The rapid development of information technology will have a substantial impact on the whole of society. It will change the relationship between individuals and machines, shift the basis of political power, open new economic markets, and challenge personal privacy. The course examines factors that influence the social dynamics of an information society. It will address such questions as "Does IT empower us through access to information or cripple us through sophisticated surveillance?", "Is privacy possible today?", "How much can I learn in a virtual school?", "How do we reconcile 'community values' with the 'Global Village'?", and "Will all boats rise on the information ocean?". Specific topics include privacy and data access issues; distance learning; electronic commerce; political processes and telecommunications; medical informatics; and computer law in cyberspace. Students will learn to construct their own web pages and engage in collaborative group work through electronic means. The course is conducted through web-based instructional units and involves no lectures.
