Problems, Solutions, and Resources in Integrating
Ethics-Across-the-Curriculum
Problem
Time
Description
Solution
Resources
How can an
1. An ethical issue can
a. Textbooks (adopt and
engineering
be raised in a in class
adapt new textbooks
professor find
using only a couple of
around ethical issues)
time to integrate
minutes.
ethical issues
2. When a lot of small
b. Interview Co-Op
into an already
events are combined,
Students and engineers
crowded course?
the impact can be
in private practice.
large.
(This was a driving
force at Drexel.)
3. Rewrite textbook
exercises.
c. CEPHIF web page on
the Internet.
4. Discuss cases,
d. See Michael Davis,
scenarios, newspaper
Thinking Like An
articles, and movies
Engineer and Ethics
that raise ethical issues
and the University for
in the context of
more resources.
engineering practice.
Assessment
Assessing
Cruz and Frey have
student
Use grading rubrics to
been experimenting
participation in 1. clarify criteria used in a. with grading rubrics.
ethics integration
grading.
(See DOLCE website
exercise.
for sample rubrics)
(Grading)
Modify and adapt
Hold workshops
student assessment
where participants
2.
b. forms developed in
discuss grading
Learning Factory
student essays.
project.
Adopt evaluation
Consult Pritchard et al,
forms to grading oral
3.
Engineering Ethics:
presentations. (These
c. Concepts and Cases for
are available.)
sample student case
Use informal as well
study analyses.
4.
as formal exercises.
Use default grading.
5. Have students grade
themselves.
For a discussion of
d. cooperative learning
strategies and grading,
6.
see Joseph R. Herkert,
"Collaborative
Learning in
Engineering Ethics," in
Science and
Engineering Ethics,
Vol. 3, no. 4.
Use cooperative
learning strategies.
Assessing ethics
Identify objectives of
integration
1.
exercises.
exercises such as
pre-test and
Assess outcomes by
decision making 2. comparing pre- and
activities.
post-test activities.
Use forms to elicit
3. student responses to
the exercise.
DIT (Defining Issues
a. Test) developed by
Neo-Kohlbergians.
b.
Perry scale of moral
development.
"Teaching Ethics in
Engineering and
Computer Science: A
c. Panel Discussion," in
Science and
Engineering Ethics,
Vol. 3, no. 4, Oct 1997.
Have other faculty
Sample assessment
visit your class and
forms modified by
4.
d.
discuss the results of
Frey from Learning
the exercise with you.
Factory project.
Assessing total
Identify ethical
Sample forms in
impact of
1. activities carried out at a. Decision Making
courses and
RUM in the past.
Instructor Manual.
ethics integration
Survey students to see
exercises on
how many of them
2.
students.
have been exposed to
Use DIT (it can be
these activities.
obtained from the
b.
Develop form that
University of
identifies possible
Minnesota)
3. ethics integration
activities and survey
student exposure.
Use standard moral
Develop a pre and
development tool such
4.
c. post-test, both based on
as DIT or Perry's scale
scenarios.
of moral development.
Administer at
beginning and end of
(CEPHIF could
5.
d.
student's
develop such a form.)
undergraduate career.
Documentation
How to
Syllabi (include
document for
ethical issues in
1.
a. Engineering faculty.
ABET the ethics
objectives,
integration
assignments, exams).
activities we
Case studies/scenarios b. CEPHIF staff.
plan to carry out.
developed by
professors individually
2. or written in
workshops. (Post on c. Syllabus templates.
Internet or in
instructor's manuals).
3.
Use CEPHIF
newsletter to discuss.
d.
Videos of students'
ethics