CISC 355: Computers, Ethics, and Society
Fall 2009
Instructor: Richard
Gordon
Course Info, Grades, and Texts
| Syllabus
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General Information
- Instructor:
- Richard Gordon
Office: 227LL, UDCC (192 S. Chapel Street)
Office Hours: By Appointment
Phone: (302) 831-1717
- Meeting Information:
- Tuesdays and Thursdays, 5:00 - 6:15 p.m.
061 McKinly Lab
- Required Texts:
-
- Quinn, M. (2009) Ethics
for the Information Age. 3rd Edition (Quinn)
- Singh, S. (1999) The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient
Egypt to Quantum Cryptography. (Singh)
- An assortment of readings on the World-Wide Web (and possibly
at UD Library's Reserve Room).
- Course Requirements:
-
In part because the content for this class changes from year to
year--and sometimes from week to week, I'm always tinkering with this
course. This year, we'll
- use Sakai for quizzes
- do more "project-style" problem-solving work rather than
traditional exams
- find ways to incorporate current events into our class discussions
- try to incorporate blogs and a wiki into class activities.
The best way to teach an applied ethics class is to give the students
the opportunity to discuss situations, deciding how one could sort
it out, or making sure one understands where other people's decisions
come from. Therefore, I try to keep lecture to a minimum to leave plenty
of time for our discussion.
Here's how your work will be evaluated.
- Quizzes (40%):
There will be two kinds of quizzes in the class this semester:
- Daily Quizzes: a quiz due at 4:59 p.m. each day class meets. Usually
one-question or two-question quizzes, occasionally longer ones.
Purpose: prove to me you're keeping up with the reading so that
you can participate in discussion--in class and in Sakai.
- Substantive Quizzes:
In lieu of full-blown exams, we will have a handful of longer
quizzes to make sure you are digesting the reading and class
discussions.
All quizzes are open-book, open-note, take-home events. However,
collaboration with others (beyond lending them the book!) is
forbidden.
Research Project (0%):
By acclamation, we will not do a research project this term.
However, there will be research components to several of the
assignments made in the "Assignments" section of the course.
Assignments (40%):
In lieu of exams, you'll have a about fifteen assignments to
complete in Sakai. Nothing too onerous, but these will be
designed to replace the essay questions on mid-terms and
otherwise challenge you to apply what you've been reading
about. The
classic project
will ask you to apply the reading to a real
situation. Some will ask your opinion--which will require a
logical presentation of your argument. There will be some in-class
exercises that will also count towards the "assignment" portion of the
assessment of your work.
Wiki and Blog assignments will also be rolled into this area of
the gradebook.
Current Events Responses (20%):
This set of assignments will be developed as we collectively
figure out what format we want to use to discuss current
events.
Class Attendance, Participation, Late Assignments,
Academic Honesty:
- Students are expected to participate actively in all class
discussions. Hence the daily quizzes. Being an active listener is
fine. However, being physically
present and reading the newspaper or studying for an exam in
another class or "chatting on line with babes all day" does not make you
an active participant.
Use the Sakai
Blog tool to
post ideas about readings on days you miss class:
if you want your quiz credit for
a day you miss, take the quiz and make a blog posting. The point is,
this is a "participatory" class in which I will
strive to keep lecture to a minimum. Your absence deprives
your colleagues of the benefit of your contribution to class discussion.
Therefore, miss class, blog about the reading.
- You are adults and can make your own decisions about class
attendance. Rule of thumb for this and all classes: try not to
cut class more often than the instructor does.
Seriously, use common sense and
courtesy and let your instructors know when you have to miss
class.
However, if you want your
"quiz credit" for a day you've missed, you'd better have negotiated an
"excused" absence with me AND had better have blogged about part
of the reading for the day you've missed.
- Students are expected to do their own work. I fully
expect you to discuss things outside of class with your
colleagues; however, when it comes time to take a quiz, do an
individual
project, write an exam, etc., all students need to write
independently--unless the assignment specifically asks for you
to collaborate with classmates.
- Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the date
indicated. Any change in a due date
must be negotiated with the instructor ahead
of time. Do not assume that a date change has been granted
just because you asked for one. Wait for the instructor's
written approval or denial of your request. However, ask for
an extension rather than copy someone else's assignment. Two
students received zeros on their exams during a recent
semester because one copied the other's exam with that student's
permission.
Grade Scale:
A = 94.0 and up; A- = 90.1 - 93.9
B+ = 87.5 - 90.0; B = 83.5 - 87.4; B- = 80.1 - 83.4
C+ = 77.5 - 80.0; C = 74.0 - 77.4; C- = 72.0 - 73.9
D+ = 68.0 - 71.9; D = 65.0 - 67.9; D- = 63.0 - 64.9
F = under 63.0
If you keep up with the work, grades are not usually too much of an
issue. In aggregate, over 80% of the students in the last 10 sections did
work that earned a grade of B- or higher. Given how easy the
quizzes usually are, it is rare for a student's work to earn a
grade
under 75 in my sections. But it does happen. Keep up and
things will work themselves out.
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The syllabus and this course information page were last updated on
November 19, 2009.
They
will be updated from time to
time during the semester.
The on-line syllabus is the official syllabus. Check it
frequently.