Teaching Computer Ethics to Computer Forensics Students

1
Teaching Computer Ethics to Computer Forensics
Students

• 8th Annual Conference on the Teaching of
  Computing
• Alastair Irons
• Northumbria University

2
Objectives

• Discuss the challenges, issues and opportunities
  in teaching computer ethics to computer forensics
  students
• Indicate how computer forensics can be used to
  underpin computer science principles (in this
  case compute ethics)

3
Computer Ethics for Computer Forensics

• Computer ethics is a particular issue for
  computer forensics teaching
• nature of computer forensics in dealing with
  cybrcrime
• some of the subject matter is sensitive in nature
• unique ethical dilemmas (evidential integrity and
  evidential continuity)
• potential to misuse the techniques and skills
• Professional and ethical expectations and
  requirements

4
Pedagogic Challenges

• Can computer ethics be taught ?
• Disagreement in literature Trevino and Nelson
  suggest HE cant do much on the other hand Davis
  says it is not until HE that students can
  appreciate ethical issues
• Where and How ?
• Early introduction
• Embedding in the curriculum
• Exercises and activities
• Problem Based Learning
• Practitioner input
• Ethical dilemmas in teaching
• Bias and influence
• Topics covered
• Gamekeepers / poachers dilemma

5
Measuring Perception

• Development of an awareness index

6
Summative performance
7
Summary

• Teaching computer ethics to computer forensics
  students raises a series of pedagogic challenges
• Contextualising computer ethics within computer
  forensics helps student understanding of
  underpinning theory