Reference no: EM132354585

Abstract

This subject allows students to develop skills that are necessary to identify ethical issues that are raised as a result of the advancement of information and communications technology (ICT). The subject will cover areas such as critical thinking, professionalism, ethical theories, privacy, security and crime in cyberspace, intellectual property, freedom of speech and regulation of the internet, systems reliability, and social and ethical issues of emerging technologies. By the end of the subject students should be able to argue consistently and rationally about the moral problems raised by the adoption and use of ICT and propose solutions to those moral problems.

Learning outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
• be able to identify ethical issues related to ICT;
• be able to assess the implications of ethical problems;
• be able to critically evaluate solutions to ethical problems;
• be able to apply ethical theories to ethical problems;
• be able to argue consistently and rationally about the moral issues raised by the adoption and use of ICT;
• be able to analyse ethical problems from the point of view of ICT professionals using the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Code of Ethics;
• be able to analyse ethical situations using critical thinking techniques.

Assessment item - ACS Code of Professional Conduct

Task

In the following three YouTube videos, consequences of different actions taken by an ICT professional, 'Ken', when faced with an ethical dilemma, have been depicted. Watch the three videos and then proceed as per the instructions given below, to prepare your report.

• Identify the main ethical dilemma involved in this case and undertake further research about it.

• Analyse the ethical dilemma, considering the different actions by the ICT professional 'Ken' (as suggested in the three videos), from the perspective of the Australian Computer Society Code of Professional Conduct.

• Make a recommendation on the basis of your analysis providing reasons for this recommendation.

• Include a Reference list at the end of your work using the correct APA referencing style. You must include at least five (5) quality academic references. Please note that these references are in addition to those provided to you through this subject (for example, you still must reference, Reynolds textbook, the Interact subject lecture notes, links to the three videos etc BUT these references cannot be used as one of your five quality academic references from different sources). All items included in the Reference List must be cited within the body of the report. The word limit is 1500 words ± 10%.

Note: Headings, citations, references and any appendices do not count towards your word limit, but quotations do. At the start of the assignment indicate in brackets the word count of your assignment excluding those items mentioned above.

Rationale
This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:
• be able to identify ethical issues related to ICT.
• be able to assess the implications of ethical problems.
• be able to critically evaluate solutions to ethical problems.
• be able to argue consistently and rationally about the moral issues raised by the adoption and use of ICT.
• be able to analyse ethical problems from the point of view of ICT professionals using the Australian Computer Society (ACS) Code of Ethics.

Assessment item - Argument visualisation

Task

Assessment items 3 & 4 are linked. In Assessment 3 you will create a simple argument visualisation using the MindMup software. In Assessment 4, you will produce a report which details the argument you construct in your argument visualisation (this assessment).

Choose ONE of the following media articles or case studies:

Now follow the instructions given below to complete the assessment task:
• Use the title of the article/case study as the title of your argument visualisation so that the lecturer knows which article you are analysing.

• Undertake further research about your chosen case and the ethical issue involved, to assist you in analysing it in your argument visualisation (and in your report in Assessment 4).

• Identify some logical arguments based on the four classical ethical theories including utilitarianism, deontology, contract, and virtue.

• Construct an argument visualisation using MindMup software. Your visualisation should contain the conclusion, and all of the reasons and objections leading to that conclusion.

• Your argument visualisation should present a logical argument for your subsequent report in Assessment 4. Your report will develop these arguments based on a deeper analysis of the ethical issue.

• Your report should contain all of the arguments contained in your visualisation, and you should not introduce new arguments in your essay that are not in your visualisation.

Assessment item - Applying Ethical Theory

Task
Assessment items 3 & 4 are linked. In Assessment 3 you created a simple argument visualisation using the MindMup software. In Assessment 4 you will produce a report which details the argument you constructed in your argument visualisation (Assessment 3).

Follow the instructions given below to complete the task.
• Write a report based on your argument visualisation created in Assessment 3 and the media article or case study you selected in Assessment 3. Use the title of the article/ case study as the title of your essay, so that the lecturer knows which article you are analysing.
• Undertake further research about your chosen case and the ethical issue involved, to assist you in analysing and discussing it in your report.
• Analyse the ethical issue applying the classical ethical theories, including utilitarianism, deontology, contract, and virtue. Your report should present well- reasoned arguments, logically leading to appropriate recommendations.
• You should not introduce new arguments in your essay that were not contained in your argument visualisation, and your essay should contain all of the arguments contained in your visualisation.

• Write an overall conclusion that justifies your recommendations made in your report.
• Include a Reference list at the end of your work, using the correct APA referencing style, corresponding to in-text citations. The word limit for the essay is 1500 words
+/-10%. Headings, citations, references and appendices do not count towards the word limit, but quotations do.
Note: Please use the template provided in the subject Interact site for your report.

Rationale
This assessment task will assess the following learning outcome/s:
• be able to identify ethical issues related to ICT.
• be able to assess the implications of ethical problems.
• be able to critically evaluate solutions to ethical problems.
• be able to apply ethical theories to ethical problems.
• be able to argue consistently and rationally about the moral issues raised by the adoption and use of ICT.
• be able to analyse ethical situations using critical thinking techniques.

Attachment:- Topics in Information Technology Ethics.rar