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Task 6.36. You may find additional information on ethics for your professional activities in the texts suggested:

A Code of Professional Ethics

A Guide to Professional Conduct in the Field of Educational Communications and Technology

It seems to have entered into all areas of professional life. The reputations and careers of prominent politicians have been tarnished by evidence of ethical misconduct. Well-known television evangelists have been caught in improper behavior. Manufacturers of critical parts of airplanes and other equipment have been detected substituting inexpensive, inferior parts in the manufacturing process. Sports heroes have been suspended, banned, or had their accomplishments stricken from the record books because of rule violations or illegal acts. Wealthy, highly respected financial figures have been imprisoned for illegal dealings on the stock market. Major universities have received sanctions for improper recruitment and support of athletes. Producers of canned food products have been convicted of using less nutritious, substitute ingredients in place of those listed on their product labels. Computer hackers have illegally gained entry into databases for personal gain. Researchers have fabricated data in order to generate academic publications. Pharmaceutical companies have been indicted for bribing federal agencies to approve their products for release on the marketplace. Police officers have been caught collaborating with criminals in order to profit from illegal activities. Indeed, even a major education agency has been convicted and penalized for illegally duplicating and distributing copyrighted materials.

The result, during the past decade, has been a growing awareness and concern about unethical conduct. This concern reflects a desire in many segments of our society that guidelines be developed and measures taken to heighten an awareness of the importance of ethical behavior. The reaction to the problem is coming from many sources. One of the first and most visible was a project of the Annenberg Foundation and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to develop and broadcast a series of television programs, Ethics in America, that featured a number of prominent individuals discussing ethical issues.

Since the Annenberg Project, there have been many other efforts to focus public attention on ethical behavior. There has been a significant increase in the number of books and newsletters on the subject. An illustration of the breadth of interest in this subject is the fact that one book on ethical management brought together Kenneth Blanchard (coauthor of The One Minute Manager) and Norman Vincent Peale (author of The Power of Positive Thinking) as its unlikely pair of coauthors. A professional association concerned with performance and instruction conducted a major effort to identify ethical issues related to business and industrial training in order to formulate a code of ethics to govern professional behavior in that field. A major accounting firm carried out a three-year, five million dollar project to prepare instructional materials on business ethics for use in business schools in major universities throughout the United States. Even before these materials were developed, many of the *major business schools

5.Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly with qthers.

6.Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity and dignity of the profession.

7.Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under their supervision.

(Adaptedfrom the Internet)

Commitment of the Profession to Society

In fulfilling obligations to society, the Association on behalf of the profession:

1.Shall promote safe and healthy technological learning environments.

2.Shall promote positive and minimize negative environmental impacts of educational technologies.

Background: For more than 10 years the Professional Ethics Committee has greatly benefited from the leadership of Paul Welliver toward increasing the awareness of professional ethics among Association members. Among other actions, the Committee has reviewed and revised the Code, added one new principle, organized presentations, published scenarios interpreting each principle in TechTrends, and currently has a book in production.

However, there has been little enforcement and in the words of James D. Finn in the first issue of Audio Visual Communications Review, "The publication of codes of ethics and manuals of standards in itself guarantees nothing." In the absence of complaints from our clients, whether they are trainee airplane mechanics or sixth graders, Association members have not been disciplined for violations of the Code.

The Professional Ethics Committee is active, nevertheless, and has on request provided letters in support of members who stand by the Code in their professional roles. It has also facilitated the processing of complaints between members on matters that may be characterized as thoughtlessly offensive or unintentionally rude. Formal hearings have not occurred and the Committee's procedures were modified in the last couple of years to be consistent with the normal practice of informal resolution.

The Committee became concerned in the early 1990s that the Code may lack true effectiveness. Protecting the public by policing ourselves to identify quacks and charlatans is not possible. Indeed, we should become more competitive with similar professional organizations involved with technology by looking outside of the Association and being explicitly committed to society.

The Committee worked on the problem for several years. First, the Committee analyzed the situation to understand what it meant. Second, the Committee considered possible actions and outcomes. Third, the Committee decided to add a new section to the Code. Fourth, the Committee deliberated over constructing new principles.

The Proposed Section 4 of the AECT Code of Professional Ethics Establishing Section 4 in the Code will remedy the deficiency in social obligation. The principles in this section will show increased responsibility. The Committee will act by developing guidelines, where they are needed, and by publishing informative scenarios. For example, a draft scenario for Principle 1 explains that furniture as well as equipment and software must be appropriate when setting up computer learning stations. A draft scenario for Principle 2 indicates that nonrenewable resources are a significant factor in educational computing. Other principles under consideration for Section 4 uphold cultural diversity, intellectual freedom, and open access to information regardless of delivery medium. The Committee welcomes any suggestions for further ways to demonstrate how the Association is committed to society in our professional ethics.

Suggestions for Further Reading

Abbott, A. D. (1988). The system of professions: An essay on the division of expert labor. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Coady, M., & Bloch, S. (Eds.) (1997). Codes of ethics and the professions. Victoria, Australia: Melbourne University Press.

Gieryn, T. F. (1995). Boundaries of science. In S. Jasanoff, G. E. Markle, J. C. Petersen, & T. Pinch (Eds.). Handbook of science and technology studies (pp. З9З-44З). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Macdonald, K. M. (1995). The sociology of the professions. Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage.

Tannen, D. (1998). The argument culture: Moving from debate to discussion.

New York: Random House.

Yeaman, A. R. J. (February 20, 1998). Chair for Professional Ethics in Practice presented by J. N. Eastmond, V. S. Napper, R. G. Nichols, A. C. Sherry, & P. W. Welliver. Association for Educational Communications and Technology convention, St. Louis, MO. [Reported by'Heebner, A. L. (1998) TechTrends 43(3), 58.1]

Yeaman, A. R. J., Koetting, J. R., & Nichols, R. G. (February 19, 1998). The 14th Foundations Symposium: Continuing to Explore and Question the Theoiy/Practice of Our Field. Association for Educational Communications and Technology convention, St. Louis, MO. Reported by Hall, L. (1998) TechTrends 43(3), 4849.1

Yeaman, A. R. J. (February 14, 1997). The cyborg discourse. In the session on

Histories of Educational Technology: Considerations and Techniques. Association for Educational Communications and Technology convention, Albuquerque, NM. Reported by Shutkin, D. S. (1997) TechTrends 42 (3), 52-53.1

Professional Ethics and Computer

Science/Information Systems

If you are looking at this page, you probably have an interest in (or have been told by a professor to have an interest in) computers and ethics.

Ethics One definition of ethics, according to Merriam-Webster, is "a set of moral principles or values". You may derive your own personal ethics from many sources: your family and culture, your religion or faith, the legal system where you live, etc. However, ethics in general is not the topic of this web page.

Computing Ethics Sometimes you will hear someone refer to "computing ethics", which is a whole range of ethical questions surrounding computer science and the use of computers.

Professional Ethics This web page discusses professional ethics (or professional practice): the "principles of conduct" that we agree to be governed by as computer scientists and engineers.

As a student at Stony Brook, you have agreed to follow the university's rules regarding academic honesty and appropriate conduct. These are a statement of professional conduct for students. Faculty have their own rules regarding professional conduct (the Computer Science faculty have adopted a statement which will soon be on the department's web site). Depending on where you are in life, you may have several different sets of professional ethics to adhere to. It is important to think about who you are, what roles you play, and how you can act professionally in those different roles.

This web page is one place for you to start thinking about professional ethics.

(Adaptedfrom the Internet)

Center for the Study of Ethics

Codes of Ethics Online

In June 1996, our Center received a grant from the National Science Foundation to put our extensive collection of codes of ethics on the web. We included those codes of ethics of professional societies, corporations, government, and academic institutions, of the over 850 codes we have in our paper archive, who gave us permission to include their code. Earlier versions of codes of ethics of some organizations represented are available to allow researchers to study the development of codes. A literature review, an introduction to the codes, and a user’s guide are included.

Navigating the Codes: the most direct point of contact with the codes is achieved by

•browsing the Index of Codes, or an alphabetical list of codes, or

•searching the codes using our customized Google search engine.

246 UNIT 6

Guide to Codes of Ethics Collection

Introduction An introduction that covers the debate about the function and value of codes of ethics.

The Index of Codes The codes, organized by professional category, are drawn from the continually growing collection held by CSEP’s Library and from the web.

Search the codes here.

Compilation of Codes in the paper and online collection. Codes of Ethics divided into the following broad categories, Professional and Trade, Business, Government, and Other, and then listed alphabetically by association name.

Permissions Information We have published online only codes for which we have received permission from the firm or organization that produced the code.

Using Codes of Ethics This guide offers a context for using a code of ethics by considering a sample case.

Writing a Code of Ethics Find here some print and online sources for writing a code of ethics for your organization.

Authoring a code: Observations on process and organization This paper was written by Andrew Olson, who worked on the project just after completing his undergraduate degree.

Bibliography: Books, Articles and Cases This list of materials, many of which offer case studies, will help you use your profession’s code.

Other Online Sources of Codes of Ethics Having difficulty finding an organization’s code of ethics? Try our links to other collections of codes of ethics which are available online.

Participants in the Project Who has helped make this material available

online?

There are many computer science-related organizations that have codes of ethics (Berleur and Brunnstein 1996). However, most computer scientists are members of the ACM or the IEEE, and so have agreed to be bound by one of the following:

•The ACM Code of Ethics

•The ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional

Practice

• The IEEE Code of Ethics

Printouts of the ACM/IEEE code of ethics are available in the Computer Science Building outside the office of the undergraduate secretary.

What you can do: Look up one of the above codes of ethics. Read it. Print it out and save it for reference. It is there to protect and guide you, as well as to protect those you work with and for.

Most large companies have an ethics officer, who is there to educate and advise employees about issues relating to professional practice. You may meet one or

more of the ethics officers from local companies, such as CA, Symbol and Reuters, during your time at.Stony Brook.

Organizations that are broadly considered to “be about” ' ethics of computing, or professional practice in computer science, include:

•Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility

•The Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility

•The Center for Applied Ethics, page on Computer and Information

Ethics

•The Web Clearinghouse for Engineering and Computing Ethics

•ACM<SIG on Computers and Society

•The Online Ethics Center for Engineering and Science at Case Western

University

• The Research Center on Computing & Society at Southern Connecticut

State University

What you can do: Look up one or more of the organizations above. Become aware of the ethical issues computer scientists and engineers face. Know that these organizations may be resources for you to use in case of an ethical conflict. Think about becoming involved.

Teaching Professional Ethics in Computer Science and Information Systems

The following is a list of listings of case studies relating to professional ethics and computer science or information systems:

•Online Ethics Center: Cases about Computers and Software

•ComputingCases.org

(Adaptedfrom the Internet)

APPENDIX. KEYS TO THE TASKS

Key to tasks 6.2. and 6.3. Discussion of some ethical problems:

Chairman: - Shall we get down to business? I have a great pleasure in opening the discussion. Are there any comments, opinions or questions to the speaker?... Prof. Hill, please.

Prof. Hill: - I’ve listened attentively to the presentation and I’m deeply impressed by the spiritual situation in the world. I want to ask Mr. Biletsky a question. In what way will your country try to get out of the troubles you’ve mentioned?

Prof. Biletsky: - This is a due question. You know that Ukraine has achieved democracy. This is an important first step in the improvement of society. But democracy, as wonderful as it is, is not enough. Democracy has not solved all the problems of America. I think you agree with me, Mr. Hill. There must be an accompanying predominant spiritual sense of purpose found in society. I would say that knowledge and appreciation of genuine spiritual values in a democratic society is the way of improving the spiritual situation. This is the policy of our country, and this is what we want to pass on to the next generation.

Peter Koval: - My name is Peter Koval, I am a student at Kyiv National University. As the young generation has been mentioned, I want to raise a question: What is the role of education in the humanization processes?

Chairman: - Who’d like to answer this question?... I give the floor to Dr. Fulier from Sorbonna University.

Dr.Fulier: - I would answer your question by Plato’s words: “If you ask what is the good of education I shall answer that education makes good men, and good men act nobly and conquer their enemies in battle, because they are good.” My friends, I want to warn you that the enemies are at the gates of our common home, they are alienation, illegal drugs, crime, injustice, apathy, and lack of moral purpose. Good education can conquer these enemies.

Olha Dolenko: —I’m Olha Dolenko, a post-graduate student at Lviv Polytechnic University. Dr.Fulier, could you enlarge on this question, please? How do you think moral knowledge is to be acquired? Can one person, a teacher, perhaps, help others to acquire it? And if so, in what way? By direct instruction? By good example? By advice? By reward and punishment?

Dr.Fulier: - Formation of human values in children and adults is a long and permanent process. The role of the family, the state, the school and the church are very important in moral training, as well as the role of arts, humanities, literature and music. The matter is that, first of all, the society should be moral. If it is so, there is nothing to be afraid of.