Table of Contents
Syllabus
Syllabus
 When you click the Amazon logo to the left of any citation and purchase the book (or other media) from Amazon.com, MIT OpenCourseWare will receive up to 10% of this purchase and any other purchases you make during that visit. This will not increase the cost of your purchase. Links provided are to the US Amazon site, but you can also support OCW through Amazon sites in other regions. Learn more. |
Course Goals
- Gain awareness of third world communities and the technical challenges they face
- Learn about appropriate technologies for developing communities, their impact, and how they can be conceived, designed and implemented
- Understand the role MIT can play in helping and advancing developing communities throughout the world
- Learn the hands-on skills required to implement selected development projects
- Gain exposure to the culture, history, economic and developmental state of the host countries
- Work with community organizations to prepare field projects for the IAP fieldtrips
Trip Leaders
In addition to the instructors, several students make important contributions to D-Lab as Trip Leaders.
Brazil: Leo Burd
Ghana: Jamy Drouillard
Honduras: Elizabeth Basha, Marta Fernandez-Suarez
India: Sam Davies
Lesotho: Matt Orosz, Kate Steel
Samoa: Sala Mcguire
Zambia: Will DelHagen
Textbook
Smillie, Ian. Mastering the Machine Revisited: Poverty, Aid and Technology. Bourton-on-Dunsmore, UK: ITDG Publishing, 2000. ISBN: 9781853395079.
Readings from this book will be supplemented by many articles and other resources.
Grading
This is a nine-unit class: four hours a week will be spent in class and the remaining five hours will be spent working on readings, homework, and developing the field projects. Because much of the work for this seminar will be done during class time, attendance is essential. Students missing a class meeting should contact the instructors to make up the work. This seminar is graded on a A/B/C/F basis, furthermore it is a class where your work is impacting the lives of people around the world and we expect an appropriate level of commitment.| ACTIVITIES | PERCENTAGES |
|---|---|
| In-class Assignments and Participation | 30% |
| Homework and Writing Assignments | 25% |
| Sector Paper | 15% |
| Quiz | 15% |
| Final Presentation | 15% |