Conference Session

Engineering Ethics: An Interdisciplinary Endeavor

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Brocato, Mississippi State University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

. Page 14.1288.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Two Ways of Using Case Studies to Teach EthicsIntroductionProfessional ethics, like many other areas of academic study, is best taught through synthesis andapplication. Exposing students to the importance of ethics via, for example, a lecture on theNSPE Code of Ethics or a reading assignment on plagiarism may accomplish something on itsown, but such relatively low-stakes activities do little to put students in the position ofcontemplating and then making ethics-related decisions – they do little, in other words, to bringthe subject to life for students.One simple way to engage students more fully in the experience of professional ethics is the useof case studies

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics: An Interdisciplinary Endeavor

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Joseph Herkert, Arizona State University Polytechnic; Jameson Wetmore, Arizona State University; Heather Canary, Arizona State University Polytechnic; Karin Ellison, Arizona State University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

AC 2009-1131: INTEGRATING MICROETHICS AND MACROETHICS INGRADUATE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING EDUCATION: DEVELOPINGINSTRUCTIONAL MODELSJoseph Herkert, Arizona State University Polytechnic Joseph Herkert, D. Sc., P.E., is Lincoln Associate Professor of Ethics and Technology at Arizona State University. He has taught engineering ethics and related courses for more than twenty years. His work on engineering ethics has appeared in engineering, law, social science, and applied ethics journals. Dr. Herkert is the past Editor of IEEE Technology & Society and a founding Associate Editor of Engineering Studies. He received his BSEE from Southern Methodist University and his doctorate in Engineering and

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics: An Interdisciplinary Endeavor

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Edward Gehringer, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

University in 1979. Page 14.954.1© American Society for Engineering Education, 2009 Personal vs. Professional E-mail: the Palin Case Edward F. Gehringer North Carolina State University efg@ncsu.eduAbstractLast fall’s break-in of Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin's private e-mail account can serveas a fascinating case study in an Ethics in Computing class. The break-in is a clear violation offederal law, and the ethics of that should not be in serious doubt. But what about posting thecontents of her private e

Conference Session

Tree-huggers, Diggers, and Queers--Oh my!

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

George Catalano, State University of New York, Binghamton; Caroline Baillie, Queens University, Kingston

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

modern era as well as new ideas which have justrecently been applied to the professions. In the spirit of the Diggers from the 1960’s, thepresent work offers new ‘frames of reference’ from which you can consider your decisions.The Diggers focused on promoting a new vision of society free from many of the trappingsof private property, materialism and consumerism. Our hope is to offer a new vision ofengineering which takes into account many of the elements of our society and our planetwhich have been historically ignored.As described by NSPE, “engineering ethics is (1) the study of moral issues and decisionsconfronting individuals and organizations involved in engineering and (2) the study ofrelated questions about moral conduct, character, ideals

Conference Session

Critical Thinking and Creative Arts

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Beth Todd, University of Alabama; Garry Warren, University of Alabama; Susan Burkett, University of Alabama; David Cordes, University of Alabama; Marcus Brown, University of Alabama

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

useful methods forteaching ethics, societal impact, and contemporary issues throughout the curriculum 8. A reviewdescribing creative methods for teaching and learning these skills are given by Shuman et al 9.Student focused e-learning courses 10 as well as ePortfolio approaches 11 have been useful forplacing responsibility of the student on communicating knowledge of the ABET outcomes thatare difficult to assess.Still others have attempted to address contemporary issues and other ABET outcomes bycreating soft skill modules that can be included in any course.12,13 When lumped with ethical andsocietal impact modules, assessment of the contemporary issue module showed that studentconfidence when dealing with these topics went from an average pre

Conference Session

Critical Thinking and Creative Arts

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Christy Moore, University of Texas, Austin; D'Arcy Randall, University of Texas, Austin; Hillary Hart, University of Texas, Austin

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

AC 2009-1879: THE BIG PICTURE: USING THE UNFORESEEN TO TEACHCRITICAL THINKINGChristy Moore, University of Texas, Austin CHRISTY MOORE is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas at Austin where she teaches engineering communication courses and a signature course on “Society, Technology, and the Environment.” Her pedagological and research interests include service-learning projects, engineering ethics and professional responsibility, research ethics, and strategies for advancing students' analytical and rhetorical skills. She is co-PI on an NSF project, The Foundations of Research Ethics for Engineers (FREE) and collaborated on the

Conference Session

Liberal Education and Leadership

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Val Hawks, Brigham Young University; John Harb, Brigham Young University; Alan Parkinson, Brigham Young University; Spencer Magleby, Brigham Young University

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

standpoint and providing incentive for the students to take the courseby receiving credit towards graduation. The course is focused on the three dimensions ofleadership outlined in the model described earlier. Integrity and ethics as the basics in thedevelopment of good leaders is core to the course purpose and the first topic addressed. Inaddition, time is spent on topics such as leadership theory, project management, team dynamics,development and leadership, and organizational culture. The third focus on the course in todiscuss leadership and ethics within the context of global challenges such as sustainability,security, energy production, etc.Focused and well-respected readings, video clips, studies pertinent to the topics and otheraccepted and

Conference Session

Communication and Collaboration

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julie Sharp, Vanderbilt University; Marilyn Dyrud, Oregon Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

Pertaining to Engineering Education." She is also a member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication (past president and senior member), the National Council of Teachers of English, and the Association of Professional Communication Consultants.Marilyn Dyrud, Oregon Institute of Technology Marilyn A. Dyrud has taught in the Communication Department of Oregon Institute of Technology since 1983 and regularly teaches courses in technical and business writing, public speaking, rhetoric, and ethics. She is active in ASEE as a member of the ETD Board and compiler of the annual “Engineering Technology Education Bibliography.” A past chair of the Pacific

Conference Session

Liberal Education and Leadership

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

James Hanson, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Julia Williams, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

system—were used by engineering programs to plancurricular changes and make improvements. The end of the cycle in 2007, however, only meantthe beginning of a new cycle of accreditation, and for many of us at Rose-Hulman, we saw thisas an opportunity to review the institute student learning outcomes and revise them to reflect newchallenges our graduates must meet as they move into the engineering workforce and to graduateschool. Some of the institute outcomes, like communication, teams, and ethics, remainedimportant outcomes to continue to assess, both for the purpose of our institutional focus and forprogram accreditation requirements. In addition, we saw new challenges for our students,reflected in important publications like Rising Above the

Conference Session

Liberal Education and Leadership

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Julia Williams, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Richard House, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Anneliese Watt, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

: “program changes wouldreshape students’ educational experiences inside and outside the classroom, which would in turnenhance student learning.” 1Engineering communication was positioned to receive particular benefit from the replacement ofthe old ABET criteria, which had largely evaluated engineering curricula by the total coursehours devoted to distinct subject areas. That system had enforced a firm distinction betweentechnical curriculum and instruction in the humanities and social sciences—offering noparticular credit for instruction that successfully bridged the divide between liberal education andprofessional engineering practice. ABET’s system did recognize the existence of professionallyrelevant non-technical subjects—naming “ethical

Conference Session

Tree-huggers, Diggers, and Queers--Oh my!

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Erin Cech, University of California, San Diego; Tom Waidzunas, University of California, San Diego

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

, 7Professionalization is the process by which students learn and adapt to this culture, contend withuncertainty, and begin to understanding the ethical responsibilities of a professional.7, 8, 9Professional cultures inculcate numerous norms and assumptions, producing mental habits inprofessionals that become taken for granted.10 Through the rituals of coursework, internships,and informal interactions, students become professionals as they adapt to this professionalculture and learn what it means to be a capable engineer.5, 7, 8, 11, 12 The longer they spend in theinitiation process, the more firmly impressed upon the students are the values of the profession.13,14 If the socialization process fosters a culture in which certain groups of people are favored

Conference Session

Tree-huggers, Diggers, and Queers--Oh my!

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Dean Nieusma, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

Conference Session

Critical Thinking and Creative Arts

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Helen Donis-Keller, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

Tagged Divisions

Liberal Education

Global Century (2007), acknowledges theneeds for all college students to prepare for twenty-first-century challenges by gaining fouressential learning outcomes: 1) knowledge of human cultures and the physical and natural world,focused by engagement with big questions, both contemporary and enduring 2) intellectual andpractical skills, including inquiry and analysis, critical and creative thinking, written and oralcommunication, 3) personal and social responsibility, including foundations and skills forlifelong learning, ethical reasoning and action, intercultural knowledge and competence and 4)integrative learning, including synthesis and advanced accomplishment across general andspecialized studies. For Engineering students in particular