Global Impact of Computing

On this page, you will learn about the impact of technology on human communication and innovation and consider some of its beneficial and harmful impacts.
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These videos feature Dan Garcia, a BJC professor from UC Berkeley. (Total viewing time: approximately 58 minutes)

NonCorrespondenceList(with MF edits)_Working Copy

EUs:

7.1 Computing enhances communication, interaction, and cognition.

7.2 Computing enables innovation in nearly every field.

7.3 Computing has a global affect -- both beneficial and harmful -- on people and society.

7.4 Computing innovations influence and are influenced by the economic, social, and cultural contexts in which they are designed and used.

LOs:

We can't claim these LOs unless we have activities in which students actually explain and/or analyze these issues. --MF, 12/1/17
  • 7.1.1 Explain how computing innovations affect communication, interaction, and cognition. [P4]

    • 7.1.2 Explain how people participate in a problem-solving process that scales. [P4]

    7.2.1 Explain how computing has impacted innovations in other fields. [P1]

    7.3.1 Analyze the beneficial and harmful effects of computing. [P4]

    7.4.1 Explain the connections between computing and real-world contexts, including economic, social, and cultural contexts. [P1]

    Missing EKs:

    *7.1.2G The move from desktop computers to a proliferation of always on mobile computers is leading to new applications.
    *7.3.1H Aggregation of information, such as geolocation, cookies, and browsing history, raises privacy and security concerns.
    *7.3.1I Anonymity in online interactions can be enabled through the use of online anonymity software and proxy servers.
    *7.3.1J Technology enables the collection, use, and exploitation of information about, by, and for individuals, groups, and institutions.
    *7.3.1K People can have instant access to vast amounts of information online; accessing this information can enable the collection of both individual and aggregate data that can be used and collected.
    *7.3.1M Targeted advertising is used to help individuals, but it can be misused at both individual and aggregate levels.
    *7.5.1A Online databases and libraries catalog and house secondary and some primary resources
    *7.5.1B Advanced search tools, Boolean logic, and key words can refine the search focus and/or limit search results based on a variety of factors (e.g., peer-review status, type of publication
    *7.5.1C Plagiarism is a serious offense that occurs when a person presents another's ideas or words as his or her own. Plagiarism may be avoided by accurately acknowledging sources.
    *7.5.2A Determining the credibility of a source requires considering and evaluating the reputation and credentials of the author(s), publisher(s), site owner(s), and/or sponsor(s).
    *7.5.2B Information from a source is considered relevant when it supports an appropriate claim or the purpose of the investigation

    NO VIDEO LISTED: 7.3.1K People can have instant access to vast amounts of information online; accessing this information can enable the collection of both individual and aggregate data that can be used and collected.

    VIDEO NOT ON THIS PAGE: 7.3.1G Privacy and security concerns arise in the development and use of computational systems and artifacts.

    VIDEO NOT ON THIS PAGE: 7.3.1L Commercial and governmental curation of information may be exploited if privacy and other protections are ignored.

    Impacts on Communication and Thinking

    If your connection blocks YouTube, you can watch the videos here:
      • 7.1.1A Email, short message service (SMS), and chat have fostered new ways to communicate and collaborate.
      • 7.1.1B Video conferencing and video chat have fostered new ways to communicate and collaborate.
      • 7.1.1C Social media continues to evolve and fosters new ways to communicate.
      • 7.1.1D Cloud computing fosters new ways to communicate and collaborate.
      • 7.1.1E Widespread access to information facilitates the identification of problems, development of solutions, and dissemination of results.
      • 7.1.1F Public data provides widespread access and enables solutions to identified problems.
      • 7.1.1H Social media, such as blogs and Twitter, have enhanced dissemination.

        • Video Includes: SMS, Cloud Computing, Video conferencing, Netflix Challenge Prize (recommendation system)

      Global Impact: Communication, Interaction and Cognition Part 1 (Duration 8:11 mins)

      Modern computing gives us new ways to communicate and collaborate (e-mail, chat, video conferencing, social media, cloud computing). Widespread access to information in a society helps people identify problems, develop solutions and share results quickly. The video also mentions the Netflix Prize, awarded for developing the best algorithm to recommend movies to customers based on their movie rating history.

      • 7.1.1G Search trends are predictors.
      • 7.1.1I Global Positioning System (GPS) and related technologies have changed how humans travel, navigate, and find information related to geolocation.
      • 7.1.1J Sensor networks facilitate new ways of interacting with the environment and with physical systems.
      • 7.1.1K Smart grids, smart buildings, and smart transportation are changing and facilitating human capabilities.
      • 7.1.1L Computing contributes to many assistive technologies that enhance human capabilities.
      • 7.1.1M The Internet and the Web have enhanced methods of and opportunities for communication and collaboration.
      • 7.1.1N The Internet and the Web have changed many areas, including e-commerce, health care, access to information and entertainment, and online learning.
      • 7.1.1O The Internet and the Web have impacted productivity, positively and negatively, in many areas.

        • Video Includes: Movie "Connected" previewed, excellent example of big data failing (Google predicting flu epidemic) due to autocomplete. Tanya Rider story referenced, fire sensors, tech for the disabled

      Global Impact: Communication, Interaction and Cognition Part 2 (Duration 10:57 mins)

      Human capabilities are enhanced by digitally enabled collaboration and by GPS, sensor networks, smart grids/buildings/transportation and assistive technologies for the disabled. Computing has transformed e-commerce, health care, entertainment and online learning.

      3. LO 7.1.1 Explain how computing innovations affect communication, interaction, and cognition. [P4]
    3. Talk with Your Partner Discuss what you learned from these videos.
      Write a paragraph describing how computing innovations have changed human communication, interaction, thought, and learning.

    Large-Scale Collaboration

    If your connection blocks YouTube, you can watch the videos here:
      • 7.1.2A Distributed solutions must scale to solve some problems.
      • 7.1.2B Science has been impacted by using scale and 'citizen science' to solve scientific problems using home computers in scientific research.
      • 7.1.2C Human computation harnesses contributions from many humans to solve problems related to digital data and the Web.

        • Video Includes: SETI @home referenced

      Global Impact: Citizen Participation Part 1 (Duration 2:17 mins)

      New technology enables ordinary citizens to help solve important scientific problems. The SETI@home project is one example, in which participant citizens use time on their home computers in the search for intelligent extra-terrestrial signals from outer space.

      • 7.1.2D Human capabilities are enhanced by digitally enabled collaboration.
      • 7.1.2E Some online services use the contributions of many people to benefit both individuals and society.
      • 7.1.2F Crowdsourcing offers new models for collaboration, such as connecting people with jobs and businesses with funding.

        • Video Includes: 1770 Mechanical Turk referenced, excellent Humor @ Napoleon. Amazon Mech. Turk, gamification of data labeling, 10000 sheep project, crowd sourcing

      Global Impact: Citizen Participation Part 2 (Duration 8:53 mins)

      This video starts with the fascinating story of the Mechanical Turk (1770), a “robot chess player” that supposedly beat Napoleon in a game of chess. That famous hoax is the source for the name of Amazon’s current 'Mechanical Turk' project, which similarly employs humans—many of them—for tasks that are still too difficult for computers, such as image labeling. Aaron Koblin’s '10,000 Sheep' art project is an example of how crowdsourcing offers new models for collaboration.

      3. LO 7.1.2 Explain how people participate in a problem-solving process that scales. [P4]
    3. Talk with Your Partner Write a paragraph describing how people use technology to solve problems collaboratively. Include one example of a large scale effort and one example of something you have done.

    Impacts Beyond Computing

    If your connection blocks YouTube, you can watch the video here:
      • 7.2.1A Machine learning and data mining have enabled innovation in medicine, business, and science.
      • 7.2.1B Scientific computing has enabled innovation in science and business.
      • 7.2.1C Computing enables innovation by providing access to and sharing of information.
      • 7.2.1E Open and curated scientific databases have benefited scientific researchers.
      • 7.2.1F Moore's law has encouraged industries that use computers to effectively plan future research and development based on anticipated increases in computing power.
      • 7.2.1G Advances in computing as an enabling technology have generated and increased the creativity in other fields.

        • Video Includes: IBM Watson Jeopardy, Medical recommender systems, Moore' Law

      Global Impact: Computing Enables Innovation (Duration 8:16 mins)

      Machine learning and data mining have enabled innovation in medicine, business and science. IBM’s AI project “Watson” became famous for beating the Jeopardy champions in 2011, but its capabilities are being put to a more serious purpose as a medical consultant to assist doctors and nurses. Computer modeling and simulation makes experimentation and theory testing safer, faster, and cheaper and is used in many areas including climate research. Moore’s Law—the expected doubling of computer power every two years—has allowed industries to plan for future research and development. Advances in computing have increased creativity in other fields as well, including transforming industries entirely as the animation studio Pixar did.

      2. LO 7.2.1 Explain how computing has impacted innovations in other fields. [P1]
    2. Talk with Your Partner Write a paragraph describing three examples of how computing has influenced innovations in other fields.

    Connections to the Real-World

    If your connection blocks YouTube, you can watch the video here:
      • 7.4.1A The innovation and impact of social media and online access is different in different countries and in different socioeconomic groups.
      • 7.4.1B Mobile, wireless, and networked computing have an impact on innovation throughout the world.
      • 7.4.1C The global distribution of computing resources raises issues of equity, access, and power.
      • 7.4.1D Groups and individuals are affected by the "digital divide" — differing access to computing and the Internet based on socioeconomic or geographic characteristics.
      • 7.4.1E Networks and infrastructure are supported by both commercial and governmental initiatives.

        • Video Includes: Government controls, Global digital divide, Zuckerberg's internet.org initiative mentioned @ reach to 90% w/o Internet

      Global Impact: Economic, Social, Cultural Contexts (Duration 7:45 mins)

      Computing innovations influence and are influenced by the economic, social and cultural contexts in which they are designed and used. Unequal distribution of computing resources raises issues of equity, access and power—the global digital divide. There are efforts both by government and by private corporations—for example, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s internet.org project—that aim to bring the Internet and provide infrastructure to parts of the world currently without access.

      2. LO 7.4.1 Explain the connections between computing and real-world contexts, including economic, social, and cultural contexts. [P1]
    2. Talk with Your Partner Write a paragraph describing two connections between computing and the real-world. Your examples can be social, economic, or cultural.

    Benefits and Harms

    Brian argues that this section should be dropped because we already cover this content in Lab 2.5. --MF, 12/1/17
    If your connection blocks YouTube, you can watch the video here:
      • 7.2.1D Open access and Creative Commons have enabled broad access to digital information.
      • 7.3.1A Innovations enabled by computing raise legal and ethical concerns.
      • 7.3.1B Commercial access to music and movie downloads and streaming raises legal and ethical concerns.
      • 7.3.1C Access to digital content via peer to peer networks raises legal and ethical concerns.
      • 7.3.1D Both authenticated and anonymous access to digital information raise legal and ethical concerns.
      • 7.3.1E Commercial and governmental censorship of digital information raise legal and ethical concerns.
      • 7.3.1F Open source and licensing of software and content raise legal and ethical concerns.
      • 7.3.1N Widespread access to digitized information raises questions about intellectual property.
      • 7.3.1O Creation of digital audio, video, and textual content by combining existing content has been impacted by copyright concerns.
      • 7.3.1P The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) has been a benefit and a challenge in making copyrighted digital material widely available.
      • 7.3.1Q Open source and free software have practical, business, and ethical impacts on widespread access to programs, libraries, and code.

      Video Includes: Mickey Mouse copyright extension, Digital Millennium Copyright Act

      Global Impact: Intellectual Property (Duration 12:03 mins)

      Widespread access to digitized information raises legal and ethical questions about ownership and control of intellectual property—the creative work of others. Copyright protects creators, but also limits others’ access to the materials. How long should copyright—for example, the Mickey Mouse copyright—last and how should that affect who may see copyright protected materials? This video discusses the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), Creative Commons licensing and other topics.

      2. LO 7.3.1 Analyze the beneficial and harmful effects of computing. [P4]
    2. Talk with Your Partner Intellectual property is one of the complex issues of computing. Identify some other issues with pros and cons, and write two paragraphs: one describing two benefits of computing and one describing two harmful impacts of computing.