Case Based Reasoning and Ethics Instruction: Content and Processing Exercises for Effective Education

University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Norman OK

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an Ethics Education in Science and Engineering grant entitled "Case based reasoning and ethics instruction: content and processing exercises for effective education" under the direction of Michael D. Mumford at the University of Oklahoma. Cases are commonly used as a basis for ethics instruction in the sciences and engineering. Although case-based instruction is widely applied, little work has examined the key attributes that contribute to effective case-based instruction. This project addresses two key issues: 1) what case content should be stressed in instruction and 2) what instructional activities contribute to effective acquisition of case-based knowledge. This project examines how case material should be presented to facilitate learning, and transfer of learning, in ethics instruction and is being conducted within a university-wide ethics instructional program for all graduate students attending the University of Oklahoma. In the first phase, variations in presentation of case content are assessed with respect to instruction stressing 1) causes, 2) goals, 3) restrictions, 4) contingencies, and 5) social outcomes. In the second phase, procedures, or processes, for working with case content are examined. More specifically, instruction examines the effects of exercises calling for 1) case comparison, 2) case elaboration, 3) case structuring, 4) case-based forecasting, and 5) situational bounding. The effects of variations in case content and case processing exercises are assessed with respect to gains in the performance of students, vis-à-vis the extant ethics program. This project demonstrates how case-based instruction can be used to improve ethical decision-making in the sciences and engineering while providing illustrative instructional materials to facilitate widespread application of the findings.