Vviewpoints

I M A G E F R O M S H U T T E R S T O C K .

C O M

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