[comp.edu] Syllabus - Social Implication of Computng Course

kling@ICS.UCI.EDU (Rob Kling) (07/19/90)

  SYLLABUS

  COMPUTERIZATION IN SOCIETY  -- ICS131

  Fall 1989

  Rob Kling
  Department of Information and Computer Science
  University of California, Irvine
  (September 1989) (rev. 3/90)


  The readings come from a new book, Computerization and Controversy:
  Value Conflicts and Social Choices by Charles Dunlop and Rob Kling (ed.)
  which will be published by Academic Press late in 1990. We are providing
  the articles and about 150 pages of analytical introductions in packets
  of photocopies  which you can purchase at Kinko's.


   I.   Sept 27-29: INTRODUCTION TO THE SOCIAL STUDY OF COMPUTERIZATION -
        Week #1

      A.   Sept. 27 -- Today we discuss the orientation of this course,
           the work you will do, and the organization of activities.

         1.   Reading: "Usability vs. Computability: Social Perspectives
              Held by Computer Specialists" by Rob Kling. Paper presented
              at 1989 IFIP Conference.

      B.   Sept 29  -- Film: Now the Chips are Down.


  II.   Oct. 3-5: THE DREAMS OF TECHNOLOGICAL UTOPIANISM --  Week #2

        Are we witnessing a "computer revolution" or living in an
        "information society?" This week we examine some fundamental
        images about the role of computers in social life.

      A.   Assignment: Oct 3 (written assignment #1 described)

      B.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter B1

           Introduction to THE DREAMS OF TECHNOLOGICAL UTOPIANISM --
           Charles Dunlop and Rob Kling

           Feigenbaum, Edward and Pamela McCorduck.  Fifth Generation:
           Artificial Intelligence and Japan's Computer Challenge to the
           World. Excerpts: Prologue, Experts in Silicon, Section 7
           (Speculations in Knowledge Futures), Epilogue.

           Grudin, Jonathan. "Why CSCW Applications fail: problems in the
           Design and Evaluation of Organizational Interfaces." 1988 CSCW
           conference.

           Kling, Rob  and Suzanne Iacono "Making a Computer Revolution"
           --  Journal of Computing and Society 1(1).

           Poppel, Harvey L. "Office Automation -- Who Needs it?" Harvard
           Business Review 60(6)(#82)(Nov-Dec 1982): 146-155.

           Sculley, John -- "The Relationship Between Business and Higher
           Education: A Perspective on the Twenty-first Century."
           Communications of the ACM 32(9) (September 1989):1056-1061.



 III.   Oct 10-12: THE ECONOMIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL
                  DIMENSIONS OF COMPUTERIZATION - Week #3

        This week we will examine how computer technologies shape and are
        shaped by organizations. Organizations, such as IBM, DEC,
        Honeywell and Apple, are the primary vendors of computing
        equipment and it is difficult to understand the behavior of the
        computer industry without some insight into the internal dynamics
        of organizational life. Organizations are still the primary
        consumers of computer-based products, and it is also difficult to
        understand computerization without some insight into the dynamics
        of organizational life. We will examine principles of
        organizational behavior, and then examine computerization in light
        of them.

      A.   Assignments: Oct 10 (written assignment #1 due);
                        Oct 12 (written assignment #2 described)

      B.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter B2

           Introduction to "THE ECONOMIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSIONS OF
           COMPUTERIZATION" -- Charles Dunlop and Rob Kling

           Baily, Martin Neal. "Great Expectations: PCs and Productivity"
           PC Computing 2(4) (April 1989): 137-141.

           Feder, Barnaby J. "Getting the Electronics Just Right: Wells
           Fargo is a Case Study in How a Company can Exploit the
           Information Revolution." New York Times, Business Section,
           Sunday, June 4, 1989: pp 1,8.

           Miller, Michael J. "PCs and Productivity: Where's the Payoff?"
           Infoworld 11(38) (Sept 18, 1989), pp59, 62.

           Rule, James and Paul Attewell. "What Do Computers Do?" Social
           Problems 36(3)(June 1989):225-241.

           Salerno, Lynne. "Whatever Happened to the Computer Revolution?"
           Harvard Business Review 63(6) (Nov./Dec. 1985):129-138.

           Kling, Rob. "Social Analysis of Computing" (from Computing
           Surveys 1980) (excerpt, Sections 1-2). ...



  IV.   Oct 17-19: COMPUTERIZATION IN WORK - Week #4

        Computerization is a complex social and technical process for
        making social activities depend upon computers. How does
        computerization alter the character of office life and jobs in
        offices?

      A.   Assignment: Oct 19: Assignment #2 due

      B.   Film: "Computers in Context" (Oct 17).? (or in week #9)

      C.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter C1

           Introduction to COMPUTERIZATION IN WORK -- Charles Dunlop and
           Rob Kling

           Attewell, Paul  "Big Brother and the Sweatshop" Theoretical
           Sociology.

           Gasser, Les. "The Integration of Computing and Routine Work."
           ACM Transactions on Office Information Systems. 4(3)(July
           1986): 205-225.

           Guiliano, Vincent "The Mechanization of Work" Scientific
           American September 1982.

           Kling, Rob and Suzanne Iacono ``Changing Office Technologies
           and the Transformation of Clerical Jobs." in Technology and the
           Transformation of White Collar Work Robert Kraut (ed.)  Chapter
           4.

           Perrole, Judith "Intellectual Assembly Lines:The
           Rationalization of Managerial, Professional and Technical Work"
           Computers and the Social Sciences. 2(3):(July -Sept.
           1986):111-122.



   V.   Oct 24-26: COMPUTERIZATION AND SCHOOLING  -- Week #5

      A.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter C2

           Introduction to COMPUTERIZATION AND SCHOOLING -- Charles Dunlop
           and Rob Kling

           Garfinkel, Simson L. --  A Second Wind for Athena: The
           Experiment Scheduled to Finish in 1988 in Some Ways Just
           Beginning.  The Best of Technology Review  1989 pp. 27-31

           Kling, Rob --  Commentary: The New Wave of Computing in
           Colleges and Universities: A Social Analysis. SIGCUE Outlook
           1986 pp. 8-14

           Schank, Roger. Selection from The Cognitive Computer.
           "Computers at School" pp 200-212.

           Tucker, Marc --  Computers in the Schools.  Speech given by
           Marc S.  Tucker in January 1985 to the Association of American
           Publishers at their  Annual Meeting in Ryetown, New York.  1985
           pp. 76-93




  VI.   Oct 31 - Nov 2: SOCIAL RELATIONS IN ELECTRONIC COMMUNITIES -- Week
        #6

      A.   Midterm:

      B.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter C3

           Introduction to SOCIAL RELATIONS IN ELECTRONIC COMMUNITIES --
           Charles Dunlop and Rob Kling

           Peter J. Denning, "A New Paradigm for Science".  American
           Scientist, Vol. 75 (November-December, 1987), pp. 572-573.

           James R. Beniger, "Information Society and Global Science".
           The Annals of The American Academy of Political and Social
           Science, Vol 495 (January, 1988), pp. 14-28.

           Sara Kiesler, Jane Siegel, and Timothy W. McGuire, "Social
           Psychological Aspects of Computer-Mediated Communication".
           American Psychologist, Vol, 39, No. 10 (October, 1984), pp.
           1123-1134.  (not in packet #1)

           Judith A. Perrolle, "Conversations and Trust in Computer
           Interfaces".  (not in packet #1)

           Fred W. Weingarten and D. Linda Garcia, "Public Policy
           Concerning the Exchange and Distribution of Scientific
           Information".  The Annals of The American Academy of Political
           and Social Science, Vol 495 (January, 1988), pp. 61-72.

           Lindsy Van Gelder, "The Strange Case of the Electronic Lover:
           A Real-Life Story of Deception, Seduction, and Technology".
           Ms., Vol. XIV, No. 4 (October, 1985), pp. 94, 99, 101-104, 117,
           123, 124. [not in packet #1] replaced by: "The French are
           Falling in Love with their Computers, and Through Them. Justine
           du Lacy.




 VII.   Nov. 7-9: SOCIAL CONTROL AND PRIVACY -- Week #7

        Does the use of computerized communication and information systems
        often lead to "invasions of personal privacy"?  What do
        "matching," "profiling," and "fair information practices" mean in
        the context of computerized technologies and privacy?

      A.   Assignment: Nov 7: Written assignment #3 described.

      B.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter D1

           Introduction to SOCIAL CONTROL AND PRIVACY -- Charles Dunlop
           and Rob Kling

           Roger C. Clarke, "Information Technology and Dataveillance",
           CACM, Vol. 31, No. 5 (May, 1988), pp. 498-512.

           Rob Kling, "Value Conflicts in Computing Developments"
           Telecommunications Policy 1983.

           Kenneth C. Laudon, "Comment on 'Preserving Individual Autonomy
           in an Information-Oriented Society'".  In Lance J. Hoffman et.
           al. Computer Privacy in the Next Decade, New York:  Academic
           Press (1980), pp. 89-95.

           Richard P. Kusserow, "The Government Needs Computer Matching to
           Root Out Waste and Fraud", CACM, Vol. 27, No. 6 (June, 1984),
           pp. 542-545.

           Privacy Protection Study Commission, Personal Privacy in an
           Information Society, U.S. Government Printing Office (1977),
           pp. 3-37 [with footnotes deleted].

           Evelyn Richards, "Proposed FBI Crime Computer System Raises
           Questions on Accuracy, Privacy . . .", The Washington Post,
           February 13, 1989.  [Posted on RISKS-FORUM Digest, Vol. 8, No.
           27 (February 16, 1989).]

           RISKS contributions by Martin Minow from Volume 8, Issue 30
           (February 24, 1989), and by Les Earnest, John McCarthy, and
           Jerry Hollombe [3 separate contributions] from Volume 8, Issue
           31 (February 27, 1989).

           James B. Rule et. al, "Preserving Individual Autonomy in an
           Information-Oriented Society".  In Lance J. Hoffman et. al.
           Computer Privacy in the Next Decade, New York:  Academic Press
           (1980), pp. 65-87.

           John Shattuck, "Computer Matching is a Serious Threat to
           Individual Rights", CACM, Vol. 27, No. 6 (June, 1984), pp.
           538-541.



VIII.   Nov 14-16: SECURITY AND RELIABILITY IN CRITICAL TASK PERFORMANCE
        -- Week #8

      A.   Assignment: Nov 14: Written assignment #3 due.

      B.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter D2

           Introduction to SECURITY AND RELIABILITY IN CRITICAL TASK
           PERFORMANCE -- Charles Dunlop and Rob Kling

           Alan Borning, "Computer System Reliability and Nuclear War".
           CACM, Vol 30, No. 2 (February, 1987), pp. 112-131.

           Peter J. Denning, "Computer Viruses".  American Scientist, Vol.
           76 (May-June, 1988), pp. 236-238.

           Jonathan Jacky, "Safety-Critical Computing:  Hazards,
           Practices, Standards and Regulation".

           David Lorge Parnas, "Software Aspects of Strategic Defense
           Systems". Originally published in American Scientist, Vol. 73,
           No. 5, pp. 432-440. Reprinted in CACM, Vol. 28, No. 12
           (December, 1985), pp. 1326-1335.

           Brian Cantwell Smith, "The Limits of Correctness".  Issued as
           Report No. CSLI-85-35 by the Center for the Study of Language
           and Information (Stanford University), and marked Copyright
           1985 by Brian Cantwell Smith.  Also printed in the ACM SIG
           journal Computers and Society, combined Vol. 14, No. 4 and Vol.
           15, Nos. 1, 2, 3 (Winter / Spring / Summer / Fall, 1985), pp.
           18-26.

           RISKS-FORUM DIGEST excerpts

           Clifford Stoll, "Stalking the Wily Hacker".  CACM, Vol. 31, No.
           5 (May, 1988), pp. 484-497.

           "Computers and War: If Knowledge is Power, Where is
           Responsibility?" Jack Buesmanns and Karen Wieckert. CACM.

  IX.   Nov 21-23: SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF DESIGN  -- Week #9.

      A.   Assignment: Nov 21: Written assignment #4 described.

      B.   Film: "Computers in Context" (or Oct 17?). (distributed by
           California Newsreel)

      C.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter E1

                Readings to be selected for packet #2.


   X.   Dec 5-7: ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES AND PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES --
        Week #10.

      A.   Assignment: Dec 5: Written assignment #4 due.

      B.   Readings: Computerization and Controversy  -- Chapter  E2

           Introduction to ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES AND PROFESSIONAL
           RESPONSIBILITIES -- Charles Dunlop and Rob Kling

           "ACM Code of Professional Conduct".  Reprinted in Deborah G.
           Johnson and John W. Snapper (eds.), Ethical Issues in the Use
           of Computers.  Belmont, California:  Wadsworth Publishing
           Company (1985), pp. 31-34.

           Carl Barus, "Military Influence on the Electrical Engineering
           Curriculum Since World War II".  IEEE Technology and Society
           Magazine, Vol. 6, No. 2 (June, 1987), pp. 3-9.

           Rob Kling, "Computer Abuse and Computer Crime as Organizational
           Activities".  Computer / Law Journal, Vol. II, No. 2 (Spring,
           1980), pp. ??-??.  Reprinted in Computers and Society, 12
           (1982), pp. 12-24.

           Terry Winograd, "Some Thoughts on Military Funding".  The CPSR
           Newsletter, Vol. 2, No. 2 (Spring, 1984), pp. 1-3.

           Joseph Weizenbaum, Computer Power and Human Reason, Chapter 10.
           San Francisco:  W. H. Freeman and Company (1976), pp. 258-280 +
           Notes to Chapter 10, pp. 286-287.

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