CS371 Computer Ethics and Technical Communication

Course Description

This course explores moral responsibilities and ethical decision-making by applying ethical theories, professional ethics and codes of conduct, and cyber-related law to cyber-ethical issues, such as privacy, security, and cybercrime. In addition, this course uses human-computer interaction development and other industry standards, such as white papers and user manuals, to reinforce technical writing concepts.

Course Outcomes

• Ability to create effective end-user documentation
• Ability to contribute effectively to a group presentation
• Understand and apply the ACM code of ethics (or similar) and principles underlying them
• Understands software licensing issues
• Demonstrates ethical decision making
• Ability to write a technical "white paper"
• Ability to give an effective oral presentation
• Ability to apply Value Sensitive Design

Tentative Schedule

1. Mon, Aug 28

   First day of instruction; late registration begins

2. Mon, Aug 28

   Introduction & Course Mechanics

3. Wed, Aug 30

   American Psychological Association Style; APA Lab

   • Assignment 1 Essay; Read CA

4. Fri, Sep 01

   The Classical Argument; The Classical Argument Lab

   • Read Chapter 1

5. Mon, Sep 04

   LABOR DAY

6. Wed, Sep 06

   Chapter 1 Introduction to Cyberethics: Concepts, Perspectives, and Methodological Frameworks

   • Read Chapter 2

7. Fri, Sep 08

   Deadline for adding classes and late registration; 5 p.m. in person, midnight at UAOnline

8. Fri, Sep 08

   Last day for student- and faculty-initiated drops with refund (course does not appear on academic record)

9. Fri, Sep 08

   Chapter 2 Ethical Concepts and Ethical Theories: Establishing and Justifying a Moral System

   • Assignment 2 Essay

10. Mon, Sep 11

    Deadline for tuition and fee payment; 5 p.m. in person, midnight at UAOnline

11. Mon, Sep 11

    Chapter 2 continued

    • Assignment 1 Essay Due; Explore COS website: Resumes + Interviews

12. Wed, Sep 13

    Creating an Effective Resume for Technical Professions; Resume Lab

    • Assignment 3 Resume; Read Chapter 3

13. Fri, Sep 15

    Chapter 3 Critical Reasoning Skills for Evaluating Disputes in Cyberethics

    • Assignment 2 Essay Due

14. Mon, Sep 18

    Group Project Examples; Brainstorming Techniques

    • Read Chapter 4

15. Wed, Sep 20

    Brainstorming Lab

    • Assignment 3 Resume Due; Read IEEE

16. Fri, Sep 22

    Brainstorming Lab continued (room 103)

    • Assignment 4 Brainstorming; Read SEC

17. Mon, Sep 25

    Chapter 4 Professional Ethics, Codes of Conduct, and Moral Responsibility

18. Wed, Sep 27

    Chapter 4 continued

19. Fri, Sep 29

    ACM, IEEE-CS, and SECEPP Codes of Ethics Lab (room 103)

    • Read HCI

20. Mon, Oct 02

    EXAM 1

    • Read Chapter 5

21. Wed, Oct 04

    Human Computer Interaction

    • Read USE; Read CDE

22. Fri, Oct 06

    Chapter 5 Privacy and Cyberspace

    • Assignment 4 Brainstorming Due

23. Mon, Oct 09

    Chapter 5 Continued

    • Read Chapter 6

24. Wed, Oct 11

    Usability and Contextual Design

    • Assignment 5 Usability; Read VDE

25. Fri, Oct 13

    Contextual Design Lab

26. Sun, Oct 15

    Deadline to apply for admission for spring semester (graduate students)

27. Mon, Oct 16

    Chapter 6 Security in Cyberspace

    • Read Chapter 7; Skim TA

28. Wed, Oct 18

    Hacktivism; Value Sensitive Design

    • Assignment 6 Value Sensitive Design

29. Fri, Oct 20

    Value Sensitive Design Lab

30. Mon, Oct 23

    Chapter 7 Cybercrime and Cyber-related Crimes

    • Read Chapter 8

31. Wed, Oct 25

    Killswitch

    • Assignment 5 Usability Due

32. Fri, Oct 27

    Task Analysis and StoryBoarding (room 103)

    • Assignment 7 Task Analysis

33. Mon, Oct 30

    Chapter 8 Intellectual Property Disputes in Cyberspace

34. Wed, Nov 01

    Deadline to apply for admission for spring semester (undergraduate students)

35. Wed, Nov 01

    Chapter 8 Continued

    • Assignment 6 Value Sensitive Design Due; Read Chapter 9

36. Fri, Nov 03

    Last day for student- and faculty-initiated withdrawals (W grade appears on academic transcript)

37. Fri, Nov 03

    Copyleft Licenses; White Papers: Types and Uses

    • Assignment 7 Task Analysis Due; Assignment 8 White Papers

38. Mon, Nov 06

    Prototyping Lab (room 103)

    • Project Assignment: Video Prototyping and Digital Interactive Prototyping (DIP)

39. Wed, Nov 08

    Software Licensing Issues; User's Manuals

    • Assignment 9 User Guides

40. Fri, Nov 10

    Facebook, Google, and the Future of Free Speech

41. Mon, Nov 13

    Chapter 9 Regulating Commerce and Speech in Cyberspace

42. Wed, Nov 15

    Exam 2 Review

    • Read Chapter 10

43. Fri, Nov 17

    EXAM 2

44. Mon, Nov 20

    Group Project PRESENTATION 1: Current Status, DIP demo, and Next Steps

45. Wed, Nov 22

    Chapter 10 The Digital Divide, Democracy, and Work

46. Thu, Nov 23

    THANKSGIVING

47. Fri, Nov 24

    THANKSGIVING

48. Mon, Nov 27

    Cyberlaw: An Introduction

    • Assignment 8 White Papers Due; Assignment 10 Case Markup

49. Wed, Nov 29

    Tort Law and the Civil Justice System

    • Cyberlaw: Legislative Initiatives

50. Fri, Dec 01

    Cyberlaw: Legislative Initiatives

    • Assignment 9 User Guides Due

51. Mon, Dec 04

    Cyberlaw: Copyrights, Patents, and Trademarks

    • Assignment 10 Case Markup Due; Assignment 11 IRAC Analysis

52. Wed, Dec 06

    Cyberlaw: Trade Secrets, eCommerce, and Contract Law

53. Fri, Dec 08

    FINAL EXAM

54. Sat, Dec 09

    Last day of instruction

55. Mon, Dec 11

    Assignment 11 IRAC Analysis due

56. Wed, Dec 13

    GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS, 1-3pm

57. Wed, Dec 20

    Deadline for faculty to post grades, noon

Grading Policies

Grades will be assigned based on the following percentage intervals:

A+

[95%, 100%)

A

[90%, 95%)

A-

[85%, 90%)

B+

[80%, 85%)

B

[75%, 80%)

B-

[70%, 75%)

C+

[65%, 70%)

C

[60%, 65%)

C-

[55%, 60%)

D+

[50%, 55%)

D

[45%, 50%)

D-

[40%, 45%)

F

[0%, 40%)

Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity

The University of Alaska Board of Regents have clearly stated in BOR policy that discrimination, harassment and violence will not be tolerated on any campus of the University of Alaska. If you believe you are experiencing discrimination or any form of harassment, including sexual harassment/misconduct/assault, you are encouraged to report that behavior. If you disclose sexual harassment or sexual violence to faculty members or university employees, they must notify the UAF Title IX coordinator about the basic facts of the incident. Your choices for disclosure include:

1. You may confidentially disclose and access confidential counseling by contacting the UAF Health and Counseling Center at 474-7043.
2. You can get support and file a Title IX report by contacting the UAF Title IX coordinator at 474-7599.
3. You may file a criminal complaint by contacting the UAF Police Department at 474-7721.

From Disability Services: UAF is obligated to provide accommodation only to the known limitations of an otherwise qualified student who has a disability. Please identify yourself to UAF Disability Services by applying for accommodations. To be considered for UAF Disability Services accommodations, individuals must be enrolled for at least one credit as a UAF student. For more information contact Disability Services at uaf-disabilityservices@alaska.edu, 474-5655 or by TTY at 474-1827.

Assignments

Assignments will reinforce lecture concepts and demonstrate application of critical thinking skills. Unless otherwise specified, all assignments must be done on an individual basis. I will deduct 10% per day for up to three days for late assignments. I will evaluate assignments based on:

• 20%     Formatting and layout

• 20%     Spelling and grammar

• 60%     Technical content

You may discuss homework assignments with others, but everything you turn in must be your own work.

Exams

Examinations MUST be taken at the scheduled time. In particular, I will not allow early final exams.

Other Texts

We will use excerpts from most of these texts throughout the semester.

Quizzes

I will drop your one lowest quiz grade.

Policies

Students are expected to be at every class meeting on time, and are responsible for all class content, whether present or not. If absence from class is necessary, in-class work (other than quizzes) and homework may be made up only if the instructor is notified as soon as possible; in particular, absences due to scheduled events must be arranged ahead of time. Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated, and will be dealt with according to UAF procedures. Students in this class must pay the CS lab fee.

UAF academic policies http://www.uaf.edu/catalog/current/academics

CS Department policies http://www.cs.uaf.edu/departmental-policies/

Disabilities Services:

The UAF Office of Disability Services implements the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and ensures that UAF students have equal access to the campus and course materials. I will work with the UAF Office of Disability Services (208 WHITAKER BLDG, 474-5655) to provide reasonable accommodation to students with disabilities.