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Computing Ethics & Society

Twelfth graders examine the ethical and social impacts of computing — data privacy, the digital divide, and AI bias — so they can build and use technology responsibly as informed citizens.

Grade 12Impacts of Computing55 minutes1 class periodUse → Modify → CreateExplicit teaching4 StandardsCSTA
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Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain data privacy.
  • ✓Understand the digital divide.
  • ✓Recognize AI bias.
  • ✓Compute responsibly.
Essential Question

Technology shapes society for better and worse. As future builders and users, what ethical issues in computing should you understand?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Computing Ethics & Society Check

Project each item and have students answer about the ethics and impacts of computing.

⚖️ Understand computing ethics & societyTry it
Answer each question about computing ethics.
The Lesson · Use → Modify → Create (a coding progression with Unplugged practice)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Hook — Tech Shapes Society

6 min

Technology shapes society for better and worse — what ethical issues matter?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show a tech dilemma.
  • Ask about its impact.
  • Set up.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Consider.
  • Discuss.
  • Get ready.
2

Unplugged — Unplug It

11 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Debate a privacy question.
  • Discuss the digital divide.
  • Weigh the trade-offs.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Debate.
  • Discuss.
  • Weigh it.
3

Use — Ethics Check

16 min

Students use.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to Computing Ethics & Society Check.
  • Note privacy and bias.
  • Discuss them.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note it.
  • Discuss.
4

Modify — Modify

13 min

Students modify.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Improve an unethical design.
  • Add a safeguard.
  • Explain it.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Fix it.
  • Add it.
  • Explain.
5

Create — Create

9 min

Students create.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Name an ethical issue.
  • Propose a responsible practice.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Name it.
  • Propose it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards (Level 3) and ISTE Standards.

CSTA
3A-IC-24

Evaluate impacts of computing.

CSTA
3B-IC-25

Analyze data privacy and bias.

CSTA
3A-IC-25

Address equity and access.

ISTE
2

Digital Citizen.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Ethics scenario cards.
  • Sentence frame: “___ means ___.”
  • Use real examples.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with privacy.
  • Use one example.
  • Name one issue.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Analyze a real case.
  • Propose a policy.
  • Explain algorithmic fairness.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • ⚖️Case studies
  • 💻Computing Ethics & Society Check
  • 📓Discussion prompts
  • ✏️Pens
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

ethicsideas of right and wrongdata privacycontrol over personal datadigital dividethe tech-access gapAI biasunfairness in AI systemsequityfair access for allresponsibilitybuilding tech that helpstransparencybeing open about how tech worksimpactthe effect on society
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is data privacy?
People having control over how their personal data is collected and used.
QUESTION 2
What is the digital divide?
The gap between those with and without access to technology.
QUESTION 3
When can AI bias happen?
When an AI is trained on data that reflects unfair patterns.

Create: compute responsibly.

Have students name one computing ethics issue and one way to address it responsibly. A printable ethics sheet is in the Computer Science library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Computing Ethics & SocietyFlip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Computing Ethics & SocietyQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Computing Ethics & SocietyPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: AI bias, data privacy, digital divide, equity, ethics, impact, responsibility, transparency
  1. fair access for all
  2. the effect on society
  3. control over personal data
  4. the tech-access gap
  5. ideas of right and wrong
  6. building tech that helps
  7. unfairness in AI systems
  8. being open about how tech works

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is data privacy?
  2. What is the digital divide?
  3. When can AI bias happen?
Answer key — Part A: 1) equity · 2) impact · 3) data privacy · 4) digital divide · 5) ethics · 6) responsibility · 7) AI bias · 8) transparency
Part B: 1) People having control over how their personal data is collected and used. 2) The gap between those with and without access to technology. 3) When an AI is trained on data that reflects unfair patterns.