Instructor: W. David Laverell
Office Hours: By appointment.
Course work: This course will be based mainly on reading, watching videos, writing responses, discussion, and classroom activities. There will also be a final project and presentation. The course is not going to be challenging in the technical computer science sense, but it will require your faithful reading, preparation, and participation in order for the course to be worthwhile (and in order for you to get a good grade).
The key to success in this course is to keep up with the reading, journaling, and class preparation. Allocate a two-hour block to do the preparation needed for each class, and you should always be caught up.
Reading critiques: You will be asked to write a short reaction or critique to each of the readings. This may be your personal reaction to the issue and your answers to the study questions I hand out, if any. Bonus points for a discussion of how the issue affects your faith, worldview, and/or values. Spelling and grammar will not affect the grade except to the extent that they detract from clarity. However, your reaction should interact deeply and thoughtfully with the reading.
Since your preparation for discussion is essential for the success of this class, I am going to require that these critiques be be turned in at the start of the class at which the discussion occurs; late papers will not be accepted. Since the critiques are worth about 1% of the final grade each, missing about three critiques will lower your final grade one third of a letter grade.
Discussion participation and leading: Students will be assigned to lead discussion on each paper or video. I may also provide study questions. Students who are not leading will still be expected to attend class and participate in the discussion.
Tests: There may be a test at some point during the semester.
Final project: Each student will chose a topic of interest and write an opinion paper on that topic from a Christian perspective. Students will present the issue and their opinions in the last week of class. The projects should address some particular issue with respect to the social and ethical implications of computing. Some examples might include the ethics of file-sharing with Napster, censorship on the internet, the ethics of Bess, the desirability of digital cash, etc.
Grading: Attendance, participation, and discussion leading together will constitute 25% of the grade. (If you must miss class, please let me know why.) Critiques will count for 25%. The term paper will count for 25%. The hypothetical test will count for a total of 25%.
Late Policy: Late critiques will not be accepted without significant extenuating circumstances.
Incomplete grades will not be given except for strong extenuating circumstances, such as significant illness or a death in the family.
Attendance: I will take attendence fairly often; unexcused absences will lower your grade.
Accomodations: Calvin will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students should notify the Coordinator of Services for Students with Disabilities located in the Student Academic Services, HH 455. Students should notify their instructors within the first two weeks of class.