Welcome to Class!

The Spring 2021 course starts on Monday, March 29, 2021 and ends on Friday, June 11, 2021.

This textbook will undergo changes before the first day of class. Refresh each page before you read it. All due dates and points are listed on the Canvas course Home tab and are subject to change.

Instructor for the Honors section

Ms. Pam Van Londen

Hello, Everyone!

Welcome to the Honors section of the Computer Science department's ethics course. You can refer to me as Pam.

For nearly 20 years, I have contributed to the missions of the EECS, Ecampus, and Women Studies programs at OSU through teaching, creative activity, and service. My experiences working with Apple partners, technical writing and internationalization teams for HP and Microsoft, and regional small/medium organizations and businesses have prepared me to be a well-rounded and innovative course developer, textbook writer, and educator. The improvement of my teaching and of student learning is always on my mind and is usually the topic of conversation among my peers and family (most of us are teachers). I use the best techniques to reach the majority of students online and on-campus.

Check in with me via the Canvas Inbox if you need assistance.

I am honored to be working with you this term and look forward to expanding your foundation. Let's have a great term!

Instructor for online section 400

Dr. Philipp Jordan

Hi class,

My name is Philipp Jordan and you can call me simply Phil (or Dr. Jordan if you prefer a more formal way to address me). I am happy to be your online instructor for CS 391 – Social and Ethical Issues in Computer Science.

A little bit about my background:

I earned my Ph.D. in Communication and Information Sciences with specializations in human-computer interaction (HCI), communication theories, and social informatics from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. I also hold two Master's Degrees — in Computer Science and Mechanical Engineering. My research on Science Fiction and HCI has been featured by the MIT Tech Review and I have taught multiple iterations of Information and communication technology/research methods classes and contributed to a diversity of User Experience (UX) projects for special target audiences in the past. I have more than 8 years of experience in applied and academic UX/HCI research in international settings and I consider myself an expert in the area of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies, approaches and tools in human-computer interaction and UX best practice. I currently work full-time as a Lecturer at Oregon State University (online).

Check out some of my research, articles, and mentions here if you like:

Forbes: Would Your Organization Benefit From An Enterprise-Wide Digital Platform?
Science Fiction Movies and Shows as Design Fictions
MIT Tech: When Science Fiction inspires real-world technology
Science Fiction in HCI - a nuanced view
My Research Portfolio (if you want to get a job, I highly recommend creating a Portfolio of your work or research).
Google Scholar
LinkedIn
My Dissertation
ResearchGate
Industry Resume
CV

I like surfing, cooking, hiking, National Parks, and all the other fun things in life :)

Course Introduction

This course provides an in-depth exploration of the social, psychological, political, and ethical issues surrounding the computer industry using a variety of research, writing, and collaboration activities which meet BACC Science, Technology and Society (STS) synthesis requirements. You'll explore ethical theories, the balance of power related to rights, privacy, and cybersecurity, hiring and marketing issues, hardware and software issues, infrastructure and access to disruptive technologies, bias in the high-tech industry, the future of computing, and ethical dilemmas. The overall goal is to improve your decision-making in the workplace of your future. Complete Chapter 1 right away...it will prepare you for the rest of the term. This course requires high-speed broadband internet to access all lessons, media, and software. Drop this course if you anticipate having inefficient internet service during the term.

Follow this path for best results:

Weekly Schedule

Add notes about this typical schedule to your calendar so you stay on track:
- Sec 400 Online Students
  Thursdays:
  Submit the current Explore Topics assignment in Canvas.
  Sundays:
  Submit the current Case Discussion in Canvas.
- Honors Students:
  Mondays: Understand the week's goals and start the Explore Topics collaborative writing. Wednesdays: Begin the Examine a Case Discussion. Fridays: Reply with counter-arguments.
- View the Home or Assignment tab for exact due dates and times.
- View the Canvas Calendar for an overview.
🔘Chapters & Assignments

Be prepared to spend 6 to 12 hours each week. Listen to articles when your eyes are tired.
Complete activities in each chapter in sequence to help you succeed. Each contains:
- Objectives.
- + Explore Topics
- + Examine a Case Discussion.
- + Need Help?
- ◯ Scoring criteria.
View Assignment feedback in its Rubric.

Ask personal and technical questions via the Canvas Inbox.

Ask for computer technical support via the OSU Service Desk.

Because software changes frequently, there might be bugs, typos, and broken links in this textbook that cause confusion. Earn a point of extra credit for reporting problems using the Canvas Bug Report forum.