Social-Professional Aspects of Informatics

Objectives

Knowledge:

- Impact of communications and information technologies in the society

- Ethics and applied ethics related to the aspects of design, build, deployment and usage of modern communication and information systems

Application:

- Analysis of controversies and ethical impacts of communication and information technology

- Awareness on the social implications of technology

Soft Skills:

- learn how to research social sciences subjects

- oral and written presentation skills

General characterization

Code

11191

Credits

3.0

Responsible teacher

Paulo Orlando Reis Afonso Lopes, Vasco Miguel Moreira do Amaral

Hours

Weekly - 2

Total - 28

Teaching language

Português

Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Bibliography

Michael J. Quinn, “Ethics for the Information Age,” Pearson, 8th Edition, 2020

Each theme will be covered with more references; the appropriate place to find them is the online documentation of the course.

Teaching method

The course comprises any or all of the following: lectures, seminars conducted by instructors or invited speakers, and films (followed by debates). References to papers and themes for research will be provided to support the written group work. 

Evaluation method

Course final grade

Computation of the grade parcel which is the same for all group members

  • Preliminary report and preparation / discussion of the group''s theme (10%)

  • Preliminary report about a different subject (theme), arbitrarily chosen by the instructors (10%)

  • Final report and presentation video (group''s theme) + optional oral presentation (45%)

Award for a maximum of two group members

  • Award for individual performance: 10 extra points, awarded either to 1 group member, or split among 2 group members;

  • The recipient(s) of the extra points are chosen by the group members.

Individual grade (NT)

  • 1 closed book test (35%) [or Final Exam]

Note: all grades and intermediate grades are rounded to 1 decimal place; the final grade cannot exceed 200 points

Delays when delivering the reports or failure to show up in the debate sessions

  • Delayed reports may be accepted, but incur in a penalty of 10 points per day. Maximum delay is 5 days.

  • If a member of a group is not present in the debate session of the group''s theme, he/she will suffer a penalty of 10% (as if he/she had not contributed to the 3-page mini-report of the group''s theme)

 Special clause

Any student that has a final positive outcome but that has a NP ("project") grade wich exceeds his/her NT grade by more than 60 points, may invited to an oral exam test; as a result of his/her performance in that exam, the final grade (NF) may be increased or decreased, but NF will always be greater or equal to NT.

Failure to attend the oral exam reflects the acceptance, by the student, of the final grade of NF = NT

Subject matter

Introduction - an overview of the evolution of digital technology and of the social impact of technology

Morals, ethics and the law

The impact of digital communications on privacy and human interaction

Security and privacy, computer hacking, cybercrime

Intelectual property and plagiarism

Privacy and protection of individual data

The impact of the digital in the society – highlights: Internet and AI

Social networks and their social impact

Professional Ethics

Programs

Programs where the course is taught: