Course Description

This course deals with the impact of computers on us as individuals and on our society. Rapid changes in computing technology and in our use of that technology have changed the ways we work, play, and interact with other people. These changes have created a flood of new social, legal and ethical issues that demand critical examination. This course is offered as both CSE 312 and ISE 312.

Prerequisites: CSE or ISE major; U3 or U4 standing; one D.E.C. E or SNW course

3 credits

Course Objectives

1. An understanding of social, legal, ethical, philosophical, and economic issues related to computers and the historical background of these issues.
2. An ability to discuss the benefits offered by computing technology in many different areas and the social risks and problems associated with these technologies
3. An ability to work as a team to research, analyze and present a major legal, social and/or ethical issue pertinent to modern computing technologies.
4. To recognize the need for continuing professional development.

Course Delivery Mode and Structure

This course may occasionally meet on Zoom, but it is almost exclusively in-person. See the Zoom for Students page (https://it.stonybrook.edu/services/zoom/students) for more information on how to download and use this application.

We will also be using Class Question. If you already have a Class Question account, skip to step 2. If you are new to it, start at step 1.

1. Go to classquestion.com/students and click "Click here to register". This link will allow you to register for the site.
2. Once you have registered, go to classquestion.com/students and sign in.
3. Click "Add Class" at the bottom. Enter the Class Code for this class - HFGTG - and then click "Add Class".
4. Your class will be added to the dropdown menu at the top. You can now click the "Sign In" button to log into your class!
5. You will need to bring an internet-connected device to each class lecture.

Course-related questions should be posted to the course email account, itethics@cs.stonybrook.edu, which is monitored daily by the TA's. You should always use your SBU gmail account for coursework and correspondence. Only for urgent personal/private issues should you email me directly (at anthony.scarlatos@stonybrook.edu). Please allow between 24-48 hours for an email reply. All instructor correspondence will be sent to your SBU email account. Plan on checking your SBU email account for course-related messages. To log in to Stony Brook Google Mail, go to http://www.stonybrook.edu/mycloud and sign in with your NetID and password.

Office hours will be conducted using Zoom. In order to manage requests for office hours I have instituted the following system. To make an appointment, go to the link below:

https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/selfsched?sstoken=UUN6TUxtbFNlbU1YfGRlZmF1bHR8YWQ5MDdkMDNhZjlhNjQzY2NjM2RmYjk1ZWJmZmZmMDU

Choose a time slot (Wednesday 10:00 - 11:00, 15 minutes each), at least 24 hours before you wish to meet with me. The system will send me an email notification and the meeting will be added to your Google Calendar as an event. I will then send you a Zoom meeting link for our appointment.

Please note that there are appropriate uses for office hours, and inappropriate ones. Office hours are a good time to get clarification on assignments and seek advice. Grading disputes should be resolved with the grading TA’s through the course email.

Suggested Text:

"A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues for Computing Technology" 5th ed.
by Sara Baase
Pearson
ISBN: 0134615271

Technical Assistance

DoIT provides technical assistance to all students .   If you require assistance with hardware or using any supported applications,  available support options include:

Visit one of DoIT’s  Tech Stations

Access  self-help materials

Submit a ticket online at service.stonybrook.edu

Chat live with a student consultant

Call 631-632-9800 for assistance (2-9800 from on campus)

If you need assistance with Brightspace, you can access resources from the Brightspace Resources link on Stony Brook Brightspace homepage (https://brightspace.stonybrook.edu)  or contact the SUNY helpdesk  via phone/ticket/live chat at: https://online.suny.edu/help/

Need a laptop?  You can borrow a laptop from the Melville LIbrary SINC Site.  Details can be found at: https://it.stonybrook.edu/services/student-laptop-loaner-program

Advisories

Student Accessibility Support Center: If you have a physical, psychological, medical, or learning disability that may impact your course work, please contact the Student Accessibility Support Center, Stony Brook Union Suite 107, (631) 632-6748, or at sasc@stonybrook.edu. They will determine with you what accommodations are necessary and appropriate. All information and documentation is confidential.

Academic Integrity: Each student must pursue his or her academic goals honestly and be personally accountable for all submitted work. Representing another person's work as your own is always wrong. Faculty is required to report any suspected instances of academic dishonesty to the Academic Judiciary. Faculty in the Health Sciences Center (School of Health Professions, Nursing, Social Welfare, Dental Medicine) and School of Medicine are required to follow their school-specific procedures. For more comprehensive information on academic integrity, including categories of academic dishonesty please refer to the academic judiciary website at http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/academic_integrity/index.html

Critical Incident Management: Stony Brook University expects students to respect the rights, privileges, and property of other people. Faculty are required to report to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards any disruptive behavior that interrupts their ability to teach, compromises the safety of the learning environment, or inhibits students' ability to learn. Faculty in the HSC Schools and the School of Medicine are required to follow their school-specific procedures. Further information about most academic matters can be found in the Undergraduate Bulletin, the Undergraduate Class Schedule, and the Faculty-Employee Handbook.

Course Evaluation: Each semester Stony Brook University asks students to provide feedback on their courses and instructors through an online course evaluation system. The course evaluation results are used by the individual faculty, department chairs and deans to help the faculty enhance their teaching skills and are used as part of the personnel decision for faculty promotion and tenure. No individually identifiable data are ever reported back to the university or instructor. Students who have completed previous evaluations can view all faculty ratings at: https://classie-evals.stonybrook.edu/

Schedule

Assignments are due 1 week after they are assigned, unless otherwise noted. Please note that this schedule is approximate, and subject to change.

Grading

There are no exams in this class.

Scoring breakdown:

• Class questions will be posted during lecture to reinforce core concepts, for a total of 25 points. (1 point each out of a total of 35 questions).

• There are eight homework assignments aimed at exploring ethical thinking. They are 5 points each, for a total of 40 points.

• There are two in-class group activities worth 5 points each.

• The term project is a group project, and group members will all share the same score for each phase. The first task is to select a team of 3 students to join (otherwise you will be assigned to a team).

The Term Project has four phases (for a total of 20 points):

Research (5 points)

Ideation (5 points)

Prototyping (5 points).

Narrative (5 points).

• Term Project Final Presentation (5 points). Group presentations will be made on Zoom during the final exam period.

1/2 points can be given for all assignments (except class questions).

Up to 10 points of extra credit may be offered (TBD).

All assignments are announced on Brightspace (generally a week prior to the due date) and emailed to students.

Scale:

All due dates are at 11:59 pm on the date given. Submissions later than 24 hours past the due date will have 0.5 points deducted, and 48 hours or later will have 1 point per day deducted. Submissions later than a week will get no credit. Projects with content that is offensive or defamatory will have points deducted, or may get no credit at all. Plagiarized work will recieve no credit, and may be reported to the academic judiciary.

A grade of "I" (incomplete) for the semester is rarely given.

No assignments will be accepted after midnight on the last day of classes for the semester.