ARTS 3011 - Humans and Technology: From Stone Tools to Cyborgs

North Terrace Campus - Summer - 2021

The young people of today will experience more change in their lifetimes than any previous generation of humans. They might even be the last generation of Homo sapiens. To grasp the magnitude of the current technological revolution, it is necessary to step back and place it in the bigger picture. This course explores the long history of the two-way relationship between humans and technology over the last 200,000 years. Humans create new forms of technology, but every significant technological innovation rewires society and changes us both physically and psychologically. During the course we examine in turn the impact on humans and human society of the following: (1) Stone tools, abstract language, and the domestication of fire; (2) The Neolithic agricultural revolution, metallurgy, and writing; (3) Gunpowder and the printing press; (4) The steam engine; (5) Telecommunications, e.g. telegraph, radio, television; (6) Digital technologies, genetic engineering and the hybridisation of humans and machines.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code ARTS 3011
    Course Humans and Technology: From Stone Tools to Cyborgs
    Coordinating Unit Arts Faculty Office
    Term Summer
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact 36 hours
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Course Description The young people of today will experience more change in their lifetimes than any previous generation of humans. They might even be the last generation of Homo sapiens. To grasp the magnitude of the current technological revolution, it is necessary to step back and place it in the bigger picture. This course explores the long history of the two-way relationship between humans and technology over the last 200,000 years. Humans create new forms of technology, but every significant technological innovation rewires society and changes us both physically and psychologically.

    During the course we examine in turn the impact on humans and human society of the following: (1) Stone tools, abstract language, and the domestication of fire; (2) The Neolithic agricultural revolution, metallurgy, and writing; (3) Gunpowder and the printing press; (4) The steam engine; (5) Telecommunications, e.g. telegraph, radio, television; (6) Digital technologies, genetic engineering and the hybridisation of humans and machines.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Dr Gareth Pritchard

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    1 Demonstrate a broad knowledge of the relationship over time between technology, human society, and human biology and psychology.
    2 Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of the impact of one specific technological innovation.
    3 Engage with the theoretical literature on humans and technology, identify the strengths and weaknesses of scholars’ arguments, and present independent conclusions in a variety of formats.
    4 Collaborate with other students in research tasks and the presentations of findings.
    5 Engage with the historical, political, social, biological, and ethical issues that are raised by the technological revolution of the twenty-first century.
    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1, 2
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    3
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    3, 4
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    4, 5
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    4, 5
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    4, 5
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    The textbook for this course will be Yuval Noah Harari, Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (2015)
    Recommended Resources
    A list of recommend books, articles, websites, podcasts and videos is located in Canvas.
    Online Learning
    This course is offered in both face-to-face or fully online modes. Extensive use is made of Canvas as an interactive learning platform. 
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    This summer-school course is taught over four weeks. Each week, students attend 3 x 2-hour workshops (24 hours in all). In addition, there are 3 hours of preparatory, structured learning activities each week (12 hours in all).In the workshops, we work our way through the following themes:
    1. Stone tools, abstract language, and the domestication of fire
    2. The Neolithic agricultural revolution, metallurgy, and writing
    3. Gunpowder and the printing press
    4. The steam engine
    5. Telecommunications, e.g. telegraph, radio, television
    6. Digital technologies, genetic engineering and the hybridisation of humans and machines
    The structured learning activities require students to take quizzes or post comments in response to readings, videos, and podcasts. The workshops will be discussion-based, but will also involve a wide range of learning tasks.
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    Activity Total Hours
    Workshops 24 hours
    Structured learning activities 12 hours
    General reading and class preparation 32 hours
    Assignments 88 hours
    TOTAL 156 HOURS
    Learning Activities Summary
    This summer-school course is taught over four weeks. Each week, students attend 3 x 2-hour workshops (24 hours in all). In addition, there are 3 hours of preparatory, structured learning activities each week (12 hours in all).In the workshops, we work our way through the following themes:
    1. Stone tools, abstract language, and the domestication of fire
    2. The Neolithic agricultural revolution, metallurgy, and writing
    3. Gunpowder and the printing press
    4. The steam engine
    5. Telecommunications, e.g. telegraph, radio, television
    6. Digital technologies, genetic engineering and the hybridisation of humans and machines
    The structured learning activities require students to take quizzes or post comments in response to readings, videos, and podcasts. The workshops will be discussion-based, but will also involve a wide range of learning tasks.
    Specific Course Requirements
    N/A
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    Students will be divided into small teams, depending on their interests. Each team will focus on a specific theme that they trace through the topics that we cover. There are five themes: (1) Technology and the Environment, (2) Technology and gender, (3) Technology and power relations, (4) Technology and human biology/psychology, (5) Technology and violence.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Learning Outcome
    Weekly participation notes Formative and summative

    Weekly

    10% 3, 5
    Video presentation Formative and summative To be negotiated 30% 2, 3, 4, 5
    Research essay Formative and summative End of Week 4 30% 2, 3, 5
    Take-home examination Summative End of Week 5 30% 1, 3, 5
    Assessment Related Requirements
    N/A
    Assessment Detail
    Weekly Notes Each student will keep an on-line blog (lodged in Canvas) in which s/he will discuss her/his thoughts on the material that we have covered. These will be produced in class time. I will comment on what the students are writing, and they will comment on each other’s ideas. The blog will provide a space where students can experiment with their ideas. It also creates a dialogue between the teacher and the students, and the students and other students. The notes will not be presented as formal academic text and do not count towards the total word count for the course. 10%
    Research Essay In the research essay, students will explore the impact of a specific technological innovation, drawing on the scholarly literature and framing their discussion in the light of the course’s main themes.
    Word limit = 1,500 words.
    30%
    Video Teams of students will create a video that addresses one of the core themes of the course: (1) Technology and the Environment, (2) Technology and gender, (3) Technology and power relations, (4) Technology and human biology/psychology, (5) Technology and violence.
    Each student’s contribution will be the equivalent of 1,000 words of text.
    30%
    Take-home test The take-home exam asks students synoptic questions that require student to reflect on the history of technology and its implications for our understanding of the existential crisis that now confronts humanity.
    Word limit = 1,500 words.
    30%
    Submission
    The essay and take-home test are submitted via the Turnitin portal in Canvas. 

    The participation notes will be posted in Canvas.

    The videos will be submitted to a Box file to which students will be given access. All the videos will subsequently be made available to the whole class in Canvas.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
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