EDUCAUSE | Ethics

Cyber Ethics: A Values-Based Approach

drupal — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 21:53:02 -0500

Whether they're downloading music, videos, and software or updating their profiles on social networking sites, students are bombarded by a host of ethical issues online. Clarkson has embarked on an education program that reaches out to every freshman to approach ethical behavior online from the perspective of the Clarkson values statement.

On People, the Death of Privacy, and Data Pollution

elilly — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 14:14:37 -0600

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Bruce Schneier. Matt Pasiewicz, EDUCAUSE content program manager, conducted the interview at the EDUCAUSE 2007 Annual Conference. The full podcast is available at <http://connect.educause.edu/blog/mpasiewicz/e07podcastaninterviewwith/45439>. In the interview, Schneier answers questions about security and privacy issues.

A Reminder From New York

ckeller — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 12:05:43 -0600

After months of silence on student loans, Cuomo announces another settlement, unveils new code of conduct, and warns Congress not to dally on Higher Education Act reforms.

Researching P2P Activity: What Students Say Versus What They Really Do

drupal — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:39:00 -0600

Illinois State University has embarked on a multifaceted comparative study called the Digital Citizen Project, which investigates what works and what doesn't regarding P2P, media, and copyright. The latest baseline data will be shared and discussed, with its implications for industry and higher education. An update on technical monitoring solutions and legal service alternatives will also be featured.

7 Things You Should Know About Citizen Journalism

ckeller — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 12:00:23 -0600

Citizen journalism refers to a wide range of activities in which everyday people contribute information or commentary about news events. With the birth of digital technologies, people now have unprecedented access to the tools of production and dissemination. Citizen journalism epitomizes the belief that the experiences of people personally involved with an issue present a different -- and often more complete -- picture of events than can be derived from the perspective of an outsider. Citizen journalism encompasses content ranging from user-submitted reviews on a Web site about movies to wiki-based news. It forces contributors to think objectively, asking probing questions and working to understand the context -- the kinds of activities that lead to deeper learning.

The "7 Things You Should Know About..." series from the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative (ELI) provides concise information on emerging learning technologies. Each brief focuses on a single technology and describes what it is, where it is going, and why it matters to teaching and learning. Use these briefs for a no-jargon, quick overview of a topic and share them with time-pressed colleagues.
In addition to the "7 Things You Should Know About..." briefs, you may find other ELI resources useful in addressing teaching, learning, and technology issues at your institution. To learn more, please visit the ELI Resources page.

E07 Podcast: An Interview with Bruce Schneier

mpasiewicz — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 15:02:49 -0500

The attached recording provides coverage of a 14 minute interview with BT Counterpane's Bruce Schneier. Listen in as he shares some insightful words about privacy along with interesting commentary about ethics, cybersecurity and blogging. Don't forget the video (or audio) of his session in Seattle too.

10 Rules for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest

ckeller — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 13:17:54 -0500

"Government investigations into alleged conflicts of interest in student-aid programs continue and now have widened to include study-abroad programs. It seems as if almost every day we read news reports concerning possible questionable practices by colleges and universities. What's happening, what might come next, and how should institutions be handling such issues? "

Accountability, Ethics, and Conflict of Interest:

ckeller — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 11:32:22 -0500

The EDUCAUSE Executive Officers discuss the issues of Conflict of interest and professional ethics in the wake of the student loan industry scandal.

Higher Ed’s Conflict of Interest Problem

ckeller — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 12:40:00 -0500

As revelation after revelation about real and potential conflicts of interest wrongdoing has battered the student loan industry in recent months, college leaders and higher education groups have largely responded (when they have done so at all) by acknowledging problems — and proposing possible solutions — in and around financial aid offices.

Loyola College's Online Tutorial on Academic Integrity and Scholarly Research - Concurrent Session

drupal — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:19:07 -0500

Loyola's online tutorial, a requirement for next year's incoming class, is delivered as an animated cartoon that introduces students to a core value of the college-the importance of academic honesty. The tutorial follows the realistic ethical encounters of "Gabi the Greyhound" as she completes her first semester at college.

Loyola College's Online Tutorial on Academic Integrity and Scholarly Research -Project Parlor

drupal — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 17:19:06 -0500

Digital Citizen Project

ckeller — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 13:55:28 -0500

The Illinois State Digital Citizen Project is a multi-year project to impact illegal piracy on campus using a multi-faceted approach to confront pervasive attitudes and behaviors in peer-to-peer downloading of movies, music, and media. By addressing ethical and legal issues involved through K-16 education, public relations, and rewards, Illinois State plans to create a nationally recognized program that is cost-effective, based on comparison and research of the products currently available, and is replicable on other college campuses.

Top-Ten Teaching and Learning Issues, 2007

ckeller — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 14:51:22 -0500

Creating a culture of evidence tops the list of important issues as the academic technology profession moves to an “Instruction 2.0” world.

We Are All Public Now: Surveillance, Technology, and the Sanctity of the Classroom

drupal — Thu, 12 Apr 2007 13:07:16 -0500

This lecture was presented by The Cornell University Computer Policy and Law Program.
As information and communicative technologies pervade the higher education classroom; academia has been justifiably enamored of the democratizing potential of constant connectivity and inexpensive information distribution. But these technologies -- Web sites, blogs, social networking sites, course management systems, digital video, and camera phones, instant messaging, etc. -- have generated some profound negative externalities as well. Chief among these is the loss of the sense that the classroom is a special, even sacred, space. Professors and students now operate in an environment of almost constant surveillance. And for those teaching and learning controversial subjects, the potential for abuse is clear and present. This talk argues that we in the academy should avoid the temptation of "quick fixes" such as restrictive technologies and regulations. Instead, we should foster a structures conversation that generates better norms, protocols, and ethics and aims to restore the classroom as a safe and special place for the deliberation of ideas and the dissemination of knowledge and wisdom.

High-Tech Abuse and Crime on College and University Campuses

drupal — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 14:37:34 -0500

Through system adoption of information technology for myriad purposes college and university campuses have significantly enriched higher education. Campuses have also unwittingly created new opportunities for abuse and crime in higher education. In this session, Sam McQuade and Dave Pecora of the Rochester Institute of Technology will share unprecedented research findings about high-tech offending and victimization by and among college students at a technological institute. They will also describe what RIT is doing to prevent, deter, and technologically interdict many forms of IT-enabled abuse and crime.

Cyberethics: A Values-Based Approach

drupal — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 10:17:00 -0500

Whether they're downloading music, videos, and software or updating their profile on social networking sites, students are bombarded by a host of online ethical issues. Clarkson has created an education program that reaches out to students to approach ethical behavior online from the perspective of the Clarkson Values.

Tune In April 5: Free Web Seminar on High-Tech Abuse and Crime on Campus

cluckett — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 18:07:29 -0500

Through system adoption of information technology for myriad purposes college and university campuses have significantly enriched higher education. Campuses have also unwittingly created new opportunities for abuse and crime in higher education. In this free April 5 EDUCAUSE Live! seminar, "High-Tech Abuse and Crime on College and University Campuses," Sam McQuade and Dave Pecora of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) will share unprecedented research findings about high-tech offending and victimization by and among college students at a technological institute. They will also describe what RIT is doing to prevent, deter, and technologically interdict many forms of IT-enabled abuse and crime. Browse related EDUCAUSE resources on Computer Abuse, Ethics, and Ethics Policies.

Father Google and Mother IM: Confessions of a Net Gen Learner

drupal — Fri, 26 Jan 2007 17:18:38 -0600

Abstract: The rise of the millenials has spawned new conversations about engagement and learning on today's college campuses. But what do these Net Gen learners really want? From the mouth of a confessed Net junkie, learn what makes these students tick, what ticks them off, and what faculty and administrators need to know to bridge the generational divide.

An Interview with Charles Dziuban

mpasiewicz — Thu, 26 Oct 2006 15:08:32 -0500

In this 21 min minute recording, we'll hear from Chuck Dziuban, Director of the Research Initiative for Teaching Effectiveness at the University of Central Florida. Listen in as he shares some thoughts on information fluency, the importance of libraries and more.

Free Speech and Censorship in Cyberspace

drupal — Thu, 04 May 2006 16:14:34 -0500

It has long been said that "the Internet interprets censorship as failure and routes around it," but as the Net gets more powerful and more ubiquitous, the motivation increases for governments, commercial interests, and others to limit the free flow of information. This session will examine several prominent current examples of this increasingly troubling activity.

Follow-up on using log files for research: finding advice, and ensuring ethical / legal compliance

catherine — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 07:47:24 -0600

As a follow-up to my post yesterday on using log files for educational research, I wanted to post some links that may help people deal with ethical and legal issues arising.

In the UK, much academic research is carried out under the auspices of the UK Research Councils, which fall under the statutory control of the UK Government's Department of Trade and Industry (a subset of the Office of Science and Technology).

Each of the eight Research Councils has its own Ethics committee. Research proposals submitted to any funding programme managed by the Councils, and which carry recognised ethical implications, must first seek approval from the relevant Committee.

If researchers enjoy membership of a professional association or learned society, they should also establish whether that association has developed ethical guidelines which may be binding on the work of their members. For example, the British Educational Research Association has developed a set of ethical guidelines, and researchers' adherence to these is often cited in funding applications to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

BERA sets out its guidelines under the following headings:

Responsibilities to Participants
Responsibilities to Sponsors of Research
Responsibilities to the Community of Educational Researchers

Applicants for European research funding (particularly applications under one of the European Commission Framework programmes) should consult the relevant EU legislation and international guidelines.

In terms of UK legislation, the picture is not yet entirely clear. The Data Protection Act (1998) is the key piece of legislation but there are others, including the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (2003). The Information Commissioner's website has a very useful page which sums up the key issues.

I for one would wish all research to be carried out in an environment characterised by mutual trust and respect. An environment where research participants have agency, and where they have a voice in the way that research is carried out and the way that research results are interpreted.

My problem with the legal viewpoint (which is not a problem the viewpoint per se, more with the language we use to describe the law) is that it tends to place research participants in a position of powerlessness, in which they are always standing as potential "victims". In speaking of rights that must be protected, "legalese" tends to paint a picture of a research environment characterised by risk and the potential invasion of privacy.

Ethics and Politics of Search Engines

mpasiewicz — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 12:52:00 -0600

A forum on ethics and the politics of search engines is scheduled for February 27th at Santa Clara University. 'Sounds interesting.
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/060206/20060206005911.html?.v=1

E2005 Podcast: Right and Wrong in Cyberspace

podcaster — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 18:03:58 -0600

This 64 minute recording provides coverage of the 2005 EDUCAUSE Annual Conference Session entitled Right and Wrong in Cyberspace.

An Interview with the University of Minnesota's Joseph Konstan about GroupLens

mpasiewicz — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 13:25:00 -0600

In this 20 minute recording, I sit down with Joseph Konstan, Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota and get his thoughts on the GroupLens project, open source software, ethical considerations in recommender systems, and the prospects of deploying recommender systems in a library setting. IEarlier in the year, I wanted to sit in on his session at Microsoft's Social Computing Symposium, but I didn't get the chance, so I really enjoyed the opportunity to watch his presentation at CNI.

Related materials might include his recent article in ACM's Ubiquity and Lorcan Dempsey's recent blog entry entitled Circulating intentional data.

This interview is provided courtesy of CNI and was recorded at their 2005 Fall Task Force Meeting. The Coalition for Networked Information (CNI) is an organization dedicated to supporting the transformative promise of networked information technology for the advancement of scholarly communication and the enrichment of intellectual productivity. You can learn more about CNI at their web site, http://www.cni.org

Tangled up: Rootkits and Moral Fibre

mthchua — Sat, 26 Nov 2005 20:39:45 -0600

UBC Computer Science offers I guess what could be viewed as a rogue CS course in CPSC 430. CPSC 430, otherwise known as Computers and Society, otherwise known as the CS-course-that’s-like-almost-an-arts-course, actually has really interesting material, though when I took it there wasn’t a whole lot of in-class debate (mostly lecture), which I personally would have liked more of.

The course covers the history of computing, as well as a cornucopia of ethics and law related topics. Even though I think there are ways in which the course could be improved/updated, I was struck by how much Dr. Rosenberg (my prof at the time) tried to impress upon us the notion that questioning our personal ethics is important.

Which brings me to the Sony Rootkit. Sure, I’m just an undergraduate. What do I know about the needs of multinational, multigazilliondollar corporations? What do I know about DRM and the entertainment industry? Not much. I guess I’m pretty naive. But I have to wonder what the Sony engineers who developed the rootkit were thinking at the time. How did they feel about their responsibility to users? How did they feel about user trust? Did they feel that they had less responsibility because they (maybe) didn’t write the rootkit from scratch? Were they unable to say anything about the decision to use a rootkit at all? Did they even want to say anything against the rootkit, or did they feel that it was a good idea?

This post might make you think, “Great, another voice for the anti-Sony peanut gallery,” but condemning Sony isn’t my point.

This doesn’t mean that I condone Sony’s actions. Whoever wrote or repurposed the Sony rootkit to violate users’ rights and trust made a conscious decision. From my perspective as an untried fledgling programmer, I’d like to be able to take the moral highground and say “That’s just wrong! What were the engineers thinking?”

Why didn’t they say anything? Why did they do it?

But then I think of what Rosenberg said about whistleblowing. How hard it is. How gray areas suddenly get complicated when things like billions of dollars are involved. So while I really admire Mark Russinovich for breaking the story, I also wonder: if I was in that kind of position, what would I do? Would I be able to stand up for what I believe in?

Would you?

Right and Wrong in Cyberspace

drupal — Tue, 01 Nov 2005 12:34:26 -0600

Although Google tells us that "computer ethics" appears on 130,000 Web pages, many of our legislators, professors, and judges would argue that it's nowhere to be found. The question of right and wrong in cyberspace confronts us daily in an age of file sharing, spam, pushbutton plagiarism, and tell-all blogs. This session explores some of the Internet's most challenging ethical issues with a panel of experts.

Expectations of Employees

drupal — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 14:52:33 -0500

This "Expectations of Employees" statement serves as a standards of professionalism guide for IT employees of Salem State College.

Information Technology Division Code of Excellence

drupal — Thu, 22 Sep 2005 11:35:54 -0500

A Code of Excellence to use for IT staff.

ACM Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

drupal — Wed, 07 Sep 2005 10:35:57 -0500

Code of professional ethics for members of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM).

Father Google and Mother IM: Confessions of a Net Gen Learner

drupal — Fri, 02 Sep 2005 11:32:44 -0500

To bridge the technology cultural gap between many faculty and administrators and the youngest generation of college students, a recent graduate reveals what being a "Net Gener" really means and how that can translate to the classroom.

University of Michigan's Identity Misrepresentation Policy

drupal — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 10:19:19 -0500

University of Michigan's Identity Misrepresentation Policy

University-Industry Partnerships with High Potential for Impact

drupal — Fri, 20 May 2005 11:52:29 -0500

This article discuses the ramifications of the changing relationship between industry and higher education and explores the resultant opportunities and challanges facing campus leaders today. It also explores the some recent university industry initiatives focused on women and technology.

Online Tutorial on Scholarly Research and Academic Integrity

drupal — Mon, 09 Feb 2004 16:00:48 -0600

Georgetown University needed an effective and efficient way to teach 1,700 new students that research and scholarship at the university must be based on academic integrity. Georgetown created a custom-built, database-driven online tutorial to ensure that all new students acquire an understanding of their role in the scholarly enterprise.

Recipe for Disaster: IT Without Ethics

drupal — Mon, 26 Jan 2004 12:32:07 -0600

Welcome to the moral high ground of ethics in IT. Advancements in information technology and the Internet over the past 10 years have created new ethical issues that beg the question, Is IT a profession? The concept of professionalism and the importance of the ethics codes for IT practitioners are examined in light of ongoing reports of computer abuse.

Responsible Internet Citizenship: Safety, Security, and Scholarship

drupal — Wed, 14 Jan 2004 15:15:16 -0600

This presentation was provided as the closing keynote address for the 14th Annual Conference of the Association of Faculty for Advancement of Community College Teaching at the College of Southern Maryland on January 9, 2004. The Internet has become a popular, if not essential, mode of communication. Technologies from email, instant messaging, electronic databases, online courses, and online library resources have transformed teaching and learning. The use of the Internet, however, also presents many challenges for faculty from electronic cheating to copyright compliance. Institutional policies, ranging from intellectual property policies to codes of conduct, are being rewritten to cope with the new landscape. Institutions of higher education must also attend to cyber security - the protection of information assets and critical infrastructures. Politicians, both in Annapolis and Washington, D.C., are crafting new laws and regulations to govern cyberspace. What are the implications for teaching and learning? What is the impact upon faculty and students? Why should institutions of higher education care? This presentation will address legal, policy, and ethical considerations for responsible Internet citizenship.

Democratizing Software: Open Source, the Hacker Ethic, and Beyond

drupal — Fri, 10 Oct 2003 13:13:09 -0500

The development of computer software and hardware in closed-source, corporate environments limits the extent to which technologies can be used to empower the marginalized and oppressed. Various forms of resistance and counter-mobilization may appear, but these reactive efforts are often constrained by limitations that are embedded in the technologies by those in power. In the world of open source software development, actors have one more degree of freedom in the proactive shaping and modification of technologies, both in terms of design and use. Drawing on the work of philosopher of technology Andrew Feenberg, I argue that the open source model can act as a forceful lever for positive change in the discipline of software development. A glance at the somewhat vacuous hacker ethos, however, demonstrates that the technical community generally lacks a cohesive set of positive values necessary for challenging dominant interests. Instead, Feenberg's commitment to "deep democratization" is offered as a guiding principle for incorporating more preferable values and goals into software development processes.

New Survey Indicates Campus Attitudes Invite Software Piracy

drupal — Mon, 29 Sep 2003 16:36:06 -0500

Educators are finding that piracy ethics are a real problem on campus.

Principles to Guide Efforts to Improve Computer and Network Security for Higher Education

drupal — Wed, 24 Sep 2003 09:56:48 -0500

The EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Computer and Network Security Task Force held an invitational, NSF-sponsored workshop at Columbia University in August 2002. Based on research into principles articulated by a variety of academic groups and statements by invited experts, the group proposed that higher education's efforts to improve computer and network security be guided by a set of six principles:

• civility and community
• academic and intellectual freedom
• privacy and confidentiality
• equity, diversity, and access
• fairness and process
• ethics, integrity, and responsibility

The authors recognize that these principles are broad; each institution must ultimately determine the principles that are most relevant and valued by its own community. This set of principles is intended to serve as a starting point for campus discussions about computer and network security. The higher education community is invited to provide suggestions and changes to this document.

Online Resources on Ethics

drupal — Fri, 14 Jun 2002 16:52:02 -0500

Resources on ethics, netiquette and spam/junk email.

Ethics in Distance Education: Developing Ethical Policies

drupal — Wed, 18 Apr 2001 17:46:31 -0500

The author provides a brief overview of the steps an institution can take to develop policies that contribute to an "ethically sound distance learning atmosphere".

Revising Acceptable Use Policy to Account for Cultural Developments on the Net

drupal — Tue, 24 Feb 1998 01:00:00 -0600

Given the changes in user demographics, there is a rapidly growing need to better understand the culture that is developing on computer networks. Today's acceptable use policies (AUPs) should be based upon a balancing of logistical and operational issues with the cultural needs of the user. Those who craft computer-use policy should move away from the model of a "network as a superhighway" and toward a model of a "network as a commonly shared resource."

Defamation Charges in a Networked Environment

drupal — Wed, 12 Mar 1997 01:00:00 -0600

This article considers how civil law might treat defamation claims arising from newsgroup postings. The author gives background on defamation law and discusses defenses against defamation charges. Information technology professionals are encouraged to become involved in the current legal arena in this area.

University of Virginia Policy on Use of Public Computing Resources

drupal — Tue, 21 May 1996 01:00:00 -0500

This policy defines the appropriate use of public computing resources managed by the Department of Information Technology and Communication (ITC) at the University of Virginia. (See also CSD0903 Ethics in Computer Usage.)

When Bad Things Happen to Good Campuses

drupal — Mon, 25 Mar 1996 01:00:00 -0600

The authors of this Viewpoint article profile a scenario involving abuse of the campus network and show that transgressions committed using electronic technology are simply new variations on old themes, that the rules of civility and ethics should apply, and that existing policies can cover the remedies and consequences. An important focus of their discussion is identifying _good_ outcomes for difficult situations.

Development of an Electronic Information Policy Framework

drupal — Tue, 30 May 1995 01:00:00 -0500

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, like many other universities, is attempting to manage an unprecedented demand for electronic information in myriad forms. Issues of availability, responsibility, confidentiality, privacy, and security are not easily resolved when accountabilities intersect across non-intersecting central organizations. This article summarizes the strategies and rationales employed in creating a coordinating council to develop a policy framework articulating the electronic rights and responsibilities of the University community and the public, and includes a copy of the University's current policy.

Internet-worthy: Getting Students Fit for the Road

drupal — Tue, 14 Mar 1995 01:00:00 -0600

New students at the University of Delaware are required to pass an Electronic Community Citizenship Exam before getting access to computing resources. The article describes how this process was established and its impact to date.

The Americans with Disabilities Act Home Page and an overview of the act.

drupal — Wed, 10 Feb 1993 01:00:00 -0600

Managing Information Technology Issues of Ethics and Values: Awareness, Ownership, and Values Clarification

drupal — Tue, 17 Nov 1992 01:00:00 -0600

With the use of information technology on campuses, ethical and value dilemmas arise and campus policies are needed to guide and direct administrative decision-making in the face of these dilemmas. This article discussses key aspects of the "Proper Use Policy" and the "Think About It" implementation project at the University of Michigan.

Developing a Campus Computing and Information Policy: Issues and Concerns

drupal — Sat, 25 Jan 1992 01:00:00 -0600