Using Case Studies to Teach Engineering Ethics and Professionalism

This paper uses Tyler’s rationale as a framework for analyzing the teaching objectives surrounding the design of a video game to teach Canadian engineering ethics.The two keys challenges in this area are defining what should be taught in engineering ethics and then how it is evaluated in order to demonstrate improved understanding. Traditionally, engineering ethics courses are taught as either codes of conduct, or based on case studies with very constrained courses. The evaluation that follows then uses the Defining Issues Test (DIT) or an instructor’s evaluation.However, the above methods could be improved by focusing on engineering ethics as a situated, embedded, and applied discipline. That is, one in which decisions are made as part of a team, embedded in a workplace whose goals will likely be in conflict with the engineers, and whose outcomes are unknown at the time decisions are made.By using a serious game in which the players are protagonists affords us the opportunity to present thick cases with multiple decision points and opportunities for players to demonstrate their ethical bias. Additionally, the progress of players and their interactions with non-playing characters can reveal information on their assumptions and ethical bias.

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Case Studies In Engineering Ethics

10.18260/1-2--6440 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jon E. Freckleton

Keyword(s):

Case Studies ◽

Engineering Ethics

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Case Studies and Online Training Used to Enhance Engineering Ethics at the Undergraduate and Graduate Level

Volume 5: Education and Globalization; General Topics ◽

10.1115/imece2012-87833 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

Brian L. Vlcek ◽

Eleanor Haynes

Keyword(s):

Graduate Students ◽

Case Studies ◽

Ethical Issues ◽

Learning Experience ◽

Engineering Ethics ◽

Online Training ◽

Academic Misconduct ◽

Graduate Level ◽

Written Responses ◽

Term Papers

In a progressively materialistic and relativistic society, professional engineering ethics has become an increasingly important safeguard, but remains neglected in most formal engineering education. In response, at our university ethics content has been implemented and measured in both an undergraduate and graduate engineering course as a trial for further implementation across the university. In a senior-level seminar course, instructional emphasis was placed upon ethics in general, and engineering case studies readings reinforced with written responses were used to more effectively impart discipline specific knowledge. Other written activities such as current event articles and term papers with ethical content were implemented to promote higher level cognitive reasoning skills Students were surveyed at the end of the course and submitted work analyzed using a rubric to assess learning. On senior exit surveys, program graduates identified a 17.1 increase from 2009 to 2011 in their ability to understand professional, ethical and social responsibilities-this timeline was concurrent with the sited changes in the seminar course. For the graduates, emphasis was placed upon ethics with regards to research. An online series of training modules that meets the NSF minimum content as expressed by the COMPETES Act was used in the graduate course to supplement instructor lectures. In the case of the graduate learning experience, a pre and post training survey was conducted to determine changes in knowledge and understanding as a result of ethical training. On a pre-survey, forty-eight percent of the graduate students demonstrated a lack of understanding with regards to ethical issues relating to authorship. Fifty-two percent of graduate students pretested also incorrectly responded that a conflict of interest was always an issue of academic misconduct. These misconceptions were minimized by the end of the online training. Additionally, embedding profession ethics content into a senior-level seminar course has contributed significantly to satisfying our ABET learning outcomes and program objectives, while the graduate-level training has begun a fundamental change in the ethical culture of our graduate student researchers.

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