The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study
Embedding ethics modules within computer science courses has become a popular response to the growing recognition that computer science programs need to better equip their students to navigate the ethical dimensions of computing technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
SAGE Publishing
2023-01-01
|
Series: | Big Data & Society |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517231176230 |
_version_ | 1797798502220169216 |
---|---|
author | Matthew Kopec Meica Magnani Vance Ricks Roben Torosyan John Basl Nicholas Miklaucic Felix Muzny Ronald Sandler Christo Wilson Adam Wisniewski-Jensen Cora Lundgren Ryan Baylon Kevin Mills Mark Wells |
author_facet | Matthew Kopec Meica Magnani Vance Ricks Roben Torosyan John Basl Nicholas Miklaucic Felix Muzny Ronald Sandler Christo Wilson Adam Wisniewski-Jensen Cora Lundgren Ryan Baylon Kevin Mills Mark Wells |
author_sort | Matthew Kopec |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Embedding ethics modules within computer science courses has become a popular response to the growing recognition that computer science programs need to better equip their students to navigate the ethical dimensions of computing technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics. However, the popularity of this approach has outpaced the evidence of its positive outcomes. To help close that gap, this empirical study reports positive results from Northeastern University's program that embeds values analysis modules into computer science courses. The resulting data suggest that such modules have a positive effect on students’ moral attitudes and that students leave the modules believing they are more prepared to navigate the ethical dimensions they will likely face in their eventual careers. Importantly, these gains were accomplished at an institution without a philosophy doctoral program, suggesting this strategy can be effectively employed by a wider range of institutions than many have thought. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:04:43Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-e0315329db9242b8ae00c52fb0748693 |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2053-9517 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:04:43Z |
publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
publisher | SAGE Publishing |
record_format | Article |
series | Big Data & Society |
spelling | doaj.art-e0315329db9242b8ae00c52fb07486932023-06-21T09:33:30ZengSAGE PublishingBig Data & Society2053-95172023-01-011010.1177/20539517231176230The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical studyMatthew Kopec0Meica Magnani1Vance Ricks2Roben Torosyan3John Basl4Nicholas Miklaucic5Felix Muzny6Ronald Sandler7Christo Wilson8Adam Wisniewski-Jensen9Cora Lundgren10Ryan Baylon11Kevin Mills12Mark Wells13 The Ethics Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Center for Advancing Teaching & Learning through Research, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA The Ethics Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Data Science, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA The Ethics Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA The Ethics Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA The Ethics Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA The Ethics Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA Philosophy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA The Ethics Institute, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USAEmbedding ethics modules within computer science courses has become a popular response to the growing recognition that computer science programs need to better equip their students to navigate the ethical dimensions of computing technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data analytics. However, the popularity of this approach has outpaced the evidence of its positive outcomes. To help close that gap, this empirical study reports positive results from Northeastern University's program that embeds values analysis modules into computer science courses. The resulting data suggest that such modules have a positive effect on students’ moral attitudes and that students leave the modules believing they are more prepared to navigate the ethical dimensions they will likely face in their eventual careers. Importantly, these gains were accomplished at an institution without a philosophy doctoral program, suggesting this strategy can be effectively employed by a wider range of institutions than many have thought.https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517231176230 |
spellingShingle | Matthew Kopec Meica Magnani Vance Ricks Roben Torosyan John Basl Nicholas Miklaucic Felix Muzny Ronald Sandler Christo Wilson Adam Wisniewski-Jensen Cora Lundgren Ryan Baylon Kevin Mills Mark Wells The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study Big Data & Society |
title | The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study |
title_full | The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study |
title_fullStr | The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study |
title_full_unstemmed | The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study |
title_short | The effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in Computer Science education: An empirical study |
title_sort | effectiveness of embedded values analysis modules in computer science education an empirical study |
url | https://doi.org/10.1177/20539517231176230 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT matthewkopec theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT meicamagnani theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT vancericks theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT robentorosyan theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT johnbasl theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT nicholasmiklaucic theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT felixmuzny theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT ronaldsandler theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT christowilson theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT adamwisniewskijensen theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT coralundgren theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT ryanbaylon theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT kevinmills theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT markwells theeffectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT matthewkopec effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT meicamagnani effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT vancericks effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT robentorosyan effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT johnbasl effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT nicholasmiklaucic effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT felixmuzny effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT ronaldsandler effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT christowilson effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT adamwisniewskijensen effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT coralundgren effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT ryanbaylon effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT kevinmills effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy AT markwells effectivenessofembeddedvaluesanalysismodulesincomputerscienceeducationanempiricalstudy |