Conference Session

Engineering Ethics V

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Tammy VanDeGrift, University of Portland; Donald Chinn, University of Washington, Tacoma

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

analysis of students’ work.Our results show that students met the learning objectives of crafting arguments, reflecting uponcomputing skills, and discussing issues related to professionalism and diversity.1. IntroductionOne of several educational objectives for computer science programs is preparing students for asuccessful career in the software industry. Both ABET and CC2001 emphasize that computer sciencegraduates should engage topics related to ethics and professionalism1,10. For example, CC2001 identifiesthe social context of computing (SP2) and professional and ethical responsibilities (SP4) as core subjectareas. It also describes in detail the scope of these areas (Chapter 10, pages 55-61). ABET programoutcome letter (e) (an understanding

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics: Using Case Studies

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

William Loendorf, Eastern Washington University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

programs has recognized this need. As a result the EngineeringAccreditation Commission (EAC) and Technology Accreditation Commission (TAC) of ABET,Inc.1 has mandated that undergraduate engineering curricula include the study of ethics. This is aprecautionary approach requiring students to think in ethical terms at all times and not just whenthings go wrong. It could be viewed as defensive ethics by training students how to respond to Page 14.1182.2possible events and anticipate the consequences of their actions. Many ethical lessons areunfortunately learned during an engineer's career only after some unforeseen consequence orunnoticed flaw. The

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics V

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Douglas Oliver, University of Toledo

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

SeniorEngineer/Scientist. In early 1997, Branch left Lockheed Martin for his new career at McDonnellDouglas. Later that year, McDonnell Douglas and Boeing merged to form The BoeingCompany.26 Shortly after Branch left Lockheed Martin, a fellow employee reported seeing him withproprietary Lockheed Martin documents, prompting an internal investigation. The investigatorreported that Branch did not have any proprietary Lockheed Martin papers.27 Boeing was pleased in late 1998 when the first round of EELV contracts was awarded bythe Air Force. It was generally thought that Lockheed Martin was a superior rocket builder.Evidently, Boeing’s lower prices helped Boeing to win 19 of those first 28 EELV rockets.28 Again, in June of 1999, a Boeing

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics, Academic Integrity

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Adam Melvin, North Carolina State University; Lisa Bullard, North Carolina State University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

or is notcheating. However, we have found that the students tend to be laughing too hard to answer theyes/no question at the end of the segment because these examples are so blatant. Finally, thevideo concludes with our take home message: “Cheating isn’t worth it. You will get caught, itmay taint your future academic career, and, ultimately, you will not learn what you need to knowon the exams, in later courses, and in your careers.”Making the VideoThe progression from the skit to the video was an evolutionary process. Initially, the content wasdesigned to be performed as a live skit in front of the class on the first day of classes. Due to thespace restrictions of the classroom, we could only have two actors (a ‘good’ and a ‘bad’ student

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics, Academic Integrity

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Isaac Wait, Marshall University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

classified as cheating and do not havea harmful effect on their education.IntroductionThe number of American-style universities outside of North America is increasing, spurred bythe twin perceptions that (1) American education is a pathway to career success, and (2) in thepost-9/11 world, gaining admittance to America is increasingly difficult. As branch campuses ofestablished American universities open abroad, and as new international institutions obtainaccreditation from US-based agencies, it is important to examine how to provide an “American”education when an institution is surrounded by a foreign culture, populated by non-Americanstudents, and largely staffed by educators with limited academic experience in the United States.Academic honesty

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics - Courses and Curricula

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Donald McEachron, Drexel University; Sheila Vaidya, Drexel University; Stacey Ake, Drexel University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

. Multiple writing assignments arebuilt into each WI course with the proviso that each assignment go through multiple drafts.Students work with specially trained tutors who review each draft and work with students toimprove their writing as the students proceed from draft to draft. Thus, unlike a term or researchpaper which may have at most two drafts and often only one, these writing assignments arereviewed and revised several times to ensure that lessons about effective communication arethoroughly learned. By selecting courses in a developmentally appropriate manner, students’progress in communication skills can be tracked over their academic careers. This provides fortimely intervention should adequate progress not be observed. In addition, the

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics: Using Case Studies

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Didier Valdes, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez; Erika Jaramillo Giraldo, University of Puerto Rico; Jorge Ferrer, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez; William Frey, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

VIDEO: ENGINEERING GUESSTIMATIONCharacters: 1- Steve Cashman, the boss 2- Pamela Marketer, a recently graduated doctor 3- Lauren English, her friend Pamela Marketer, a recently graduated Ph.D., is being interviewed by a potential employer.He offers her a part-time job while she starts her academic career. Lauren, her friend, is workingon a stream model for the Snake River and he asks her to help her with the modeling process. She begins working with her friend, looking at the process that she has followed. Laurenexplained the trouble that she has had collecting the data needed to develop the model. DoctorMarketer asks Lauren for the re-oxygenation calculations.However, Lauren looks distressed because she did not do those calculations

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics: Using Case Studies

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Timothy Skvarenina, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

mystudents were surveyed after a 50 to 75 minute class, while the reported groups participated in asix-week program, involving a three-hour case study and three writing assignments.Finally, near the end of the semester, I gave a survey to get the students’ opinion of whether theoutcomes of the course had been accomplished. Answers were again on a scale of 1 to 5 with 1indicating strongly disagree and 5 indicating strongly agree. The response to the question, “Thematerial covered in the ethics case study discussion helped me to understand the ethicalresponsibilities of a career in engineering technology,” has yielded an average score over 4.0each semester, indicating the students did believe the class discussion was useful

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics V

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

John Ochs, Lehigh University; Lisa Getzler-Linn, Lehigh University; Margaret Huyck, Illinois Institute of Technology; Scott Schaffer, Purdue University; Mary Raber, Michigan Technology University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

Michigan Tech since its inception in 2000, and is responsible for its overall coordination and development. Her responsibilities include corporate sponsorship development, interdisciplinary program evaluation and assessment, and workshop/course instruction in the areas of teaming and leadership. She received her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and an MBA from Wayne State University. Before joining MTU she held various engineering and management positions during a 15 year career in the automotive industry. Page 14.250.1© American Society for Engineering Education

Conference Session

Engineering Ethics - Courses and Curricula

Collection

2009 Annual Conference & Exposition

Authors

Brock Barry, United States Military Academy; Matthew Ohland, Purdue University

Tagged Divisions

Engineering Ethics

definitive and enforceable language in Criterion IV.C.3.j whichstated: An understanding of ethical, social, economic, and safety considerations in engineering practice is essential for a successful engineering career. Course work may be provided for this purpose, but as a minimum it should be the responsibility of the engineering faculty to infuse professional concepts into all engineering course work.24Five engineering programs voluntarily went through accreditation review using the EC 2000criteria during the 1996-97 and 1997-98 academic years.15 Another 104 programs were evaluatedusing the EC 2000 criteria during the transition years between the 1998-1999 and the 2000-2001academic years.15 At present, all ABET