Online Archive of University of Virginia Scholarship
Bridging the Digital Divide: Equalizing Technical Education; Ethical and Linguistic Implications of Bias in Machine Translation178 views
Author
Warren, Sarah Randolph, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Virginia
Advisors
Webb-Destefano, Kathryn, EN-Engineering and Society, University of Virginia
Vrugtman, Rosanne, EN-Comp Science Dept, University of Virginia
Murray, Sean, EN-Engineering and Society, University of Virginia
Abstract
Both my capstone technical report and my STS research paper explore the role of technology in education, but from complementary angles. The technical report draws on my internship and mentorship experiences at Computers4Kids (C4K) to design hands-on learning activities that empower lower-income students with resources and guidance. My research paper examines how machine translation technologies mediate, and sometimes distort the relationships between language learners and the cultures they study. By looking at machine translation from a care ethics framework I gain insight about the relational obligations that can shape the design of technologies. Both studies examine the benefits and drawbacks of emerging educational technologies, and how they can be used to truly enhance knowledge instead of displacing human learning.
Degree
BS (Bachelor of Science)
Keywords
machine translation; education; linguistics; Hughes Award 2025 Finalist
Notes
School of Engineering and Applied Science
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
Technical Advisor: Rosanne Vrugtman
STS Advisor: Kathryn Webb-Destefano
Warren, Sarah Randolph. Bridging the Digital Divide: Equalizing Technical Education; Ethical and Linguistic Implications of Bias in Machine Translation. University of Virginia, School of Engineering and Applied Science, BS (Bachelor of Science), 2025-05-05, https://doi.org/10.18130/mtjv-4f90.
