Synopses & Reviews
When students start using computers and networks, they start operating in a new, virtual world. Suddenly, behavioral lines blur: is it OK to download text from a website right into a term paper? What should you say about computer chat rooms or copying software programs? This new thoughtful and carefully written book helps you—and your students—understand today's information technology ethics, from downloading explicit pictures to guessing passwords to respect for privacy, property, and the law.
• Help students explore the ethics of digital technology
• Includes the Ten Commandments of Computer Ethics with key moral imperatives for students of all ages
Review
"Johnson's guide should be required reading. It makes elementary what is often unclear and ambiguous and provides analogies of situations to point out how stealing is stealing whether it's in a store or in a virtual situation. His approach is to entice discussion and allow the students to discover the answer to the ethics question in a variety of settings. After an overview of the difference between the physical and virtual world in regard to ethical codes, several sections are devoted to scenarios of various behaviors that involve privacy, property, and appropriate use of information. Each scenario provides discussion topics as well as the relationship to National Learning Standards. Resources such as privacy and search policies, and Web sites are provided for more information. One section specifically instructs teachers, librarians and parents on what students need to know in order to practice ethical behavior with computers. It offers information about Acceptable Use policies, Web Site Guidelines, Library Rules, and Plagiarism Guidelines. It reminds teachers how to create plagiarism proof assignments and describes what parents can do at home to teach and encourage ethical behavior. Finally, appendixes offer sample documents of those policies that all schools and libraries should have available. Highly Recommended." - Library Media Connection
Table of Contents
National standards -- Overview: Two worlds, the physical and the virtual -- What's different about "computer ethics?' -- Ethical codes -- hackers and excuses -- WIIFM? -- Major areas of concern -- Discussion questions -- Privacy: Protecting one's privacy -- Respecting others' privacy -- John's survey -- Adele's phone number -- Paul's e-mail account -- Jennie's computer terminal -- Ms. West's grading program -- Alfreda's spam -- Mr. Black;s overdue list -- Joel's password -- Trixie's web site -- Anne's credit card -- Sun-Kim's home computer -- Discussion questions -- Property: Respecting the property of others -- Protecting one's own property -- Jerry's borrowed game -- Betty's shareware -- Cindy's copy and paste -- Albert's term paper -- Fahad's destroyed data -- Lucy's virus -- Hank's "bomb" -- Brady's music -- Sara's investment -- Raul's videotape -- Barry's paraphrase -- Benita's cartoons -- Hoax on you -- Discussion question -- Appropriate use: Place -- Audience -- Purpose -- Jack's photograph -- Alice's impersonation -- Penelope's jokes -- Otis's library use -- Nellie's printing -- Chang's message -- Clark's pornography -- Linda's disorder -- Peter and Paul's PDA use -- Bill's alternative school web site -- Debbie's campaign -- Alex's research topic -- Facts about filters -- Mischief and mayhem -- Discussion questions -- Teaching and promoting ethical behaviors: What children and young adults need to understand -- What activities teach ethical behaviors? -- Policies, guidelines, and rules schools need to have -- What schools need to do to teach and encourage ethical behaviors -- What homes need to do to teach and encourage ethical behaviors -- What our state and national professional associations need to do to teach and encourage ethical behaviors -- Plagiarism-proofing assignment.