Tech Deficit
Project Overview / Introduction
The use of digital technology is transforming public policy and governance. Policy about technology is an ever-critical component of society’s basic fabric. Technology is also changing and affecting many traditional policy arenas, from education to economic global development. The use of technology is transforming how public sector organizations operate. The use of digital tools in public organizations has outstripped the capacity of people in those organizations to design, manage, and operate that technology much less to fully exploit its potential.
Future leaders need training along all these dimensions to fully understand technology’s societal impact. Currently, there is a failure to develop these skills. Public policy practitioners receive limited training in technology’s use and influence. Similarly, technology experts often lack understanding of policy processes and their import. There is a need for bridging and connecting these groups with a focus on the role of technology on public policy and governance outcomes. This bridging tool kit is currently not taught in public policy schools. Relatedly, there is not an effective pipeline to channel tech-policy expertise into government and the social sector. Tomorrow’s leaders need dual competencies to guide and understand technology’s evolving role within our current public policy landscape. This includes literacy to interact with digital natives, understanding the basic architecture of the Internet, and the opportunity to ask tough questions and solve problems using technological tools.
Project Goals
The ultimate goal of Bridging the Tech/Policy Divide is to build a teaching toolkit containing a diverse tech-policy curriculum that can be federated across public policy schools in universities, with a potential digital component. This includes research, coordination, and convenings. Working closely with existing and potential stakeholders to conduct needs assessment, current gaps, and modules for future implementation and experimentation. Research will include bringing together literature that is currently in siloes and developing several original case studies that can be used in the classroom.
The course will work to address several questions:
- How can we create a more effective pipeline for public sector tech-talent?
- What is the role of tech in solving 21st century public problems?
- And what are the necessary trainings for a future generation of leaders?
The course will address three core issue areas:
- Methods by which technology is changing and affecting many traditional policy arenas.
- Policy about technology that will be an ever-critical component of society’s basic fabric.
- Tools and approaches that are transforming how public sector organizations operate.
Course Database Overview / Introduction
This database of university courses at the intersection of technology and policy was created as part of the Open Technology Institute’s (OTI) effort to create a curriculum focused on how digital technology is transforming public policy and governance. In order to formally identify and map the network of educational stakeholders and efforts feeding into the technology policy space, we undertook an initial informal survey of courses that might fall under the broad umbrella of “technology policy.” This survey, which looked at courses at leading higher education institutions, was a starting point designed to inform our formal network-mapping methodology.
Initial data collection (available in the database on this page) focused on a selection of 20 national universities identified as the “best” by U.S. News and World Report. We began by reviewing information on university websites about public policy programs, departments, concentrations, and related offerings. From there we culled course catalog data about courses offered currently or in the recent past. Once courses were identified, we used available syllabi, course websites, online course catalogs, and other university-provided content to code data on course subjects, instructors, student population, and other categories. Our hope is that this initial survey provides the starting point for mapping and understanding the state of technology policy education.
The goal is to create an open course, collaborative, and participatory repository and we look forward to adding content and context. This is a “living” and organic database. To that end, we invite you as collaborators and contributors. Feel free to contact us with ideas, questions, updates, additions, revisions, links, or anything else that you think might be helpful!
Database Category Descriptions
Below are descriptions of the categories included in the database. Coding options for each category are listed as well.
CategoryDescriptionCoding OptionsUniversity NameName of the college or university where the course is offered.Brown UniversityCalifornia Institute of Technology
Columbia University
Cornell University
Dartmouth College
Duke University
Harvard University
Johns Hopkins University
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Northwestern University
Princeton University
Rice University
Stanford University
University of California—Berkeley
University of Chicago
University of Notre Dame
University of Pennsylvania
Vanderbilt University
Washington University in St. Louis
Yale University
Geographic RegionRegion of the United States where the college or university is located. Designations are drawn from the U.S. Census Bureau’s taxonomy of four primary regions.Northeast
Midwest
South
West
Public or PrivateWhether the college or university is a privately funded institution or a publicly funded institution.Public
Private
School / College / Department NameName of the school, college, or department in which the course is offered.
Some courses are cross-listed or offered by multiple departments; in those cases, we have included the name of at least one school, college, or department, and, if possible, more.N/A (unique to course/school)School / College / Department FocusThe focus or “type” of school, college, or department in which the course is offered. These might also be known or referred to as a university’s major academic areas or substantive focuses.Architecture / Design / Urban Studies
Arts and Sciences
Business / Management / Economics
Communications / Media
Computer Science / Information Technology / Systems
Engineering
Global Affairs / International Studies
Government
Institute / Center / Project
Law
Political Science
Public Affairs / Policy
Other: [Explanation]
ProfessorName of the course professor(s), as listed in university course catalog or course description.
Some courses are taught by multiple professors; in those cases, we have included the name of at least one professor and, if possible, more.N/A (unique to course/school)Professor (Background)Some professors build a career in academia, others make the transition from practicing their profession to teaching; and even others practice both approaches concurrently.Academic / Scholarly
Tech Practitioner
Law / Policy Practitioner
Other: [Explanation]
Unknown
Varies
Course TitleName of the course, as listed in university course catalog or course description.N/A (unique to course/school)Course #Course number, as listed in university course catalog or course description.N/A (unique to course/school)Course Focus AreaDescription of course content (e.g., topics covered by course, topics addressed in course readings)Business / Entrepreneurship
Civic & Government Innovation
Coding / Information Technology [skills]
Cyberlaw
Cybersecurity
Data Science
ICT 4 Dev
Internet Governance [inc. Net Neutrality]
International Relations
Network / Systems Design / Architecture
Sociology / Culture of Tech
Surveillance / Privacy
Tech and Media / Communications
Urban Tech in a Global Context
Unknown / Other
Student PopulationStudent populations to whom the course is open for enrollment.Graduate
Undergraduate
Mixed
Unknown
Other: [Explanation]
Course StructureHow course time is dedicated. Most courses fall into the Lecture / Seminar category. Others might include work in the field, learning and practicing of technical or other skills, or some combination of all of the above.Lecture / Seminar
Field Work
Mixed
Skills / Training
Unknown
Other: [Explanation]
SyllabusA link to the course syllabus, when available. While descriptions of courses are widely available to the public (often through course catalogs), syllabi are hardier to come by. Absolutely contact us if you have syllabi to share!N/A (unique to course/school)