Sustainable development as a framework for ethics and skills in higher education computing courses

Gordon, Neil

Abstract

The impact of sustainable development on the curriculum remains variable, and in some disciplines the inclusion is considered by some to be inappropriate or not relevant. This paper considers the ways in which sustainable development can be embedded within the curriculum, with the dual aims of showing how it can be made both relevant to students within the context of their discipline, and how sustainable development can provide a framework for developing an appreciation of the legal, social, ethical and professional (LSEP) aspects of the discipline and to develop awareness of sustainability values in students, i.e. the meaning and aspects of sustainable development. The paper focusses on a case study in embedding sustainable development within Computer Science degree programmes, where the LSEP requirements are recognised by accrediting bodies and by many employers as essential characteristics and skills in graduates. The paper will describe how sustainable development provides an overarching framework within which to explore these issues. Moreover, the paper will include some examples of how this is successful in engaging students who may otherwise struggle to appreciate the LSEP topics. The success will be demonstrated through some objective data showing the impact of this approach to students understanding and acknowledgment of sustainability and how this may be applied to other disciplines and national contexts.

Citation

Gordon, N. (2015). Sustainable development as a framework for ethics and skills in higher education computing courses. In W. Leal Filho, L. Brandli, O. Kuznetsova, & A. Maria Finisterra do Paço (Eds.), Integrative Approaches to Sustainable Development at University Level (345-357). Springer Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10690-8_24

• Online Publication Date: Oct 10, 2014
• Publication Date: 2015
• Deposit Date: Sep 3, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Sep 5, 2019
• Journal: Integrative Approaches to Sustainable Development at University Level; World Sustainability Series
• Print ISSN: 2199-7373
• Electronic ISSN: 2199-7381
• Publisher: Springer Publishing Company
• Pages: 345-357
• Series Title: World Sustainability Series
• Series ISSN: 2199-7381
• Book Title: Integrative Approaches to Sustainable Development at University Level
• ISBN: 9783319106892
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10690-8_24
• Keywords: Sustainable IT; Green computing; Framework for professional values
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/2597971
• Publisher URL: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-10690-8_24
• Contract Date: Sep 3, 2019