Engineering Ethics, Responsible Engineering Ethics, Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), and Conduct of Research (RCR), and

Science and Technology Studies (STS)Science and Technology Studies (STS)

Integrating and Assessing Ethics Integrating and Assessing Ethics Education for Science and Education for Science and

Engineering Graduate StudentsEngineering Graduate Students

Karin Ellison and Joe HerkertKarin Ellison and Joe Herkert

Presented at APPEPresented at APPE

March 7, 2009March 7, 2009

The ProjectThe Project

• ““Integrating Microethics and Integrating Microethics and Macroethics in Graduate Science and Macroethics in Graduate Science and Engineering Education”Engineering Education”

• NSF/EESE #0832944 NSF/EESE #0832944

• 10/2008-9/201110/2008-9/2011

Project TeamProject Team

Joseph Herkert (Ethics & Technology), PIJoseph Herkert (Ethics & Technology), PI

Heather Canary (Communication), Co-PIHeather Canary (Communication), Co-PI

Karin Ellison (Biology & Society), Co-PIKarin Ellison (Biology & Society), Co-PI

Jameson Wetmore (STS), Co-PIJameson Wetmore (STS), Co-PI

Other ASU senior personnel (6)Other ASU senior personnel (6)

Consultants (3)Consultants (3)

Advisory board (4)Advisory board (4)

Project OverviewProject Overview

• Develop integrated learning objectives Develop integrated learning objectives for graduate studentsfor graduate students

• Apply learning objectives in four Apply learning objectives in four educational modelseducational models

• Assess student learningAssess student learning

• Share knowledge and materialsShare knowledge and materials

Project OverviewProject Overview

• Develop integrated learning objectives Develop integrated learning objectives for graduate studentsfor graduate students

• Apply learning objectives in four Apply learning objectives in four educational modelseducational models

• Assess student learningAssess student learning

• Share knowledge and materialsShare knowledge and materials

Integrated Learning ObjectivesIntegrated Learning Objectives

• Microethics and macroethicsMicroethics and macroethics

• Science and engineeringScience and engineering

• Coordination workshopCoordination workshop– February 26-28, 2009

Preliminary Workshop Reflections: Preliminary Workshop Reflections: Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• Microethical contentMicroethical content– Individual decisions– Focus on professional norms & actual practices

• Macroethical contentMacroethical content– Group/collective action– Focus on socio-technical systems

• IntegrationIntegration– Context– Institutions– Themes (e.g. data management, nanotechnology)

Project OverviewProject Overview

• Develop integrated learning objectives Develop integrated learning objectives for graduate studentsfor graduate students

• Apply learning objectives in four Apply learning objectives in four educational modelseducational models

• Assess student learningAssess student learning

• Share knowledge and materialsShare knowledge and materials

Educational ModelsEducational Models

• Stand alone courseStand alone course

• Technical course with embedded ethics Technical course with embedded ethics contentcontent

• Online modulesOnline modules

• Facilitated lab group discussionsFacilitated lab group discussions

Embedded ModelEmbedded Model

• Micro- and macroethical content is Micro- and macroethical content is included in a required technical course included in a required technical course for scientists and engineers.for scientists and engineers.

• Ethics is placed in context with other Ethics is placed in context with other professional knowledge and skills.professional knowledge and skills.

• Model takes advantage of learning Model takes advantage of learning opportunities as they arise.opportunities as they arise.

• Piloted in Fall 2008Piloted in Fall 2008

Embedded ModelEmbedded Model

• Fundamentals of Biological DesignFundamentals of Biological Design– 9 credit hours in Fall semester– Meets 3 hours/day, 5 days/week – Covers key concepts in the biological sciences,

physical sciences and engineering– Organized by modules– Taught by invited speakers – Discusses ongoing research projects

• presymptomatic disease detection (Doc-in-a-Box)• renewable biofuels (Tubes in the Desert)

Embedded ModelEmbedded Model

• MacroethicsMacroethics– Ira Bennett, course instructor– Introduces discussion of societal impacts

into technical sessions– Available to students as macroethics

resource

• MicroethicsMicroethics– Karin Ellison, speaker– RCR module

Embedded Model: MacroethicsEmbedded Model: Macroethics

• Students sought more in-depth explanations Students sought more in-depth explanations of the ethical dimensions of science from of the ethical dimensions of science from Bennett.Bennett.

• Students developed the capacity to ask Students developed the capacity to ask questions of the module speakers about questions of the module speakers about social, ethical and political aspects of their social, ethical and political aspects of their work.work.

• Three of the students expressed interest in Three of the students expressed interest in working with CSPO and CNS.working with CSPO and CNS.

• Biological Design faculty and staff formed Biological Design faculty and staff formed new collaborations with CSPO and CNS.new collaborations with CSPO and CNS.

Embedded Model: MicroethicsEmbedded Model: Microethics

• High quality contributionsHigh quality contributions– Adopted student contributions for future

semesters – Thoughtful response papers

• Context-specific discussionsContext-specific discussions–Mentorship– Data management, Conflicts of interest

• Synergies with macroethical contentSynergies with macroethical content– “Science as a profession”

Project OverviewProject Overview

• Develop integrated learning objectives Develop integrated learning objectives for graduate studentsfor graduate students

• Apply learning objectives in four Apply learning objectives in four educational modelseducational models

• Assess student learningAssess student learning

• Share knowledge and materialsShare knowledge and materials

AssessmentAssessment

• Moral judgment maturityMoral judgment maturity–Moral Judgment Test (MJT), Lind, 2002

• Ethical sensitivity in S&TEthical sensitivity in S&T– Engineering and Science Issues Test

(ESIT), Borenstein, Kirkman, & Swann, 2005

• Study-specific outcome measuresStudy-specific outcome measures

• Student-instructor communication Student-instructor communication (posttest only)(posttest only)

Preliminary Workshop Reflections: Preliminary Workshop Reflections: AssessmentAssessment

• Multiple perspectives on assessment Multiple perspectives on assessment methodsmethods

• Consider qualitative assessmentConsider qualitative assessment• Areas for assessmentAreas for assessment– Thinking skills

• Context, complexity, ambiguity, agency

– Professional skills• Norms, history, RCR, socio-technical systems

– Personal skills• Listening, communicating, agency

Project OverviewProject Overview

• Develop integrated learning objectives Develop integrated learning objectives for graduate studentsfor graduate students

• Apply learning objectives in four Apply learning objectives in four educational modelseducational models

• Assess student learningAssess student learning

• Share knowledge and materialsShare knowledge and materials

Dissemination Dissemination

• Web siteWeb site

• Results Dissemination WorkshopResults Dissemination Workshop– Spring 2011– ASU senior personnel (10)– Consultants (3)– Advisory board (4)– Participants from other institutions (8-10)

Thanks!Thanks!

• National Science Foundation National Science Foundation

• Arizona State UniversityArizona State University

• Biological Design Ph.D. ProgramBiological Design Ph.D. Program

• Center for Biology and Society Center for Biology and Society

• Center for Nanotechnology and Society Center for Nanotechnology and Society

• Consortium for Science, Policy & Consortium for Science, Policy & OutcomesOutcomes