Communication 486-4:

Special Topics: Women and New Information Technologies

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 extend 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, followed by a paper that outlines policy issues related to that topic. In their final paper, students will build on their previous two writing assignments, and will integrate theoretical material addressed throughout the term.

Assignment % of Grade Due Date

Ungraded paper proposal 5 Week 3

Literature review 20 Week 6

Policy Paper 20 Week 9

Final paper 35 1 Week after last class

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.

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 short papers are designed to force students to begin work on their term papers early in the semester. It is intended that work undertaken for the literature review and policy papers 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?

In addition, your literature review should make reference to class readings and discussions wherever appropriate.

Policy Paper

In the ninth week of the course, you are required to hand in a 5-7 page paper that outlines policy issues related to your topic. This 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.

Final Paper

Your final paper should build on work completed in your previous two papers. 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 in some sense address improving the lives of women in relation to new information technology.

Participation and preparation

The percentage of your grade related to participation and preparation is equivalent to one of your papers. In other words, 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.

Weekly Outline