Communication
486-4: Special Topics: Women and New Information Technologies
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Professor: |
Ellen
Balka |
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Classroom:
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CMNS
Seminar Room |
Time: |
Mondays,
1:30-5:30 |
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Office:
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CC
6228 |
Phone: |
291-3764 |
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Office
Hours: |
Mon.
9:00-11:30 Monday
5:20-5:50 |
E-mail:
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ebalka@sfu.ca |
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I
will also occasionally hold office hours on Wednesday afternoons; see my door
for additional times. |
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Some
of my office hours are drop-in, and others are by appointment. You can sign
up for an appointment in advance on my door. Additional office hours will
also be indicated on a weekly basis on my door. |
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Prerequisites:
60 credits and CMNS 253 or WSTD 204
or CMPT 320 or permission of Instructor.
Course Description:
In
the 1970s technological change came under the scrutiny of a wide range of
interest groups. Research concerned with women and technological change
documented that women were affected differently by technology than men, and
that in general women occupy different positions in the technological change
process than men. As interest in women and technological change has grown in
the last 25 years, the benefits of focusing on gender as a variable of study
have extended beyond making women’s experiences visible. Focusing on gender as
a variable of study offers the possibility of discovering theoretical
limitations which, when addressed, have implications that extend beyond the
interests of women.
This
seminar is designed to allow students interested in new communication and
information technologies to explore theoretical issues that arise through
consideration of women’s experiences of technological change. Course materials
and discussions will focus on three related themes:
·
feminist
contributions to theories of science, technology and society;
·
women,
information technology and employment, and
·
women
and information technology in the home.
Course Readings:
Cockburn, C. & Ormrod, S. (1993). Gender and technology in the
making. Newbury Park Ca.: Sage.
Grint, K. & Gill, R. (Eds.). (1995). The gender-technology
relation: Contemporary theory and research. Bristol PA.: Taylor and
Francis.
Webster, J. (1996). Shaping women’s work: Gender, employment and
information technology. London: Longman.
Silverstone, R. & Hirsch, E. (Eds.). (1992). Consuming
technologies: Media and information in domestic spaces. New York:
Routledge.
All
books are available on reserve in the library.
Course Requirements and
Distribution of Grades
Students
will choose a topic of interest to them at the beginning of the term. As the
term progresses they will complete a literature review related to that topic
(and will present their findings in class), followed by a paper that attempts
to answer a specific research question and outlines policy issues related to
that topic. In their final paper, students will build on previous written
assignments, and will integrate theoretical material addressed throughout the
term.
Assignment %
of Grade Due Date
Ungraded
paper proposal 5 Week 3
Literature
review and presentation 15 Week 6
Mid-term
exam 20 Week 9
Final
paper 40 1 Week after
last class
Attendance,
participation and preparation 20 Ongoing
Deadlines will be strictly
enforced. A late penalty of 1% per day of the total mark will be levied, to a
total of 15%. No requests for waiving of this penalty will be considered without an
original copy of a doctor’s note or other documentation appropriate to the
situation.
The
School expects that the grades awarded in this course will bear some reasonable
relation to established university-wide practices with respect to both levels
and distribution of grades. In addition, the School will follow Policy T 10.02
with respect to “Intellectual Honesty” and “Academic Discipline” (see the
current Calendar, General Regulations Section).
Description of Assignments
Overview
The
assignment structure in this course is intended to be cumulative. That is, each
assignment should build on the previous assignments. Students are required to
decide what topic they will focus on early in the term. Subsequent assignments
are designed to get students to begin work on their term papers early in the
semester, and progress through steps towards their final paper. It is intended
that work undertaken for the literature review will help define and narrow
students’ focus, and will be incorporated into the final paper. Students are
urged to investigate a topic related to those addressed in class, as this will
reduce the workload. After week 3, changes in topic will be strongly
discouraged, and no topic changes will be permitted after week 5. Students are urged to browse through all
texts prior to the first class as a strategy for beginning to think about the
focus of their term’s work.
All assignments should be
double spaced, typed and stapled, and contain your name.
Ungraded
Paper Proposal
Students
will be required to hand in a brief proposal indicating the topic they will
pursue throughout the semester. The paper proposal should include a 1-2
paragraph description of your intended focus, and why your topic interests you.
A list of at least 10 references from periodicals and books that are related to
your topic should be included in your paper proposal. References from the World
Wide Web are permissible, as long as they are not used instead of the 10
required references from periodicals and books. This assignment is compulsory.
Students handing in paper proposals on time will get 5 points. Late proposals,
while still required to complete this course, will be given no points.
Literature
Review
In
the sixth week, you are required to
hand in a 5-7 page paper that provides an overview of literature related to
your area of interest. To complete this paper, you should go to the library and
locate materials related to your area of interest, read the materials you
locate, and summarize the findings. In preparing this paper you should think
about and attempt to answer the following questions:
a)
what
are the themes addressed in the literature?
b)
what
topics related to my topic have been addressed, and what topics related to my
topic have not received much attention?
c)
what
things do lots of authors agree about, and what things are the subject of
controversy or debate amongst different authors?
This
assignment should give you general familiarity with your topic, and should help
you narrow your focus from a general focus to focus on a particular question or
aspect of your research problem. Your research question can be an extension of
previous research, or it can address an area that has thus far received little
attention. Your literature review should make reference to class readings and
discussions wherever appropriate. If data has been collected that pertains to
your area of interest, you should make reference to data (e.g., about the
percentage of female headed households with computers) in your literature
review. If desired, a portion of a class will be dedicated to locating and
using statistical and other resources.
Mid-term
Exam
A
mid-term exam will be given in week 9. The purpose of the mid-term exam is to
ask you a thoughtful and provocative question that will help you synthesize
material from the course. The exam will consist of one or more essay questions.
This will be a thinking exam. If you have regularly attended class and kept up
with the readings, you will (hopefully!) find the exam though provoking, but
not hard (in the sense that you were not well prepared).
Final
Paper
A
few possibilities exist for the format of the final paper. Students may, with
prior approval, work in groups.
1.
Students who have taken CMNS 353 with me may conduct a technology assessment of
a topic that focuses on women, provided it is not on the same topic that they
conducted their 353 assignment about.
2.
Students who have completed either CMNS 362 or CMNS 363 or an equivalent course
in another department may complete a paper that builds on original field
research. All students pursuing this option ARE REQUIRED TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT
ETHICAL ISSUES PRIOR TO CONDUCTING ANY FIELDWORK.
3.
Students may complete a paper that addresses how an issue governed by public
policy has been addressed by governments throughout the world (e.g., a
comparative paper that addresses how governments have attempted to give women
access to computer networks in three countries).
4.
Students may undertake a theoretical investigation of a topic related to women
and technology (e.g., look at different meanings of skill as it relates to
gender and technology).
Your
final paper should build on work completed in your literature review, and
should also include a discussion of policy issues related to your topic.
You
should choose one area covered in class (or an area related to class topics of
interest to you), provide an overview of research that exists in that area (you
can think of this section as providing an overview of the issues), and you
should identify some issues that have not been addressed or have been addressed
inadequately in existing research. Your paper should both refer to existing
research and incorporate your own thoughts about your topics. All papers should
address policy issues related to your topic, and all papers should in some
sense address improving the lives of women in relation to new information
technology.
A
note about policy issues:
This
part of your final assignment is both a
creative thinking assignment and a research assignment. To complete this
assignment, you should try to imagine
all of the areas related to your topic of interest that might, or could be
regulated by local, provincial, national or international bodies (the creative
thinking part). Then you should go to the library and try to identify areas
that have been regulated by government bodies (this is the research part). Your
paper will consist of a summary of the areas that you identified that could be
regulated through public policy (including a brief explanation about what
policies in the areas you identify might accomplish), and a synopsis of the
policies you did find related to your area of interest.
You
may find it useful to begin identifying areas that could be regulated by
brainstorming with classmates. In addition to identifying issues that have been
addressed through governmental regulation, you should think about issues that
are raised by professional associations (e.g., the tele-workers’ professional
association may have recommended standards concerning how home workplaces are
set up), as well as issues that have been raised by advocacy and interest
groups.
You
should consult the reference librarians well in advance of when the paper is
due for advice about how to locate information about the existing policy or
regulatory environment.
Attendance,
participation and preparation
Attending
class and coming to class prepared are essential aspects of a seminar class. In
addition, all students will be expected to contribute to class discussions and
debates. Preparing for class and participating in class discussions are
important. You should try to keep up with your reading and attend class
regularly. As you read, make note of any concepts you would like clarified in
class, and any issues you would like to discuss in greater depth. If you make
notes about reading as you go writing your papers will be easier.
Criteria
for Assignment of Grades
A
detailed outline of how I interpret grades is contained below.
Students are advised to
familiarize themselves with the section of the SFU Calendar that deals with
academic honesty. In particular,
students should note that it is considered an academic offense to submit work
for one course which has been or is being submitted for another course without
express permission to do so. In addition, academic offenses include submitting someone else’s paper as your own,
and not properly crediting sources in essays. If you have any questions
about how to properly cite the work of others in your essays, you should speak
to me prior to handing in your assignment.
Grading:
“A” (80-100%) indicates EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE with
clear evidence of
·
a
comprehensive knowledge of the subject matter and principles treated in the
course
·
a
high degree of originality and independence of thought
·
a
superior ability to organize and analyze ideas and
·
an
outstanding ability to communicate.
“B” (65-75%) indicates GOOD
PERFORMANCE with evidence of
·
a
substantial knowledge of the subject matter
·
a
moderate degree of originality and independence of thought
·
a
good ability to organize and analyze ideas and
·
an
ability to communicate clearly and fluently.
“C” (55-60%) indicates SATISFACTORY PERFORMANCE with evidence of
·
an
acceptable grasp of the subject matter
·
some
ability to organize and analyze ideas and
·
ability
to communicate adequately.
“D” (50%) indicates MINIMALLY ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE with evidence
of
·
rudimentary
knowledge of the subject matter
·
some
evidence that organizational and analytic skills have been developed, but with
significant weaknesses in some areas, and
·
significant
weaknesses in the ability to communicate.
“F” (below 50%) indicates
FAILING PERFORMANCE with evidence of
·
an
adequate knowledge of the subject matte
·
failure
to complete required work
·
inability
to organize and analyze ideas and
· inability to communicate or
failure to complete required work.
Weekly Outline
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Date |
Topic and Readings |
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Jan.
10 |
Topic: Introduction
and course overview Cultural
views of technology Emergence
of women and technology as an area of study |
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Jan.
17 |
Topic: Emergence
of women and technology as an area of study Feminist
theory and technology studies Reading: Introduction
and Chapter 1, Grint and Gill and Webster, chapter 1 (57 p.) |
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Jan.
24 |
Topic: Theoretical
debates related to power, sex, gender and technology Reading: Silverstone
and Hirsch, chapter 2, and Grint and Gill, chapter 2 Paper
proposal Due |
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Jan.
31 |
Topic: Designing
gender, designing technology: technology for the home Reading: Cockburn
and Ormrod, chapter 1, Grint and Gill, chapter 4 |
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Feb.
7 |
Topic: Consumption,
family dynamics and symbolic meanings Reading: Silverstone
and Hirsch, chapters 3 and 7 and Grint and Gill, chapter 3 (51) |
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Feb.
14 |
Topic: Information
and communication technologies in the home Reading: Silverstone
and Hirsch, chapters 1, 5, 6 and 9 (55 pages) Literature
Review Due |
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Feb.
21 |
Topic: The
gendering of household design and production Reading: Cockburn
and Ormrod, chapters 2 and 3 (57 pages w/ lots of pictures.) |
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Feb.
28 |
Topic: White
goods, brown goods and gender and sex at home Reading: Cockburn
and Ormrod, chapters 4 and 5 (56 pages w/ pictures.) |
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Mar.
6 |
Topic: Women,
work and technology Reading: Webster,
chapters 2 and 3 (58 pages) Midterm |
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Mar.
13 |
Topic: Women’s
work and occupational change Reading: Webster,
chapter 4 (42 pages) |
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Mar.
20 |
Topic: New
technology and women’s work processes Reading: Webster,
chapter 5 (37 pages) |
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Mar.
27 |
Topic: Division
of Labour in Computing Reading: Grint
and Gill, chapters 7 and 8 and Webster, chapter 6 (63 pages) |
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April
3 |
Topic: Designing
technology, designing futures Reading: Cockburn
and Ormrod, chapter 6, Webster, chapter 7 and Postscript, Silverstone and Hirsch (49
pages) |