Embedding Ethics in Computer Science Courses

The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study

“…The results would have been more robust if we had used multiple questions to assess each attitude from slightly different angles. In a more recent version of the survey, we have added some questions used by Horton et al (2022) to help with this. Second, we could have done a full validation study, including a range of comprehension questions, to ensure that all the questions were likely to be parsed correctly, which would have strengthened the weight of the results.…”

“…The above story is compelling but merely theoretical at this point. Although some evidence for the effectiveness of embedded ethics curricula has been collected (Coldwell et al, 2020;Horton et al, 2022Horton et al, , 2023, overall, the popularity of these programs has greatly surpassed the careful assessment of the strategy's effectiveness. The present study aims toward closing this gap in the evidence.…”

“…One increasingly popular strategy to meet the above challenge is to embed short ethics modules, typically consisting of one or two relatively self-contained class sessions taught by either philosophers trained in ethics or by interdisciplinary teams, into courses across the CS curriculum (Bezuidenhout and Ratti, 2021; Furey and Martin, 2019; Grosz et al, 2019; Horton et al, 2022). Since ethics modules do not replace any existing courses, it is easier to find space for them in the curriculum.…”

Ethical Considerations in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Balancing Innovation and Social Values

“…Encouraging multidisciplinary collaboration and stakeholder involvement in AI development [10]. Embedding ethics education in computer science courses to prepare future AI developers for navigating ethical issues [11], [12]. Moreover, AI ethics conferences, such as FAccT and AIES, have emerged as distinct venues where AI's societal implications are discussed, and solutions are proposed [13].…”

Impact of critical narrative on students' abilities to recognize ethical dilemmas in engineering work

“…While some (not all) indicators related to moral reasoning were shown to improve following the intervention, these researchers did not identify a significant difference between standalone course vs. embedded ethics modules. Horton et al [26] reported results from a quasiexperimental study that evaluated embedded ethics modules in a computer science course. This intervention included discussion, perspective-taking activities and stakeholder analysis around the ethics of contact tracing in a public health context.…”