2023 Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Industrial Engineering and Economics Graduate major in Industrial Engineering and Economics
Computers in Society
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Industrial Engineering and Economics
- Instructor(s)
- Katelyn Adrienne Seaborn
- Class Format
- Lecture/Exercise (Face-to-face)
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - 5-6 Mon (W9-425) / 5-6 Thu (W9-425)
- Class
- -
- Course Code
- IEE.D435
- Number of credits
- 110
- Course offered
- 2023
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Jul 8, 2025
- Language
- English
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
This course will introduce engineering students to fundamental theory and practice in the social, political, legal, and ethical implications of computer-based technologies. Through in-class activities, assignments, and reflection work, students will gain a basic understanding of essential concepts and theories, modern and historical cases, and guidelines for best practice. Key concepts include algorithmic bias, privacy in the social media era, digital communities, vectors of misinformation, the roles governments, companies, and ourselves play in infodemics, digital inclusion, and more. The main objective is to inform and encourage critical thinking in students who will be playing key roles in deciding, creating, marketing, governing, and disseminating computer-based technologies.
Course description and aims
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
1) Describe the key concepts in society relevant to computing in the modern era.
2) Explain the roles of social, political, legal, and ethical factors in contemporary computing research and technology innovation practice.
3) Critically reflect on these factors in their own thinking, orientations, and practice within the contexts of their education, daily lives, workplaces, and future aspirations for the development of new technologies.
4) Communicate these reflections to others as well as collaborate with others to evaluate and debate praxis and case studies.
5) Extend this knowledge and practice to future coursework and beyond.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
An instructor with work experience in industry and research projects that interfaced with the public will provide education on the relationship between society and research practice.
Keywords
Science and technology studies, computer ethics, design practice, critical thinking
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
- Intercultural knowledge
Class flow
The first class each week will introduce the material for that week, incorporating interactive activities (e.g., hands-on demos, brainstorming, quick activities), individual reflection, and group discussion. Students will then be given a take-home assignment to be completed before the second class that week. That second class will start with a discussion of the take-home assignment and build on the material from the first class. Students will be expected to complete readings from the text and/or other sources before the next week of classes. Attendance is taken every class.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Foundational Topics: Key Factors & Critical Frameworks | Explain key concepts at a high level. |
| Class 2 | Intellectual Property | Explain what IP is and how it is managed, especially in the modern technosphere. |
| Class 3 | Free Speech & Individual Rights | Justify personal rights with respect to modern examples. |
| Class 4 | Privacy & Security | Describe common challenges and situations in cyberspace. |
| Class 5 | Cyber Governance & Political Power | Understand how power can operate through technology. |
| Class 6 | Social Movements Online | Understand how social movements use modern technologies. |
| Class 7 | Digital Inclusion | Explain the idea of inclusion with respect to modern technology, online and off. |
| Class 8 | Ethical AI & Algorithmic Bias | Describe ideas behind ethical AI and give examples of algorithmic bias. |
| Class 9 | Information Liberation & Misinformation | Discuss how misinformation occurs in technospaces in relation to the open information ecology. |
| Class 10 | Cyberwarfare & Surveillance | Explain how technology can be used to monitor citizens and attack nations. |
| Class 11 | Education | Describe how computers have transformed education, including hybrid models. |
| Class 12 | Health & Medicine | Describe how computers have transformed the medical world and health practice. |
| Class 13 | Automation & Lifestyle | Describe how computers have changed our everyday lives, especially with respect to automation. |
| Class 14 | Individual Presentations | Demonstrate communication and critical thinking skills as well as understanding of key course topics. |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class. They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course materials.
Textbook(s)
Baecker, Ronald M. (2019). Computers and Society: Modern Perspectives. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Baecker, Ronald M. (2019). Computers and Society: Modern Perspectives. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK.
Baase, Sara & Henry, Timothy M. (2017) A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal and Ethical Issues for Computing Technology (5th ed.). Pearson: Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Evaluation methods and criteria
The main graded components are the weekly assignments (48%), a group project (38%), and attendance (14%).
Related courses
- ESD.A402 ： Design Thinking Fundamentals
- ESD.B401 ： Engineering Design Advanced
Prerequisites
No firm requirements, but a high level of English is strongly recommended.