Science and Technology in World History

HIST 108 (Science and Technology in World History) is a broad survey of the development of science and technology from antiquity to the present. The course approaches science and technology as historical activities shaped by the societies in which they developed, with particular attention to the interactions among scientific knowledge, technological change, social values, ethics, and human needs.

Organized roughly chronologically, the course examines major episodes in the history of science and technology through a combination of textbook readings, primary and secondary sources, and documentary and instructional videos. Students encounter scientific ideas and technological practices in their historical contexts rather than simply judging past knowledge by present-day standards.

The course is fully online and asynchronous. Twelve topical modules ask students to analyze assigned materials and respond to interpretive questions, while three longer writing assignments require students to develop evidence-based historical arguments. Throughout the semester, students consider not only how science and technology have changed over time, but also how they have both reflected and transformed the societies that produced them.

Learning Objectives/Outcomes

• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of historical thinking to understand human societies, specifically through examining the history of the global development of science and technology from antiquity to the contemporary era.
• Define and summarize major events, developments, and themes of the history of science and technology from antiquity to the contemporary era. (measured by module question responses)
• Evaluate significant themes, issues, or eras in the history of science and technology from antiquity to the contemporary era.
• Demonstrate basic skills in the comprehension and analysis of selected sources and their relevance in the context of historical knowledge.
• Recognize the differences between original historical source material (primary sources) and later scholarly interpretations of those sources (secondary sources).
• Develop interpretive historical arguments drawing on primary and/or secondary sources.
• dentify the sources and functions of values that guide human practices in science and technology.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of ethics, values and social responsibility in science and technology for individuals and for societies through the history of science and technology.
• Reflect on how values shape personal and community ethics and decision-making in the context of science and technology.