Skip to content

CO3008 Honours Degree Project
CO3008 Lecture 2 - Proposal

Lecture Documents

CO3008 Lecture 3.pdf

Written Notes

CO3008 Lecture 3 - Note 1.png
CO3008 Lecture 3 - Note 2.png
CO3008 Lecture 3 - Note 3.png

Marking Matrix

  • Multi-Tab Spreadsheet
  • Summary Spreadsheet calculates running total towards final project mark
  • All projects double marked
  • Artefact Component (D3b) may not be finalised until you have presented via viva.

Marking Criteria

Written Deliverables assess the following criteria:
- Knowledge & Understanding
- Cognitive & Intellectual Skills
- Research Enquiry & Problem Solving
- Professional & Transferrable Skills
- Scholarly Practices

Artefact focused deliverables (i.e. D3 & D5) also assess:
- Practical Skills

Assess each deliverable slightly differently. E.g. markers are less concerned with 'Scholarly Practices' when marking the artefact.

Ethics Questionnaire

Apart of the proposal document will be the ethics questionnaire which is designed to include necessary thinking about the ethical ramifications

Quote

Written Deliverables: 6 Rows x 7 Columns

Introduction, State of the Art, Methodology

Criteria / Marks 0–10 (Fail) 25–35 (Fail) 42–48 (Pass: 3rd) 52–58 (Pass: 2.2) 62–68 (Pass: 2.1) 74–80 (1st) 87–100 (1st)
**Knowledge and Understanding**e.g. systematic, extensive, and comparative understanding of key aspects of the field of study, including coherent and detailed knowledge of the subject and critical understanding of relevant theories and concepts Major gaps in knowledge and understanding of material at this level. Substantial inaccuracies. Gaps in knowledge, with only superficial understanding. Some significant inaccuracies. Understanding of key aspects of the field of study; coherent knowledge, at least in part informed by current research in the subject discipline. Systematic and sound understanding of field(s) of study, some evidence of critical judgement in the use of that knowledge. Good understanding of the field(s) of study; coherent knowledge, at least in part informed by current research in the subject discipline. Able to exercise critical judgement in the use of that knowledge. Excellent knowledge and understanding of the main concepts and key theories of the discipline(s). Clear awareness of the limitations of the knowledge base. Able to exercise insightful and critical judgement in the use of that knowledge. Highly detailed knowledge and understanding of the main theories and concepts of the discipline(s), and an awareness of the ambiguities and limitations of knowledge. Able to exercise insightful and critical judgement. Demonstrates exceptional ability to go beyond what has been previously taught.
**Cognitive / Intellectual Skills**e.g. analysis and synthesis; deploying logical arguments/solutions supported by evidence; focus on topic; drawing conclusions Unsubstantiated generalisations made without credible evidence. Lack of logic leading to unsupportable or missing conclusions. No attempt to analyse, synthesise, or evaluate. Poor communication of ideas. Some evidence of analytical intellectual skills, but largely descriptive. Ideas/findings sometimes illogical and contradictory. Generalised statements made with scant evidence. Conclusions lack relevance. Understanding of key aspects of the field of study; coherent knowledge, at least in part informed by current research in the subject discipline. Where appropriate, showing effective judgement and adaptability in the selection and application of tools and techniques. Evidence of some logical, analytical thinking and synthesis. Can analyse new and/or abstract data and situations without guidance. Emerging ability to use evidence to support arguments. Valid conclusions. Reasonable judgement and adaptability shown in the use of tools and techniques. Sound, logical, analytical thinking; synthesis and evaluation. Ability to devise and sustain persuasive arguments, and to critically analyse and evaluate contradictory information. Sound, convincing conclusions. Good judgement and adaptability shown in use of tools and techniques. Thoroughly logical work. High-quality, independently developed analysis. Ability to investigate contradictory information and identify reasons for contradictions. Strong conclusions. Very good judgement and adaptability shown in applying subject concepts and techniques. Exceptional work; very high-quality, independently developed analysis. Ability to investigate contradictory information and identify reasons for contradictions. Highly persuasive conclusions. Excellent judgement demonstrated in applying a wide range of subject concepts, principles, and practices.
**Research, Enquiry and Problem Solving**e.g. framing appropriate questions; gathering and analysing evidence; ethical integrity; computational problem solving; communicating findings effectively Little or no evidence of research, enquiry, or problem-solving skills. Limited evidence of research, enquiry, and problem-solving skills. Significant weaknesses suggest the candidate has not yet gained the skills required for postgraduate study. Can competently undertake straightforward research, enquiry, and/or problem-solving tasks with minimal guidance, but with minor weaknesses. Can communicate in a range of formats at a standard appropriate for graduate-level employment, with limited weaknesses. Can competently undertake research, enquiry, and/or problem-solving tasks, including evaluation, with minimal guidance. Demonstrates some judgement in solving problems. Communicates effectively in a range of formats appropriate for the audience. Can successfully complete research, enquiry, and/or problem-solving tasks, including effective evaluation, with limited external guidance. Demonstrates judgement and criticality in problem-solving. Communicates confidently in a range of formats, adapting style and register to engage audiences. Can very successfully complete a range of research and problem-solving tasks, including evaluation, with significant autonomy. Demonstrates detailed judgement and criticality. Communicates professionally and confidently across diverse audiences. Impressive ability to draw on own and others’ research to formulate meaningful questions or solutions. Demonstrates sophisticated judgement and criticality. Exceptionally successful across a wide range of research and problem-solving tasks with high autonomy. Communicates findings with real professionalism, adapting style for different audiences.
**Professional / Transferable Skills**e.g. creativity; digital practices; presentation; ethical awareness; self-management; time and project management; reflective practice; ability to improve through self-evaluation No evidence of graduate/professional skills necessary for graduate-level employment. Limited evidence of graduate-level skills. Significant weaknesses indicate the student has not gained the necessary professional competencies. Largely confident and effective in identifying and defining complex problems. Recognises own strengths and weaknesses with minor areas of improvement. Performs work within a professional, legal, and ethical framework. Confident and flexible in identifying and defining complex problems. Evaluates own strengths and weaknesses. Performs work within a professional, legal, and ethical framework (e.g., security, equality, diversity, and inclusion). Confident and flexible in identifying a range of complex problems. Takes initiative in evaluating own professional skills and developing new ones as necessary. Implements principled solutions within a professional, legal, and ethical framework. Professional and flexible in autonomously defining complex problems. Shows insight and autonomy in professional development. Identifies best practices and applies principled solutions within a professional, legal, and ethical framework (e.g., security, equality, diversity, and inclusion). Exceptionally professional and flexible in autonomously defining and solving complex problems. Outstanding ability to evaluate own strengths and weaknesses, showing excellent readiness for graduate-level employment. Identifies best-of-kind practices and applies highly principled solutions within a professional, legal, and ethical framework (e.g., security, equality, diversity, and inclusion).
**Scholarly Practices**e.g. use of relevant literature; academic writing; academic honesty; referencing and citation Little evidence of reading. Views and findings unsupported and non-authoritative. Academic conventions largely ignored. Minimal reading and/or reliance on inappropriate sources. Academic conventions used inconsistently. References to a range of relevant sources with some omissions or minor errors. Academic conventions mostly consistent, with minor lapses. Demonstrates knowledge, analysis, and evaluation of a range of research-informed literature, including independently retrieved sources. Academic skills consistently applied. Demonstrates accurate and assured analysis and evaluation of research-informed literature, including independently retrieved sources. Strong and consistent academic skills. Excellent knowledge of research-informed literature integrated into work. Consistent analysis and evaluation of sources. High-level academic skills consistently applied. Outstanding knowledge and evaluation of research-informed literature embedded in work. Consistent and professional application of high-level academic skills.
Overall Summary of your Submission Areas for improvement for next submission
(enter a 3 or 4 sentence summary of your overall impression of the students work here) (enter up to three points of feedback for how a student can improve their work for the next deliverable submission here)

Feedback

For EACH deliverable the student will receive:
- A completed marking matrix with the appropriate criteria that has been achieved and shaded on the matrix.
- A 3 or 4 sentence summary of the supervisor's overall impression of the work.
- Up to 3 points of feedback for how the work can be improved further for the next submission.

Ethics

Ethics Questionnaire

  • As a part of the proposal submission, the Ethics Questionnaire is required to be completed. Designed to engage thinking about ethical implications in the project. No marks attached however, it is required to be signed off by a supervisor to pass. The link for form completion is on BlackBoard.

Why is Ethics Relevant?

All projects require an ethical analysis. As computing professionals there are numerous obligations which if not met may lead to a violation under the remit of ethical conduct if not considered carefully.

  • Do no harm
  • Acquire and maintain knowledge and skills
  • Maintain and deliver true and accurate data
  • Respect personal privacy
  • Put users' needs first and deliver systems that work for the user.
  • Using Earth's Resources Economically
  • Build and deploy systems which use electrical power efficiently.

Lecture Provided Disclosure

Next 4 slides were all generated by ChatGPT with the following prompt.

Please give me 4 slides for students on ethics of university computing projects?

Quote

Is this ethical?

Introduction to Ethics

What are Ethics?

  • Moral principles which guide behaviour and decision-making.
  • In computing, ethics ensure technology is developed responsibly, safely and for the benefit of society.

Why Ethics Matters?

  • Protects user privacy and secuirty
  • Prevents unintended harm or bias
  • Encourages accountability in technological innovation

Key Ethical Principles

  • Privacy - Respect the user's personal information and their right to control how it is collected, stored, and shared.
  • Security - Ensure systems and data are protected from unauthorised access, breaches, and exploitation.
  • Fairness - Develop systems that do not discriminate or introduce bias ensuring equitable treatment of all users regardless of circumstance.
  • Transparency - Make it clear how algorithms and technologies operate especially regarding data usage.
  • Responsibility - Acknowledge the broader societal impacts of computing projects and take ownership of potential consequences.

Common Ethical Challenges

  • Data Privacy Violations - Collecting or using personal data without proper user consent.
  • Algorithmic Bias - Machine learning models trained on biased data reinforce existing inequalities (e.g. in hiring or criminal justice systems)
  • Security Vulnerabilities - Inadequately secured systems can lead to data breaches, affecting thousands of users.
  • Misinformation & Manipulation - Algorithms that spread or amplify false or harmful content on platforms. (i.e. social media e.g. Facebook)

Case Study - AI & Ethics

Scenario

A student develops an AI tool for profiling job applicants.

Benefits

  • Automates the hiring process
  • Can potentially reduce bias if designed correctly

Ethical Concerns

  • The AI may learn biases present in the training data, leading to unfair treatment.
  • It lack of transparency in knowing clearly how does the algorithm makes these decisions
  • Privacy concerns revolving around the usage of data and how it is stored.

ACM Code of Ethics

General Ethicial Principles that a computing professional should follow:
- Contribute to society and to human well-being, acknowledging that all people are stakeholders in computing.
- Avoid harm.
- Be honest and trustworthy.
- Be fair and take action not to discriminate.
- Respect the work required to product new ideas, creative works, and computing artefacts
- Respect privacy and confidentiality.

Thought Experiment

Quote

• You work on the software for autonomous vehicles
• The system is able to predict with 99.9% probability that a life ending crash is going to occur – There is a family of 4 in the car – Driver carelessness caused the crash
• The crash can be avoided by taking evasive action, but sensors indicate a pedestrian will be hit (and likely killed) when the car swerves
• What should the system do? – Would the answer be different in different circumstances?
• E.g. if car was on autopilot and not being recklessly controlled by a human

Trolley Problem

A famous ethical dilemma in which a trolley is rolling down the tracks with 5 people tied to the tracks.
- They cannot exist.
- If nothing is done they are going to die.

There is a lever that will redirect the trolley, however that will result in one person being killed.

What should be done?

Two Possibilities

  • Do Nothing and 5 people die.
  • Redirect the trolley and while 5 people will be saved, one person will die.

Ethical Questions

  • Is it ethical for a machine to knowingly allow an event that ends a human life when it could intervene?

  • What happens if the risk of pedestrians death is reduced by 70%

  • 30% chance an innocent pedestrian will die but a family will be saved even though the driver was at fault.

  • Who gets to make these decisions?

  • Would it ethicial for an autonomous car company to use camera data from customers to train its model without consent of it's users as long as it leads to greater public safety and saved lives.

Famous Fantasy Artist Example

  • Greg Rutkowski is a famous fantasy artist
  • Dungeons & Dragons, Magic the Gathering, & Neverwinter

  • One of the most prompted early artists targeted for image-based generative AI

  • Is it ethical to train a generative AI to produce art in his style using his own art as training data without his consent?

  • The images are widely and publicly available.

  • Is it ethical to use this generative AI to produce fantasy images for another fantasy project?

  • What if the art that was used, was bought and used for training. The rights for it were owned, would that change things?

Summary

  • Discussed the Assignment Brief
  • Discussed Ethics in Computing Projects
  • Did Thought Experiments around Ethics
  • Reviewed Examples of Ethical Issues in Tech

CO3008 Supervisor Meeting 1 (Outside CM142)