3.
ETHICAL REASONING STANDARDS – MEDICAL IMAGING
Adapted from the AAC&U VALUE Rubrics and acknowledged with thanks. See Assuring Graduate Capabilities
Definition: Ethical Reasoning is reasoning about right and wrong human conduct. It requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a variety of
settings, think about how different ethical perspectives might be applied to ethical dilemmas and consider the ramifications of alternative actions. Students’ ethical self identity evolves as they practice ethical decision-making
skills and learn how to describe and analyze positions on ethical issues.
Expert
Competent
Capable
Intermediate
Beginner
Postgraduate experience
Year 4
Year 3-4
Year 2-3
Year 1-2
Graduates as experienced
professionals can
Graduates as new professionals can
Students in the latter stages can
Students in the middle stages can
Students in the early stages can
Ethical Self-Awareness
Discuss in detail/analyzes both core
beliefs and the origins of the core
beliefs and discussion has greater
depth and clarity, including critical
reflection upon the implications of those
beliefs to their practice.
Understanding Different
Ethical
Perspectives/Concepts
Names the theory or theories, can
Names the theory or theories, can
present the gist of said theory or
present the gist of said theory or
theories, accurately explains the details theories, accurately explains the details
of the theory or theories used, and
of the theory or theories used, and
critically analyses their relevance to own considers their relevance to own
professional context.
professional context.
Discuss in detail/analyzes both core
Discuss in detail/analyzes both core
beliefs and the origins of the core
beliefs and the origins of the core
beliefs and discussion has greater
beliefs.
depth and clarity, including some
reflection upon the implications of those
beliefs to their practice.
State both core beliefs and the origins State either their core beliefs or
of the core beliefs.
articulates the origins of their core
beliefs but not both.
Names the major theory or theories Names the major theory she/he uses, Only names the major theory
she/he uses, can present the gist of and is only able to present the gist of she/he uses.
said theory or theories, and attempts the named theory.
to explain the details of the theory or
theories used, but has some
inaccuracies.
Ethical Issue Recognition Recognizes ethical issues when
presented in a complex, multilayered
(gray) context AND can recognize
cross-relationships among the issues.
Posits and enacts appropriate
resolutions.
Recognizes ethical issues when
presented in a complex, multilayered
(gray) context AND can recognize
cross-relationships among the issues.
Posits potential resolutions.
Recognizes ethical issues when
issues are presented in a complex,
multilayered (gray) context OR can
grasp cross-relationships among the
issues.
Recognizes basic and obvious ethical Recognizes basic and obvious
issues and grasps (incompletely) the ethical issues but fails to grasp
complexities or interrelationships
complexity or interrelationships.
among the issues.
Application of Ethical
Perspectives/Concepts
Independently applies ethical
perspectives/concepts to an ethical
question, accurately, and is able to
consider full implications of the
application.
Independently applies ethical
perspectives/concepts to an ethical
question, accurately, and is able to
consider implications of the application
to own professional context.
Independently applies ethical
perspectives/concepts to an ethical
question, accurately, but does not
consider the specific implications of
the application.
Applies ethical perspectives/concepts
to an ethical question, independently
(to a new example) and the
application is inaccurate.
Applies ethical
perspectives/concepts to an
ethical question with support
(using examples, in a class, in a
group, or a fixed-choice setting)
but is unable to apply ethical
perspectives/concepts
independently (to a new example).
Evaluation of Different
Ethical
Perspectives/Concepts
Articulates a position that critically
analyses the objections to, assumptions
and implications of, and can
comprehensively and compellingly
defend against the objections to,
assumptions and implications of
different ethical perspectives/concepts.
States a position and can state the
objections to, assumptions and
implications of, and can reasonably
defend against the objections to,
assumptions and implications of
different ethical perspectives/concepts,
and the defense is adequate and
effective.
States a position and can state the
objections to, assumptions and
implications of, and respond to the
objections to, assumptions and
implications of different ethical
perspectives/concepts, but the
student's response is inadequate.
States a position and the objections
to, assumptions and implications of
different ethical perspectives/concepts
but does not respond to them (and
ultimately objections, assumptions,
and implications are
compartmentalized and do not affect
student's position.)
States a position but cannot state
the objections to and assumptions
and limitations of the different
perspectives/concepts.
Postgraduate education
Medical Imaging Research Project 497
& 498; Medical Imaging Specialisation
417 & 428; Clinical Medical Imaging
Practice 457 & 468
Medical Imaging Practice 356;
Clinical Medical Imaging Practice
346; Science Research
Methodologies 451; Imaging
Medical Imaging Practice 233;
Clinical Medical Imaging Practice
213 & 335; Medical Imaging
Professional Issues 305
Introduction to Medical Imaging
Science 101; Foundations of
Professional Health Practice 100;
Health and Health Behaviour 100
Exhibited in programme
units of study
Informatics 306