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.

Tentative Schedule

1. Mon, Aug 26

   Introduction & Course Mechanics

2. Wed, Aug 28

   American Psychological Association Style; APA Lab

   • Assignment 1 Essay; Read CA

3. Fri, Aug 30

   The Classical Argument; The Classical Argument Lab

   • Read Chapter 1

4. Mon, Sep 02

   LABOR DAY (offices closed — no classes, registration or fee payment)

5. Wed, Sep 04

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

   • Read Chapter 2

6. Fri, Sep 06

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

7. Fri, Sep 06

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

   • Assignment 2 Essay

8. Mon, Sep 09

   Chapter 2 continued

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

9. Wed, Sep 11

   Creating an Effective Resume for Technical Professions; Resume Lab

   • Assignment 3 Resume; Read Chapter 3

10. Fri, Sep 13

    Chapter 3 Critical Reasoning Skills for Evaluating Disputes in Cyberethics

    • Assignment 2 Essay Due

11. Mon, Sep 16

    Group Project Examples; Brainstorming Techniques

    • Read Chapter 4

12. Wed, Sep 18

    Brainstorming Lab

    • Assignment 3 Resume Due; Read IEET & IECO

13. Fri, Sep 20

    Brainstorming Lab continued

    • Assignment 4 Brainstorming; Read SEC

14. Mon, Sep 23

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

15. Wed, Sep 25

    Chapter 4 continued

16. Fri, Sep 27

    ACM, IEEE-CS, and SECEPP Codes of Ethics Lab

    • Read HCI

17. Mon, Sep 30

    EXAM 1

    • Read Chapter 5

18. Wed, Oct 02

    Human Computer Interaction

    • Read USE; Read CDE

19. Fri, Oct 04

    Chapter 5 Privacy and Cyberspace

    • Assignment 4 Brainstorming Due

20. Mon, Oct 07

    Chapter 5 Continued

    • Read Chapter 6

21. Wed, Oct 09

    Usability and Contextual Design

    • Assignment 5 Usability; Read VDE

22. Fri, Oct 11

    Contextual Design Lab

23. Mon, Oct 14

    Chapter 6 Security in Cyberspace

    • Read Chapter 7; Skim TA

24. Wed, Oct 16

    Explore Local and Global Impacts of Computing Using Value Sensitive Design

    • Assignment 6 Value Sensitive Design

25. Fri, Oct 18

    Value Sensitive Design Lab

26. Mon, Oct 21

    Chapter 7 Cybercrime and Cyber-related Crimes

    • Read Chapter 8

27. Wed, Oct 23

    Task Analysis using Activity Theory

    • Assignment 5 Usability Due

28. Fri, Oct 25

    Storyboarding

    • Assignment 7 Task Analysis

29. Mon, Oct 28

    Chapter 8 Intellectual Property Disputes in Cyberspace

30. Wed, Oct 30

    Chapter 8 Continued

    • Assignment 6 Value Sensitive Design Due; Read Chapter 9

31. Fri, Nov 01

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

32. Fri, Nov 01

    Copyleft Licenses; White Papers: Types and Uses

    • Assignment 8 White Papers

33. Mon, Nov 04

    Software Licensing Issues

34. Wed, Nov 06

    User Guides; Prototyping

    • Assignment 7 Task Analysis Due; Assignment 9 User Guides

35. Fri, Nov 08

    Prototyping Lab

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

36. Mon, Nov 11

    Chapter 9 Regulating Commerce and Speech in Cyberspace

37. Wed, Nov 13

    EXAM 2

    • Read Chapter 10

38. Fri, Nov 15

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

39. Mon, Nov 18

    Chapter 10 The Digital Divide, Democracy, and Work

40. Wed, Nov 20

    Cyberlaw: An Introduction

    • Assignment 8 White Papers Due; Assignment 10 Case Markup

41. Fri, Nov 22

    Cyberlaw: Tort Law and the Civil Justice System

42. Mon, Nov 25

    Cyberlaw: Legislative Initiatives

    • Assignment 9 User Guides Due

43. Wed, Nov 27

    THANKSGIVING (no classes, most offices closed) Wednesday-Sunday, Nov 27-Dec 1

44. Fri, Nov 29

    THANKSGIVING (no classes, most offices closed) Wednesday-Sunday, Nov 27-Dec 1

45. Mon, Dec 02

    Cyberlaw: Copyrights, Patents, and Trademarks

    • Assignment 10 Case Markup Due; Assignment 11 IRAC Analysis

46. Wed, Dec 04

    Cyberlaw: Trade Secrets, eCommerce, and Contract Law

47. Fri, Dec 06

    FINAL EXAM

48. Sat, Dec 07

    Last day of instruction

49. Wed, Dec 11

    GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS, 1-3pm

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. In addition, I will deduct the following percentages for each error in your assignments:

• 2%     Formatting and layout

• 2%     Spelling and grammar

• 6%     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.

Quizzes

I will drop your one lowest quiz grade.

Reference Texts

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

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.