A bioethics course for biology and science education students

Abstract

The term bioethics has multiple origins but has generally been taken to mean medical ethics, especially in the USA. The usage adopted in this paper is somewhat wider, encompassing environmental ethics and the social and ethical dimensions of biological and biomedical science and of medicine. There is a growing awareness of these issues amongst the public and in the media, and an increasing level of debate about them. It is important that biologists and those who teach biology are aware of the ethical and social implications of their work and have the intellectual tools to enter the debate. Thus, at the University of Exeter, a bioethics module has been established. It is aimed mainly at biology and science education students but is open to students from other disciplines. The range of topics covered by our broad definition is presented by several different means, including lectures, structured role play, case studies and videos. Students carry out more detailed case studies in small groups, mentored by postgraduate students, and present posters on their case studies. This forms part of their assessment and they also submit individual essays. Student feedback on the module has been consistently favourable since its introduction.