Conference Session

Moral Development, Engineering Pedagogy and Ethics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kevin Schmaltz, Western Kentucky University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

Engineering Ethics Instruction as an Integrated Professional ComponentAbstractThe Mechanical Engineering faculty at Western Kentucky University have developed andimplemented a Professional Plan to assure that graduates of the program have experienced keyareas of the engineering profession and demonstrated their abilities to perform in a professionalmanner. This Professional Component includes Engineering Design, ProfessionalCommunications, Professional Tools, and Engineering Ethics, with students receiving instructionand practice in each area at least once per academic year.This paper will detail the Engineering Ethics component, which has been created to providestudents with a framework for understanding professional expectations

Conference Session

Moral Development, Engineering Pedagogy and Ethics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Yilmaz Hatipkarasulu, Texas A&M University; James H. Gill, Jr., Jr., Louisiana State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

emphasize a system-wide approach (industry-widecode of ethics and weight of social responsibility in award criteria) and education for andenforcement of ethical behavior. The same study also notes that the ethical identity, reputationand trust are very important criteria especially when establishing long term relationships.SYSTEMS THINKING AND STRUCTURE FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENTSystems thinking is not a new concept. Over the years, systems theory, systems thinking,systemic approach, and systems engineering concepts have been utilized in several areasincluding leadership and organizational management11,12, business management13,education14, and planning and design15 among others. The soft-systems concept also gainedpopularity where the discussions

Conference Session

Engineering Practice for a Moral World

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Paul Rossler, Oklahoma State University; Martin High, Oklahoma State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

that provide a basis for the opinion. An example issue is shown below. May an attorney engaged by a client for counseling in estate planning and trust matters provide estate planning services to the client and (1) offer to sell to the client financial products, such as insurance or securities, which the attorney is licensed to sell; or (2) refer the client to a business in which the attorney owns an interest (or from which he or she receives compensation) for the purchase of such products? 35In answering this particular question, Model Rules 1.7(b), Concurrent Conflict of Interest; 1.8(a),Business Transactions with Client; and 2.1 (Role of Attorney as Advisor) were considered. Theopinion concludes: “[i]f the

Conference Session

Ethics Integration in the Engineering Curriculum

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Jenny Lo, Virginia Tech; Vinod Lohani, Virginia Tech; Jennifer Mullin, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

been explored to handle debris? c. What factors should be considered to determine order of debris removal? Whose (government, businesses, residences, etc.) debris should be removed first, second, third, etc. and why? 4. Contamination Issues a. Discuss types of contaminants (i.e., animal/human waste, fuel, etc.) and concerns with each type b. Describe current plans to deal with contamination and possible long term effects c. Should residences and buildings be constructed in areas where contamination may exist? 5. Rebuilding New Orleans a. Describe types of local industries in New Orleans and their relative importance on a national

Conference Session

Moral Development, Engineering Pedagogy and Ethics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christan Whysong, Virginia Tech; Jenny Lo, Virginia Tech; Kumar Mallikarjunan, Virginia Tech

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

through a spiral themed curriculum so it will beessential to orchestrate an assessment plan for future evaluation. The proposed assessment plancurrently includes an analysis of focus group interviews, online surveys, online discussions,classroom discussions, and electronic portfolio entries. For the last two years, the Department ofEngineering Education has started to collect data regarding student perceptions of engineering Page 11.735.8ethics training in the freshman year; these studies will be expanded to include BSE students intheir upperclassman years.Future workFuture work includes piloting the preliminary case studies and assessing the

Conference Session

Engineering Practice for a Moral World

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George Catalano, State University of New York-Binghamton

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

and towards other professional engineers.In their totality, the codes of ethics point to a very different conception or understandingof the natural world then our science provides us with now. We are at once removed frommembership in the natural world as there is a listing of responsibilities of the engineeringprofession to humankind and if it exists at all a sense of responsibility to the naturalworld only in so far as it can provide something for us. We are not products of the earthbut somehow placed on it with a focused plan of action set in place to tame it, control it,and to transform it into what suits are interests.Philosophical Origins of Present Day CodesModern engineering in many respects begin with the Renaissance period in

Conference Session

New Horizons in Academic Integrity

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Trevor Harding, Kettering University; Cynthia Finelli, University of Michigan; Donald Carpenter, Lawrence Technological University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

academic institutions: A decade of research.” Ethics and Behavior. 11(3): 219-232. 2001.12 Beck, L., and I. Ajzen. “Predicting dishonest actions using the Theory of Planned Behavior.” Journal of Research in Personality. 25(3):285-301. 1991. Page 11.322.13

Conference Session

Moral Development, Engineering Pedagogy and Ethics Instruction

Collection

2006 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Kirsty Mills, University of New Mexico

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

-3.12 Senator Patrick Leahy “Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Video Surveillance; Legal and Technological Challenges” Speech at Georgetown University Law Center and The Constitution Project 23 March 2004. Available at http://www.mindfully.org/Technology/2004/RFID-Patrick-Leahy23mar04.htm13 C. Perrow, Normal Accidents: Living with High-Risk Technologies, New York : Basic Books, 198414 Rittel, H., M. Webber, “Dilemmas in a General Theory of Planning” pp 155-169, Policy Sciences, Vol. 4, Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Inc., Amsterdam, 1973.15 M. Minsky, foreword to K.E. Drexler, Engines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology, Anchor, 198716 J. Dann, G. Dozois (eds), Nanotech, Ace Books, December 1, 199817