The teaching of computer ethics on computer science and related degree programmes. a European survey

AbstractWithin the Computer Science community, many ethical issues have emerged as significant and critical concerns. Computer ethics is an academic field in its own right and there are unique ethical issues associated with information technology. It encompasses a range of issues and concerns including privacy and agency around personal information, Artificial Intelligence and pervasive technology, the Internet of Things and surveillance applications. As computing technology impacts society at an ever growing pace, there are growing calls for more computer ethics content to be included in Computer Science curricula. In this paper we present the results of a survey that polled faculty from Computer Science and related disciplines about teaching practices for computer ethics at their institutions. The survey was completed by respondents from 61 universities across 23 European countries. Participants were surveyed on whether or not computer ethics is taught to Computer Science students at each institution, the reasons why computer ethics is or is not taught, how computer ethics is taught, the background of staff who teach computer ethics and the scope of computer ethics curricula. This paper presents and discusses the results of the survey.

Download Full-text

Teaching Gender Inclusive Computer Ethics

Encyclopedia of Gender and Information Technology ◽

10.4018/978-1-59140-815-4.ch180 ◽

2011 ◽

pp. 1142-1147

Author(s):

Eva Turner

Keyword(s):

Computer Science ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Science Curriculum ◽

Gender Issues ◽

Computer Ethics ◽

Subject Area ◽

Gender Research ◽

Computer Professional ◽

Science Departments ◽

Conference Papers

Computer ethics as a subject area is finally being debated in wider computer science and information technology academic circles. In most computer science departments the syllabus is based on publications often written specifically to deliver courses. These texts select and prioritize those computer ethics topics seen by the professional bodies as the most important for a computer professional. Much rarer are courses which analyse questions of access and social exclusion, disability, global and green issues. What has not yet been included in any systematic or conscientious way in the computer ethics syllabi are the questions of gender and associated ethical issues. Most students and staff are still not aware that all computing and ICT related areas are innately gendered and that a cohesive body of research material is available in the form of feminist or gender research in conference papers, proceedings and book publications. This article analyses the progress of inclusion of gender in computer ethics and argues that the inclusion of gender issues in computer science curriculum must be accommodated. The article outlines how gender issues can be applied to individual computing disciplines in appropriate forms relevant across the spectrum of students.

Download Full-text

Teaching Gender Inclusive Computer Ethics

Information Security and Ethics ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-937-3.ch254 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 3758-3764

Author(s):

Eva Turner

Keyword(s):

Computer Science ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Science Curriculum ◽

Gender Issues ◽

Computer Ethics ◽

Subject Area ◽

Gender Research ◽

Computer Professional ◽

Science Departments ◽

Conference Papers

Download Full-text

Tidal Flow: A Fast and Teachable Maximum Flow Algorithm

OLYMPIADS IN INFORMATICS ◽

10.15388/ioi.2018.03 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 25-41

Author(s):

Matthew C. FONTAINE

Keyword(s):

Computer Science ◽

Tidal Flow ◽

Maximum Flow ◽

Efficient Algorithms ◽

Science Students ◽

Flow Algorithm ◽

Maximum Flows

Among the most interesting problems in competitive programming involve maximum flows. However, efficient algorithms for solving these problems are often difficult for students to understand at an intuitive level. One reason for this difficulty may be a lack of suitable metaphors relating these algorithms to concepts that the students already understand. This paper introduces a novel maximum flow algorithm, Tidal Flow, that is designed to be intuitive to undergraduate andpre-university computer science students.

Download Full-text