Development of A 2D Traversing System Essay


(
minimum 750 words; no maximum)

Philosophers of Technology have often argued that technologies are value-laden rather than being merely value-neutral. One reason for thinking so is because the act of building or making always presupposes value-judgments about what we think is worth building or making in the first place. Put another way, what we

make
or build often reveals what we think is worth doing: making and building reveal what we take to be a problem, and whether that problem is worth solving.

In Paper 1, you wrote about how introducing new technologies into different cultures require their people to adapt or change their lifestyles, including the sphere of life we might call the political (that is, how and where they work, how they think, how they live, how they form organizations and institutions, etc.). In Paper 3, you will do the same kind of

analysis but
with your senior project in mind.

Give an account of your own values infrastructures (see the reading by Cook) that explain your intentions behind the design of your senior project. Assume that your senior design project is going to be adopted in a country outside the US and Canada. Consider the potential for conflict at the level of differing values infrastructures between you as a designer and the adopting population as end users.

In your write up, be sure to:

1. Describe what you are building for your senior project.

2. Explain: why you are making it?; how are you making it?; for whom are you making it?

3. Assume that your design will be adopted in a country outside the US and Canada. Pick one country only.

4. Give an account of your own values infrastructures that best explain your intentions behind your senior project. Consider the intentions behind your design and the intentions of your targeted end users. Can you anticipate or foresee unintentional consequences in your design? Can you foresee whether your design will be used ethically or unethically? Are there any ways you would not want your design to be used at all?

Grading

Write an essay that addresses the questions above. When you respond to these questions, you should be specific and cite specific details from the readings, class lectures, and your own research. You may provide references

from
your own research, but only in addition to material provided by the course. Also, you should make sure to cite your sources in your response and include a reference list at the end of your essay. Citations must be from reputable sources. Sites like Wikipedia, about.com, etc.

are
NOT considered acceptable sources.

Higher credit will be given for responses that show evidence of a systematic and comprehensive understanding of the topics involved.

You are encouraged to review the rubric for this assignment and make sure that you answer each question in detail and with specifics.

Correct use of English is a fundamental requirement for your papers to be graded. If errors in English make it difficult for a grader to understand your sentences, or excessively slow down the grader to mark your technical errors, your paper will be returned to you for further work on its English, and your grade for the paper will be deferred until it is resubmitted with corrected English. If your assignment is returned for an excessive number of grammatical errors, you will be allowed to rewrite and resubmit it within two weeks of the original return date. If not resubmitted by the date set by your instructor, you will receive a zero (0) for the writing assignment.

Formatting

Standard font, preferably Arial in either 11pt or 12pt.

MLA, APA, or any other format is acceptable provided that it is consistent through the entire paper. Please, no cover sheets.

Criteria Ratings Pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeThesis

20.0 pts

Thesis is clear and coherent throughout the entire paper.

17.0 pts

Thesis is clear and coherent throughout most of the paper.

14.0 pts

Thesis is intelligible, but needs work.

10.0 pts

Thesis is unclear or incoherent.

6.0 pts

Thesis is missing.

0.0 pts

No observable effort in writing a thesis.

20.0pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeDescription

20.0 pts

Descriptions of senior project design and its introduction to another country are clear and relevant.

17.0 pts

Descriptions of senior project design and its introduction to another country are sufficiently clear and relevant.

14.0 pts

Descriptions of senior project design and its introduction to another country are intelligible, but need work.

10.0 pts

Descriptions of senior project design and its introduction to another country are unclear or irrelevant.

6.0 pts

Descriptions are missing.

0.0 pts

No observable effort in describing.

20.0pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeValues Infrastructures

20.0 pts

Explanation of values infrastructures is clear and detailed.

17.0 pts

Explanation of values infrastructures is sufficiently clear and detailed.

14.0 pts

Explanation of values infrastructures is intelligible, but needs work.

10.0 pts

Explanation of values infrastructures is unclear and irrelevant.

6.0 pts

Explanation is missing.

0.0 pts

No observable effort in explaining.

20.0pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeReflection on Ethics and Senior Project Design

20.0 pts

Reflection upon ethics, intention, and design is clear and detailed.

17.0 pts

Reflection upon ethics, intention, and design is sufficiently clear and detailed.

14.0 pts

Reflection upon ethics, intention, and design is intelligible, but needs work.

10.0 pts

Reflection upon ethics, intention, and design is unclear and lacks detail.

6.0 pts

Reflection is missing.

0.0 pts

No observable effort in reflecting.

20.0pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeEssay Mechanics

20.0 pts

Executes on spelling, grammar, and paragraph structure perfectly.

17.0 pts

Executes on spelling, grammar, and paragraph structure nearly perfectly.

14.0 pts

Executes on spelling, grammar, and paragraph structure intelligibly.

10.0 pts

Pervasive problems in spelling, grammar, sentence and/or paragraph structure.

6.0 pts

Enough pervasive problems in spelling, grammar, sentence and/or paragraph structure to make overall essay very difficult to understand.

0.0 pts

No observable effort in essay mechanics.

20.0pts

This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeSLO 3: Cultural change outside U.S

threshold: 3.0 pts

5.0 ptsExceeds Expectations

3.0 ptsMeets Expectations

0.0 ptsDoes Not Meet Expectations

Total Points: 100.0