Michael E. Gorman, 2-2905, Thornton A217 meg3c@virginia.edu
TA: Jennifer Young
The four goals of this course are the following:
To accomplish these goals, you will read several chapters of a book I am writing on this topic and conduct an original research project.
Because this is an election year, we will also have some fun discussing that national sport.
Keep a folder containing one-page reactions to the readings--this folder can be collected at any time and counts 20% of your grade. Bring it to class with you. Use the questions associated with each reading as a focus. The point of your reading notes is to prepare you for discussion. After discussion, add a paragraph reflecting on whether you learned anything from your peers.
As part of your class participation, each student will be required to lead at least one discussion. You should pick one of the readings below, and come to class prepared to guide an intelligent, informed discussion of it, directing and focusing when necessary. While I have provided some questions for discussion in the schedule below, discussion leaders should bring in their own questions--it is my impression that student-generated questions are more effective at provoking discussion than mine. There should be several facilitators for each reading.
To get your discussion-leader grade, provide me with a summary of the discussion, in lieu of your usual written response to the reading (see below). Tell me how the discussion went, in your opinion--what worked, what didn't work, what suggestions you would make to future discussion leaders.
I want to give you a chance to exercise your individual creativity and study a topic of your own interest. These can either be individual or team projects. Please look at student projects from previous classes--yours may be a continuation of one of theirs. Ideas include the following:
One suggested organization of final report is to follow the standard format for a scientific article. A set of linked Web pages is also an acceptable format; again, see examples from previous classes.
Note: Students are responsible for keeping track of all changes in the schedule. Unless otherwise indicated, all assignments are due by the next class.
Th, 8/29--Introduction to the course.
Assignment: Come prepared to discuss which presidential candidate would be better on an area of science or engineering policy that is particularly important to you. Examples: Alternate energy programs, fusion research, space exploration, science education. Remember to do a notebook entry on this!
T 9/3--Assignment: Read Chapter 1, Sections 1 and 2 (Kepler) of Gorman's book
Th 9/5--Discuss: What is discovery? Can it be studied? taught? What made Kepler a successful discoverer? Is BACON an adequate model of his process?
Assignment: Chapter 1, Section 3 and Holmes article on reserve
T 9/10--Discuss: What was the role of writing in Lavoisier and Krebs' discoveries? Is KEKADA a good model of Krebs' thinking?
Assignment: Chapter 1, Section 4 (Faraday)
Th 9/12-- What made Faraday a creative scientist? How is individual discovery different from the sort of shared discovery exemplified by the Devonian controversy? Is there any substance to the five generalizations, or could we just as easily come up with a different five?
Assignment: Chapter 2, Sections 1-3
T 9/17-- Should science be studied in the same way as other cultural phenomena? Is science a set of beliefs that are culturally-bound? Do computational simulations demonstrate that scientific thinking is an activity which transcends cultural contexts?
Assignment: Chapter 2, Sections 4-6
Th 9/19-- What can in vitro studies tell us that in vivo can't, and vice-versa? What is your own process of learning when you confront a new kind of science or engineering problem?
Assignment:Chapter 2, Sections 7 & 8
T 9/24-- What is the role of metaphor and analogy in scientific problem-solving? in your own problem-solving?
Assignment: Chapter 3, Sections 1-3
Th 9/26-- What was the reverse salient in the cold fusion, etheric force and micro-chip controversies? What do these two examples suggest about the relationship between science and invention?
Assignment:Chapter 3, Sections 4-7
T 10/1-- What was the reverse salient in the telephone controversy? How did Bell's approach differ from Gray's?
Assignment: Chapter 3, Sections 8-15
Th 10/3-- Who really invented the telephone? How do Bell and Gray's styles differ?
Assignment: Chapter 3, Sections 16-17. Write a brief proposal describing what you might do for a project in this class. These projects can be group efforts. I will make copies of past projects available.
T 10/8--Reading Holiday
Th 10/10--Discussion of project proposals
Read beginning of Chapter 4
T 10/15--Discuss ethics, invention and design.
Assignment: Do one page memo on which senatorial and congressional candidates you think you will vote for, and why.
Th 10/17--Discuss candidates.
Read Design Tex case
T 10/22--Dicuss Design Tex, read Rohner Textil (A).
Th 10/24--Discuss Rohner Textil. Read ASN.
T 10/29--Discuss ASN. Read SELF case.
Th 10/31--Discuss SELF, upcoming election.
Read Dow Corning case.
T 11/5--Election day--vote! Discuss Dow Corning.
Th 11/7--Discuss & schedule project presentations.
T 11/12--Meet with groups or individuals as needed to help with projects, including issues like citation format.
Th 11/14--Essay due.
T 11/19-12/3--Project presentations.
Th 12/5--Class wrap-up
Final exam--a take-home, due at the end of the regularly scheduled exam class period (Saturday, 12/14 at 5).This will consist of