Exploring the social and ethical dimensions of a

Computing curriculum

Adrian Mee June 2014

Self introduction Adrian Mee – Institute of Eduction, University of London a.mee@ioe.ac.uk Subject Leader PGCE Computing with ICT Masters in Teaching Research & publications focus – Digital technologies, society and the curriculum. Head of Computer Studies…IT….ICT…advisory Working background – electronics and communications

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Structure of the session Presentation... Evaluation of teaching resources.. Discussion...ideas...questions....

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Aims of the session? ……To answer and explore some questions: • What do we mean (and don’t mean) when we talk about “social and

ethical elements” of Computing? • Why are these issues important? • How do they relate to the school curriculum? • What should we be doing about them? • How might we teach them?

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A new digital age? Preparing children for the 21st century and “The new digital age”.

Politics Freedom

Authority

Economy

Conflict Power

Human capital

Security

Social capital

Information

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Some useful concepts…….. In considering the ethical and social dimension of a Computing curriculum we might usefully review some key ideas: •Digital natives....... •Network society.... •Digital citizenship...... •Social (network?) capital.... •Cultural lag.....

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The changing technology society relationship

Constructionist era

1967 - 1988

Vocationalist era

1989 - 2003

Network society era

2003 - .........

The curriculum responds to the socio-technical context .....sloooowly!

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What is school for?

The aims of schooling

Transferring knowledge

Enculturation

Socialisation

Subject domain knowledge….maths…..physics….

computer science…..

Awareness of heritage, history, arts…….

Values, social norms, behaviours and “being a concerned citizen”.

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But what about “subjects”….. Thinking about “knowledge domains” and the school curriculum.

Subject knowledge domain e.g.

chemistry

School curriculum knowledge

domain

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Thinking about “knowledge domains” and the school curriculum.

Subject knowledge domain e.g.

chemistry School curriculum

knowledge domain

Elements of the wider subject domain form the core of the school subject curriculum to facilitate progression along subject pathways.

The broader aims of the school curriculum require engagement with issues which might be considered outside of the wider subject domain.

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Thinking about “knowledge domains” and the school curriculum.

Subject knowledge domain e.g.

chemistry School curriculum

knowledge domain

Social and ethical elements of the Computing curriculum

We know that many CS courses in the US offer “ethics” related courses

Citizenship and RS read with ethical and social issues more widely

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The rise of “citizen science”… In studying GCSE science it is now accepted that the curriculum must meet the needs of the emerging scientist and engineer BUT must also prepare the citizen who is sufficiently knowledgeable about science to hold an informed view on scientific issues. Should computer science aim to do this too? 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36

What do “digital natives” think?

Does this indicate

that we have work to do?

Some statements made by “Digital natives”: “If people were trying to spy on us the government wouldn’t let them!” “If these technologies were dangerous they wouldn’t be allowed to sell them!” “If it’s wrong to download music files why are they there for free?”

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Are ethical and social elements of

the curriculum related to the aim of “knowing how

technology works”?

Some ways of “understanding how technology works”? • Functional understanding – “if I press

this..that happens” • Technical understanding – “Bits and bytes

understanding”

• Social and ethical understanding – “technology, society, possibility, responsibility”.

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Knowing “how technology works

Some contexts in which we apply our knowledge of “how technology works”.

Knowing “how technology works”

Scientists and researchers

Technicians and engineers

Technology users

The school curriculum

A

B

C

Digital citizens D

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We aim at .....developing a critical perspective on digital technologies…..NOT.....transmitting a perspective What is “critical” in this context? The capacity to reach and informed position.

Technophile Technophobe

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Digital “issues” pupils might usefully explore…SURVEILANCE How “watched” do you want to be?

Technophile Technophobe

If you aren’t doing anything wrong you have nothing to fear.

Nobody ever has the right to infringe our privacy

?

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Digital “issues” pupils might usefully explore…CYBER DEMOCRACY How can I have my say?

Technophile Technophobe

Technology makes voting cheap and easy – it’s democratic

When does on-line voting become “a dictatorship of the majority”?

?

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Digital “issues” pupils might usefully explore…SHIFTING POWER What is “evil” in this context and who should decide what technologies are developed and used?

Technophile Technophobe

The market will ensure that “bad” companies fail.

Corporations have no ethical standards and must be regulated

?

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Digital “issues” pupils might usefully explore…EMPLOYMENT How might advances in digital technologies affect our working lives? Technophile Technophobe

New technologies generate new jobs and wealth.

Digital technologies destroy jobs and concentrate wealth for a few

?

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And now one for the teachers…. Can cyber tutors teach children Computer Science cheaper and more effectively than “real teachers”?

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Arguments against dealing with social and ethical issues in Computing lessons….. • The teachers aren’t ‘qualified’ to teach ethics • Ethics is for RS and Citizenship • We don’t have the time • The pupils aren’t interested • We don’t want to teach it

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Arguments against dealing with social and ethical issues in Computing lessons….. • The teachers aren’t ‘qualified’ to teach ethics • Ethics is for RS and Citizenship • We don’t have the time • The pupils aren’t interested • We don’t want to teach it

All teachers are qualified teachers (until recently!). We teach many things beyond the title of our degree. Hopefully teachers are able to: • Think systematically about issues • Seek out evidence • Evaluate conflicting evidence • Seek to reach balanced views • Discuss in a constructive manner

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Arguments against dealing with social and ethical issues in Computing lessons….. • The teachers aren’t ‘qualified’ to teach ethics • Ethics is for RS and Citizenship • We don’t have the time • The pupils aren’t interested • We don’t want to teach it

Whilst these subjects do deal with ethical and social issue it requires a degree of technical knowledge to support an informed discussion. Just are the pros and cons are of nuclear energy are taught in physics CS knowledge is needed to discuss many of the topics we must explore.

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Arguments against dealing with social and ethical issues in Computing lessons….. • The teachers aren’t ‘qualified’ to teach ethics • Ethics is for RS and Citizenship • We don’t have the time • The pupils aren’t interested • We don’t want to teach it

All subjects would like more curriculum time. We have to do our best with what we have. A balanced curriculum would need to accommodate conflicting topics. A curriculum offer where pupils spent over half of their time on programming might be difficult to justify in terms of a “broad and balanced curriculum”

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Arguments against dealing with social and ethical issues in Computing lessons….. • The teachers aren’t ‘qualified’ to teach ethics • Ethics is for RS and Citizenship • We don’t have the time • The pupils aren’t interested • We don’t want to teach it

Asked what they like learning about in ICT lessons pupils talk about how they were taught and the activity they were engaged in rather than the “topic”. Pupils are usually very interested in issues which are close to their own experiences. Of all members of society, children are those most often engaged with ‘the digital world’.

Arguments against dealing with social and ethical issues in Computing lessons….. • The teachers aren’t ‘qualified’ to teach ethics • Ethics is for RS and Citizenship • We don’t have the time • The pupils aren’t interested • We don’t want to teach it

It’s fun to teach a topic you like! But teachers are public servants with a responsibility to a range of stakeholders (not just employers or higher education courses). The “deregulation” of the curriculum offers teacher the opportunity to exercise professional judgement not personal preference.

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Ethical and social issues within the current curriculum

We know that ethical and social elements in the curriculum have been around for some time.... •Largely ignored •Dealt with trivially •Seldom assessed in a meaningful way

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Ethical and social issues in the ICT...Computing curriculum……..

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In examination syllabi……..

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Spread and assessment

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Some pilot teaching materials……..

•The resource is modelled on the popular “self-rating” models used by popular magazines. •It introduces the notions of “technophile” and “technophobe” as extremes. •It draws pupils attention to the difficulties and contingent nature of “taking a position”. •It supports pupils understanding that others may not share their view. •It supports pupils in understanding what values shape people’s views.

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Some pilot teaching materials……..

•The resource is based on the “diamond ranking” approach common in humanities subjects to facilitate discussion. • It develops the notion of ‘conflicting rights’ – that the rights of one might affect the freedoms of another. •It encourages pupils to refine and develop their ideas and to understand the complexity which underlies the granting of ‘rights”.

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Some pilot teaching materials……..

•The resource is uses the ‘force field’ approach used in many strategy and decision making contexts. •It asks pupils to undertake research and explore the implications of granting rights on multiple stakeholders. •It invites pupils to explore the nature of position and bias. •It encourages pupils to realise that many rights must be ‘contingent’.

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Some pilot teaching materials……..

•The resource is modelled on the notion of a ‘discussion carousel’. •It emphasises to pupils that these issue are topical and socially relevant. •It encourages critical and discursive engagement with grounded social issues in relation to digital technology. •It encourages an appreciation of the need for negotiation, compromise and consensus.

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Some questions for you.....

1. How important is it that pupils engage with social and ethical issues?

2. How might we embed this element in what we teach? 3. What pedagogical skills would we need to develop? 4. What are the risks of dealing with such issues? 5. When do we start dealing with such issues?

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