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Blekinge Institute of Technology
Department of Computer Science
Revision: 2
Reg.no:
Course syllabus
Digital Ethics
Digital Ethics
6 credits (6 högskolepoäng)
Course code: DV2583
Main field of study: Computer Science
Disciplinary domain: Technology
Education level: Second-cycle
Specialization: A1N - Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirements
Language of instruction: English
Applies from: 2022-03-01
Approved: 2022-03-01
1. Descision
This course is established by Dean 2019-11-12. The course syllabus is approved by Head of Department of Computer Science 2022-03-01 and applies from 2022-03-01.
2. Entry requirements
Admission to the course requires completed course Applied AI, 6 credits.
3. Objective and content
3.1 Objective
The course aims to provide students with knowledge of the following three areas in particular: digital ethics (issues related to integrity, security, and human behavior in the digital society), roboethics (moral issues concerning the people who develop or use AI systems), and machine ethics (moral issues concerning how machines interact with humans).
3.2 Content
- Basic ethics theory
- Ethics and its role in digitization
- Ethical regulations and codes
- Ethical aspects in computer science, e.g. applications in AI
- Current areas in digital ethics
4. Learning outcomes
The following learning outcomes are examined in the course:
4.1. Knowledge and understanding
- explain basic ethics theory.
- understand key theories, regulations and codes of ethical conduct.
- assimilate current articles / reports in digital ethics.
- reason and account for ethical aspects in computer science and relevant applications.
4.2. Competence and skills
- give a written and oral account of ethical concepts and theories in digitization based on current articles / reports in digital ethics.
- independently and critically interpret and evaluate information and critically discuss relevant phenomena, issues and examples in digital ethics.
4.3. Judgement and approach
- make assessments of aspects in digital ethics.
- independently review and critically evaluate ethical aspects of their own work.
5. Learning activities
The course is conducted partly in the form of seminars where current topics in digital ethics are presented and discussed by the students under the supervision of a teacher, and partly in the form of an in-depth study with report writing in a selected area. The seminars have specific themes in digital ethics that have been selected by teachers in the field, and distributed to the students well in advance of the seminar. It is assumed that the students who present the material have prepared a presentation that clearly presents the current topic. Participation in the seminars is mandatory. In the latter part of the course, the students themselves choose to write a reflective, summary report on digital ethics alone or in pairs.
6. Assessment and grading
Modes of examinations of the course
| Code | Module | Credit | Grade |
| 2210 | Seminar 1 | 1.5 credits | GU |
| 2220 | Seminar 2 | 1.5 credits | GU |
| 2230 | Written report | 3 credits | AF |
The course will be graded A Excellent, B Very good, C Good, D Satisfactory, E Sufficient, Fx Failed result, a little more work required, F Fail.
The information before the start of the course states the assessment criteria and make explicit in which modes of examination that the learning outcomes are assessed.
An examiner can, after consulting the Disability Advisor at BTH, decide on a customized examination form for a student with a long-term disability to be provided with an examination equivalent to one given to a student who is not disabled.
7. Course evaluation
The course evaluation should be carried out in line with BTH:s course evaluation template and process.
8. Restrictions regarding degree
The course can form part of a degree but not together with another course the content of which completely or partly corresponds with the contents of this course.
9. Course literature and other materials of instruction
The literature in the course consists of a selection of articles / reports in digital ethics that are identified at each course occasion. In addition, there are the current individual articles / reports that the student uses as a basis for the report in digital ethics.