Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - URB 695 G300

Selected Topics in Urban Studies (4)

Smart Cities

Class Number: 8131

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Wed, 5:30–9:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

This course provides an opportunity for students to study one or more urban studies topics that lie beyond the scope of the other courses. This course will normally provide a more research-intensive experience than other graduate urban studies courses.

COURSE DETAILS:


Information technology is spreading out from the private sphere and into a city’s buildings, objects, and infrastructure. Many urban planners, consultants, elected officials, developers, and citizens are excited by the prospect of using this technology in their pursuit of smart urbanism. It is widely held that the intelligent city will address pressing urban challenges, and improve urban life for all. In this course, we will learn about smart urban technology, policy, and planning through the lens of critical urban theory. This course deliberates, at a theoretical and empirical level, the following questions: who is the smart city for? How do citizens participate in its making (and under what circumstances)? And, how might we engage key stakeholders with respect to social justice, civic participation, and rights? The aim of the course is to critically theorize the smart city through examination of relevant academic literature, interesting empirical cases, and existing urban policy. Students will explore, analyze, and critically reflect upon existing intelligent policy, plans and strategies. Then, working with a group, students will create and pitch their own smart city strategies and ideas that aim to address contemporary urban issues.

This course will use a combination of lecture, class discussion, critical analysis, class presentations and group project.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • Think critically through the ‘smart’ city, and contextualize approaches to intelligent urbanism historically and socially
  • Analyze and compare existing and proposed smart community projects
  • Formulate new lines of inquiry and thinking in response to popular conceptions of the intelligent city and its hoped-for potential
  • Work effectively in a group to create a conceptual smart city project that addresses an urban challenge, and be able to communicate and ‘pitch’ this idea to urban professionals and audience in a live, open to the public webinar-format Smart Cities Pitch Night (project-based learning will comprise the focus of the second half of the semester)

Remote Learning Format

  • Weekly synchronous class discussion on Zoom on Wednesday evenings (lasting 1-2 hours)
  • Asynchronous instructional content provided via recorded mini-lectures, podcasts, and reflection modules
  • In the latter half of the course, please anticipate the need to meet synchronously for 1-2 hours per week with your Smart City Solutions group. The timing of these meetings is flexible and will be determined with your group.

Course Policies

Remote delivery of this course means that "the usual" course policies are now flexible.  Due dates, expectations, and requirements are all built for resilience and adaptability.

Time and place of classes:  See Canvas announcement in the first week of September with Zoom info and times.

Effort will be made to meet consistently between 5:30pm- 8pm each week, which allows for two hours of instruction with a short break.  Occasionally, class may spill into the hours of 8-9:20 p.m. (due to guest speaker schedules, and other special cases). These dates will be made clear in the final syllabus. 

 

 

 

 

Grading

  • Active participation 20%
  • Policy analysis written assignment 30%
  • Synchronous discussion facilitation leadership group 10%
  • Smart city solutions group pitch 20%
  • Smart city solutions group pitch - written report 20%

NOTES:

Office Hours: Done online through Zoom.  Book via www.calendly.com/leanne_roderick

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Required Materials

All readings and course reserves will be available in digital format via SFU Library and online sources.

 

 


Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).