Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

In searching for the origins of technology", students may examine Islamic, Meso-American, East Asian, or European societies.  In Europe, for example, students might study the Renaissance and Romantic periods, looking at both mainstream and Other concepts of self, deity, nature and the relationship between these and the development of tools, changes in concepts of labor, development of cities, and how these relationships were seen and expressed.  Course may focus on particular themes such as "War," "Urban Evolution," or "Man and/or Woman and Nature," but within these," the overall theme will be the interaction of these early societies and technology.  Students will begin to understand how our contemporary values and views of technology represent a confluence of many traditions. 

After successful completion of HUM 201 students will be able to:

• Use critical thinking to analyze and evaluate aspects of technology and how it affects peoples", societies and nations, in different geographic areas and time periods.
• Comprehend how the values", assumptions, and other cultural attributes of individuals and groups are expressed in technological developments.
• Demonstrate college-level communication skills by speaking", listening and writing clearly about technology and early civilizations.

The SAC expects that instructors will assess student learning throughout the term using a variety of methods.  The SAC encourages instructors to consider the following in determining the achievement of course outcomes:

• Midterm and /or final exam

• In-class quizzes

• Examine and discuss a musical", literary or visual art and support views in writing.

• Describe the value of a creative work from a historical perspective.

• Working collaboratively in large and small groups

• Capstone project on the influence of technology", for example on music or painting

• Research paper on the impact of technology", for example on the  role of womenin various cultures

• Assess how technology has affected civilizations over time.

• Analyze primary and secondary sources of information

Competencies and Skills:

• Critical and creative thinking

• Connect past and present events

• Problem solving

• Work collaboratively with others

• Clearly articulate thoughts orally and in writing

• Close examination of primary and secondary sources

Themes

• interaction of technology and society

• The role of women

• Cultural continuity and change

• Political and economic developments

• Developments in literature", art and music

• Religions and philosophies

• Changes in the concept of labor

• War and Peace", conflict and cooperation

Concepts

• tools

• civilization

• the self and the other

• the deity

• urban evolution

• the confluence of values and technology

• changes in the concept of  “labor”

Issues

• technology’s affect on societal values

• impact of technology on urban development

• nature and the development and use of tools

• relationship between societies and mechanistic devices