CS 214 Lesson 1: Catalyst for Change

• The course CS 214 is titled "Social Issues & Professional Practice".
• The course introduces ethics and ethical theories.
• Discussions focus on ethical dilemmas and issues for IT practitioners.
• The course includes appreciation and discussion of the Code of Ethics of IT Professionals, cybercrimes, and relevant Philippine Laws.
• The students will be able to expand their understanding of important ethical principles.
• The students will be able to act with an awareness of ethical values as a human being with intellect and freewill.
• The students will be able to subscribe to a set of moral codes that will guide the actuation of a professional.
• The students will be able to develop the right disposition and inner spirit to accept what is lawful.
• The students will be able to identify the common ethical issues that face IT users
• The students will be able to enumerate and evaluate the different laws affecting IT professionals.
• Lesson 1 is titled "Catalyst for Change."
• By the end of the lesson, students should be able to identify different computing devices and networks.
• By the end of the lesson, students should be able to identify moral problems in information technology.

Catalyst

• In chemistry, it is defined as a reaction.
• Catalyst is derived from the Greek word "kataluein," meaning "to dissolve," "to unite," or "to pick up."
• Catalyst for change can be described as an element that makes it imperative for organizations to embrace change.
• "Imperative" can be an adjective meaning "completely necessary," "very important," or "commanding."
• "Imperative" can be a noun meaning "a necessity," "something that is not avoidable," or "a command."
• Catalyst for change can be external or internal.
• External catalysts for change can be new technology advancements that completely change the business landscape.
• Internal catalysts could be new discoveries by companies or the addition of a new line of business.
• It is common to take technological change for granted.
• Smartphones, MP3 players, digital photography, email, and the World Wide Web have emerged in the past two decades.
• There is a good reason to say we are living in the Information Age.
• Access to information has never been easier for so many people.
• Low-cost computers and high-speed communication networks have been the two principal catalysts for the Information Age.
• Low-cost computers and high-speed communication networks make the products of the Information Age possible, such as the Samsung Galaxy S4.
• The Samsung Galaxy S4 functions as a phone, email client, Web browser, camera, video recorder, digital compass, and more.
• In 1990, few people other than college professors used email, but now, over a billion people have email accounts.
• Email messages are routed instantaneously at a very low cost, which can be both a blessing and a curse.
• The World Wide Web was designed in 1990 and contains more than a trillion pages.
• It is possible to gather information from the Web when writing reports.
• Parents worry that children may be exposed to pornographic images or other inappropriate material while surfing the Web.
• A question to ask is whether we drive technology or if technology drives us.
• The relationship with technology is complicated.
• Technology is created and chosen to be adopted.
• Once a technological device has been adopted, it can transform people and how they relate to others and their environment.
• Adopting a technology can change our perceptions.
• More than 90% of cell phone users report that having a cell phone makes them feel safer.
• Losing a cell phone can make people feel more vulnerable than before they had one.
• New technologies solve problems, but they also create problems.
• The automobile allows people to travel where they want when they want.
• Millions of people spend an hour or more each day stuck in traffic commuting between home and work.
• Control is possible over whether to adopt a new technology, even if it cannot be prevented from being invented.
• Nuclear power plants create electricity without producing carbon dioxide emissions.
• Nuclear power plants produce radioactive waste products that must be safely stored for 100,000 years.
• Societies develop new technologies to solve problems or make life better, but the use of new technologies changes social conditions and may create new problems.
• Informed decisions should be made, weighing the benefits and potential harms associated with adopting new devices.
• The course will help students gain a better understanding of contemporary ethical issues related to the use of information technology.