Grade School Ethics

Rationale

One would ask why computer ethics apply to children in fifth through eighth grades because
looks can be deceiving. A computer that only performs the duties that is commanded by its
user and a child that only knows the fascination beheld for the computer itself, leaves many
to believe there are no foreseeable accidents. This concept alone is true; however, give the
child a minute to experience the computer and its intricacies and what evolves is a need for
more. The need, or better classified as a ìwantî, sends the child in a search for truth, which
the child believes to be hidden. This quest will lead anyone to experience a ìnew worldî,
which we call ìThe Internetî. This new world has endless and infinite possibilities, which in
turn has an infinite number of consequences. What this course will set out to teach, are
what possibilities to avoid and why. By teaching these children a course on computer ethics,
we will be helping them to become fine, knowledgeable, and law-abiding citizens, who will
lead and uphold the Age of Computers. To address the needs of the students and the
standards of the school I would like to discuss most of the aspects that are encountered
while using a computer. These include:

Copying or Downloading files/programs to a host computer (Piracy)
Visiting restricted websites(including sites promoting illegal activities)
Email, Spamming, and e-Cards
Chat rooms
Purposely deleting/moving files on the host computer

These issues need to be addressed, not necessarily to tempt the students, but rather to
make the students aware of them. If they are aware of these types of things, the students
know they are not supposed to visit them and they know the penalties that concur from these actions.

Copying or Downloading files/programs to a host computer (Piracy) will be a
discussion explaining what types of activities this would include, why they are not allowed, and what
types of punishment could be given for not abiding by these rules.

Visiting restricted websites(including sites promoting illegal activities) will be a
discussion briefly explaining why these types of sites are forbidden, what penalties can occur as a
result, and some keywords to look for that would let them know they are at a restricted site.

Email, Spamming, and e-Cards would be a discussion explaining email, spam, and
e-Cards. We would discuss the correct netiquette to follow when using these types of resources and
why spam violates the netiquette.

A discussion on Chat rooms would explain what they are, the correct netiquette to
follow, and doís and doníts of using chat rooms. A do would include using a handle, which would NOT
be the personís real name. A donít would be to NEVER give out any personal information, including
name, phone number, address, home town, etc.

A talk about Purposely deleting/moving files on the host computer would explain to
the students why this is forbidden under ANY circumstances and the punishment that they will
receive as a result of deleting/moving a file unless they ìownî that file.

BACK TO THE MAIN PAGE!