2022/08/10 by Matthew Kopec, Kopec, Matthew, Meica Magnani +23
Decision Sciences · Neuroscience · Social Sciences · #Computers and Society (cs.CY) #Ethics and Social Impacts of AI #Ethics in Business and Education #FOS: Computer and information sciences #Psychology of Moral and Emotional Judgment
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2208.05453
openalex publication_date 2022/08/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Embedding ethics modules within computer science courses has become a popular response to the growing recognition that CS programs need to better equip their students to navigate the ethical dimensions of computing technologies like AI, machine learning, and big data analytics. However, the popularity of this approach has outpaced the evidence of its positive outcomes. To help close that gap, this empirical study reports positive results from Northeastern's program that embeds values analysis modules into CS courses. The resulting data suggest that such modules have a positive effect on students' moral attitudes and that students leave the modules believing they are more prepared to navigate the ethical dimensions they will likely face in their eventual careers. Importantly, these gains were accomplished at an institution without a philosophy doctoral program, suggesting this strategy can be effectively employed by a wider range of institutions than many have thought.