Course Objectives

1. Each student will analyze, write about, and discuss
   • matters that will impact their future professional life and society as a whole.
   • the issues and ethical problems facing the Computer Science profession today.
   • the application of evolving technologies in society.
2. Help each student gain an appreciation for the history of computing in order to sharpen their sense of their own future.
3. Broaden each student's perspective of their professional potential in Computer Science.
4. Help each student formulate and justify a personal code of professional ethics.
5. Help each student understand the connection between the Gospel of Jesus Christ and their professional life.

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  Course Topics

• The Digital Age
• Knowledge versus Wisdom
• Technology and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
• Work and the Workplace
• Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Code of Ethics
• Computer History
• Open Source
• Patent Law
• Societal Values: Crime, Ethics, Privacy and Security
• File Sharing
• Philosophical Frontiers
• Surviving the Technology Revolution

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  Course Assessment

Your grade for the class will be based as follows:

• Attendance (30%)
• 2 Group Activities (20%)
• 4 Peer Graded Position Papers (20%)
• 2 Book Essays (20%)
• 2 Daily Readings Quizzes (10%)

Grades are assigned on the following scale from the composite total of above areas:

100-93	A	82-80	B-	69-67	D+
92-90	A-	79-77	C+	66-63	D
89-87	B+	76-73	C	62-60	D-
86-83	B	72-70	C-	59-0	E

Please note:

• We reserve the right to modify the grading percentages in favor of the student as deemed advisable at the end of the semester.
• The university policies on 'UW' and 'I' grades are strictly followed.
• It is the student’s responsibility to verify that we have correctly recorded all points and scores in Blackboard.
• The student can appeal a grade through email to the instructor or grading TA.

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  Course Activities

Attendance (30%)

Class participation is a significant part of the course experience.

• It is the student's responsibility to initial the attendance roll that is passed around on a clipboard during class. (No late submissions will be accepted!)
• In addition, to try and bring a good spirit and better perspective to our class, every student is expected to come to class prepared to share a scripture that is relevant to that day's topic. (As time permits, several students will be randomly called upon to share and explain their choice of scripture.)
• Assigned readings are identified in the schedule and should be read before coming to class.

Position Papers (20%)

Each student will write 4 position papers during the semester that are due at the beginning of class on the dates indicated by the class schedule. During class on the Tuesday following the due date, your paper along with two other student papers will be returned for your self and peer assessment. These evaluations would then be due at the beginning of class the following Thursday.

The following are important guidelines relative to your position paper submission:

• Your position paper should be no more than one page in length and on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper.
• Your position paper is due at the beginning of class.
• Late paper may be accepted for 50% credit.
• Your paper should explore your position on the topic and not be a regurgitation of what was discussed or read from class.
• You will be self and peer graded on writing form (style, spelling) as well as content (insightfulness). (Remember, English 316 is a pre-requisite for this course!)
• You are to use the following grading scale in grading your self and peer's papers: (12 points possible per submission.)
  • Correctness & Readability (4)
    • Grammar, spelling, and punctuation (2)
    • Self-contained, concise, and cohesive (2)
  • Organization & Structure (4)
    • Well organized, ie. introduction, thesis, etc. (2)
    • Sentence flow, no vague antecedents (2)
  • Insight & Analysis (4)
    • Relevant points, thoughtful analysis (2)
    • Adequate topic treatment and resolution (2)
• Tips for success:
  • Before turning in your position paper — edit it! Have someone else read it. Come back to it and re-read it sometime after you originally wrote it.
  • Engage your brain and digest the material instead of rushing through it. Spend some time thinking about the issues, underlying ideas, and tangential areas of analysis. Find a tangent or element that grabs you and explore that for one well-written paragraph.

Group Activity (20%)

Students are required to take a major role in each of the following two class activities. A sign-up sheet will be passed around during the first two class periods. (Anyone not taking advantage of the sign-up sheet will automatically be assigned two slots where needed.) Group assignments will be posted under the "Convention" and "Court" tabs of the class website after the first week of class.

1. Convention Participant

   A convention is a large gathering of people who share a common interest. A steering committee of 10-12 students will plan and conduct a class convention whose interest is the ethical issue or topic of the day. All members of the class are expected to have completed the day's reading assignment and to be prepared to make a meaningful contribution at the convention.

   The following are important guidelines to be used by the planning committee in preparing for their class convention:

   1. The convention steering committee is required to meet at least once outside of class and appoint a chairman who will then lead the convention.
   2. Develop a convention platform that represents and supports the chosen topic/issue that can be adequately covered in the allotted time frame.
   3. Organize your convention. Have the committee members sit together in front of the audience and each member present some portion of the convention material.
   4. Be creative. Debates, vote taking, resolutions, hecklers, nominations, etc. are all fair game. Assign rolls to all members of the class (a week prior to the convention) and involve as many as possible. (Sorry, confetti is not allowed in 1170!)
   5. Committee members may represent prominent and authoritative individuals or groups (such as "Professor of Law at Harvard" or "Chairman of the President's Council on Internet Espionage") who have an "ethical stake" in the chosen topic. Try to develop a solid platform. You do not necessarily have to agree with a position but should represent a "real-world" posture taken by that person or group.
   6. Make up name plates for each participant. These name plates should be displayed prominently on the table in front of each participant.
   7. The presentation portion of the convention is to last no longer than 50 minutes (approximately 5 minutes per member).
   8. An open question/answer period should be part of the convention. (Note: the audience may be seeded by the instructor with pertinent questions, so come prepared!)
   9. The convention should proceed as follows:
      • The convention chairman will call the convention to order, introduce the committee members, and present an opening statement.
      • Each member of the committee will then be given an opportunity to speak to the convention delegates.
      • The chairman should then entertain questions from the audience and direct questions to individual committee members for a response.
      • When there are no more questions (or class period is over) the moderator thanks members of the panel for their participation and adjourns the meeting.

   Participants will receive both an individual as well as a group grade based on preparation, participation, and audience involvement. (We are not above bribes, handouts, spiffs, and other smoozing techniques.)

2. Judgment Day Participant

   Four "Court of Ethics" days are planned for the semester with 10-12 students actively participating in a trial centered around the topic of the day.

   The defense roles include:

   • the defendant,
   • 2 defense attorneys,
   • and 2 defense witnesses.

   The prosecution roles include:

   • the plaintiff
   • 2 prosecution attorneys (DA's)
   • and 2 prosecution witnesses.

   The jury roles include:

   • Jury foreman
   • and 6 additional jury members.

   The following are important guidelines to be used by all concerned parties in preparing for their class day in court:

   1. The prosecution and defense teams are to meet at least once before class to plan and prepare their case.
   2. Do not worry about the legal aspects of the case, but rather the ethical issues involved. (Legal and ethical are often not the same!) These cases do not have clear cut ethical answers!
   3. Carefully choose your witness roles to reflect a view commensurate with a defendant or prosecution role. Endeavor to have witnesses "testify" rather than simply answering "yes" and "no" questions posed by the attorneys.
   4. Both parties, the prosecution and the defense, must clearly inform the opposing team of all evidence, circumstances, and charges before the trial begins.
   5. The defendant, prosecutor, and all attorneys will be seated at the front of the audience. The jury will be sequestered in the seats to the left of the audience. The audience will be equally split between the defense and the prosecution and be seated accordingly. The trial will be presided over by an honorable judge!
   6. This will be a court of "ethics" and not a court of law. Their will be no swearing in of witnesses and active participates must come prepared to present their case or render a verdict.
   7. A trial thread will be available on Blackboard for comments concerning the outcome of the trial. The jury foreman is to make the first thread entry.
   8. ALL STUDENTS ARE TO MAKE AT LEAST TWO ENTRIES ON THE BLACKBOARD DISCUSSION BOARD DURING THE COURSE OF THE SEMESTER!
   9. The trial will proceed as follows:
      • Opening statements from the prosecution followed by the defense
      • Prosecution presents its case
      • Defense presents its case
      • Closing arguments from the prosecution followed by the defense
      • Jury deliberation
      • Summary of jury's decision by jury foreman
      • Optional discussion from jury members.
   10. Exhibits and other "evidence" should be presented during the trial.
   11. Any "Perry Mason" antics will be permitted.

   Students will be graded on preparation, participation, and how well they elucidate their respective character role. Also, part of the judgment day grade will include participation in the Blackboard discussion board threads. (Again, we are not above bribes, handouts, and other smoozing techniques.)

Book Essays (20%)

Each student is to read the two approved books during the semester (except as noted) and write an essay on some related "ethical" issue for each book. The following are important guidelines relative to your book essays:

1. The first book you'll read for the class should be "The Cuckoo's Egg" by Cliff Stoll. (You may choose a different book with pre-approval from the instructor. An approved reading list is provided under the "reference" tab. The selected book must be a title that you have not previously read.)
2. All students are to read the second book entitled "The Inmates Are Running the Asylum" by Alan Cooper. (Again, you may choose a different book with pre-approval from the instructor.)
3. For each book, write an essay covering some "ethical" issue presented in the book.
4. The essays are due at the beginning of class on the date indicated in the class schedule.
5. Your essay must be well written and provide insight and analysis on a general topic covered by the book. This is not a book report. Please do not simply regurgitate what the author said.
6. You will be graded on Completeness (Self-contained - stands on its own; Concise - all points relevant; Resolution - adequately addresses topic), Insightfulness (Relevant topic; Thoughtful; Effort), and Exactness (Grammar/spelling/punctuation; Flow - paragraphs, antecedents; Well organized - intro/summary). (Remember, English 316 is a pre-requisite for this course!)

2 Daily Readings Quizzes(10%)

There are 2 readings quizzes scheduled during the semester consisting of 0-2 questions from each of the assigned Daily Readings. The questions will not be difficult, but rather help assess that you have completed the assigned readings.

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Academic Honesty

The Honor Code includes a statement of standards regarding academic honesty. Academic honesty includes reporting correct attendance and completing your own blogs and essays. Examples of academic dishonesty include not attending class but reporting that class was attended, turning in someone else's essay as your own, or reporting on a book you did not read. Any violation of academic honesty standards will result in failing the class. All violations of academic honesty are documented and reported to the Honor Code office.

Preventing Sexual Harassment and Discrimination

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational program or activity that receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education. Title IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. The BYU policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university but to students as well. If you encounter unlawful sexual harassment or gender based discrimination, please talk to your professor; contact the Equal Employment Office at 378-5895 or 367-5689 (24-hours); or contact the Honor Code Office at 378-2847.

Students with Disabilities

Brigham Young University is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere which reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. If you have any disability which may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact the Services for Students with Disabilities Office (378-2767). Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by the SSD Office. If you need assistance or if you feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established grievance policy and procedures. You should contact the Equal Employment Office at 378-5895, D-282 ASB.

Disclaimer

This syllabus is subject to change during the semester in favor of the student as deemed necessary by the instructor. All changes will be reported in class as well as clearly posted on the class web site and/or Blackboard. It is the student’s responsibility to stay current with class policies and check the web site, Blackboard, and their email often during the week.