Learning Outcomes

Research Methods and Professional Practice

Maria Ingold
AI generated with DALL-E 3
  1. Appraise the professional, legal, social, cultural and ethical issues that affect computing professionals
  2. Appraise the principles of academic investigation, applying them to a research topic in the applicable computing field
  3. Evaluate critically existing literature, research design and methodology for the chosen topic, including data analysis processes
  4. Produce and evaluate critically the resulting research proposal for the chosen topic.

Reflection 1

Ethics in Computing in the Age of Generative AI

Unit 1

Maria Ingold

Topic

Review Correa et al. (2023) and discuss global consensus on ethical AI policies, recommend a suitable course of action and impact on legal, social and professional issues.

Learning Outcomes

  • 1: The dataset concludes in 2022, which is out of date for generative AI's impact on ethical AI. Recent advancements, like Bletchley declaration and EU AI Act are steps toward consensus and enforcement, respectively. Balance is needed between human-centric and innovation and interoperability is essential global consensus. Independence and diversity is essential for ethics boards.

Formative Feedback

"Strong academic writing style". Good use of visuals. Recommendations: Formatting requirements, more debate for criticality, do not use colloquial words.

Reasoning Quiz

Unit 1

Maria Ingold

Topic

Inductive or deductive reasoning quiz.

Learning Outcomes

  • 2: Appraising which type of reasoning to apply in a variety of scenarios.

Feedback

100%

Collaborative 1

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Units 1, 2, 3

Maria Ingold

Topic

Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) ethics case study and comparison to British Computing Society (BCS) ethics code.

Learning Outcomes

  • 1: Analysed ACM case study on Abusive Workplace Behaviour with six ethical code violations. Identified category (social, professionalism and legal), compared to BCS and responded to feedback on ethics, psychological safety and enforcement.

Feedback

Ungraded. Peer responses:

  • Highlights: "Insightful". Comparison highlighted critical differences. "Comprehensive and well-structured".
  • Agreement: Psychological safety. Inadequacy of codes.
  • Counter-arguments: Ethics: Diane as "arrogant high achiever" and "unethical" by not reporting further.
  • Suggestions: Enforcement. Mental health impact.

Literature Review Outline

Unit 4

Maria Ingold

Topic

Brief outline of literature review.

Learning Outcomes

  • 2: Applying acadamic investigation of literature and answering key questions to create outline.

Formative feedback

TBC

Reflection 2

Case Study: Inappropriate Use of Surveys

Unit 5

Maria Ingold

Topic

Cambridge Analytica was in the press in 2018 for obtaining Facebook user data through innocuous surveys and then using the data of millions of Facebook users for alternative means. Find another example of inappropriate survey use and highlight impact from ethical, social, legal and professional standpoints.

Learning Outcomes

  • 1: Unethical use of surveys is not limited to micro-targeting using Artificial Intelligence. Push polls are also unethical. Users still want social media, however, and some seem willing to trade data privacy. Professionally, regulations do hold companies accountable, but can't necessarily stop political disinformation.

Formative Feedback

TBC

Questionnaire Critique

Unit 6

Maria Ingold

Topic

Critique the design of a questionnaire--both the format and questions used--and recommend how to improve.

Learning Outcomes

  • 3: Critiqued a local council questionnaire using Breitling's (2018) 'The 7 Deadly Survey Questions'. Discovered significant use of leading, assumptive and pushy questions, designed to raise awareness and improve sustainable behaviour rather than gather data. Shared critique in the module wiki.

Formative Feedback

TBC

Literature Review

Unit 7

Maria Ingold

Topic

Literature review on implementing deep learning tools and/or techniques in media and entertainment recommendation systems.

Learning Outcomes

  • 2: Appraised principles of academic investigation, applying to deep learnign tools and/or techniques in media and entertainment tecommendation systems.
  • 3: Critically evaluated existing literature, research design and methodology for the chosen topic, including data analysis processes.

Feedback

TBC

Collaborative 2

Accuracy of Information

Units 7, 8, 9

Maria Ingold

Topic

Hypothetical researcher and statistical programmer Abi reviews a new cereal, Whizzz, and discovers data which refutes its nutritional value. Evaluate various ethical concerns and highlight the legal, social and professional impacts of various choices.

Learning Outcomes

  • 1:
  • 3:

Feedback

Ungraded. Peer response:

  • Highlights:
  • Agreement:
  • Counter-arguments:
  • Suggestions: