Using Case Studies to Increase Awareness Of, and Improve Resolution Strategies For, Ethical Issues in Engineering

1 WPI, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, and Biomedical Engineering Department, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, [email protected]. 2 WPI, Center for Education, Development, Technology, and Assessment (CEDTA), 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, [email protected]. 3 WPI, Biology and Biotechnology Department, and CEDTA, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, [email protected]. Abstract — Case studies in engineering ethics were integrated into a first course in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute with the primary goals of increasing students’ awareness of 1) ethical issues in the workplace, and 2) the number of different courses of action that one might take to resolve the ethical issues. During a three-hour “laboratory” period, students read and discussed four short case studies in engineering ethics. Discussion was guided to focus on understanding the (often conflicting) viewpoints of individuals within a case and to look for multiple courses of action for resolving the issue. The second learning goal was assessed prior to the case study laboratory and on two occurrences after the laboratory. Assessment results showed no changes in the number of different courses of action that students could enumerate to resolve ethical issues. Nonetheless, this laboratory might still 1) encourage students to take a full-semester ethics course (which could lead to measurable results), 2) contribute to progressive learning in this area, and 3) begin (in a way we have yet to measure) to convince students that ethics is an important aspect of their career paths.