Ethics
and Technology---PHI 3210
Dr. Ron Barnette
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Your Fearless Leader and Guide, Dr. Barnette
This course in Ethics and Technology is largely experimental, in that
the class will be conducted entirely by Internet technology, essential to the research and
teaching of the course. Moreover, there will be no paper given by the professor; all assignments, handouts, and materials will be issued through this class
website, through email (see important subscription information below), and through our Philosophy Department Website. In short,
this will be a 'paperless' class, including all of the students' work as well. Please familiarize yourself thoroughly with this class website.
On the class assignment page, you
will find your ongoing topics, for discussion and debate. This will be accompanied by all
class references to the on-line readings and accessible materials; we also have tons of
philosophy resources, available here through our Virtual Library. As such,
there will be no costs for textbooks or materials! Members of the class will be
responsible for additional WWW links to pertinent materials, as we explore collaboratively
the web through our individual or university-wide computers from wherever you access the
web from your 'student centered' classroom in cyberspace.
Critical Note: An email subscription
class list, named 'ETHTECH,' will serve as our electronic communication network to reach
all members of the class on a regular basis, for information, assignments, questions, and
helpful suggestions in our daily on-line discussion and dialogue. It is thus imperative
that all participants have email accounts (through VSU grits, Pipeline, Outlook, Hotmail,
or whatever service provider you have an account with), and that each student subscribe immediately to ETHTECH, by sending an email message
from your accessed account to:
listproc@catfish.valdosta.edu
In the body, write the message:
sub ethtech Jane Doe
substituting your real name for that of 'Jane Doe' in this
example.
(You need to subscribe to ETHTECH through a mailer that you have logged
into, since your email address will automatically be included in the mailing list. So you
might want to copy down this information and send in your subscription command while in
Pine, Pipeline, Outlook, Hotmail or whatever.)
Also,notify me of your presence in the class by sending an initial
message to me here:
Dr. Ron Barnette
This will serve to confirm your existence in the meantime!
Regarding course requirements,
you will be responsible for:
- Regular class attendance in cyberspace and class preparation for
discussion.
- Routine email dialogue and responses to assigned questions, through
ETHTECH.
- World Wide Web research, as assigned.
- The completion of a written class research work, through one of two
forms, to be explained later in more detail, with examples:
1. A personal website,
architectually created and developed around an approved theme (preferred); or
2. A research paper,
topic approved, to be submitted electronically.
The learning outcomes of our course
include:
- a demonstration of knowledge of selected topics and debates in ethics
and information technology
- a demonstration of technology skills and world wide web familiarity
- a demonstration of clear written discussion and the ability to
communicate politely with others
- a demonstration of your own developed thoughts and beliefs,
communicated to others
- a demonstration of your semester-end creative research project
In addition to my virtual presence anytime through my above email
(rbarnett@valdosta.edu), my physical office hours will be from 11am-Noon, daily, and
afternoons by arrangement, in Campbell Hall, just across Patterson St. from the main
campus of Valdosta State University. We will soon be
moving the department to Ashley Hall, however, and I will notify you when that happens. I
look forward to meeting with you in cyberspace or in physical space, and we have computer
workstations in the Philosophy Department
to help further your coursework through innovative technology. I check my email at at
least twice daily, as so should you, so we can be in contact
in a very timely manner.
Let us all have an engaging and stimulating spring semester
together...
Dr. Barnette, Ethics and Technology Guide
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