Put ethics and fun into your computer course

Abstract

This article describes a fun yet informative approach to covering ethical issues in a Systems Analysis and Design course. By assigning a series of readings, collectively known as “The Case of the Killer Robot,” students were exposed to a number of realistic ethical situations as well as a great deal of knowledge that is part of the computer science and information systems curriculums. Based on the results from two questionnaires, by the end of the course the students had an increased knowledge of ethical issues, a stronger concern for ethical issues, and a greater awareness of the importance of ethics in the workplace.