This half-semester, 0.5-credit course is offered in the second part of the spring 2013 semester. The course focuses on how current technological developments (e.g., social media, digital content, big data) have disrupted and will continue to affect our society and the structure of the economy. Among the issues examined are who benefits (and suffers) from disruption, the prospects for "brick-and-mortar" institutions (including universities), and possible future patterns of disruption. Some evidence is drawn from previous examples of technological disruption (e.g., railroads). Students who participate in the course must also agree to spend the summer in the Palo Alto, CA working in a paid internship that Colgate arranges and attending occasional lectures. Students interested in the course are asked to submit a statement of interest to be reviewed by the instructors prior to enrollment. Students with a variety of technical backgrounds are encouraged to apply. No previous background in programming of necessary, although students with this background are also welcome.
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