Evaluation of a Web-based Tutorial on the History of Technology in a University Science-Technology-Society Course Patricia Ryaby Backer Department of Aviation &Technology San Jose State University

The Course – Tech 198 This course has been offered since 1985 in the general education program and has been taken by thousands of students at San Jose State. From , this course was in the Earth and the Environment section of advanced general education. Effective Fall 2000, the course moved to Area V, Culture, Civilization & Global Understanding

Content & Delivery of the Course UnitTopicFormat 1Nature of Science & TechnologyM 2The History of Technology and CultureW 3Technology and WorkM 4Technology and Gender IssuesL/A 5Technology Transfer and Cultural IssuesL/A 6Quality of Life IssuesL/A 7Technology Ethics & SocietyL/A M=CDROM Multimedia; W=Web-based; L/A= Lecture/Activity

Structure of the Web Unit Unit 2 divided into three sections –Technology in the Middle Ages –Islam Spain and the History of Technology –Chinese Contributions to Technology This web tutorial is available at two different sites: OR

Use of this web-based unit The web-based unit on the history of technology was first used in Fall 2000 in all three sections of this course, which were taught by three different instructors. It has been used continually in all sections of the class since then (over 500 students).

Area Goals and Learning Objectives for Area V of SJSU’s General Education 1. Goals Courses in Culture, Civilization, and Global Understanding should give students an appreciation for human expression in different cultures and an understanding of how that expression has developed over time in different cultures. These courses should also increase students' understanding of how other cultural traditions have influenced American culture and society, as well as how cultures in general both develop distinctive features and interact with other cultures. 2. Student Learning Students shall be able to: compare systematically the ideas, values, images, cultural artifacts, economic structures, technological developments, or attitudes of people from different societies; identify the historical context of ideas and cultural practices and their dynamic relations to other historical contexts; and explain how a culture changes in response to internal and external pressures.

Assessment of the web-based unit Two types of assessment –Content assessment evaluated by faculty from various departments at SJSU including faculty in industrial technology, history, and engineering. Outcomes assessment

Essay Question for Unit 2 All students in all sections complete the class activity at the end of this web-based unit. The current essay questions for this web-based history of technology unit for AY are: 1.Choose one of the following technologies: the clock, printing, or gunpowder. Describe the development of this technology or technique. Please make sure that you describe the historic context of your technology. 2.What other historical and cultural forces affected the development of your chosen technology? 3.How did your technology affect the cultural practices of the country of origin and of the other countries to which this technology was transferred?

Detailed analysis of the web-based unit Overall, in all sections 426/513 (83%) students demonstrated that they met Student Learning Objective 2. (“the historical context of ideas and cultural practices and their dynamic relations to other historical contexts”)

Detailed analysis of the web-based unit Five sections were analyzed in depth to determine the effectiveness of this web- based unit in meeting SLO 2. Most of the students in the five sections (71 %) demonstrated their achievement by their responses to the class activity at the end of this web-based unit.

SemesterTotal Number of Students in Each Section Students meeting learning objective 2 using all measures Students meeting learning objective 2 through Unit 2 class activity Fall Winter Spring Summer Winter Total (88 %)92 (71 %) Detailed analysis of the five sections

This web tutorial is available at two different sites: OR