The Social Impact of Computers should be read as a guide to the social implications of current and future applications of computers. Among the basic themes presented are the following: the changing nature of work in response to technological innovation as well as the threat to jobs; personal freedom in the machine age as manifested by challenges to privacy, dignity, and work; the relationship between advances in computer and communications technology and the possibility of increased centralization of authority; and the emergence and influence of artificial intelligence and its role in decision-making, especially in military applications. The book begins with background and historical information on computers and technology. Separate chapters then cover major applications: business, medicine, education, government; major social issues, including crime, privacy, work; and new technologies and problems: industry regulation, electronic funds transfer systems, international competition, national industrial policies, robotics and industrial automation, productivity, the information society, videotex. The final chapter discusses issues associated with ethics and professionalism. The material presented should be accessible to most university students who have had an introductory course in computer science. Self taught or sufficiently motivated individuals who have gained an understanding of how computers operate should also profit from this book. Especially useful are backgrounds in sociology, economics, history, political science, or philosophy.

The book concludes with an overview of issues related to ethics and professionalism for computer scientists."--BOOK JACKET.

Computers and other types of technology have changed our lives in ways never imagined. Today, we constantly have a wealth of information at our fingertips. Computers help us work better and faster. Readers will learn about the many positive impacts of computers in society. They'll also read about the many negative impacts, such as threats to our privacy and security and a potential decrease in physical activity. Students will be encouraged to think about the role technology plays in their everyday lives.

How have schools been affected by the introduction of computer technology, and has it changed the school life and experience of students? This book uses research from both large and small secondary schools, including those specializing in technology and those with higher numbers of pupils with special needs, to look at the results of all the political initiatives and investment in ICT. The authors found that the ambitious expectations fell short of reality. Their research into the reasons for this shortfall can help teachers understand and develop ways to make the best use of computers in their schools. It is equally informative for educational researchers and policy-makers.

Presenting an introduction to computing and advice on computer applications, this book examines hardware and software with respect to the needs of the social scientist. It offers a framework for the use of computers, with focus on the 'work station', the center of which is a personal computer connected to networks by a telephone-based modem.

Computers and Society explores the history and impact of modern technology on everyday human life, considering its benefits, drawbacks, and repercussions. Particular attention is paid to new developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the issues that have arisen from our complex relationship with AI.

For managers, consultants, researchers, vendors of BPR and academics.

UNESCO estimates that eleven percent of primary school–age children—seventy-two million worldwide—are not enrolled in or attending school. Children who do attend may find themselves in schools that lack adequate space, facilities, or resources—impossible situations for learning. It is against this backdrop of profound need that One Laptop per Child (OLPC) emerged in 2005. The mission of the organization is to "empower the children of developing countries to learn." They created the first affordable netbook specifically built to withstand harsh climates and the handling of young children—the bright green and white XO. At the 2005 World Economic Forum, Nicholas Negroponte, the MIT researcher who co-founded the Media Lab and OLPC, introduced the XO laptop to the world and described a new approach to changing education in developing countries. First, children must have access to information (through low-cost data communications) and the tools to educate themselves (affordable computers and learning software). Secondly, the fundamental approach to education must shift from passive knowledge acquisition to active construction of knowledge (learning how to learn). Thirdly, OLPC planned to build an organization with the capability to deliver these computers and support these shifts globally. It was an audacious vision of how to bring about a massive educational change. Learning to Change the World is the story of One Laptop per Child—a story that will resonate with entrepreneurs and social innovators in any field. OLPC is an example of a non-profit organization with aspirations for systemic change on a global scale, yet wrestling with tough questions that will be familiar to any social entrepreneur: how to ensure market forces support the scale up of a social program; how to balance the need to repeat past successes but still leave room for innovation; how to leverage a network to expand impact beyond your original capabilities; and how to help people without creating dependence. The authors set out to tell the real story of their journey—both successes and failures. For both ardent supporters and critics alike, this book presents both an invitation and a challenge: to set aside preconceived notions about OLPC and read the inside story of the origins and evolution of the organization.

The essays ... have been selected from among the papers presented as a symposium on the social impact of cybernetics held in Washington, D.C., in November, 1964, under the joint sponsorship of Georgetown University, American University, and George Washington University with the cooperation of the American Society for Cybernetics.