R12: Programmed Inequality

Getting you introduced to programming doesn't just mean making sure you know the difference between a for loop and a while loop. You should also get introduced to how programming fits into society at large.

Programmed Inequality: How Britain Discarded Women Technologists and Lost Its Edge in Computing Links to an external site. is a recent (2017) book on the history of computing that places special emphasis on computer programming jobs. Rather than have you buy the book and only read a small part of it, you should watch this overview talk from the author:

Book Talk: Programmed Inequality  Links to an external site.(40 minutes)

As you watch the video, remember to practice active reading skills:

• Adjust the playback speed to your level
• Optionally turn on subtitles/captions
• After skimming the video at a good speed, use the text transcript (available in youtube's "..." menu below the video) to reveal searchable text. You browser's built in text search tools (ctrl-f or cmd-f) will help you navigate this pile of text.
• When answering response questions, search back through the video using the transcript to find evidence for your interpretation of the video. 

You'll be able to review the correct answers for the response questions after the due date passes. As always, you can discuss score adjustments for alternate interpretations of these questions with Adam in office hours or through email.