Assignment Three – This Is Where I Stand

Assignment Three titled, ‘This Is Where I Stand’ is a short (1500 word) piece of writing that requires you to reflect on the advent and offering up of technology (we focus on the internet a lot but you are not limited to it) for mass public consumption, alongside society’s ubiquitous subscription of the resultant technologically converged global village, and how it has forever altered the way humanity and business function. Think of this assignment as a chance to show off your newly educated perspective on technology and where you stand personally on that. It is a challenge to generate a personal, yet academically rigorous standpoint.

DETAILS

Due Date: Week Six

Weighting: 35%

Submission: Online

WHERE TO LOOK

Lecture One

Lecture Two

Lecture Three

Lecture Four

Lecture Five

EXAMPLE ANGLE

“Technology has sunk its claws deep into the root of all things human”

Additional Information regarding this assignment

This assignment aims to challenge you to generate a personal, yet academically rigorous standpoint on the impact of technology on society and business – in particular whether technology is an inherent component of human evolution and therefore, simply “the medium in which we play this infinite game” (Kelly, 2005), whether technology is currently leading humanity down a path where “the creative becomes subservient to the structure of giant computers”, “human expression becomes a peasant activity” (Lanier, 2013), and one that will ultimately “cheat us of being in touch deeply with those breathing right next to us” (Lin, 1951). Or you simply acknowledge both of these extreme viewpoints, however, position yourself somewhere in the middle. The choice is entirely yours.

You are being provided freedom to express your own viewpoint in this assignment so embrace this opportunity.

And you are therefore free to support your arguments as you wish, however, as the first five lectures of this course have been focused closely on such discussion, it would be in your best interests to leverage the key individuals you have been introduced to throughout the lecture series. We will be looking for your ability to incorporate them into your overall argument and written work.

The ideas underpinning this quiz are as follows …

• It is an early assessment that is low in weighting and in risk to familiarize you with the university’s assessment procedures and standards
  It is a check to see if you actually are engaging with the lectures and the content and an early heads up for me if you are struggling (gives me a way to help if you are)
• It will assist you get your head around new concepts by forcing you to engage with them which will be of massive benefit to you as you begin to write your personal philosophy on technology, humanity, and business (your first major assignment)
• It is focused on the key players we discuss – who they are, what they stand for (their ideas, angles), and what they have contributed. A statement that a tech-driven extended mind won’t save you – that your memory is linked with your understanding.

Important Note Guys

You know me. Have been in three lectures with me already. And you know where I place importance. In an age where information and creative work can be mashed up and remixed and republished as anonymous work, the names, key ideas, main angles, and specific quotes of the original authors is everything. The moral rights of authors and key innovators – the right to have an original idea correctly attributed to them – is everything guys. So focus on that.

Hope that helps guys. If you have any questions please feel free to ask me. More than happy to clarify anything that may be unclear.