Ethics of Technology

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Ethics of Technology

This course is part of Ethical Leadership Specialization

Instructor: Kirsten Martin

2,614 already enrolled

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

48 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

48 reviews

Beginner level

Recommended experience

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Examine the role and responsibilities of design and development in the ethics of data and analytics.
Analyze the ethical dimensions of data and analytics using conceptual tools and a moral vocabulary.
Categorize ethical issues associated with data analytics development and use.
Investigate the ethical dilemmas associated with data analytics.

Skills you'll gain

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Assessments

16 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Ethical Leadership Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 4 modules in this course

This course explores the ethical implications of data analytics. It connects old ideas – privacy, surveillance, power, justice, accountability, corporate responsibility, stakeholder theory – with new technologies and cases, such as the use of machine learning to predict crime. The course will prepare you to evaluate strategic arguments about the ethics of data analytics and to relate data analytics to ethical concepts so that you approach newer, ambiguous capabilities of technology and artificial intelligence with a critical eye.

Welcome to Week 1 of the course! This week, you will participate in a variety of learning experiences so that you can begin framing your awareness of the biases inherent in technology. First, you will view a welcome video from your instructor. Then, your instructor will introduce you to this week’s topic. You will review two case studies, complete two practice quizzes, and view your instructor’s analyses of the two case studies. Finally, you will wrap up the week by completing one multiple-choice quiz and one reflective quiz so that you can apply the ethical theories you learn about this week to morally evaluate technology biases or preferences.

What's included

5 videos11 readings4 assignments

5 videos Total 21 minutes

Welcome to the Course! 1 minute
Technological Biases 7 minutes
Analysis of “The Secret Bias Hidden in Mortgage-Approval Algorithms” 3 minutes
Ethical Theories and Technology 7 minutes
Analysis of “Amazon Is Using Algorithms With Little Human Intervention to Fire Flex Workers” 3 minutes

11 readings Total 81 minutes

Welcome 2 minutes
Course Overview and Requirements 7 minutes
Meet Your Instructor 2 minutes
Netiquette 2 minutes
Get help and meet other learners. Join your Community! 5 minutes
Introduction to Technological Biases 2 minutes
“The Secret Bias Hidden in Mortgage-Approval Algorithms” 45 minutes
Introduction to Ethical Theories and Technology 2 minutes
“Amazon Is Using Algorithms With Little Human Intervention to Fire Flex Workers” 10 minutes
Week 1 Summary 2 minutes
Week 1: Next Steps 2 minutes

4 assignments Total 165 minutes

Lesson 1.1 10 minutes
Lesson 1.2 10 minutes
Lesson 1.3 25 minutes
Lesson 1.3 Reflection 120 minutes

Welcome to Week 2 of the course! This week, you will examine theories of privacy and surveillance. You will also be given an opportunity to reflect upon how the design of technology contributes to violations of privacy and surveillance.

What's included

4 videos6 readings4 assignments

4 videos Total 19 minutes

Theories of Privacy 8 minutes
Analysis of “There’s a Multibillion-Dollar Market for Your Phone’s Location Data” 2 minutes
Theories of Surveillance 7 minutes
Analysis of “There’s a Multibillion-Dollar Market for Your Phone’s Location Data” 2 minutes

6 readings Total 58 minutes

Introduction to Theories of Privacy 2 minutes
“There’s a Multibillion-Dollar Market for Your Phone’s Location Data” 20 minutes
Introduction to Theories of Surveillance 2 minutes
“There’s a Multibillion-Dollar Market for Your Phone’s Location Data” 30 minutes
Week 2 Summary 2 minutes
Week 2: Next Steps 2 minutes

4 assignments Total 165 minutes

Lesson 2.1 10 minutes
Lesson 2.2 10 minutes
Lesson 2.3 25 minutes
Lesson 2.3 Reflection 120 minutes

Welcome to Week 3 of the course! When an AI program decides if you are employable, can it discriminate? This week you will examine different theories of discrimination and fairness in data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. You will also review cases that depict how technology can discriminate so that you can consider how the technology design can impact and treat people differently.

What's included

4 videos6 readings4 assignments

4 videos Total 18 minutes

Technology and Discrimination 7 minutes
Analysis of “Amazon Scraps Secret AI Recruiting Tool That Showed Bias Against Women” 1 minute
Fairness and Justice: The COMPAS Case 7 minutes
Analysis of “Machine Bias” 2 minutes

6 readings Total 41 minutes

Introduction to Technology and Discrimination 2 minutes
“Amazon Scraps Secret AI Recruiting Tool That Showed Bias Against Women” 8 minutes
Introduction to Technology and Fairness 2 minutes
“Machine Bias” 25 minutes
Week 3 Summary 2 minutes
Week 3: Next Steps 2 minutes

4 assignments Total 165 minutes

Lesson 3.1 10 minutes
Lesson 3.2 10 minutes
Lesson 3.3 25 minutes
Lesson 3.3 Reflection 120 minutes

Welcome to Week 4 of the course! One of the primary purposes of technology design is to solve problems. So take a moment to consider a few global issues or problems that you would like to see (re)solved. Do other people share your interest in these issues? What role could technology play in solving these problems? How could the outcomes achieved by a technological intervention (to solve these problems) be accurately measured? This week, you will delve into the heart of these issues by examining how technology can make mistakes and how we can think of holding people accountable for technology.

What's included

5 videos6 readings4 assignments

5 videos Total 19 minutes

Artificial Intelligence and Mistakes 8 minutes
Analysis of “Pasco’s Sheriff Uses Grades and Abuse Histories to Label Schoolchildren Potential Criminals” 2 minutes
Contestability and Ethical Artificial Intelligence 6 minutes
Analysis of “Cheating-Detection Companies Made Millions During the Pandemic. Now Students Are Fighting Back.” 2 minutes
Conclusion and Wrap-Up 1 minute

6 readings Total 58 minutes

Introduction to Artificial Intelligence and the Mistakes It Makes 2 minutes
“Pasco’s Sheriff Uses Grades and Abuse Histories to Label Schoolchildren Potential Criminals” 30 minutes
The Reasons Why Contestability Is Required for Ethical Artificial Intelligence 2 minutes
“Cheating-Detection Companies Made Millions during the Pandemic. Now Students are Fighting Back.” 20 minutes
Week 4 Summary 2 minutes
Next Steps 2 minutes

4 assignments Total 165 minutes

Lesson 4.1 10 minutes
Lesson 4.2 10 minutes
Lesson 4.3 25 minutes
Lesson 4.3 Reflection 120 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

(25 ratings)

Kirsten Martin

The University of Notre Dame

1 Course 2,614 learners

Offered by

The University of Notre Dame

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Reviewed on Feb 13, 2025

Very informative. I enjoyed this course a great deal and looking forward to the next Ethics course. Highly recommend too!

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