converted to final letter grades by the system 90-100=A, 80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, below 60=F. An 89.5 or above rounds up to an A. Grades above 95 are rarely given except for exceptionally fine work.

Accomodations:
Clemson University values the diversity of our student body as a strength and a critical component of our dynamic community. Students with disabilities or temporary injuries/conditions may require accommodations due to barriers in the structure of facilities, course design, technology used for curricular purposes, or other campus resources. Students who experience a barrier to full access to this class should let the professor know, and make an appointment to meet with a staff member in Student Accessibility Services as soon as possible. You can make an appointment by calling 864-656-6848, by emailing studentaccess@lists.clemson.edu, or by visiting Suite 239 in the Academic Success Center building. Appointments are strongly encouraged – drop-ins will be seen if at all possible, but there could be a significant wait due to scheduled appointments. Students who receive Academic Access Letters are strongly encouraged to request, obtain and present these to their professors as early in the semester as possible so that accommodations can be made in a timely manner. It is the student’s responsibility to follow this process each semester. You can access further information here: http://www.clemson.edu/campus-life/campus-services/sds/.

Title IX: Clemson University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, genetic information or protected activity in employment, educational programs and activities, admissions and financial aid. This includes a prohibition against sexual harassment and sexual violence as mandated by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. This policy is located at http://www.clemson.edu/campus-life/campus-services/access/title-ix/. Mr. Jerry Knighton is the Clemson University Title IX Coordinator. He also is the Director of Access and Equity. His office is located at 110 Holtzendorff Hall, 864.656.3184 (voice) or 864.656.0899 (TDD).

Academic Integrity: As members of the Clemson University community, we have inherited Thomas Green Clemson’s vision of this institution as a “high seminary of learning.” Fundamental to this vision is a mutual commitment to truthfulness, honor, and responsibility, without which we cannot earn the trust and respect of others. Furthermore, we recognize that academic dishonesty detracts from the value of a Clemson degree. Therefore, we shall not tolerate lying, cheating, or stealing in any form.”

This includes representing someone else's work as your own or handing in the same paper to two different courses without permission of both instructors. You may re-use your exact words (according to the plagiarism standard below) from work done for this course but not from any other course. Be careful to avoid plagiarism--text you take from a web site, from a book, or from online class notes must be either quoted with the source given or restated almost entirely in your own words, with the source given. The catalog defines as one form of academic dishonesty: "Plagiarism, which includes the intentional or unintentional copying of language, structure, or ideas of another and attributing the work to one’s own efforts." Note the word unintentional--if you forget to put quote marks or a reference you can be found guilty of academic dishonesty even if it was not your intention to cheat.

It is cheating to cut and paste or otherwise copy portions of a argument paper, exam, or discussion board posting from a book, web site, or from online class material, unless you quote and give the source. Changing a few words is not sufficient to make the material your own. It is poor writing for more than about 20% of your paper to consist of quotes. In most cases when you use specific material from any source you should paraphrase: cite the source and put the ideas into you own words (generally no more than 5 consecutive words should match the source but if the words are mostly the same it could still be plagiarism even if there aren't 5 consecutive words).

The catalog states: "When, in the opinion of a course instructor, there is evidence that a student has committed an act of academic dishonesty, that person must make a formal written charge of academic dishonesty, including a description of the misconduct, to the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies. The reporting person may, at his/her discretion, inform each involved student privately of the nature of the alleged charge. In cases of plagiarism instructors may use, as an option, the Plagiarism Resolution Form available from the Office of Undergraduate Studies."

Schedule (see Canvas for links to details)

Date

Details

Fri Jun 28

introductions (discussion)	due by 11:59pm
Slack and Wise intro-chapter 1 Reading Response	due by 11:59pm

Mon Jul 1

Tue Jul 2

Wed. Jul 3

Fri Jul 5

Mon Jul 8

Tue Jul 9

Thu Jul 11

Fri Jul 12

Mon Jul 15

Tue Jul 16

Thu Jul 18

Fri Jul 19

Mon Jul 22

Tue Jul 23

Thu Jul 25

Fri Jul 26

Mon Jul 29

Wed July 31

Mon.Aug 5

This page written and copyright © Pamela E. Mack
Send me e-mail at: Pammack@clemson.edu
For my other pages see: PEM Index Page
last updated 6/25/2019