A Proposal for Thinking Strategically About Ethics Education (original) (raw)
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Teaching Research Ethics Better: Focus on Excellent Science, Not Bad Scientists
Clinical and Translational Science, 2013
We both share decades long commitments to the promise that biomedical research holds for improving the health and lives of so many people. It is also clear to us that, given that its goal is to improve our collective well-being, research, at its most fundamental level, is a deeply moral endeavor. Th us we also share a strong commitment both to the role of ethics in educating researchers and understanding how to meaningfully engage and interest researchers-in-training in ethics. We have watched in disappointment at times, though, to see how little interest some in the science academy can have in the role of ethics in science learning, especially at the graduate and postgraduate levels. Too oft en we see a complacency and a sense that ethics teaching, if there is going to be any, is best turfed to others. Th us we were heartened to read the most recent report of the United States' Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, for it has many thoughtful comments consistent with our sentiments about the need to drastically improve how research ethics is taught to biomedical researchers. Th eir report, "Moral Science: Protecting Participants in Human Subjects Research, " speaks eloquently about the need for the research community to enjoy the "earned confi dence" of the public if there is to be a successful research enterprise. 1 Th ey set forth several recommendations that can contribute to this confi dence, including a recommendation to "create a culture of responsibility" in the research community. Th e Commission viewed a commitment to "creative, fl exible, and innovative educational approaches" 1 , p.72 to the ethics of research as central to eff orts to create such a culture, arguing that "ethics education [should] play an increasingly central role in advancing research ethics. " 1, p.73 Th e Commission's recommendations about ethics education occur against a backdrop of some considerable global emphasis already in place on instruction in research ethics, including the responsible conduct of research (RCR). For example, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2 and National Science Foundation (NSF), 3 the European Science Foundation, 4 the Council of Canadian Academies, 5 the British Department for Business Innovation and Skills, 6 and, most recently, the II Brazilian Meeting on Research Integrity, Science and Publication Ethics 7 all call for science training programs to include research ethics instruction in their curricula. NIH and NSF go so far as to
CBE—Life Sciences Education
Advancement of the scientific enterprise relies on individuals conducting research in an ethical and responsible manner. Educating emergent scholars in the principles of ethics/responsible conduct of research (E/RCR) is therefore critical to ensuring such advancement. The recent impetus to include authentic research opportunities as part of the undergraduate curriculum, via course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), has been shown to increase cognitive and noncognitive student outcomes. Because of these important benefits, CUREs are becoming more common and often constitute the first research experience for many students. However, despite the importance of E/RCR in the research process, we know of few efforts to incorporate E/RCR education into CUREs. The Ethics Network for Course-based Opportunities in Undergraduate Research (ENCOUR) was created to address this concern and promote the integration of E/RCR within CUREs in the biological sciences and related disciplines...
Research Ethics Education: Principles or Compliance
We examined both the literature and applications to our own ethics committee to identify opportunities for teaching research ethics to business students. We found two paradigmatic approaches to research ethics and specific areas of weakness amongst our applications, particularly from Masters' students. From this evidence, we identify challenges to incorporating a Principles Paradigm in business research ethics education when university regulations are rooted in a Compliance Paradigm. The challenges offer opportunities for innovation in teaching research ethics and sustaining a culture of ethical integrity throughout the business school.
Accountability in research, 2017
Over the past decade, the effectiveness of ethics education programs has increased with regard to trainee outcomes, such as knowledge, awareness, and ethical decision making. However, despite the overall improvement in training effectiveness, considerable variability still exists across programs. One potential source of variability arises from the substantial range in instructional training content utilized across ethics training courses. The goal of the present effort was to clarify which approaches in ethics education result in positive training outcomes through the identification of instructional content themes. Through a qualitative review of ethics training courses, we identified key themes in instructional content curriculum associated with effective courses: domain-general, domain-specific, standard compliance, professionalism, and process-based. In addition, we identified key themes associated with less effective courses: mixed-specificity, narrow coverage, and idealized eth...
Curriculum and Faculty Development for the Teaching of Academic Research Ethics
1995
This report summarizes a three-year project to design a graduate level course in ethics and scientific research at Dartmouth College (New Hampshire). The goals of the project were: (1) to train faculty to teach a course in research ethics, (2) to pilot-teach a graduate course in ethics and scientific research, and (3) to develop teaching materials for use in ethics and science courses. An underlying assumption was that a course in research ethics required both philosophers and scientists; therefore, faculty from both disciplines worked closely together in developing course materials. Faculty training included: a seminar, in which participants learned about various cases and topics in research ethics and tested various teaching styles; a study group, which helped participants gain an understanding of the theoretical bases for analyses of ethics cases; and meetings during which faculty worked on developing course goals, materials, and evaluation materials. Three publications resulting from the project are appended: (1) "Developing a Course on the Ethics of Scientific Research: A Guidebook for Faculty," which includes course goals and plans and a course reading list, (2) a table of contents for "A Coursebook for Research Ethics," and (3) "Ethical Issues in Scientific Research: Evaluation of Faculty Development" (Ronald M. Green). (CH)
Accountability in research, 2017
In order to delineate best practices for courses on research ethics, the goal of the present effort was to identify themes related to instructional methods reflected in effective research ethics and responsible conduct of research (RCR) courses. By utilizing a qualitative review, four themes relevant to instructional methods were identified in effective research ethics courses: active participation, case-based activities, a combination of individual and group approaches, and a small number of instructional methods. Three instructional method themes associated with less effective courses were also identified: passive learning, a group-based approach, and a large number of instructional methods. Key characteristics of each theme, along with example courses relative to each theme, are described. Additionally, implications regarding these instructional method themes and recommendations for best practices in research ethics courses are discussed.
Teaching research ethics and working together
Science and Engineering Ethics, 2005
Careful consideration of the pedagogical objectives in teaching research ethics casts serious doubt on the adequacy of what might be called "quick-fix" approaches to teaching research ethics. 1 Whether this also casts serious doubt on web-based instructional efforts is another matter, and beyond the scope of this paper. Suffice it to say that, given the teaching objectives outlined by Brian Schrag, there is good reason to doubt that a one or two hour self-instructional, web-based program could in and of itself suffice. This, however, is not to say that such a program, or a more demanding one, could not play a useful role in supplementing a more robust traditional class or other program; nor is it to say that web-based programs are restricted to "quick-fix" formats. However, Schrag is right in saying that it is important, from the outset, to be clear about what our objectives are in devising any program in research ethics.