15-296 Special Topic: Understanding and Challenging the Images of Computing Units: 6.0 Department: Computer Science Related URLs: http://www.csd.cs.cmu.edu In this research and action based course we will explore computing from a cultural perspective. We will reflect on some issues often taken for granted e.g. are our attitudes to computing generalizable or culturally specific? How are computing and its workforce perceived and represented in US culture and in cultures from around the world? Can this cultural perspective help us understand the declining interest in computing in the USA? The Computing Research Association (CRA) noted that after five years of declines, the number of new CS majors in fall 2005 was half of what it was in fall 2000. Meanwhile, in many other parts of the world, interest in computing education and computing careers, is on the increase. Using academic papers, web sites, media texts, group discussion and interviews we will examine some of the broad issues surrounding computing and explore, for example, how cultural images, attitudes and access to resources can impact participation in computing. We will use findings from our investigations to build an action component in which student teams develop and implement a public presentation aimed at broadening understanding of, and participation in, computing.

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