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well-intentioned conversations has
been a robust consideration of equity in
CS as it pertains to issues of ethics and
power. In particular, the ways in which
computational tools and technologies
have multiple, complex, and profound
implications for the lived experiences of
nondominant communities have been
largely ignored (for example, how machine learning is changing law enforcement practices in communities of color,
how automation technologies are reshaping welfare eligibility,
1 or how commercial search engines reinforce racist
and sexist bias).
4 Leaving these power
imbalances unexamined precludes
deep engagement with issues of equity.
In our view, because these complicated
interactions of technologies and society
shape how nondominant groups experience and negotiate daily life and broader social systems, substantive discus-
THIS COLUMN AIMS to build on and extend the field’s under- standings of the nature of ethics and equity in comput- ing. Specifically, we argue that
issues related to systems of power,
which are often absent from conversations around ethics in computing, must be
brought to the foreground in K– 16 computing education. To this end, we argue for
a justice-centered pedagogy5 that centers
power by explicitly acknowledging the
ethical and political dimensions of computation and builds learning conditions so
that everyone—including, but not limited
to, students on computer science (CS) or
engineering pathways—can understand,
analyze, critique, and reimagine the technologies that shape everyday lives.
A power-conscious approach to ethics in computing highlights the sociopolitical and sociocultural contexts in
which technologies are developed and
deployed. To respond to the highly complex sociotechnical problems of the 21st
century and beyond, future computer
scientists and engineers need educational opportunities that prepare them
to understand and care about the far-reaching ethical and sociopolitical implications of new technologies. Yet, we
must also fundamentally rethink who
computing education is for. Serious efforts should be made at the K– 12 and
undergraduate levels to make the knowledge, skills, and tools to critically examine the relationships between power,
ethics, and technology available to all.
Given rapidly evolving innovations and
contexts of computing, we argue for two
changes in our approach to ethics and
equity in K– 16 computing education:
• We must center power in discussions of ethics in computing, by which
we mean explicitly attending to how
computing systems intersect with
structures of inequality and hierarchy
in society; and
• We must view engagement with
the sociopolitical and ethical dimensions of computing as a core practice made available to all students,
whether or not they are on CS or engineering pathways.
Equity Is More than Inclusion
In recent years, the role of equity in CS
education has increasingly become a
topic of discussion. Much of this dialogue has centered around the creation
of inclusive learning environments in
computing, particularly with regard to
marginalized students and their communities.
3 Yet, often missing from these
Education
It’s About Power
A call to rethink ethics and equity in computing education.
DOI: 10.1145/3306617
• Mark Guzdial, Column Editor