MONT 113G--Computers and Society

    College of the Holy Cross, Spring 2012

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    Homework 4

    Due: Monday, February 20, in class

    Talk (Global Society Required Event):

    Attend the talk by Sherry Turkle. Thursday, February 16 at 7:30 p.m. in Hogan Ballroom.

    Connections program

    We ask you to go without using your cell-phone or the internet for a period of 24 hours from Friday 2/17 at sundown to Saturday 2/18 at sundown. Make sure to prepare for this by letting people know that you will be unavailable via email and texting for this period of time.

    Notebooks for Connections program

    Before:
    1. Decide which technologies you will forgo, in addition to cell-phone and internet. I encourage you to forgo use of technologies that depend on computers, e.g. any computer work, video games, DVRs, etc. Write this down in your notebook!

    2. For a period of at least 24 hours before February 17-18, keep track of when and how you use technology. Record when and how you use your cell-phone for calling or texting. Record when and how you use the computer and internet. Record when and how you use other digital technology.

    During:
    Make a note of the times when you have the urge to use digital technology, e.g. "I really would like to text my friend to arrange dinner." Take notes on what you do instead of using the digital technology (texting or internet particularly).

    Writing assignment

    1) Write a short (between 1/2 page and 1 page, double spaced) summary of the talk.

    2) Write a (1.5 to 3 pages, double spaced) reflection on the talk and the "Connections" program. Did Professor Turkle raise any points that you agree or disagree with (and why)? Did your experience without technology give you a better sense of how you use it every day? Did your experience give you any insight as to the effects of digital technology on our social interactions or the way we live our lives? What did you find you liked or disliked the most about being without the digital technology? What does this say about our digital-mediated lives today?

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    Constance Royden--croyden@mathcs.holycross.edu
    MONT 112G--Computers and Society
    Date Created: September 4, 2011
    Last Modified: January 31, 2012
    Page Expires: January 4, 2013