The Ethics Bowl at UPRM:The Ethics Bowl at UPRM:A Capstone Experience for A Capstone Experience for

Engineering Ethics Engineering Ethics StudentsStudents

William J. Frey, Halley D. Sanchez & José A. CruzWilliam J. Frey, Halley D. Sanchez & José A. Cruz Center for Ethics in the ProfessionsCenter for Ethics in the Professions

University of Puerto Rico at MayagüezUniversity of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

February 28, 2004February 28, 2004APPE - CincinnatiAPPE - Cincinnati

Our Engineering Ethics Our Engineering Ethics Course is not a theoretical Course is not a theoretical ethics course, but a true ethics course, but a true

practical and professional practical and professional ethics course ethics course

EmphasisEmphasis on on

Ethical Decision Ethical Decision Making SkillsMaking Skills

Black BeltBlack Beltvs.vs.

Basic Self-Defense Basic Self-Defense SkillsSkills

Just in Time Just in Time TheoryTheory

Three TestsThree Tests►HarmHarm►ReversibilityReversibility►Publicity/OwnershipPublicity/Ownership

Tests encapsulate fundamental Tests encapsulate fundamental ethical theoriesethical theories

►Harm – Harm – utilitarian/consequentialismutilitarian/consequentialism

►Reversibility – DeontologyReversibility – Deontology►Publicity/Ownership – Virtue EthicsPublicity/Ownership – Virtue Ethics

Engineering Ethics Engineering Ethics CourseCourse

►Basic Ethical Self-DefenseBasic Ethical Self-Defense►Hands onHands on►Communication skillsCommunication skills►Team workTeam work

Ethics Bowl Ethics Bowl highlights all these featureshighlights all these features

What we wish to share …What we wish to share …►How? When? Why? – EB emerges in How? When? Why? – EB emerges in

EEEE►Preparing for the competition in a Preparing for the competition in a

course course ►Quick overview of the EB ExperienceQuick overview of the EB Experience►StudentsStudents►JudgesJudges►AssessmentAssessment

How? When? Why? the Ethics Bowl How? When? Why? the Ethics Bowl emerges in Engineering Ethics at emerges in Engineering Ethics at

UPRMUPRM► We sought use for the pool of cases developed in We sought use for the pool of cases developed in

workshopsworkshops

► Our participation in Ethics Bowls at APPE leads to the idea Our participation in Ethics Bowls at APPE leads to the idea of running a similar but smaller competition at UPRMof running a similar but smaller competition at UPRM

► Robert Ladenson at IIT suggested that we introduce the Robert Ladenson at IIT suggested that we introduce the Ethics Bowl into UPRM ethics classesEthics Bowl into UPRM ethics classes

► Deciding Factor:Deciding Factor: through careful case selection, we through careful case selection, we could cover the full range of topics of engineering ethicscould cover the full range of topics of engineering ethics

► Added BonusAdded Bonus: We can assess our outcomes by student : We can assess our outcomes by student performance on ethics questions in licensing exams (BER)performance on ethics questions in licensing exams (BER)

Identify Issues & Prepare Identify Issues & Prepare CasesCases

► Issue Identification WorkshopsIssue Identification Workshops Practitioners present on the issues in the Practitioners present on the issues in the

workplaceworkplace► Business/Science/Engineering Faculty Workshops Business/Science/Engineering Faculty Workshops ► ABET Workshops (cases by engineering faculty)ABET Workshops (cases by engineering faculty)► Textbooks & LiteratureTextbooks & Literature► News MediaNews Media► Surveys, statistics and similar reportsSurveys, statistics and similar reports

““Mind the Gap” Survey (McGinn, S&EE, Oct. 2003)Mind the Gap” Survey (McGinn, S&EE, Oct. 2003)► Students & PeersStudents & Peers

Ethics Bowl Cases Cross-Ethics Bowl Cases Cross-ReferenceReference

Topic/ Topic/ IssueIssue

UPRM UPRM Ethics Ethics CasesCases

NSPE BER CasesNSPE BER Cases

ConfidentialityConfidentiality Peer Review/Confidentiality Peer Review/Confidentiality Agreements 96-8Agreements 96-8

Conflict of Conflict of InterestInterest

Expert Witness Expert Witness CaseCaseInkjet Cartridge Inkjet Cartridge CaseCase

Participation in Protest Participation in Protest Action as Part of a Political Action as Part of a Political Campaign 84-6Campaign 84-6Objectivity of Engineer Objectivity of Engineer Retained as Expert 85-4Retained as Expert 85-4

Environmental Environmental ConcernsConcerns

Inkjet Cartridge Inkjet Cartridge CaseCase

Public Welfare—Hazardous Public Welfare—Hazardous Waste 92-6Waste 92-6

Product LiabilityProduct Liability Pacemaker CasePacemaker Case Signing of Drawings by Signing of Drawings by Engineer in Industry 88-5Engineer in Industry 88-5

Safety and Safety and HealthHealth

Pacemaker CasePacemaker Case Public Welfare—Hazardous Public Welfare—Hazardous Waste 92-6Waste 92-6

Cases support local (PR) Cases support local (PR) issuesissues

Topic/Source of Topic/Source of CaseCase

UPRM Ethics UPRM Ethics CasesCases

NSPE BER CasesNSPE BER Cases

Women in EngineeringWomen in Engineering Japanese Engineer Japanese Engineer CaseCase

Engineers as Expert Engineers as Expert WitnessesWitnesses

Expert Witness CaseExpert Witness Case Objectivity of Engineer Objectivity of Engineer Retained as Expert, 85-4Retained as Expert, 85-4

Public Criticism by an Public Criticism by an EngineerEngineer

Japanese Engineer Japanese Engineer CaseCasePacemaker Case Pacemaker Case

Participation in Protest Participation in Protest Action as Part of a Political Action as Part of a Political Campaign 84-6Campaign 84-6

Questionable Questionable Practices in Practices in Engineering in PREngineering in PR

Inserting Change Inserting Change Orders CaseOrders CaseExpert Witness CaseExpert Witness Case

Signing off on Signing off on documents prepared documents prepared by othersby others

Blueprints CaseBlueprints Case Use of CADD System 90-6Use of CADD System 90-6Certification of Work Certification of Work Performed by Technician Performed by Technician 91-891-8

Performing within Performing within area of competencearea of competence

Blueprints CaseBlueprints Case Use of CADD System 90-6Use of CADD System 90-6Certification of Work Certification of Work Performed by Tech. 91-8Performed by Tech. 91-8

Building the Foundation: Building the Foundation: Learning OutcomesLearning Outcomes

►SkillsSkills Ethical AwarenessEthical Awareness Ethical EvaluationEthical Evaluation De-capsulation (practice to De-capsulation (practice to

theory)theory) Ethical IntegrationEthical Integration Group/Teamwork SkillsGroup/Teamwork Skills Communications SkillsCommunications Skills

Preparing for the Ethics BowlPreparing for the Ethics BowlSkillSkill Activity/ExerciseActivity/Exercise

Ethical AwarenessEthical Awareness Watch Your Language!Watch Your Language!

Ethical EvaluationEthical Evaluation (Introduce (Introduce and Practice Ethics Tests)and Practice Ethics Tests)

Engineering Ethics Pre-Engineering Ethics Pre-TestTestGray Matters in Gray Matters in EngineeringEngineering

De-capsulationDe-capsulation (Practice to (Practice to Theory)Theory)

Debating Mt. Terrorist Debating Mt. Terrorist ScenarioScenario

Ethical IntegrationEthical Integration (Ethical (Ethical considerations guide DM)considerations guide DM)

Midterm Exam: Essay on Midterm Exam: Essay on ScenarioScenario

Teamwork & ResponsibilityTeamwork & Responsibility (goals, obstacles, participation)(goals, obstacles, participation)

EB Team Self-Evaluation EB Team Self-Evaluation ProcessProcess

Communication SkillsCommunication Skills (engineers as ethics advocates)(engineers as ethics advocates)

Scenario DramatizationsScenario Dramatizations

Engineering Topics/ActivitiesEngineering Topics/Activities► Defining ActivitiesDefining Activities

Class definition of ethicsClass definition of ethics Class definition of engineering (science, art, design, business, technology, Class definition of engineering (science, art, design, business, technology,

math)math)

► Preparatory ModulesPreparatory Modules Pre-test (issues and ethics tests)Pre-test (issues and ethics tests) Gray Matters (evaluating and ranking solutions in terms of ethics tests)Gray Matters (evaluating and ranking solutions in terms of ethics tests)

► IntegrationIntegration Making and defending decision in essaysMaking and defending decision in essays

► Professional EthicsProfessional Ethics Students draft their own codes to challenge the CIAPR code of ethicsStudents draft their own codes to challenge the CIAPR code of ethics Ethical Foundations of CIAPR CodeEthical Foundations of CIAPR Code

► Ethics BowlEthics Bowl

► Ethics Bowl DebriefingEthics Bowl Debriefing

Covering the IssuesCovering the Issues► Students prepare summaries of Ethics Bowl CasesStudents prepare summaries of Ethics Bowl Cases

9 decision scenarios9 decision scenarios 6 NSPE BER cases6 NSPE BER cases Summaries: Team Position/Best Summaries: Team Position/Best

Counter-Argument/Response to Best Counter-ArgumentCounter-Argument/Response to Best Counter-Argument Turn in before competitionTurn in before competition

► The teams, judges or moderators will not know in The teams, judges or moderators will not know in advance which of the cases will be utilized during advance which of the cases will be utilized during the competitions or what the moderator the competitions or what the moderator questions will bequestions will be

Accommodating the Accommodating the Competition to the Competition to the

Classroom…Classroom…

For the Engineering Ethics For the Engineering Ethics ClassClass

► The The moderatormoderator will announce the case for team one ( will announce the case for team one (T1T1))► The The moderatormoderator will read the question to be answered ( will read the question to be answered (MQMQ))

Round OneRound OneTe

am 1 Team 2

Judges MQ?

T1

T1

T1

T2

T2

T2

JX JY► T1T1: team members confer ( 2 minutes ): team members confer ( 2 minutes )► T1T1: a spokesperson will respond to : a spokesperson will respond to MQMQ ( 5 minutes ) ( 5 minutes )► T2T2: the opposing team members confer ( 2 minutes ): the opposing team members confer ( 2 minutes )► T2T2: a spokesperson will counter-present ( 5 minutes ): a spokesperson will counter-present ( 5 minutes )

It may include the posing of a question to T1It may include the posing of a question to T1..

► T1T1: team members confer ( 1 minute ): team members confer ( 1 minute )► T1T1: responds to : responds to T2’sT2’s counter-presentation (3 minutes ) counter-presentation (3 minutes )

► JXJX & & JYJY: confer (briefly): confer (briefly)► JXJX: asks a question of T1: asks a question of T1

Round One - cont’dRound One - cont’dTe

am 1 Team 2

Judges MQ

T1

T1

T1

T2

T2

T2

JX JY?

► T1T1: team members confer ( 1 minute ): team members confer ( 1 minute )► T1T1: team responds to question by : team responds to question by JXJX ( 3 minutes ) ( 3 minutes )► JYJY: asks a question of : asks a question of T1T1► T1T1: team members confer ( 1 minute ): team members confer ( 1 minute )► T1T1: team responds to question by : team responds to question by JYJY ( 3 minutes ) ( 3 minutes )► JX/JYJX/JY: may ask follow-up questions: may ask follow-up questions

?

► Total time for Q&A with judges should not exceed 15 minutesTotal time for Q&A with judges should not exceed 15 minutes► JX/JYJX/JY: will complete score sheets independently: will complete score sheets independently

Judge Selection Goals Judge Selection Goals ► Select judges to simulate the Select judges to simulate the

interdisciplinary audience students will face interdisciplinary audience students will face in the workplacein the workplace

► Provide students with feedbackProvide students with feedback Interdisciplinary judge teams represent code Interdisciplinary judge teams represent code

stakeholders (public, client, peer, profession)stakeholders (public, client, peer, profession)► Provide ethics teacher with feedbackProvide ethics teacher with feedback

Issues that need to be coveredIssues that need to be covered How convincing are student arguments to non-ethicistsHow convincing are student arguments to non-ethicists

► To expose faculty (H & E) to the ethical To expose faculty (H & E) to the ethical issues that arise in engineering practiceissues that arise in engineering practice

Preparing the JudgesPreparing the Judges►Judge PacketJudge Packet

Rules and ProceduresRules and Procedures

Ethics Tests GuidelinesEthics Tests Guidelines

CasesCases

Scoring Criteria and Scoring SheetScoring Criteria and Scoring Sheet

Assessment: Feedback in lieu of Assessment: Feedback in lieu of GradingGrading

► Ethics Bowl is ideal for providing Ethics Bowl is ideal for providing students feedback on ethics skillsstudents feedback on ethics skills Judges employ different interpretations of criteria (just as Judges employ different interpretations of criteria (just as

students will encounter different standards in real world)students will encounter different standards in real world) Competing teams challenge one another and provide one Competing teams challenge one another and provide one

another feedbackanother feedback

► Students use feedback received in EB to Students use feedback received in EB to write an in-depth case study analysiswrite an in-depth case study analysis Students respond to judges’ comments and competitor’s Students respond to judges’ comments and competitor’s

arguments in a follow-up report and self-evaluationarguments in a follow-up report and self-evaluation Professor fills out a rubric giving students feedback on Professor fills out a rubric giving students feedback on

decision-making and use of tests; students respond to rubric decision-making and use of tests; students respond to rubric in final reportin final report

Formal Debriefing on Ethics Formal Debriefing on Ethics BowlBowl

►Groups select one of the two ethics bowl Groups select one of the two ethics bowl cases they defended for final in-depth case cases they defended for final in-depth case studystudy

►Workshops are held where groups prepare…Workshops are held where groups prepare…

Stakeholder TablesStakeholder Tables Options for resolving ethical disagreementsOptions for resolving ethical disagreements Problem Classification TablesProblem Classification Tables Self-Evaluation Preparation WorkshopsSelf-Evaluation Preparation Workshops

Formal Debriefing on Ethics Formal Debriefing on Ethics BowlBowl

►Students prepare group self-Students prepare group self-evaluationsevaluations

Group Goals with ModificationsGroup Goals with Modifications

Success in Meeting GoalsSuccess in Meeting Goals

Obstacles Encountered and Modes of ResponseObstacles Encountered and Modes of Response

Individual Member EvaluationsIndividual Member Evaluations (Students rate (Students rate each other in terms of percent of contribution)each other in terms of percent of contribution)

ConclusionConclusion

Ethics Bowl in the Ethics Bowl in the classroom incorporates classroom incorporates

many key features stressed many key features stressed by accreditation agencies by accreditation agencies

(ABET (ABET et alet al.) .) ►Basic Ethical Self-DefenseBasic Ethical Self-Defense►Hands on activitiesHands on activities►Communication skillsCommunication skills►Critical thinking skillsCritical thinking skills►TeamworkTeamwork

Thank You!Thank You!Questions? / Comments? / Suggestions?Questions? / Comments? / Suggestions?

Similar Experiences?Similar Experiences?

If you try something like this, let us know about the If you try something like this, let us know about the results:results:

William J. Frey – William J. Frey – wfrey@uprm.edu wfrey@uprm.edu Halley D. Sanchez – hsanchezHalley D. Sanchez – hsanchez@uprm.edu@uprm.edu

José A. Cruz – José A. Cruz – jacruz@uprm.edujacruz@uprm.edu

Visit: www.uprm.edu/ethicsVisit: www.uprm.edu/ethics

Possible Brainstorming Possible Brainstorming Point:Point:

Lesson Learned?Lesson Learned?

Default EthicsDefault Ethicsvs.vs.

Using Tests (or Theories)Using Tests (or Theories)

What might this be telling us What might this be telling us about how persons learn and about how persons learn and

use ethical tests/theories?use ethical tests/theories?

What might this be telling us What might this be telling us about moral imagination?about moral imagination?

Perhaps the “tests” are not just Perhaps the “tests” are not just theory?theory?

What might this be telling What might this be telling us about the relationship us about the relationship between what is called between what is called

“ethics” and “practical and “ethics” and “practical and professional ethics”?professional ethics”?