CSC208 Syllabus -- Elliott?

CSC208 Fall 2014/2015

Logistics:

Class meets: M-W 11:20 - 12:50 LPC, Levan 304?
Professor: Dr. Clark Elliott?
email: elliott AATT cdm depaul edu. Include "208: " prefix in subject line, and a real subject too!?

Course Management: d2l.depaul.edu

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Textbooks:

Quinn, Michael J., "Ethics for the Information Age, 5th Edition," Addison-Wesley, Boston, 2012. ISBN13: 978-0-13-2855532

Abelson, Hal; Ledeen, Ken; Lewis, Harry; "Blown to Bits: Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness After the Digital Explosion" Addison-Wesley, Boston, 2009. ISBN13: 978-0-13-713559-2 Download from?HERE?in PDF form.

Grading:

50% Midterm and Final -- (exams or papers)?
10% Four Ethical Frameworks Quiz.
40% Assignments, papers, labs, and PARTICIPATION IN DISCUSSIONS.? (5% deduction for each discussion missed.)

I reserve the right to replace final exam points with discussion points.
I reserve the right to raise a student's grade in the case of exceptional work in a particular area.

Grading Scale:

Topics:

Formal, structured, writing is a required part of this course.

Information Technology and the rapid pace in which it has advanced have had a tremendous impact on our lives. Changes have been swift and the human capacity to deal them limited. It has been said that our technology has outpaced our humanity. This course will research the new responsibilities technology presents and our ability to deal with these changes in an ethical manner. Students will employ ethical frameworks, which integrates computer science and ethics, to develop the skills required to examine different sets of assumptions and question them. Case studies will provide a historical perspective for analysis.

Typical topics might include:

• An overview of Computer Ethics
• Digital Divide (Multicultural Issues)
• Ethics and the Internet
• Privacy and Information Access
• Freedom of Speech in cyberspace
• Ethical Issues and Information security
• Computer ethics in the workplace
• Intellectual Property
• Liability, Reliability, and Safety Issues
• Networks
• Case studies
• Ethical issues of building artificial humans
• Logic
• Basic structure of computers necessary to understand ethical concerns

D2l Submission Format:

All files must be in Word format, HTML format, or plain text. Standard ZIP format is the only archive/compression format allowed. No PDF files. No .rar files. No zip files, etc. Free software is available to produce each one of the formats. It is the student?s responsibility to guarantee that submissions have not been corrupted.

Late assignments:

Late assignments will not be accepted for credit.

Academic Integrity:

Cheating, plagiarism, and unethical conduct are not allowed, and will be sanctioned, including referral to the dean's office, and failure in the class. Please refer to the Academic Handbook by which rules you are expected to abide.

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Note that I reserve the right to raise the grade of a student that has demonstrated exceptional contributions in any of these areas.

All grades are subject to?Academic Integrity Sanctions. See the class website and the student handbook for further discussion.

"Minor points" notation:

From time to time I use the point box as a communication vehicle in two specific ways, and I reserve the right to add minor points for this purpose:

• One point extra: I am tipping my hat to you for particularly fine work. That is, if you get 101 points on a 100 point programming assignment, I may be saying, "Hey, I noticed the five extra modules your wrote, and that you used SSL instead of sockets! Good job!"
• Two points extra: If you receive two extra points, I am acknowledging an exceptional contribution beyond expectations, so 102 points on a 100 point assignment is something to feel really good about, and is a rare compliment.
• Grade of "1": used as a placeholder to let a student know that I have reviewed an assignment, and am waiting for further information or work as per correspondence. A "1" will?always?be resolved to a different grade.
• Grade of "2": a serious warning that you need to communicate with me about possible plagiarism or some other irregularity that is being investigated.

CSC208 Ethics in Technology, catalogue description:

?Information Technology and the rapid pace in which it has advanced have had a tremendous impact on our lives. Changes have been swift and the human capacity to deal with them is limited. It has been said that our technology has outpaced our humanity. This course will research the new responsibilities technology presents and our ability to deal with these changes in an ethical manner. Students will employ ethical frameworks, which integrate computer science and ethics, to develop the skills required to examine different sets of assumptions and question them. Case studies will provide a historical perspective for analysis.?

There are no computer science prerequisites for this course.

Learning Domain Description

CSC208 Ethics in Technology is included in the Liberal Studies program as a course with credit in the Philosophical Inquiry domain. Philosophical Inquiry examines the most basic questions of human existence. It considers the fundamental beliefs and convictions that shape what it means to be human, our relationships with others, and the nature of the world itself. Its aim is to develop our critical, imaginative, and analytical abilities, and it enables students to understand various kinds of important intellectual problems from a variety of perspectives and approaches, interpret and assess historical and contemporary texts concerned with these issues, and articulate reasoned judgments about these most basic concerns of human life. Philosophical inquiry is thus committed to the task of reflecting on the ideas and events that make up the cultures, societies, and traditions within which we live and to enhancing our understanding of their significance and complexity. Courses in Philosophical Inquiry support the mission of the Liberal Studies Program by fostering deeper understanding and appreciation of the worlds of meaning and of value and of the enterprise of intellectual inquiry and social dialogue.

Learning Outcomes:

1.?????? Using multiple perspectives, students will be able to address, critically think about, and analyze philosophical questions and problems. ?We will study real-world problems in the modern digital era, and analyze solutions in structured discussions.

2.?????? Students will be able to evaluate philosophical questions, issues and/or problems using informed judgment. Students will be able to analyze and interpret the methods used by philosophers in addressing philosophical questions, issues, and/or problems. ?We will study philosophical frameworks and apply them during our discussions.

3.?????? Students will be able to develop an understanding of the historical context of philosophical topics, figures, and texts. In our readings of the philosophical frameworks we will come to know their essential historical context. We will examine some classic philosophical questions that gave rise to the framewords.

4.?????? Students will be able to write an analytic essay treating a philosophical question, issue and/or problem that forwards an identifiable thesis, argument, and conclusion. ?We will write, and evaluate our writing, throughout the quarter, culminating in a larger paper that presents clear, structured, argments.

5.?????? Students will be able to address, critically think about, and analyze ethical issues, applying philosophical tools drawn from various ethical traditions to concrete cases pertinent to a variety of subject matters. As above.

Writing Expectations:

Students will be expected to complete a minimum of 10 pages of writing for this course.? This writing may take the form of essays, response papers, reading journals, take-home essay exams, critical analyses, etc. At least one assignment should involve revision, which may count (but only once, not twice) towards the 10-page minimum. [Note: We will far exceed these writing expectations.]

Philosophical Inquiry

Courses in the Philosophical Inquiry domain address conceptual issues fundamental to reflection on such philosophical topics as metaphysics (e.g., being and nonbeing, the one and the many, the nature of reality, same and other, self and other); epistemology (e.g., the nature and possibility of knowledge, different ways of knowing, knowledge vs. opinion, truth and falsity); ethics (e.g., right and wrong action, good and bad, objectivism and relativism in ethics, social and political philosophies, the idea of value, the problem of evil); and aesthetics (e.g., the nature of beauty, aesthetic value, the possibility of aesthetic valuation). Courses address questions of how such topics impinge upon, shape, and challenge student lives.

More Policies

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Changes to Syllabus: This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter.? If a change occurs, it will be addressed during class, posted in D2L, and sent via email.

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Online Course Evaluations: Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely separate from the student?s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation. Students complete the evaluation online in?CampusConnect

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Academic Integrity and Plagiarism: This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at?http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/. If you have any questions be sure to consult with your professor. There is NO CHEATING OF ANY KIND in this class!

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Academic Policies: All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the?University Academic Calendar.??Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at:? cdm.depaul.edu/enrollment.

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Attendance: Students are expected to attend each class, or view the lecture online if they miss class?typically during the week the lecture is presented. Attendance will be taken on all days when there is in-discussion, and attendance throughout the discussion is required. These absences cannot be made up. Each absence will lower the student?s grade five percent.

Class Discussion: Student participation in class discussions is expected, and a central part of the course.

Attitude: A professional and academic attitude is expected throughout this course.? Measurable examples of non-academic or unprofessional attitude include but are not limited to: talking to others when the instructor is speaking, mocking another?s opinion, cell phones ringing, emailing, texting or using the internet whether on a phone or computer.? If any issues arise a student may be asked to leave the classroom.

Cell phones / laptops in class: If you need to use your cell phone for any reason, or your laptop for any reason other than following the class slides, and taking notes, leave the room. You may quietly leave and re-enter as often as necessary. Your peers devote hours out of their busy lives, and hundreds of dollars, to come to each class. They deserve a vibrant, focused, environment. If you have a special case, discuss it with the instructor ahead of time. NO TEXTING, EMAIL, FACEBOOK, etc. in the classroom.

Civil Discourse: DePaul University is a community that thrives on open discourse that challenges students, both intellectually and personally, to be Socially Responsible Leaders.? It is the expectation that all dialogue in this course is civil and respectful of the dignity of each student.? Any instances of disrespect or hostility can jeopardize a student?s ability to be successful in the course.

Students with Disabilities

Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at: csd@depaul.edu.

Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296

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