In this paper, we argue that engineering ethics education does have moral implications. More specifically, practices in engineering ethics education can lead to negative moral consequences if not conducted appropriately. Engineering ethics educators are often passionate about teaching students ways to examine the ethical implications of engineering and technology. However, ethics educators may overlook the moral significance of their instructional classroom practices. In this paper, we discuss two issues: First, we discuss the moral impacts of ethics curriculum and pedagogies on students’ learning experiences. Then we discuss the professional responsibilities of educators who are involved in designing ethics learning experiences for engineering students. The reflections presented in this paper will serve as catalysts for more comprehensive discussions regarding the impact of engineering ethics education on the ethical development of engineering students.
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Impact of International Service Learning on Macro-Ethics:
To address complex problems in a globalized workplace, future engineers must understand the ethical implications of their work in the global context. International service learning is a possible approach for future engineers to gain an understanding of ethical implications in a global context. The purpose of this study is to investigate the potential benefits that international service learning may add to engineering ethics education. The quantitative study measured senior engineering students’ understanding of ethics from a national sample of students enrolled in capstone design courses (n=2095) in three types of international service learning experiences: capstone, volunteer/work, or co-curricular. Students who participated in international service learning through capstone and volunteer/work experience scored significantly (p<0.01, p<0.001 respectively) higher to questions that measured their understanding of ethics. Males compared to female engineering students showed the largest difference in their understanding of ethics. The integration of international service learning into engineering education should be more seriously considered to aid in more effectively teaching ethics. Male engineering students, who make up nearly 80% of engineering programs, can benefit the most in their ethics education from international service learning.
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- Award ID(s):
- 1635534
- PAR ID:
- 10189402
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- International Journal for Service Learning in Engineering, Humanitarian Engineering and Social Entrepreneurship
- Volume:
- 14
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 1555-9033
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 1 to 15
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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