Handout #2

6.933J/ STS.420J

The Structure of Engineering Revolutions

Course Outline

Fall, 2001

I. Introduction and Background

September 5: (Wed)

Introduction, course overview.

II. Engineers in Action

September 10: (Mon)

Reading: Latour, Science in Action Introduction (pp.1-17), Chapter 3 (pp. 103-144)

September 12: (Wed)

Reading: Latour, Science in Action Chapters 4-6 (pp. 145-259)

III. The Construction of Technological Systems

September 17: (Mon) NO CLASS

September 19: (Wed)

Reading: Mindell, "Opening Black's box: Rethinking feedback's myth of origin" (Xerox/pdf)

IV. Invention and Engineering Culture

September 24: (Mon)

Reading: MacKenzie, Inventing Accuracy Chapters 1-2

September 26: (Wed)

Reading: MacKenzie, Inventing Accuracy Chapters 4,7,8.

Assignment Due: Response paper #1

V. Innovation and Marketplace

October 1 (Mon)

Reading: Christensen, The Inventor's Dilemma Chapters 1, 2, 4, 9, 11

October 3: (Mon)

Reading: Discussion of methodology, research methods, library, techniques, source materials, etc.

Assignment Due: Response Paper #2

VI. Using Sources Effectively

October 8: (Mon) NO CLASS - COLUMBUS DAY

October 10: (Wed) Lab Notebooks and Project Documentation

Meet in MIT Archives 14N-118, introduction to Edgerton/Forrester notebooks

VII. Group Work and Collaborative Writing

October 15: (Mon) Presentation "Working effectively in groups", in class group work

October 17: (Wed) In Class Group Work, Presentation of project history proposals, discussion and ranking.

Assignment Due: Individual project history proposals

VIII. Project History Work

October, 22: (Mon) In class group work

October, 25: (Wed) In class group work

IX. Visual materials and argumentation

October 29: (Mon)

Reading: Edward Tufte, Visual and Statistical Thinking (packet)

October 31: (Wed) In class group work

X. Understanding Patents

November 5: (Mon) Presentation “How to read a patent”, in class group work

November 7: (Wed) In class group work

Assignment Due: Visual argumentation exercise

XI. Project Histories

November 12: (Mon) NO CLASS

November 14: (Wed) In class group work

Assignment Due: Group proposal/plan of project history

November 19: (Mon) In class group work

November 21: (Wed) In class group work

THANKSGIVING

November 26: (Mon) In class group work

November 28: (Wed) In class group work

XII. Final Preparations

December 3: (Mon) Presentation rehearsals

December 5: (Wed) Presentation rehearsals

Assignment Due: Written draft for groups presenting

XIII. Presentations of Project Histories

December 10: (Mon) Group Presentation of Project Histories

December 12: (Wed) Group Presentation of Project Histories

LAST DAY OF CLASSES

Final projects due Friday December 14, 5pm.