How automation is changing the future of work and how we have to adapt new skills and retain them
The exponential growth of technology has fundamentally changed how we connect, collaborate, and socialize. Unsurprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic has only further accelerated the timeline of organizations as they seek to adapt to the changing nature of work, the workplace, and their relationships with employees. No matter the field of study or area of work, an understanding of this landscape and the business challenges it holds is a crucial competitive advantage for individuals. At its core, this course explores the ever-changing nature of the future of work. Students will study the thinking around, strategies for, and potential structures of the future of work, including topics such as the gig economy, automation of the workforce, integration of technology and AI, and human and socio-economic impacts of these changes. This course prepares students to contribute to and lead dynamic organizations facing these challenges and develop critical skills to effectively navigate the future of work and the inevitable changes it brings.
Requirements for Final Paper:
TMC 498: final paper (10-12 pages, at least 6 academic sources): independent research on the topic, proposed by the student [fulfills (L) requirement and TEM capstone requirement]
Writing Resources: I expect all students to be familiar with academic writing and integrity. It is your responsibility to review the following websites:
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https://libguides.asu.edu/researchandwriting
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https://libguides.asu.edu/citing/AcadIntegrity
Benefits of Writing Tutoring: I encourage all students to meet with the ASU Writing Tutoring Center to strengthen your writing this semester. All writers — all ASU undergraduate or graduate students — can benefit from visiting the Writing Center to:
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explore, plan, and develop ideas
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review strategies to organize and structure a paper
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discuss ways to integrate and cite sources
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engage in writing and revision
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talk about editing and proofreading strategies
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find a place to write
Final Project Assignment: The final project will be a research paper related to (inspired by) any course materials. Your paper answering a specific research question should not attempt to address all of the course objectives or summarize the entire course. Students should skim through the syllabus and course texts to propose a specific research topic for approval from the instructors. This final project can be an individual or group assignment (group size not to exceed three people). If the paper is a group effort, all members of the group will be given the same grade, so careful attention to the editing and final product is necessary among all members. The content of your paper, not including cover page, annotated bibliography or works cited, should be 10-12 pages (graduate students: 14-16 pages), double-spaced, using APA research format with a minimum of 6 (graduate students: 10) sources (primary and/or secondary). Please include: a cover page, your annotated bibliography (at least 5 entries) and if needed, an additional works cited list (beyond your annotated bibliography). The topic and particular parts of the research paper is due according to the schedule in the syllabus.
Topic Proposal: The research topic for your individual or group paper needs instructor approval. Begin thinking about how you will frame the paper: define your central question, think about potential sources of data/research to evaluate your question. Submit at least 2-3 sentences explaining your proposed topic in the Module 2 dropbox on Canvas. If you are working in a group, only one student should submit the topic proposal and identify all team members.
Intro Paragraph: Please begin by pasting in last week’s topic proposal, with any necessary revisions. The intro paragraph is the first opportunity for you to articulate the research topic. These few sentences will explain the topic chosen and tell about the importance and results of the research. PapersOwl.com lists some tips for the introduction paragraph:
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Be original
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State the research theme
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Explain key terms
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Find the appropriate size (short enough to be readable and gain the attention of the reader and long enough to explain all the main features of the research).
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Refer to keywords (separate words or word combinations which define the topic).
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Follow the rules of logic (logic links or transition between sentences/paragraphs will make the text coherent).
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End the introduction paragraph with a thesis statement (explanation of thesis statement below).
Thesis Statement: A thesis statement focuses your ideas into one or two sentences. It should tell the reader what the research is about and present your position in relation to the topic. This will keep the research focused.
Below are two examples of introduction paragraphs with thesis statements:
Career and Technical Education (CTE) is a program that prepares workers for a wide range of high-wage, high-skill, high-demand careers in almost every industry. Currently, there are approximately 12.5 million high school and college students enrolled in CTE programs. Many businesses are unaware of the training provided by CTE programs; however, business and industry stand to benefit from high-quality CTE programs because it prepares students with employability skills needed in the workplace. The formation of partnerships between CTE and industry is already in place in many states. This research will investigate the implementation of CTE/industry partnerships than can be applied to the sourcing of skilled workers for various industries.
Bookish marketing nowadays has become digital because of the demands of the modern online era. Such popular best-selling authors such as J.K. Rowling or Dan Brown profit from the internet and use it as a source for advertising to show the audience their creations. On the other hand, many writers find digital Epoque harmful and destructive for their creations because many users can get their books for free giving no income to the author. However, there are more and more studies, which reveal that the business side of the book industry is not far from negative. This research paper will define whether the culture of digital book consumption has to be changed due to the creations of writers becoming worthless due to an act of web pirates and because people have stopped valuing books according to their merit.
Annotated Bibliography: An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. For this assignment, you are required to submit at least 5 separate entries in your annotated bibliography.
Cornell University Writing Center (https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography) says that:
Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research. The following gives the process to successful annotation:
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Locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
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Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.
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Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.
Below are examples of annotated bibliography entries using APA or MLA style.
The following example uses APA style (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 6th edition, 2010) for the journal citation:
Waite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51, 541-554.
The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes because of nonfamily living.
This example uses MLA style (MLA Handbook, 8th edition, 2016) for the journal citation:
Waite, Linda J., et al. “Nonfamily Living and the Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults.” American Sociological Review, vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 541-554.
The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes because of nonfamily living.
Draft Final Paper: After each required submission, feedback is given. From this feedback, students will revise (if necessary) their input and develop a final draft of the research paper following the chosen research format and guidelines in this project description. Feedback is given for revision/inclusion in the final research paper.
Final Research Paper: The final research paper is due on this date. PLEASE NOTE: This due date is firm and cannot be extended as the window for final grades is compressed.