PSYK1070 Technology and Society I Course description

The language is normally English.

Technologies, from the stone axe to the computer, have been integral in shaping;how we live, think, interact;and work.;Advances in;digitalization have;made digital competences;a significant factor in ensuring the employability of candidates in all professions vital to our society. Understanding;the benefits, the;limitations;and the transformative power;of technologies;on public and private life as well as;professional practice;is crucial.;

In this course, students will acquire the basic knowledge;needed to harness the potential of;digital technologies;and identify opportunities to use technology;to;foster inclusion,;active participation, and;sustainability;in society;and the workplace.;Through;individual reflection,;shared exploration;and group discussions, students will;gain;awareness;of;how technological developments might impact their future professions, and their role as citizens in an increasingly digitalized society.;;

This course will provide students with the foundational knowledge and means to become a responsible agent of change in their own profession and field of study.;Students will learn to recognise limitations, strengths and potentially disruptive consequences of technological innovation and grapple with the social, ethical and political issues that arise as technology becomes both increasingly complex and;essential to;the;function of society.;

No additional course-specific requirements.

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge;

Upion successful completion of this course the student understands:;

• basic concepts, mechanisms and tools behind digitalization and how their use may constrain or enable;participation in society, work processes;and other aspects of everyday life;
• the role of technological innovation and development with regards to;health,;sustainable development, universal design, and privacy;
• the potential impact of digital technologies on;civic engagement;
• the;function;of technological infrastructure in;shaping;and;supporting society and the welfare state.;

Skills;

Upon successful completion of this course the student can:;

• evaluate and critically discuss the possibilities and challenges of technological solutions used in the profession(s) relevant to their field of study and present the arguments in a structured form;
• reflect on social, ethical and political consequences of technological change;specific challenges related to their field of study;
• provide examples of;local and;global technological disparity, both in general terms, and in relation to their field of study;
• apply critical and analytical tools and strategies to evaluate information, arguments, and theories,;in a structured manner;
• analyse;and interpret the processes by which information and disinformation is distinguished, disseminated and used;in different contexts.;

General Competence;

Upon successful completion of this course the student can:;

• discuss ethical, social and political challenges arising at the intersection of technology;and society;
• examine;contemporary, real-world cases from multiple perspectives;;
• evaluate the potential impact of new technologies;and digitalization processes;on an individual and societal level;
• understand the importance of user-oriented perspectives;in;the;use and development;of technology;
• communicate concepts and models related to the use of technology in a structured manner.;

The course uses a blended learning approach, with a combination of attendance-based seminars and digital learning materials. Students will explore real-world cases emerging at the intersection of society, technology and their future profession.

English will be the primary language of communication.

None

Professional practitioners need skills relating to independent thinking and problem-solving. The bachelor’s programme concludes with an independent documentation work in the form of a bachelor’s thesis. Through work on the bachelor’s thesis, the student must show their understanding of the connection between theory and practice. The bachelor’s thesis must be written in article form in accordance with the APA standard.

Passed the courses PSYK1100, PSYK1200, PSYK1320, PSYK1420, PSYK1600, PSYK1700, PSYK2100, PSYK2200, PSYK2310, PSYKPRA10, PSYK2400, PSYK2600, PSYK3200, PSYK3400, PSYK3500 and PSYKPRA2.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge 

The student can

• describe relevant sources for literature searches
• explain different forms of reporting in accordance with ethical requirements and guidelines

Skills

The student can

• protect privacy (according to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)), including safeguarding consent to the collection of personal data and confidentiality
• conduct different types of literature searches
• formulate a research question in accordance with general requirements
• plan, conduct and document a study, a project work, or a care or training measure
• collect and process data
• use the IMRAD model in reporting and referring according to the current APA standard

General competence 

The student can

• demonstrate practical research ethics and relevant critical thinking in accordance with academic standards
• disseminate and document behaviour analytic work 
• exchange professional opinions and experience and contribute to the development of the field

Work on the bachelor’s thesis is conducted full-time over eight weeks. The students work independently on the thesis. A supervisor from among the department’s staff will be appointed for each student.

The following must have been approved in order for the student to submit the bachelor’s thesis.

• Prepare and get approved an outline for the bachelor’s thesis
• Participate in organised supervision (80%)