Embedded Ethics Education Initiative
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As AI safety, data privacy, and misinformation become increasingly prevalent challenges, the Embedded Ethics Education Initiative (E3I) integrates ethics modules into select undergraduate computer science courses. The team behind E3I have won the 2024 Northrop Frye Award (Team). Photo by Diana Tyszko.
The Embedded Ethics Education Initiative (E3I) is a groundbreaking program at the University of Toronto (U of T) that invites undergraduate computer science students to contemplate the broader implications of the technologies they are studying. Launched in 2020, E3I responds to the growing impact of technology on society and the urgent need to equip students with the skills to identify and reason through ethical and social issues that may arise during their careers as technology designers and developers. Rather than advocating for a particular viewpoint, E3I encourages students to independently navigate issues with curiosity and intellectual rigour.
The first program of its kind in Canada and among the first globally, E3I takes an innovative approach to curriculum development by leveraging a unique collaboration between computer scientists and philosophers. Each E3I module pairs ethical and technological material and is co-designed and co-taught by faculty from both disciplines. The modules are integrated into computer science courses across every year of study and use educational best practices such as active and discovery-based learning.
A collaboration between U of T’s Department of Computer Science and the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society, in association with the Department of Philosophy, E3I has become a foundational part of the computer science experience at U of T.
Through the E3I modules, students gain the tools to:
Identify and address ethical issues in the workplace and in tech development.
Consider the full range of stakeholders impacted by technological systems.
Integrate ethical considerations into the design and deployment of software and systems.
Feel empowered and equipped to raise ethical concerns in academic settings and the workplace.
In 2024, the E3I team received the Northrop Frye Award, one of U of T’s most prestigious recognitions, for their outstanding contribution to reimagining and enhancing the student learning experience.
In 2025, the E3I team was honoured with the 2025 D2L Innovation Award in Teaching and Learning, in recognition of its groundbreaking approach to integrating ethics into computer science education.
Project leads
How the program works
A key to the success of E3I is its collaborative, interdisciplinary approach. Ethics is not an add-on or guest lecture within the computer science curriculum; each module is woven into the content of a course and addresses an issue that arises naturally. The participation of both computer science and philosophy professors enables students to explore current, real-world ethical issues alongside technical solutions.
When learning about an abstract network flow algorithm, students apply it to the distribution of a scarce resource and consider different notions of fairness and distributive justice.
In a game design course, after learning techniques to make a game very compelling, students discuss game addiction and explore reward structures and automatic turn-offs that can mitigate the risk.
After learning how deletion of data is implemented in databases, students discuss considerations that may guide the decision of whether or not to fulfill a user request to delete data, including data ownership, freedom of speech, and the right to be forgotten.
Students in a machine learning course learn how machine learning algorithms are used at scale in recommender systems like Netflix and Facebook and then discuss whether those algorithms should maximize preference satisfaction or some other target like content diversity or well-being.
This interweaving of technical and ethics concepts ensures that students see ethical considerations as a core part of technology design, not as an afterthought.
Each module typically includes:
Two hours of class time which combines short lectures with active-learning exercises.
Pre-class preparation such as videos or quizzes, to introduce key concepts.
Graded assignments, including reflective writing or ethical components embedded in course projects.
Impact on student learning
E3I is a cornerstone of undergraduate education in the Department of Computer Science. Each year, E3I sees over 10,000 enrollment—roughly 9000 in computer science, and close to 2000 in engagements with other disciplines initiated through E3I outreach. But it's not just the scale of E3I that sets it apart—it's the lasting impact it has on students, broadening their perspectives and sense of responsibility, and endowing them with skills and training that will prepare them for their professional careers.
Longitudinal study on student learning
To inform the design of the E3I program, and to understand E3I's impact over time over time, the team is conducting a multi-year longitudinal study approved by U of T’s Research Ethics Board. The study tracks changes in students’ attitudes, confidence, and skills related to ethics in technology.
Students complete surveys before and after taking part in E3I modules. These surveys include a custom-designed scale that measures ethical awareness and self-efficacy. By comparing responses from students who took E3I modules with a control group who did not, the team can assess how the program influences learning outcomes both in the classroom and during internships or work placements.
The study has already contributed to several academic peer-reviewed publications and continues to inform the ongoing development of the program.
Academic publications
Beyond computer science
The success of E3I has inspired interest from other U of T departments to learn how to embed ethics into other fields of study. Modules have been developed and are being piloted in ecology and evolutionary biology, geography and planning, and actuarial science. The team is also working with faculty members in statistical sciences to pilot an ethics program for their undergraduates.
Beyond the University of Toronto
On May 28, 2024, E3I's faculty leads delivered a three-part series to teach educators from other post-secondary institutions how to create an embedded ethics education initiative at their universities. The online webinar was attended by over 100 participants, including 88 academics from 64 distinct institutions.
Watch the sessions and download the PDF presentations to learn more.
By demonstrating that ethical considerations can be integrated seamlessly—and meaningfully—into technical courses, E3I challenges the traditional boundaries between STEM and the humanities. E3I is a reflection of this shift towards a more collaborative, cross-disciplinary approach to research and solutions that is a hallmark of the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society.
