Introduction
Get an overview of what this course is about and who it is for.
We'll cover the following
Motivation
The motivation behind this course is to create awareness about the existing professional practices for computing professionals.
With increasing technological advancements and their huge impact on society, there is a greater need for the awareness of ethical and professional challenges faced by individuals and organizations. We really need to focus on moral courage in engineering ethics education. By moral courage, we mean standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult or unpopular, and taking ethical actions even in the face of potential personal or professional risks.
This course aims to empower current and future computing professionals with an understanding of ethical dilemmas and the tools necessary to make honest decisions that positively impact both technology and society.
Salient features of this course
The following are the salient features of this course:
This course discusses professional principles using real-life case studies and illustrates how the violation of these principles had adverse and far-fetched consequences.
This course focuses on interactivity by using inspired scenarios that compel you to actively imagine yourself in a situation. For each scenario, you’ll see a few possible choices from which you decide what course of action to take if you were in that situation. After making a choice, you’ll see the pros and cons of that choice. This way, you are made aware of the possible real-life ethical dilemmas that you might face in your professional career and what possible actions you should take to uphold ethical standards.
This course is designed using the
general ethical principles Association for Computing Machinery. “ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct.” Association for Computing Machinery, 22 June 2018, www.acm.org/code-of-ethics.
Disclaimer: The case studies in this course are publicly available on the Internet and have been used with the intention to understand and learn from them. References to the case studies are cited throughout the course.
Course structure
The course begins with an introduction to general professional ethics (the foundation of appropriate and inappropriate conduct within a profession), followed by a detailed walk-through of professional responsibility (the obligations and duties professionals have to ensure the proper functioning, accountability, and trustworthiness of their work). It is then followed by the list of some existing laws for data protection, cybersecurity, and intellectual property rights.
Who is this course for?
The principles and guidelines of professional practices in computing are meant to guide behavior, decision-making, and interactions across various groups to ensure the ethical and responsible use of technology.
Therefore, this course can be beneficial for all individuals and organizations involved in the field of computing, including, but not limited to, the following:
Computer professionals: These are software engineers, developers, programmers, IT specialists, cybersecurity experts, data scientists, and other professionals directly working with computer systems and technologies.
Technology managers: These are managers and leaders responsible for overseeing technology projects, teams, and operations in various industries.
Researchers and academics: These include professionals in academia and research institutions who study and teach computing principles, ethics, and practices.
Students: These are people pursuing education and training in computer science, information technology, and related fields.
Businesses and organizations: These are companies and organizations that utilize technology and computing systems in their operations and services.
Consumers and users: These are individuals who use technology and computing services and need to be aware of how their data and privacy are being handled.
Society at large: As technology is increasingly integrated into various aspects of society, the ethical and responsible use of computing practices affects a broader audience.