“Our Little World”: (Un)envisioning the Social and Ethical Implications of Engineering

Abstract

This Research Full Paper explores how undergraduate students understood the social relevance of their engineering course content knowledge and drew (or failed to draw) larger social and ethical implications from that knowledge. Based on a qualitative case study conducted in a junior level engineering class, we found that the majority of students had difficulty perceiving the social and ethical aspects of engineering as important or appropriate topics in an engineering course. Many students only considered the immediate technical usability of or improved efficiency from technical innovations as the primary social and ethical implications of engineering. This study investigates a potentially critical flaw in the structure of engineering programs, highlighting the limitations that accompany a discipline-specific academic focus. Highly structured programs leave little room for engineering students to interact with other students/programs on campus, and limit opportunities to engage in meaningful interdisciplinary discourses and expand their perspective.