Getting started with computer ethics

Abstract

Computer professionals face dilemmas which demand both technical knowledge and an understanding of ethical principles and skills, but how to best teach these principles and necessary skills to students? ACM's Curriculum '91 and the problems inherent in the growth of information technology call for educators to integrate computer ethics material into the computer science curriculum. Unfortunately, most faculty have neither background information nor experience teaching ethics and professionalism topics.This paper discusses basic instructional issues and provides elementary approaches for inexperienced faculty. Several simple techniques to identify and analyze ethical issues are presented. Next we look at two intermediate techniques suitable for computer science students which have been particularly successful in my classes. Finally, Project ImpactCS' model for teaching computer ethics, a valuable framework for the study of ethics and social principles and skills is summarized. This model leverages ethics experts experience to jump-start computer science faculty.