Announcements

Instructor: Bertram (Chip) Bruce
Time: Wed, 9:00-11:50
Place: 109 LIS bldg
Semester: Fall 2005
Course number: LIS 590 PT

This course should be especially valuable for those interested in information and communication systems, user-centered design and evaluation, communityware, and philosophical foundations for design and use. It is designed for advanced masters and doctoral students.

The course explores two senses of "pragmatic technology." One is the common language notion of technology that works to meet real human needs, accommodates to users, and is situated in time, place, and setting. The second is a conception of technology from pragmatist theory, in which technology is the means for resolving a problematic situation. The latter sees technologies as both means of action and forms of understanding. The course investigates foundational work and practice as represented in the work of J. Dewey, J. Addams, W. James, and C. S. Peirce, as well as more recent research on the social uses and implications of technologies.

Students will gain an appreciation of the pragmatist tradition in philosophy and its many applications in areas of democratic processes, social action, education, technology, and organization theory. A key element will be learning how to apply pragmatist theories in analyzing ongoing, situated practice. In doing that, we will examine technologies (taking that term broadly) in terms of problem identification, design and development, adoption, use within communities, and situated evaluation.