Course Code: CSC 305

Course Name: Computing Ethics

About the Course...

Formerly, “Computers and Society” was a course offered for all students in the College of Computer and Information Science (CCIS) in King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Few years back while reshuffling the curricula in CCIS, only the department of computer Science kept the computer ethics course as part of the department curriculum to be offered for the undergraduate student. Currently, the course is a compulsory course. I am glad to see several universities offering such a course.

The ACM and the IEEE both recognize that it is important for undergraduates in computer science to understand the social, ethical, and professional issues related to the field of computing. It has been recognized that it is of importance for all computer professionals to understand the responsibilities they accepted and to know the effect of their actions on society. Beside IT professionals, the ethical issues of computing should be understood by others to appreciate the benefit and the harm of such activities. The importance of IT ethics stems from the importance of IT nowadays. Computers facilitate many aspects of our life activities and needs, but also have provided new ways to commit crimes. Issues such as computer hacking and computerized record keeping affect nearly everyone using computers. For these reasons, I have found the course necessary, important, and interesting for IT students.

In addition, it was an opportunity for me to use the course as a means of improving student communication and writing skills. For that, I adopt a methodology for the students to follow to research a computing aspect or topic and its influence on the society, and conduct a survey to measure its impact, and possibly uses and benefits. Students are then asked to write a report and make presentations to share with other students their findings, and the analysis and rsult of their survey. Samples of such studies are found here. Time allowing, I arrange for students to visit some enterprises to experience real work places.

Course Credit: 3 hours

Textbook:
Ethics in Information Technology, G. Reynolds, Course Technology.

Also, Principles of Information Systems, R. Stair, G. Reynolds, Course technology.

Useful Links:

ACM Brings You the World of Computing
Albany College of Pharmacy - Computer Ethics
Atterbury Foundation Home Pag
Boston University Computer Ethics
Censorship and the Internet
Center for the Study of Ethics
Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility 
Computer Ethics
Computer Ethics - 2nd Edition
Computer Ethics Information Systems Ethics Cyberethics 
Computer Ethics: Reading material