Credits

3 (3/0/0)

Description

Meets MnTC Goal Areas 2, 6 and 8. Developments in the arts, architecture, science, philosophy and education and studies in human interaction are often provoked by changes in technology. Early changes in military technology made it possible for civilizations to take charge of various places on the world's stage. However, over time, changes in how the world was understood, motivated by general advances in global exploration, astronomy and other sciences as well as specific inventions such as movable type, proved even more instrumental in driving people to new and different understandings of what it means to be human. This course explores how technology impacts developments in a culture's world view and tries to anticipate how future changes in technology might alter the course of otherwise established ways of life.

Competencies

Students will demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between advances in technologies and changes in the daily lives of societies that adopt them.
Students will be able to recognize how various technologies have impacted on today's social order and anticipate advantages and difficulties associated with emerging technologies
Students will be able to draw connections between advances in technology and inevitabilities such as changes in how education is demanded and delivered
Students will be able to identify specific philosophical, political and social movements and how they helped foster technical innovation or prevent natural technical evolution
Students will recognize how changes in technology such as paint, sound recordings and motion pictures have affected the range of expressions available to artists.
Students will demonstrate the importance of understanding technology both an aid to ethical and productive self expression and a hindrance to responsible social interaction.
Students will draw connections between modes of expression and associated limitations resulting from inequities in education and economic and social class.
Students will demonstrate an understanding of how major technical advances such as the printing press promoted global communication and cultural exchanges.
Students will be able to identify which applications of modern technology improve ethnic diversity and which applications promote intolerance.
Students will be able to identify which apparently small improvements in military technology were responsible for major political changes on a global scale.
Students will be able to posit workable solutions for addressing inequities in matters of global social and economic development imposed by changes in technology.