CS 492/CS 692 W05 Course Timetable

Classes are held Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:30-10:20, in MC4058. Readings are from the text (Computerization and Controversy, ed. Rob Kling, Academic Press, 1996), or the CS492/CS692 home page. Additional brief articles may at times be provided as handouts A copy of Computerization and Controversy, ed. Rob Kling, Academic Press (1996) is on reserve in the libary, for library use only.

A copy of Ethics and Technology by Herman T. Tavani (2004) is on reserve in the library as an extra possible resource for those interested.

Timetable of topics and assignments

Week 1
- Jan 5: Overview of course (everyone)
- Readings:
  - Kling: I-C, I-G; I-D, I-E.
  - Paper on information overload: Informing Ourselves To Death.
- Jan 7: Introduction; models and approaches (everyone)
- Jan 9: More on introduction (everyone)
Week 2
- Readings:
  - Kling: II-D, II-E, V-K.
  - Paper on trust on the Internet: Trust, Authenticity, and Discursive Power In Cyberspace.
- Jan 10: The Internet (everyone)
- Jan 12: The Internet (everyone)
- Jan 13: Assignment 1 due at 10am
  - Handout: Using computers in elementary schools.
- Jan 14: RPE groupings decided; guest speaker (everyone)
  - Guest speaker Alec Catherwood on Computers and Young People
Week 3
- Readings:
  - Kling: VIII-G (skim), VI-D, VI-E.
  - Handout: Macleans Magazine 2001 on Being Watched.
  - Primer on the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
  - Paper on the Act: Guide for Businesses and Organizations to Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act.
  - Article on privacy: Cybercrime and Lawful Access.
  - Article on lawful access: Proposed law sparks privacy concerns.
- Jan 17: Privacy and social control (group 1)
- Jan 19: More on privacy and social control (group 2)
- Jan 20: Assignment 2 due at 10am
- Jan 21: RPE3 on universal IDs (everyone)
Week 4
- Readings:
  - Kling: IV-G, IV-A, IV-B.
  - Handout: Time Magazine 2001 on e-Health.
  - Article on RFID tags: RFID tags: Big Brother is small packages.
  - Article on participatory design: CPSR - Participatory Design.
  - Article on e-voting: Experiments with e-voting: experiences and lessons
- Jan 24: Empowering workers in the introduction of technology; the changing nature of work (group 1)
- Jan 26: More on workers and the nature of work (group 2)
- Jan 28: RPE2 on displacing workers (everyone)
Week 5
- Readings:
  - Kling: III-J, III-K, III-L.
  - Handout: Industry Canada paper.
  - Minister of Industry speech on e-commerce: Strategies for the 21st Century.
  - Article on e-commerce strategies: A Policy Agenda for the E-Economy in Canada
  - Article on e-commerce in Canada: Racing to catch up
  - Article on taxing purchases online: Michael Geist: "It's time to tax purchases made online".
  - Paper on digital cash: Possible Economic Consequences of Digital Cash.
  - Paper on spam: Public Interest Advocacy Centre Comments on Spam .
- Jan 31: Work: productivity and e-commerce (group 1)
- Feb 2: More on productivity and e-commerce (group 2)
- Feb 3: Assignment 3 due
- Feb 4: RPE8 on selling names for e-commerce (everyone)
Week 6
- Readings:
  - Kling: VIII-A (skim), VIII-B.
  - Paper: ACM's Computing Professionals Face New Challenges.
  - Paper: Towards an Ethics of Persuasive Technology.
- Feb 7: Ethics and ethics workshop (group 1)
- Feb 9: Ethics and ethics workshop (group 2)
- Feb 11: Guest speakers on computers in education (everyone)
Week 7
- Readings:
  - Kling: V-A, V-D.
  - Paper on electronic group decision making: Computer Based Delphi Processes.
  - Paper : Making Friends In Cyberspace.
- Feb 14: Computer mediated communication and social relations on the Internet (group 1)
- Feb 16: More on computer mediated communication (group 2)
- Feb 17: Assignment 4 due at 10am
- Feb 18: In-class meetings of groups for Assignment 5
Week 8
- Feb 21: RPE10 on piracy (everyone)
- Feb 23: RPE5 on distance education (everyone)
- Feb 25: no class: break week
Week 9
- Readings:
  - Kling: VII-A (skim), VII-E, VII- C.
  - Paper on humanoid robotics: Humanoid Robots: A New Kind of Tool.
  - Paper on biological programming: Lex genetica: The law and ethics of programming biological code.
- Feb 28: Reliability and the limits of computerization (group 1)
- Mar 2: More on reliability and limits (group 2)
- Mar 4: Guest speaker Richard Trefler on reliability (everyone)
Week 10
- Readings:
  - Article on identity theft: Identity Theft: The Crime of the New Millennium.
  - Article on electronic terrorism: An Electronic Pearl Harbor? Not Likely.
  - Article on security leaks: 'Error' sends bank files to eBay.
  - Article on electronic surveillance: The Carnivore FOIA Litigation.
  - Article on security problems in 2004: 2004: Good and Bad for Security.
- Mar 7: Concerns about security (group 1)
- Mar 9: Concerns about security (group 2)
- Mar 10: Assignment 5 due
- Mar 11: RPE6 on liability (everyone)
Week 11
- Mar 14: RPE4 on controlling SPAM (everyone)
- Mar 16: RPE9 on limits of artificial intelligence (everyone)
- Mar 18: RPE7 on professionalism (everyone)
Week 12
- Mar 21: RPE12 computers in elementary schools (everyone)
- Mar 23: class discussion on assignment 6 topics
- Mar 25: no class (Good Friday - holiday)
Week 13
- Mar 28: Assignment 6 due; assignment 6B takes place (everyone)
- Mar 30: Course wrap-up; Assignment 7 due (everyone)

Last updated Dec 20, 2004.