CS462 ‑‑Ethics
and Legal Issues Spring
2007
Mary
Jane Peters – Office: 243 Ayers Hall
782‑5720 - mjpeters@jsu.edu
Office Hours: MW 10-11:30, 12:30-1:45 TT 8:15-9, 1:30-3
Other
times by appointment
Catalog Description
An overview of the legal, ethical,
global and professional issues in computing.
Prerequisite
Completion of CS310 (C or above) or
permission of instructor.
Course Objectives
1. To
develop an understanding of the legal and ethical implications of computing.
2. To
become familiar with types of personal and information privacy involved in
computing.
3. To
become familiar with types of computer crimes and laws.
4. To
develop an awareness of the global issues which affect our profession.
5. To
develop an awareness of the ethical and professional concerns of computer use.
6. To
provide a foundation and process for ethical decision making.
Policies
Class roll
will be taken. The necessity to attend
class will soon be apparent as daily class participation will be a part of your
grade. A major component of the course
will be the discussion of ethical concerns involved with computing in the
information age.
"All
students are expected to attend class fully prepared with appropriate materials
and all devices which make noise turned to the off position (e.g., cellular
phones, pagers, personal stereos, etc.).
Any student behavior deemed disruptive by the professor will result in
expulsion of the student from the classroom, with an absence for the day and
possible disciplinary action." All
current
Texts
Ethics in Information Technology by George
Reynolds – Course Technology – 2003
ISBN: 0-619-06277-0
Course Outline
(tentative)
1. What is
Ethics?
2. Ethical
Issues in Computing
3. Ethical
Codes of Professional Organizations
4. Intellectual
Property
5. Invasion of
Privacy
6. Governing
and Regulating the Internet
7. Global
Issues
8. Societal Impact
of Computing and the Internet
9. Computer
Crime
10. Legal Issues
in Computing
Method of
Instruction
This course
will heavily involve student input. For
this reason you will be expected to participate in class discussions and
debates, and provide current research sources from printed materials as well as
"surfing" the Internet. An
informal classroom environment with a minimum of lecture is planned.
Come to class
prepared to discuss your journal entries.
You will be given 1 point each day that you attend class. Valuable participation in the discussions
will be graded each day and the score for the day’s discussion will be added to
the attendance point--according to the following scale: ‘0’- did not contribute to class discussion; ‘1’- a little contribution on your part; ‘2’- contributed as much as most classmates; ‘3’- discussed your
article or your case study.
If you are
hesitant about talking in class, see me for an alternative means of receiving
participation points.
Grades
(tentative)
30% class attendance and participation (and
attention to others)
20% research sources and journal (FCFS)
25% papers, projects and case studies
25% tests (2
plus final)
final exam: April 20th
(Friday)
at 1:30