Presentation : TRAINING, ETHICS & LIABILITY

Page Contents

• Overview
• Applications
• Video Clips
• Issues
• In Closing

Training, Ethics & Liability can be seen as ways (which tightly complements each other) to resolve the problems we face now in a society. One cannot go without the other, just as Training is as much as a method to reduce Liabilities as a Code of Ethics to determine what wrong is been done, who is at fault, which then, the appropriate punishment (Liabilities) is rendered. Due to its such a broad area of discussion, our group will focus mainly to issues that are computer related.

• How does Ethics fit in?
• Code of Ethics may help you better understand what's right and wrong.
• may help determine what extend of liability the offender is to subject to.
• But knowing may or may not help you reduce your liabilities.
• Not everyone knows a code of ethics.
• There are too many codes of ethics. (one for each profession?)
• the 10 commandments for computer ethics
• How does Training fit in?
• Proper Training can reduce the amount of software and hardware liabilities.
• Training integrates a code of ethics on the usage of hardware and software.
• Not all people or companies would want to spend too much on training.
• Training does not necessarily turn someone good.
• needs refreshing after a certain peroid of time.
• How does Liability fit in?
• Reduces the temptation in the offender.
• must take into account of biasness.
• must take into account of accuracy of information.

• ETHICS:
• Mailing Lists : are like common property in information space. Often such lists are set up by mutual agreement among the list members and dedicated to a particular purpose. In the USENET, for example, newsgroup formation involves a democratic decision process since carrying of newsgroups consumes communal resources. Users participating in these common, quasi-public forums should:
• determine the purpose of the forum and try to stay within its ambit in making postings
• avoid redundant or nearly content-free postings (e.g. "I agree" to 10,000 recipients)
• bear in mind that there are human beings at both ends of all postings
• recognize the limitations of text communication to avoid misunderstandings
• for large lists, groups and boards, consider making it easy to discover the purposes of the forum.
• create "frequently-asked-questions" archives to reduce redundant queries and comments.
• Advertising : is permitted and even encouraged on the Internet but advertisers are advised to give thought to how the Internet resources can best be applied for this purpose. Much of the flaming about use of the Internet for promotional information and solicitation has been based on the false premise that it is "illegal" to use the Internet for such purposes. As the history section attempts to say, this constraint has largely evaporated since 1988 as policies supporting much broader use began to evolve. Nonetheless, sensible advertisers will be sensitive to the way in which their information is received by potential clients, so as to maximize positive gains. Advertisers should:
• avoid using lists or boards or newsgroups whose purpose does not include advertising
• explore use of browsing services such as WAIS, gopher, WWW and their variants as an effective means of providing product and service information without abusing access to individual mailboxes and mailing lists, news groups and bulletin boards.
• consider the use of email-enabled information services to which users can subscribe or send email to obtain information.
• Personal privacy should be respected. Internauts should not engage in practices which invade the personal privacy of other Internet users. Forwarding email without permission, deliberate system break-ins and so on are considered outside the community norms.
• Notwithstanding the fact that there are laws protecting the acquisition and use of intellectual property, users should refrain from illegally copying or making available copies of protected works.
• TRAINING :
• Distance Learning :Whether the programming used in distance learning is partially or wholly original, copyright issues must be considered and resolved prior to the time the program is aired. Among the rights affected are : (1) the sole right to authorize duplication; (2)the sole right to prepare derivative works based upon the original; and (3) the sole right to publicly perform the work.

• Integrated Learning Systems : Classrooms of the next century will experience great changes due to emerging technologies and new instructional delivery systems. Intergrated learning systems (ILS) are one such technology. These computer based instructional systems utilize a computer as both an instructional medium and a management information system. ILSs provides educators with an instuctional delivery system for integrating academic skills, remediation and enrichment opportunities with the school district curriculum using a strategy of individualized instuction.

• Computer Based Training : CBT has always been a great demo. The lastest training modules now combine text with audio, video clips, graphics, photographs, and animation. Plus, the growing trend to embed these training programs right into a company's applications means users can get "refresher" courses on demand, something not possible with traditional classroom education. Only 18 percent of these companies intend to increase classroom training. Of course, its not an either/or proposition. Many times, CBT is the main training method, but it is complemented by abbreviated classroom instruction, during which users also learn "soft skills" involving communication with other people. CBT is also initially used to test and evaluate the skills base of users before formal training begins.

• Exploring Virtual Reality for Classroom Use : Some work has already been done on possible uses of virtual reality in education. Stuart and Thomas (1991) list eight roles for cyberspace, i.e. virtual reality, in education :
  • Explore existing places and things that students would not otherwise have access to
  • Explore real things that, without alterations of scale in size and time, could not otherwise be effectively examined
  • Create places and things with altered qualities
  • Interact with people who are in remote locations through global clubs with a common interest or collaborations on projects between students from different parts of the world
  • Interact with real people in non-realistic ways
  • Create and manipulate abstract conceptual representatives, like data structure and mathemathical functions
  • Interact with virtual beings, such as representations of historical figures and agents who are representatives of different philosophies and view points participating in simulated negotiations

• Training on Online Information Services :
  • Catalysts :
    • Reduced cost of communications hardware
    • Increase speed and reliability of communications hardware
    • Lower communication costs
    • Increased base of microcomputers and users
    • Improvements in communications and other software
    • Improvements in services offered by communications companies

  • Obstacles to Overcome :
    • Reluctance to use the technology
    • High cost of instructor based training
    • High cost of associated with learning to use the system
    • difficulty in offering training in remote locations

• Sharing Instructors :
  • Delivery Responsibilities :
    • A qualified instructor
    • A copy of the instructor's resume and state employment application
    • Adequate information for accurate listing of course in the Receiving College's schedule of classes
    • Adequate and timely information on textbooks so that they could be stocked in the Receiving College's bookstore prior to start of classes
    • Sufficient copies of all student materials designed for pick-up by students
    • Mailing directly to students of all student materials not designed for pick-up
    • Sufficient copies of exams, answer sheets and complete written instructions so exams can be administered at the Receiving College
    • One copy of all student materials and exams for the Receiving College's records
    • Sufficient copies of an end-of-course evaluation form for distribution to students
    • Loan of one copy of all tapes in a format appropriate for use at the Receiving College (if required by the course)
    • Loan of one copy of all tapes suitable for use on local cable-TV (if required by the course)
    • Sufficient copies of tapes for students (if distribution directly to students is required by the course)
    • Timely reporting of final grades for all students enrolled at the Receiving College
    • Summary reports of final grade distribution and student evaluation results
    • All compensation due to the instructor
    • Notice to Receiving College and all students registered in the Delivery College's service area by the date indicated if the course is to be canceled
    • Restricting, as possible, college mailings not appropriate for distant learners

  • Receiving Responsibilities :
    • Promptly paying the program, license, delivery (including instructor) and promotion costs to the Delivering College when invoiced
    • Adding the instructor as an adjunct faculty member upon receipt of copies of the instructor's resume, and state employment application
    • Listing the course in the schedule of classes and reporting it as on-campus course of the Receiving College
    • Assuring that the textbook order is transmitted to the bookstore
    • Providing a pick-up point for student materials designed for distribution directly to students registered in the course
    • Reporting enrolments to the Delivering College so materials can be mailed to students as necessary
    • Administering exams to students and returning them to the Delivering College for grading
    • Distributing the end-of-course evaluation form to students and returning them to the Delivering College for analysis
    • Providing students with access to any tapes required by the course
    • Returning all loaned copies of tapes when the course has ended
    • Providing the Delivering College with one copy of the schedule of classes showing the listing of the course
    • Making timely posting of final grades to student records
    • Keeping all revenue and fees generated by the students from its service area
    • Notifying the Delivering College by the specified deadline if the course is to be canceled in the Receiving College's service area
    • Notifying all students in the Receiving College's service area if the course is canceled
    • Restricting, as possible, automatic College mailings not appropriate for distant learners

• Scenario 1 Summary : an elderly man aged 70 is alive and well. A glitch in the system pronounced him dead. His welfare checks were canceled. Soon this information spread to several databases. Even his credit cards could not be used. About a year later, he finally got his status back to normal.

ISSUES :

• Who/What was at fault?
• Should the programmer or data-entry clerk be blamed, even if it was totally unintentional?
• If so, to what extent of liability should be applied?
• Is there a lack of training on the data-entry clerk's part?
• Would a Code of Ethics help resolve this problem?
• Scenario 2 Summary : TWA airlines had been surveying its employees as to how many phone calls, how long, how many breaks, how long per break, etc. and uses a knowledge base system to determine if the employee's performance was satisfactory.

ISSUES :

• How ethical was TWA?
• Was it ethical for employee to complain, even if TWA gave all employees the freedom to leave anytime they wanted?
• Would a Code of Ethics help resolve this problem?

• Will extensive training solve all our problems?
• Can a Code of Ethics really help us decipher what is right and wrong?
• How far or what limit should we increase the liability in order to deter crime?
• How far should we allow knowledge-based systems to automate our lives? How much are we willing to sacrifice?

• Knowing more can lower your possiblities of being held liable.
• Knowing more can also mean that you would be more liable in the event of being caught red handed.
• Not Knowing doesn't mean you are not liable. (Ignorance is no excuse)