EDFS 1990 A (CRN: 16056)
Foundations: Unplugged
3 Credit Hours—Seats Available!
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About EDFS 1990 A
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Notes
Open to degree and PACE students Special Topics courses cannot carry CC designations
Section Description
We live in a world saturated by devices: phones, tablets, streaming platforms, appliances, and apps that shape how we work, learn, play, and relate to one another. But these depend on deeper infrastructures—especially electricity—that often remain hidden. This course explores Albert Borgmann’s concepts of focal things and practices and the device paradigm, set alongside other voices in the philosophy of technology and cultural criticism. We will examine how technologies—from smartphones to electrical grids—influence family life, community, education, and childhood. Students will also experiment with focal practices in their own lives and reflect on whether such practices can restore meaning, depth, and connection in a device-driven culture.
Section Expectation
Attend in-person classes, participate in small group discussions and case examples, adopt and commit to a focal practice, reading philosophy of technology and cultural criticism chapters and articles, complete focal practice project and reflection journal, create local electricity grid map.
Evaluation
Quality and depth of focal practice project and journal, attendance and participation, local electricity grid map.
Important Dates
Note: These dates may not be accurate for select courses during the Summer Session.
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