Pointers for Intro-Level History(ies) of Computing
Greetings, I'm gearing up to teach an inaugural 100-level undergraduate course on the history of computing in the History, Classics and Religion department at the University of Alberta this Winter. I've been reviewing the SIGCIS syllabus repository (thanks for having that available!) for potential readings, but also wanted to see if anyone on the list has had success with intro undergraduate history of computing recently. The most recent syllabus is from 2016, and I'm looking to find ways to integrate a range of topics that might be relevant to students (from brief histories of AI, innovation / maintenance, diverse representation, gender/queer theories of technology, etc.) I was also thinking of potentially including popular cultural representations / journalistic readings related to computing cultures (Kill It with Fire, Halt and Catch Fire [lots of fire apparently?]), but due to the limitations of life have not had any time to validate those less academic offerings. Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just moved back into a humanities department after spending five years teaching in computer science, so I'll be working to remember / relearn this with the students as well. Best, Eric -- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta
Hi, While I would rather come up with my own ways to organize a syllabus that reflects the needs and wants locally (of you and your students from a class like this) rather than emulate other syllabi, I’m again teaching an undergraduate class on the history of computing this fall at UC Irvine, so let me offer a couple of comments. Today, to mark "Ada Lovelace Day" as well as the announcement of Hinton’s Nobel prize, I had fun playing them a “deep dive podcast” in class that had been generated by Google’s NotebookLM from a few assigned readings about Lovelace and Babbage, including the detailed technical description Doron Swade posted online on behalf of the Science Museum in 2020 (which is more detailed than the Difference Engine #2 User Manual). As for the overall outline of the course, for me it works to use selections from the Haigh & Ceruzzi book, "A New History Of Modern Computing" (MIT 2021) but supplementing that with chapters and articles by almost a dozen others, to provide exactly the kinds of accents you mention in your email. I decided against using TV shows like "Halt and Catch Fire" or films like the "Imitation Game" this time, though in the past I have sometimes indulged that a bit. The key to that decision I guess is whether you want the assignments to be informed by entertainment or not. Regards, Peter Krapp Computing Legacies: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262549837/computing-legacies/
On Oct 8, 2024, at 10:54, Eric Kaltman via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
Greetings,
I'm gearing up to teach an inaugural 100-level undergraduate course on the history of computing in the History, Classics and Religion department at the University of Alberta this Winter.
I've been reviewing the SIGCIS syllabus repository (thanks for having that available!) for potential readings, but also wanted to see if anyone on the list has had success with intro undergraduate history of computing recently. The most recent syllabus is from 2016, and I'm looking to find ways to integrate a range of topics that might be relevant to students (from brief histories of AI, innovation / maintenance, diverse representation, gender/queer theories of technology, etc.)
I was also thinking of potentially including popular cultural representations / journalistic readings related to computing cultures (Kill It with Fire, Halt and Catch Fire [lots of fire apparently?]), but due to the limitations of life have not had any time to validate those less academic offerings.
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just moved back into a humanities department after spending five years teaching in computer science, so I'll be working to remember / relearn this with the students as well.
Best, Eric -- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.shft.group__;!!CzAuKJ42GuquVTTmVmPViYEvSg!KyO4YeSQ5Qpcur9X6vkr_u_e9C2S_1GwU2HTeW-DeSBc7gnOkjZOPu8YxlhraG4TrgpbJSvd9F-Jnq8xeA$> Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis... and you can change your subscription options at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sig...
Thanks Peter! And to everyone that has also sent me resources off-list! On Tue, Oct 8, 2024 at 12:56 PM Peter Krapp <krapp@uci.edu> wrote:
Hi,
While I would rather come up with my own ways to organize a syllabus that reflects the needs and wants locally (of you and your students from a class like this) rather than emulate other syllabi, I’m again teaching an undergraduate class on the history of computing this fall at UC Irvine, so let me offer a couple of comments.
Today, to mark "Ada Lovelace Day" as well as the announcement of Hinton’s Nobel prize, I had fun playing them a “deep dive podcast” in class that had been generated by Google’s NotebookLM from a few assigned readings about Lovelace and Babbage, including the detailed technical description Doron Swade posted online on behalf of the Science Museum in 2020 (which is more detailed than the Difference Engine #2 User Manual).
As for the overall outline of the course, for me it works to use selections from the Haigh & Ceruzzi book, "A New History Of Modern Computing" (MIT 2021) but supplementing that with chapters and articles by almost a dozen others, to provide exactly the kinds of accents you mention in your email.
I decided against using TV shows like "Halt and Catch Fire" or films like the "Imitation Game" this time, though in the past I have sometimes indulged that a bit. The key to that decision I guess is whether you want the assignments to be informed by entertainment or not.
Regards, Peter Krapp
Computing Legacies: https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262549837/computing-legacies/
On Oct 8, 2024, at 10:54, Eric Kaltman via Members < members@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
Greetings,
I'm gearing up to teach an inaugural 100-level undergraduate course on the history of computing in the History, Classics and Religion department at the University of Alberta this Winter.
I've been reviewing the SIGCIS syllabus repository (thanks for having that available!) for potential readings, but also wanted to see if anyone on the list has had success with intro undergraduate history of computing recently. The most recent syllabus is from 2016, and I'm looking to find ways to integrate a range of topics that might be relevant to students (from brief histories of AI, innovation / maintenance, diverse representation, gender/queer theories of technology, etc.)
I was also thinking of potentially including popular cultural representations / journalistic readings related to computing cultures (Kill It with Fire, Halt and Catch Fire [lots of fire apparently?]), but due to the limitations of life have not had any time to validate those less academic offerings.
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just moved back into a humanities department after spending five years teaching in computer science, so I'll be working to remember / relearn this with the students as well.
Best, Eric -- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://www.shft.group__;!!CzAuKJ42GuquVTTmVmPViYEvSg!KyO4YeSQ5Qpcur9X6vkr_u_e9C2S_1GwU2HTeW-DeSBc7gnOkjZOPu8YxlhraG4TrgpbJSvd9F-Jnq8xeA$> Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis... and you can change your subscription options at https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sig...
-- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta
hi eric, i could send you some journalistic work to all topics - even without "fire". yet, i fear your audience doesn't speak german - so i guess i am of no help until good audio speech to speech transcsript tools are around. ;) all the best, mariann netaffair.org
On 8. Oct 2024, at 19:54, Eric Kaltman via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
Greetings,
I'm gearing up to teach an inaugural 100-level undergraduate course on the history of computing in the History, Classics and Religion department at the University of Alberta this Winter.
I've been reviewing the SIGCIS syllabus repository (thanks for having that available!) for potential readings, but also wanted to see if anyone on the list has had success with intro undergraduate history of computing recently. The most recent syllabus is from 2016, and I'm looking to find ways to integrate a range of topics that might be relevant to students (from brief histories of AI, innovation / maintenance, diverse representation, gender/queer theories of technology, etc.)
I was also thinking of potentially including popular cultural representations / journalistic readings related to computing cultures (Kill It with Fire, Halt and Catch Fire [lots of fire apparently?]), but due to the limitations of life have not had any time to validate those less academic offerings.
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just moved back into a humanities department after spending five years teaching in computer science, so I'll be working to remember / relearn this with the students as well.
Best, Eric -- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
Dear Mariann, Das würde mich doch interessieren! Zusätzlich zu Ralf Bülow's "Denk, Maschine". Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Pierre Mounier-Kuhn ----- Mail original ----- De: "unterluggauer via Members" <members@lists.sigcis.org> À: "members" <members@lists.sigcis.org> Envoyé: Mercredi 9 Octobre 2024 19:56:21 Objet: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Pointers for Intro-Level History(ies) of Computing hi eric, i could send you some journalistic work to all topics - even without "fire". yet, i fear your audience doesn't speak german - so i guess i am of no help until good audio speech to speech transcsript tools are around. ;) all the best, mariann netaffair.org
On 8. Oct 2024, at 19:54, Eric Kaltman via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
Greetings,
I'm gearing up to teach an inaugural 100-level undergraduate course on the history of computing in the History, Classics and Religion department at the University of Alberta this Winter.
I've been reviewing the SIGCIS syllabus repository (thanks for having that available!) for potential readings, but also wanted to see if anyone on the list has had success with intro undergraduate history of computing recently. The most recent syllabus is from 2016, and I'm looking to find ways to integrate a range of topics that might be relevant to students (from brief histories of AI, innovation / maintenance, diverse representation, gender/queer theories of technology, etc.)
I was also thinking of potentially including popular cultural representations / journalistic readings related to computing cultures (Kill It with Fire, Halt and Catch Fire [lots of fire apparently?]), but due to the limitations of life have not had any time to validate those less academic offerings.
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just moved back into a humanities department after spending five years teaching in computer science, so I'll be working to remember / relearn this with the students as well.
Best, Eric -- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
dear pierre, ok, will dig in my archive and send you the according files. not sure if i can reach bülow, but you can check. ;) stay tuned, mariann
On 9. Oct 2024, at 20:22, Pierre Mounier-Kuhn <mounier@msh-paris.fr> wrote:
Dear Mariann, Das würde mich doch interessieren! Zusätzlich zu Ralf Bülow's "Denk, Maschine". Mit freundlichen Grüßen, Pierre Mounier-Kuhn
----- Mail original ----- De: "unterluggauer via Members" <members@lists.sigcis.org> À: "members" <members@lists.sigcis.org> Envoyé: Mercredi 9 Octobre 2024 19:56:21 Objet: Re: [SIGCIS-Members] Pointers for Intro-Level History(ies) of Computing
hi eric, i could send you some journalistic work to all topics - even without "fire". yet, i fear your audience doesn't speak german - so i guess i am of no help until good audio speech to speech transcsript tools are around. ;)
all the best, mariann netaffair.org
On 8. Oct 2024, at 19:54, Eric Kaltman via Members <members@lists.sigcis.org> wrote:
Greetings,
I'm gearing up to teach an inaugural 100-level undergraduate course on the history of computing in the History, Classics and Religion department at the University of Alberta this Winter.
I've been reviewing the SIGCIS syllabus repository (thanks for having that available!) for potential readings, but also wanted to see if anyone on the list has had success with intro undergraduate history of computing recently. The most recent syllabus is from 2016, and I'm looking to find ways to integrate a range of topics that might be relevant to students (from brief histories of AI, innovation / maintenance, diverse representation, gender/queer theories of technology, etc.)
I was also thinking of potentially including popular cultural representations / journalistic readings related to computing cultures (Kill It with Fire, Halt and Catch Fire [lots of fire apparently?]), but due to the limitations of life have not had any time to validate those less academic offerings.
Any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated. I just moved back into a humanities department after spending five years teaching in computer science, so I'll be working to remember / relearn this with the students as well.
Best, Eric -- Dr. Eric Kaltman, Assistant Professor Software History Futures and Technologies (SHFT) Group https://www.shft.group Media and Technology Studies / History University of Alberta _______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
_______________________________________________ This email is relayed from members at sigcis.org, the email discussion list of SHOT SIGCIS. Opinions expressed here are those of the member posting and are not reviewed, edited, or endorsed by SIGCIS. The list archives are at http://lists.sigcis.org/pipermail/members-sigcis.org/ and you can change your subscription options at http://lists.sigcis.org/listinfo.cgi/members-sigcis.org
participants (4)
-
Eric Kaltman -
Peter Krapp -
Pierre Mounier-Kuhn -
unterluggauer