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Computers in Society:  2013-2014

Lecturer

Degrees

Schedule BMSc in Advanced Computer Science

Term

Overview

Computing takes place in a social context which can affect the ways in which technology develops and in turn may be affected by those developments. In this course, we study these influences, and examine questions that must be answered by computing professionals, policy makers, and members of the public, in relation to the potential uses and abuses of computing technology.

The course is illustrated by a number of case studies, and students are encouraged to draw upon a number of perspectives to address the issues raised by the case studies.

The course is designed to enable participants to:

  • Be aware of a variety of views of computing, including: historical; professional; social; political and cultural.
  • Identify areas of society where information technology has had a substantial impact and where its effects may be of concern.
  • Appreciate how different perspectives can contribute to making choices about the development and use of computing technology.
  • Appreciate the legal and social issues associated with the use of computers in organisations and computer crime.
  • Critically assess the concepts, theories and issues in recent public debates about technology and society and develop a personal position.
  • Present information in an organised and efficient manner
  • Provide informed opinions in discussion and debate about topics relating to technology and its effect on society

Coursework consists of discussion questions, group presentations, and a final written exam with essay-style questions. By those means it is expected that participants will also improve their verbal and written communication skills, as well as their presentation skills.

Synopsis

Coursework consists of discussion questions, student presentations, and a final written exam with essay-style questions. 

Course presentation combines lectures and presentations. Students will present and watch presentations on a number of topics including, but not limited to:

  1. The Computing Professional. Role of the professional; professional codes of practice. Responsibility of software engineers.
  2. Computers and the Workplace. Computers in organisations - different effects of technology on organisational structure and workplace activities. Recent debates about changing nature of work and organisations.
  3. Computers and Professional Ethics. Theoretical underpinnings of ethical concepts - a reconsideration of critical concepts in theories of ethics; briefly reviewing philosophical and social approaches to the understanding of ethical issues.
  4. Computers and the Law. Protection; legal issues associated with public access to information; issues of control; intellectual property rights; software ownership; copyright patents.
  5. Computers and Politics. Workplace monitoring and public surveillance; privacy issues.
  6. Computers and Culture. Computers and culture - cultural aspects of computing; how social and cultural values shape system development.

Lectures

There are 16 "lectures" for this course, which course participants must attend contribute to. Except for lectures on methodology, each session will consist of group discussions of topics and presentations by students.

Assessment

The assessement for this course is bipartite, and will surround the student's research into a topic connected to the theme of Computers in Society. It will consist of student presentations (50%) on their topic in week 7, and the writing of a short report summarising their research (50%).

Reading list

There is no set text for the course, but it is recommended that students readSara Baase's, A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal and Ethical Issues in Computing, Prentice Hall (first edition, 1997; second edition, 2003). 

We shall also be drawing upon articles in Richard Epstein's The Case of the Killer Robot, Wiley(1997).

Many useful resources are available on the web. Examples include:

Feedback

Students are formally asked for feedback at the end of the course. Students can also submit feedback at any point here. Feedback received here will go to the Head of Academic Administration, and will be dealt with confidentially when being passed on further. All feedback is welcome.

Taking our courses

This form is not to be used by students studying for a degree in the Department of Computer Science, or for Visiting Students who are registered for Computer Science courses

Other matriculated University of Oxford students who are interested in taking this, or other, courses in the Department of Computer Science, must complete this online form by 17.00 on Friday of 0th week of term in which the course is taught. Late requests, and requests sent by email, will not be considered. All requests must be approved by the relevant Computer Science departmental committee and can only be submitted using this form.