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organisation. By encouraging students and
staff to test their own and others' reasoning on each of the clauses of
the code, people would come to their own realisation of what it means
to be ethical. In this way, agreement is not forced but achieved, and
the likelihood of people adhering to the code increased.
Here are six ways in which ethical and unethical responses could be
brought to the attention of university and college students and so
assist them to become more ethical.
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In most institutions, new staff members are required to undergo an
induction programme and new students are usually given some form of
orientation. During these events, specific attention should be drawn
to the institution's code of ethical and credit given for degree
essays or other projects completed in this regard.
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A college committee or working party could consider suggestions from
students, lecturers, visitors and administrators, for example, on
how the effectiveness of relationships between educators and
students can be enhanced. For example, academic departments in
universities in the United Kingdom are required by government
funding agencies to offer students the opportunity to comment on
improving the courses they have undertaken.
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The university should establish specialised centres to encourage
students and staff from all disciplines to reflect on ethics. For
example, the University Center for Human Values at Princeton
University, offers nine programmes and activities designed to "...
support and to supplement the growing importance of ethical inquiry
for many disciplines."
I know
of at least three similar centres: The Program in Ethics and the
Professions in Harvard University; the Centre for Professional
Ethics in the University of Central Lancaster; and the Centre for
Applied Ethics in the University of Wales College, Cardiff.
Such centres are an indication by senior university academics and
administrators, that ethics education should be taken seriously.
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An annual, prestigious award should be instituted to reward those
individuals in the college who are recognised as paying particular
attention to ethics.
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Educators should analyse the curriculum of the subjects they teach
and identify instances where ethics have, and have not, been adhered
to, and explicitly, albeit briefly, point these out to students. In
schools in England this is called the "cross-curricular" approach
and in Scotland, the "permeation" approach, the idea being that
ethical issues are inherent in all subjects of the curriculum.
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A special column should be reserved in staff and student university
newspapers to report on "enhancing ethical behaviour" initiatives
within the institution, and to provide specific examples of ethical
responses that have improved education, and explaining how unethical
responses, if any, have been detrimental to education.
If some of these six recommendations are
implemented, students and lecturers would think more about what it
means to be ethical and this would assist them in becoming more
ethical. However, unless the six recommendations are supported by more
formal approaches requiring students to investigate what it means to
be ethical, they are unlikely to have a major impact.
There are three main reasons for this.
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With the traditional requirement to show through some form of
assessment, that they have gained information and technical skills,
it is unlikely that most students will willingly participate in a
study of ethics.
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Even if university and college lecturers did make considerable
effort to draw students' attention to ethical issues during
lectures, it would be impossible to discuss every ethical issue in
detail. Discussing ethical issues adequately takes considerable
time, and to do this in a chemistry, history or geography lecture
would require stopping the teaching of the subject. In addition, the
lecturer is unlikely to be qualified to lead such a discussion.
Depriving students of the information and skills they require in
order to pass their examinations and to obtain employment would be
unethical.
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It is common knowledge that many university students are required to
undertake courses in business, legal or medical ethics for example.
However, my knowledge and experience of these courses and subjects
is that they do not enable students to penetrate to the essentials
of what it means to be ethical.
In light of these potential difficulties, it is
reasonable to recommend a specific and formal time in the university
and college curriculum for considering what it means to be ethical.
Perhaps this could be undertaken in a set curriculum time equivalent
to the time allocated to mathematics and English. Just what to call
such a set time will generate some debate. However, my offering would
be "ethics education". It could be claimed that the traditional "moral
education" and "religious education" suffice. However, the way these
subjects have been taught in the past – with mostly telling – makes
them ineffective – and this would be especially so at university and
college level. In addition, most people are aware that following some
religious-moral norms can lead to unethical behaviour!
Another approach would be to have students reflect on and discuss in
detail, particular values such as respect, honesty, and caring, or
social issues such as teenage pregnancy, abortion, drug abuse,
euthanasia and vandalism. Such reflection would be ethics education
and during the detailed discussion, ethics would be uncovered. If a
person discovers ethics, for herself, it is reasonable to suggest that
she is more likely to behave according to those principles.
There is considerable scope for research in the field of ethics
education and Dr Bill would be happy to assist postgraduate students
(with approval of their university or college) design and undertake a
study. Contact him on
bill.robb@valueseducation.co.uk
Copyright © 2008 Values Education Ltd
Note to editors. Feel free to use this article as long as the
following details are retained. “A values education article from CAVE
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