1. 1
Hudson Valley Community College
Troy, New York 12180
Syllabus for Fall 2017
SOCL 255 Technology in Society
Course Description: This course considers the nature of the interaction
among science, technology, and society, the consequences of such
interaction, and possible future trends of interaction. It will use
readings from leading theorists in a variety of disciplines to look at
current event topics that relate to technology and society. It will focus
on helping students to develop an awareness of the impact of
technology on their lives and to develop the knowledge base
necessary to be good decision makers when dealing with these issues
in their daily life. This course is designed for students from all
curricula and will employ a multidisciplinary approach to the subject
matter. Note: This course is open only to students in one of the
Honors Advisement tracks or by permission of the Department Chair.
Department: History, Philosophy, and Social Sciences
Course/Section: SOCL 255 ABC Technology in Society MWR 1:00—1:50PM
Credit Hours: Three (3)
Instructor: Dr. E.R. Rugenstein, Cultural History
Office Location & Hours: Marvin Library Faculty Office Wing: Office 101
Tuesday X:000am – Y:00pm, Wednesday X:50xm – Y:30am, and by
appointment
Texts:
Kaku, Michio, Physics of the Future. New York, NY: Anchor Books,
Random House Inc., 2012
Carr, Nicholas, The Shallows: What the Internet is Doing to Our
Brains, New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, 2011
Winston, Morton and Ralph Edelbach, Society,
Ethics, and Technology 5th ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth Cengage
Learning, 2014
Zinn, Howard, A People’s History of the United States
New York, NY: Harper & Roe Publishers, 2003
Objectives:
Students will:
1. Discuss effects of technological change.
2. Discuss implications of “future shock”.
3. Gain an understanding of the ways society-technology-
science interact and enhance each other.
4. Discuss the differences between the macro-level and micro-
level impacts of science and technology.
5. Identify the prior inventors and their invention, which
preceded a paradigmatic change.
6. Design a paradigmatic model, which filters and prioritizes
technological change. NCATE STD

2. 2
Mid-Term Exam, DBQs,
& Final Oral Presentations:
DO NOT USE WIKIPEDIA AS A SOURCE ON
ANY ASSIGNMENT, TEST OR ESSAY IN THIS CLASS.
Wikipedia is a non-scholarly source without any form of peer
review. If you use Wikipedia for a source you will lose 15 points
from the assignment automatically.
Mid-Term Exam – The Mid-term is a short answer exam based on
the readings in the course texts and the class lectures. Information
Sheets are allowed.
Data Based Questions – DBQs are in two parts. Part 1 consists of a
number of documents, pictures, or lyrics with questions to be
answered. Use this information to answer the questions. Answers for
Part 1 should be a typed document. Part 2 is a directed essay based on
the documents, course texts, and independent research of the student.
Essays should be at least 400 words, using Times/Times-New Roman
typestyle, one inch margins, double-spaced, with citations and
bibliography. Part 2 essays should standalone and not added onto/into
Part 1.
Final Oral Presentation – Each student will give a minimum seven
(7) minute presentation on a topic of their interest from the course.
Separate instructions will be given on the important points on this
assignment. It is important that you do not miss the class when the
presentations are given
Grade Breakdown:
Mid-Term Exam 150 pts.
Data Based Question (100pts/ea) 400 pts
Final Project Oral Presentation 550 pts.
Participation/Attendance 100 pts.
Total Points 1200 pts. Max
Possible Extra Credit 80 pts.
A Excellent (4.0) 1110 points and above
B Very Good (3.0) 1020-1109
C Average (2.0) 930-1019
D Passing (1.0) 840-929
F Failure (0.0) 839 and below.
Reading Assignments:
Week Week of: Author/Reading Topic
1 August 28 * Discussion: As you have grown up how has A Prologue to the Class
technology changed and has it changed
your life?
* Richards - Ted Talks: A Radical Experiment in Empathy What is and what will
* Carr - Chapts. 2 - 4: The Vital Paths, Tools of the Mind, be Technology?
The Deepening Page, & The Digressions
2 September 4 * Hills - Ted Talks: Back to the Future (of 1994) What is and what will
* Teich - Section Part I: Thinking About Technology be Technology?
* Kaku - Introduction: Predicting the Next 100 Years
* Carr - Prologue & Chapt. 1: Hal and Me
• September 4 No Class
3 September 11 * Industrial Revolution Presentations 18th
Century: Changes
* Zinn - Chapt. 10: The Other Civil War in technology and its
* La Force - Technological Diffusion in the 18th
impact on society

3. 3
Century: The Spanish Textile Industry
September 13 DBQ #1(Due)
4 September 18 * Industrial Revolution Presentations Cont. 19th
Century: Changes
* Fin de Siécle Presentation (End of a Century/New Beginning) in technology and its
* Zinn - Chapts. 11, 12, 13: Robber Barons and Rebels, The impact on society
Empire and the People & The Socialist Challenge
5 September 25 *Zinn - Chapts. 14, 15, 16: War is the Health of the State, Self 1900-1950: Changes
Help in Hard Times, & A People’s War in technology and
* Teich - Section Part VI, Chapter 21 An Unforeseen Revolution: its impact on society.
Computer & Expectations 1935-1986
6 October 2 * Zinn - Chapts.18, 19: The Impossible Victory -Vietnam 1950-1980: Changes
& Surprises in technology and
* Teich - Section Part VI: Chapt. 22 Why I Am Not Buying its impact on society.
A Computer
* Carr - Chapts. 5,6,7: A Medium of the Most General Nature,
The Very Image of a Book, & The Juggler’s Brain and the Digression
• October 9 No Classes
October 13 DBQ #2 (Due)
7 October 16 * Teich - Section Part II: Debating Technology: 1960s Style 1980-2000: Changes
* Teich - Section Part VI: Chapt. 25: Net Neutrality 101, in technology and
Chapt. 26 Managing Broadband Networks its impact on society
* Kaku - Chapt. 1: Future of Computers
* Lean - BBC Historyextra: A Brave New World: The 1980s
Home Computer Boom
October 18 Mid-Term Exam
8 October 23 * Carr - Chapts. 8, 9: The Church of Google, Search, Memory, 2000-2015: Changes
& Digression in technology and
* Teich - Section Part III: Debating Technology: 21st
Century its impact on society
Style
* Kaku - Chapt. 2: Future of AI
* Murray - Mathematical Association of America: Y2K: A
Personal History
9 October 30 * Teich - Section Part IV & V: Debating Technology: 2015-2030: Changes
Contemporary Climate Change, & The New Biology in technology and
* Kaku - Chapt. 3 & 4: Future of Medicine & Nano-technology its impact on society
* Suresh – The 14th
Israel Materials Engineering Conference:
Materials Sciemce at the Intersections of Nanotechnology,
Life Sciences, and Medicine
10 November 6 * Teich - Section Part VII: Governance and Globalization 2030-2050: Changes
* Doequier & Rapoport - Journal of Economic Literature: in technology and
Globalization, Brain Drain, and Development its impact on society
* Frey - Futurespeaker: 2 Billion Jobs to Disappear by 2030
* Frey – Ted Talks: 2 Billion Jobs to Disappear by 2030
11 November 13 * Kaku - Chapt.5: Future of Energg 2050 to the Future:
* Mazurek - Clean Energy Documentary: The Future of Energy: How will technology
Lateral Power to the People and society impact
* Gibbs - Scientific America: Plan B for Energy:8 each other?
Revolutionary Energy Sources
November 17 DBQ #3 (Due)
12 November 20 * Kaku - Chapt. 7 & 8: Future of Wealth & Humanity The Future: How will
* Stahl - CBSN: The Future of Money technology & Society
* Narula - Ted Talk: The Future of Money impact each other?
• November 22-25 No Classes
13 November 27 * Kaku - Chapt. 6 & 9: Future of Space Travel & A Day The Future & An
in the Life in 2100 Epilogue to the class
* Carr - Chapt 10: A Thing Like Me, & Epilogue: Human
Elements
* Kaku - Nova: The Future of Space travel and the Prospects
of Discovering Alien Life
* Discussion: What about the future and you?
November 29 Extra-Credit (Due)
December 1 DBQ #4 (Due)
14 December 4 Final Oral Presentations
15 December 11 Final Oral Presentations

4. 4
Plagiarism:
Plagiarism is offering someone else's work as your own, whether one
sentence or whole paragraphs, and whether from an internet source,
book, periodical, or the writing of other students. It is also dishonest
to submit your own paper as original work in more than one course.
Penalties for plagiarism range from failing the assignment to
failing the course or suspension from HVCC, depending on the
seriousness of the breach of academic integrity. You will be turned
into the school administration if you are caught plagiarizing or
cheating. Even the first time.
Attendance:
Attendance is a part of classroom participation and is required for
the course and includes all classes, exams, discussions and the final
presentation. Every time you attend class you earn 2 attendance
points per class. If you do not miss any classes, you will earn 100
points. In order to meet the minimum qualifications to be
considered attending you must accumulate at least 58 attendance
points and have taken the Mid-Term Exam and completed at least
two (2) DBQs. If you have not participated satisfactorily in the
course you will earn an administrative withdrawal, a "Z" grade.
Attendance will be taken at the beginning of class. If you arrive late
or leave early from class, you are considered absent. It is also rude
to get up and walk out of the class once it has started
Classroom Behavior:
Classroom behavior is another component of classroom participation.
I expect that you will show respect to fellow students and to myself.
Disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Examples include talking,
snapping gum, playing on laptops, using electronic devices, passing
notes, throwing things, getting up and walking out of class
excessively, walking around the room to throw things into the trash,
etc. If you cause such disturbances you will be asked to leave and it
will result in loss of points for that day’s participation / attendance.
Except for laptops all electronic devices must be turned off during
class especially cell-phones, beepers, and CD Players. The
classroom is a free-thinking zone – you can express yourselves freely
as long as you are respectful of others and their views. Name calling
will not be tolerated.
Make-up Work & Late Work:
There is no make-up work. If you miss a test or if
you hand work in late, you get a zero unless special
personal experiences have been communicated to
me within 24 hours of the test/assignment and we have worked out a
solution. If a make up date is
made for a test or an alternate due date is
needed you will get one attempt for a make up
test or an alternate due date. E-mail me at
r.rugenstein@hvcc.edu or call and leave a
message at (518) 629-7698. I preferemail.
Course Correspondence:
All official correspondence and announcements for
this course will be made in class or through the
HVCC server only. No response will be made to
private e-mail addresses only to hvcc.edu addresses.

5. 5
Course Requirement
Signature Form: You must sign the Course Requirement Signature
Form after you fully understand the requirements
of this course. If after the in class instruction time
concerning the syllabus and the other course
requirements you still do not understand the
information presented you will have the
opportunity for a one-on-one meeting with the
professor. This is a mandatory assignment. Failure to sign
this form will incur a deduction of one letter grade from
your final grade.
Statement of College Policy
regarding Accommodations
for Students with Disabilities:
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Hudson
Valley Community College is committed to ensuring educational
access and accommodations for all its registered students, in order
to fully participate in programs and course activities or to meet
course requirements. Hudson Valley Community College's
students with documented disabilities and medical conditions are
encouraged to access these services by registering with the Center
for Access and Assistive Technology or the Learning Disabilities
Specialist to discuss their particular needs for accommodations.
For information or an appointment contact the Center for Access
and Assistive Technology, located in room 130 of the Siek Campus
Center or call518-629-7154/TDD:518-629-7596 or contact the
Learning Disabilities Specialist located in the Learning Assistance
Center, in the lower level of the Marvin Library, phone number
629-7552

6. 6
EXTRA CREDIT
There are a number of opportunities to receive extra credit for this course. The maximum number of extra
credit points that you will be able to earn is 80. All review forms, essays, and opinion papers must be
turned in no later than November 29, 2017. No Emails.
I) Cultural Events 20 points (and/or A, B, C):
A) Visit the NYS Museum, Madison Ave. (across from the Plaza). (Free
admission) Review the exhibit Fire Engine Hall. Look at how the different
advancing technology has had an impact on fire fighting. Write a 250-
word essay of your impression of the exhibits.
B) Visit the NYS Museum, Madison Ave. (across from the Plaza). (Free
admission) Review the exhibit Beneath the City: An Archaeological Perspective of Albany
Write a 250-word essay of your impression of the exhibit.
C) Visit the NYS Museum, Madison Ave. (across from the Plaza). (Free
admission) Review the exhibit Hudson Valley Ruins. Write a 250-word essay of your impression
of the exhibit.
II) Historic/Sociological/Technological Movie Reviews
Ten (10) points for each movie review. (maximum of 50 points) For each movie
download the movie review form from blackboard, watch any of the following
movies, fill out the form while you are watching the movie, and turn it in before the
end of the semester as stated above.
Nineteen-eighty-four (1956)
Birth of A Nation (1915)
Judgment at Nuremburg (1961)
Das Boot (1981)
The Atomic Café (1982)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Metropolis (1927)

7. 7
Course Requirement Signature Form
I understand the requirements for the course SOCL 255-XYZ and the various points of
the syllabus specifically the following:
Course Objectives: _______________________________
initial
Mid-Term Exam, DBQs,
& Final Oral Presentation: _______________________________
initial
Grade Breakdown: _______________________________
initial
Reading Assignments: _______________________________
initial
Plagiarism: _______________________________
initial
Attendance: _______________________________
initial
Classroom Behavior: _______________________________
initial
Make-up Work & Late Work: _______________________________
initial
Course Correspondence: _______________________________
initial
Extra-Credit: ________________________________
initial
Name: ___________________________________
print
___________________________________
signature
Date: _________________________