Session T-08 - Topics: Training Ethical Computer Scientists; VR Safety Training; Simulations for Ethics Learning

Computer science technologies raise ethical concerns, including bias, safety, and privacy. McGill integrated ethics modules inspired by Harvard’s Embedded EthiCS into seven undergraduate computer science courses to help students address such issues. Our early evaluation results show that students who completed these modules showed higher confidence in identifying and analyzing ethical problems, suggesting that embedded ethics instruction effectively strengthens ethical reasoning and supports more reflective engagement with technological impacts and decision‑making skills in computer science.

Safety training is essential in engineering education, yet traditional methods often fail to engage students. We developed bilingual Unity-based VR/AR safety modules combining 3D environments and interactive 360 panoramas. The modular system supports language toggles and LMS tracking. Student testing informed usability improvements. By blending gamified simulations with real lab imagery, the modules supplement in-person instruction and improve hazard awareness. This presentation summarizes completed modules, iterative development, and lessons learned deploying bilingual VR/AR safety training across engineering programs.

Although the calls for ethics in Computer Science (CS) education and efforts made to answer the calls have been longstanding, there currently exists fear and urgency regarding the threats made possible with AI. As simulations have been shown to be effective in higher education we present Rehearsals, an intelligent digital simulation tool for active and immersive learning. In our study use of the tool was shown to significantly increase student scores on the Critical Reflection and Agency in Computing Index.