Students have two types of assignments: papers and team projects.
Papers
During weeks 2-5, students will write short papers responding to the readings and topics assigned for each class.
For the end of the term, each student will prepare a separate 15-20 page final paper which synthesizes the learning from all of the cases and applies one or more of the crosscutting themes to them.
Students
KD = Kieran Downes
DF = Dietrich Falkenthal
AH = Angela Ho
SH = Shirley Hung
SL = Spencer Lewis
AM = Aleksandra Mozdzanowska
CN = Christine Ng
Files are presented courtesy of the student authors and used with permission.
Course assignments.| ASSIGNMENTS | TOPICS | STUDENT WORK |
|---|
| Paper 1 | Responses to Rescuing Prometheus | KD (PDF)
DF (PDF)
SL (PDF)
AM (PDF)
CN (PDF) |
| Paper 2 | Responses to Columbia Accident Investigation | KD (PDF)
DF (PDF)
SL (PDF)
AM (PDF)
CN (PDF) |
| Paper 3 | Responses to Allison Reading (PDF) | |
| Paper 4 | Responses to Technology Assessment Readings (PDF) | SL (PDF) |
| Final Paper | Various | KD: "Can we call it Failure? Digital Equipment Corporation and the Minicomputer as an Engineering Success Story" (PDF)
DF: "Policy on Emerging Technology: Roles of Individuals and Organizations Case Study Analysis" (PDF)
AM: "What is the Relationship between Technology and Social Values?" (PDF)
CN: "Making the Leap - Opportunities and Risks of Emerging Technologies" (PDF) |
Team-based Case Presentations
During weeks 6-11, a multidisciplinary team will be chosen for each week. The team is expected to put together and present a comprehensive presentation on the team project. The case presentations will be 30-45 minutes each. Each team will meet at least once with either Larry McCray or Jason Black prior to the presentation for assistance/progress reviews.
Each team should pick a major decision or series of decisions involving the development of the technology in question and discuss how and why the decision was made. This should include an analysis of the technical, political, economic, and social factors as well as the uncertainties associated with them. The teams will do an integrated analysis of the decision and propose ways in which the decision process could have been improved.
Suggested Format for all Case Presentations
Background on Technology Development (to enable later discussion)
Major Decision/Series of Decisions
Consequences
Themes (Crosscutting) - pick 2-3 + one of your own
What could have been done better? / How could the process be improved?
The case presentations are presented in the lecture notes section.