[SIGCIS-Members] Good news! Re: History courses in CS departments

[Koblentz, Evan]

Doron, thank you! I will be sure to read your book. I enjoyed Cogwheel
Brain.

On Mon, Mar 13, 2023 at 7:28 AM Doron Swade <d.swade at blueyonder.co.uk>
wrote:

> Evan
>
>
>
> Congratulations. Excellent news. Many have long lamented the absence of
> history of computing on university curricula. Perhaps there is an analogy
> with horticulture – perennial (enduringly renewing) compared to annual
> (ephemeral). Good to have the course consolidated. Encourages cumulative
> growth.
>
>
>
> I was struck by your use of ‘correctives’ in your Why History? Link. I
> used the same device in my recently published book *The History of
> Computing: A very Short Introduction* (OUP August 2022) using examples of
> how received perceptions became entrenched in established accounts
> https://academic.oup.com/book/43867.
>
>
>
> The book asks, What tale do we tell? And Why do we tell it the way we do?
> It is a canonical account of computer history in 35,000 words from pebbles
> to smartphones critically examining how and why we constructed the
> narrative the way we did and how the tropes of popular history influenced
> the received account. An aerial view of the field, that resonates with what
> I imagine to be part of your motivation for your course.
>
>
>
> All best
>
> Doron
>
> Doron Swade
>
> Chair, Computer Conservation Society
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *From:* Members <members-bounces at lists.sigcis.org> *On Behalf Of *Koblentz,
> Evan via Members
> *Sent:* Thursday, March 2, 2023 2:34 AM
> *To:* members at lists.sigcis.org
> *Subject:* [SIGCIS-Members] Good news! Re: History courses in CS
> departments
>
>
>
> My course is permanent now! Our CS faculty voted in favor of it today. The
> department chairman called me with the good news and said there were only
> two 'no' votes. It's going to be CS-210. I hoped for 300 level, but I'll
> take it.
>
>
>
> Now that it's no longer a special topics course starting this fall, I will
> post a syllabus at https://web.njit.edu/~evank/.
>
>
>
> The many replies to my original post on this list, both on/off-list, were
> very helpful. Thank you again to everyone who posted constructively.
>
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 15, 2023 at 12:40 PM Evan Koblentz <evank at njit.edu> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I've been teaching a special topics course in computer history for three
> semesters here at NJIT. The university policy is three semesters maximum,
> then the course must be made permanent or cancelled. So I'm going through
> the process of trying to make it permanent.
>
> The department administration supports it, but it has to be voted on by
> the rank-and-file faculty, many of whom don't seem to understand the value
> of a history course -- or at least not of a history course in a technical
> department, rather than through our humanities college.
>
> It would help if I can show them other examples. Can anyone point me
> existing examples of history courses in CS, EE, or other technical
> departments at U.S. universities?
>
> --
> Evan Koblentz
>
> New Jersey Institute of Technology
> - Senior Writer, Office of Strategic Communications
> - Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing
> - Faculty/Staff Advisor, NJIT Lego Club
>
> evank at njit.edu
> (973) 596-3065
> https://web.njit.edu/~evank
>
>

-- 

*Evan Koblentz*


- Senior Writer, Office of Strategic Communications

- Adjunct Instructor, Ying Wu College of Computing

- Faculty/Staff Advisor, NJIT Lego Club


evank at njit.edu <evan.a.koblentz at njit.edu>

(973) 596-3065 <9735963065>

https://web.njit.edu/~evank/
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