Ethics Course Research Articles

A new approach to business ethics education: Virtual reality-based flipped learning

Paying attention to business ethics and educating ethical leaders and employees can impact organizational performance. Effective professional ethics education and learning can prevent administrative corruption, embezzlement and fraud in organizations. On the other hand, the development of digital technologies has created transformations in educational processes and methods. Evaluating the effectiveness of innovative teaching methods will greatly help the learning process of individuals and educational planning of business schools. Flipped learning is an educational approach in which students learn about course content before class. Accordingly, the aim of this research is to evaluate the impact of virtual reality (VR)-based flipped learning compared to the traditional method of teaching business ethics. This study was applied and quasi-experimental. Among business students of Shiraz University, 135 people were randomly divided into three groups. The first experimental group underwent training with the flipped learning method based on VR and the second experimental group underwent training with the traditional method and the third group was the control group. The control group didn't receive training and was selected only for the purpose of comparison with experimental groups. Pretest and posttest designs were used and the results of the three groups were compared using the Tukey test. The results showed that the two groups that received business ethics education had a significant difference compared to the control group. An important finding of this study revealed that among the two teaching methods, VR-based flipped learning had a greater impact on students' business ethics compared to the traditional teacher-centered approach. Accordingly, university managers and business ethics course instructors can facilitate the learning process using VR-based flipped learning. Designing simulation software for ethical scenarios is also a suitable solution for teaching business ethics.

Academic Opportunities of Gamification at University

Gamification is a powerful tool of modern education, but its successful implementation requires careful planning that takes into account the academic context and the individual needs of students. The authors tested a new narrative model of gamification, which integrated game elements and storylines to create a more interactive and motivating learning environment. The model involved stories and scenarios that linked various tasks and activities to immerse students in professionally relevant situations. The model was based on gamification principles, game mechanics, interactive tasks, social interaction, and adaptive feedback. The narrative contextualized learning, thus enhancing students’ engagement, motivation, and professional identity. The experiment (September-December 2023) gamified a course of Professional Ethics and involved first-year students of Clinical Psychology (n = 31), Voino-Yasenetsky Krasnoyarsk State Medical University. The narrative model of gamification fostered a more positive attitude towards the future profession, increased students’ engagement, and enhanced their interest in the academic process. Storylines, roles, personages, problematic situations, and unpredictability ensured students’ deep immersion in professional situations and contributed to the development of important ethical and professional qualities. Gamification has a great potential for improving the quality of higher education, making the learning routine more exciting and effective.

Educational needs of midwifery students in medical ethics: A qualitative study.

Background: Ethics education is a basic part of midwifery education program. However, there is no evidence to show that ethics education has been able to meet the educational needs of midwifery students. Purpose: This study aimed to explore the educational needs of students for ethics in midwifery program with a focus on the course of history, ethics, and rules of midwifery. Research design and participants: The present study is qualitative descriptive content analysis research, exploring midwifery students' needs of ethics education in bachelor's degrees. We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews with 11 undergraduate midwifery students, seven midwives working in hospitals and health centers, and seven midwifery faculty members in Urmia University of Medical Sciences. The participants were selected using a purposeful sampling method and invited to join the study from December 2021 to June 2022. The sampling continued until data saturation. Findings: Content analysis identified four categories and associated subcategories: 1. "The client's rights": respecting the dignity of clients, confidentiality, the client's right to choose and make decisions; 2. "Legal and ethical requirements of fertility": abortion, alternative treatment for infertility, domestic violence; 3. "Communication skills": communication with the client, communication with clients' caregivers and communication with colleagues; and 4. "ethical principles in research": compliance with ethical principles in the research process and ethical principles in publishing research findings. Ethical considerations: The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Urmia University of Medical Sciences. Before filling the questionnaires, written informed consent was obtained from the participants. The participants were assured of the confidentiality of personal information. Conclusion: The educational needs of midwifery students can be met by providing theoretical and practical training on respecting the pregnant mother, communication skills, legal and ethical aspects of the reproductive period, and incorporating ethical principles in related courses.

A Rubik’s Cube-Inspired Pedagogical Tool for Teaching and Learning Engineering Ethics

To facilitate engineering students’ understanding of engineering ethics and support instructors in developing course content, this study introduces an innovative educational tool drawing inspiration from the Rubik’s Cube metaphor. This Engineering Ethics Knowledge Rubik’s Cube (EEKRC) integrates six key aspects—ethical theories, codes of ethics, ethical issues, engineering disciplines, stakeholders, and life cycle—identified through an analysis of engineering ethics textbooks and courses across the United States, Singapore, and China. This analysis underpins the selection of the six aspects, reflecting the shared and unique elements of engineering ethics education in these regions. In an engineering ethics course, the EEKRC serves multiple functions: it provides visual support for grasping engineering ethics concepts, acts as a pedagogical guide for both experienced and inexperienced educators in course design, offers a complementary assessment method for evaluating students learning outcomes, and assists as a reference for students engaging in ethical analysis.

The effect of role play prepared with video support on ethical decision-making and motivation levels of nursing students: A quasi-experimental study.

Background: Since the increasingly complex structure of health care services brings many ethical problems, it is important to use different instructional technologies in the ethical education of future nurses.Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of role play prepared with video support on ethical decision-making and motivation levels of nursing students.Research design: A quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design.Participants and research context: The research was conducted in the Nursing Department of a University located in Istanbul, Turkey between October 15 and November 15, 2024. The sample of the research consisted of 3rd year nursing students. Data were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Form, the Nursing Dilemma Test, and the Instructional Material Motivation Scale for Single-Use.Ethical considerations: Permission was obtained from Bezmialem Vakif University Non-Interventional Ethical Research Committee and the institution where the study was conducted for the implementation of the research. Written and verbal consent was obtained from all participants in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration.Findings: While there was no difference between the students' Ethical Dilemma Test Principled Thinking pre-test and post-test scores, their Practical Consideration (p = .005) and motivation levels (p = .037) post-test scores were found to be higher. There was a weak but significant negative correlation between academic achievement and pre-test teaching material motivation levels (r = -0.375, p = .041).Discussion: The use of different teaching methods and techniques in ethics education in nursing is important for future nurses to find more practical solutions to the ethical problems they will encounter during patient care.Conclusion: The results of the study indicate that the use of video-supported role play can be effective in teaching ethics courses in nursing education.

Philosophy within Data Science Ethics Courses

There is wide agreement that ethical considerations are a valuable aspect of a data science curriculum, and to that end, many data science programs offer courses in data science ethics. There are not always, however, explicit connections between data science ethics and the centuries-old work on ethics within the discipline of philosophy. Here, we present a framework for bringing together key data science practices with ethics topics. The ethics topics were collated from 16 data science ethics courses with public-facing syllabi and reading lists. We encourage individuals who are teaching data science ethics to engage with the philosophical literature and its connection to current data science practices, which are rife with potentially morally charged decision points.

Examining the effects of moral distress, compassion fatigue and burnout on intention to leave among nursing students in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional study

BackgroundCompassion fatigue and burnout have detrimental effects on nursing students. Moral distress has been recognized as a contributing factor to both, potentially impacting the intention to leave nursing programme. AimTo examine relationships among moral distress, compassion fatigue and burnout on intention to leave the nursing programme among nursing students. MethodsA cross-sectional correlational design was used. Four hundred eighty-four nursing students from nine higher educations participated. Data were collected using the Moral Distress Scale-Revised, Compassion Fatigue Self-Test, and a single item examining the intention to leave. ResultsMild to moderate levels of moral distress but high levels of compassion fatigue and burnout were reported. In regression analysis, year of study (OR = 14.323, CI = 1.273–161.143, p < 0.031), length of clinical learning (OR = 1.061, CI = 1.020–1.103, p < 0.003), moral distress (OR = 3.181, CI = 1.848–5.475, p < 0.001), burnout (OR = 1.165, CI = 1.118–1.214, p < 0.001) were associated with a higher chance of intention to leave. Attendance of an ethics course for >30 h (OR = 0.164, CI = 0.041–0.653, p < 0.010) and the interaction between moral distress and burnout (OR = 0.977, CI = 0.968–0.987, p < 0.001) were associated with a significant decrease in the intention to leave. ConclusionBurnout is a strong predictor for intention to leave the nursing programme among nursing students. Interventions addressing moral distress, compassion fatigue, and burnout might prevent intention to leave the nursing programme.

Delivering Military Ethics Education to the Colombian Armed Forces: Centre for Military Ethics’ Collaboration with Colombian Military Educational Facilities

ABSTRACT This article describes the progress and impact of the King’s College London Centre for Military Ethics since its collaboration with the Colombian military forces’ educational institutions. More specifically, the article focusses on expanding the military ethics course across different educational facilities of the Colombian Army and the Colombian Navy and Air Force. The impact of the education delivered using an online course designed to be completed without a tutor is analysed and presented. The final part of the article describes a way forward as far as the Colombian project is concerned, as well as the refinement of the course materials and launch of new tools.

Ethics Project Mata Kuliah Etika Kristen dalam Meningkatkan Keterampilan Berpikir Kritis Mahasiswa Indonesia

The project shows that Christian ethical principles provide a strong foundation for Indonesian students to understand values such as 1) love, 2) justice, and 3) responsibility, which can help Indonesian students improve their critical thinking skills. The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of the ethics project in the Christian Ethics course on improving the critical thinking skills of Indonesian students. The methods used include active learning through discussions, case studies, and social projects that integrate Christian ethical values. As such, the results of the evaluation showed that there was a significant improvement in Indonesian students' ability to analyze and formulate ethical decisions. Thus, this project contributes to the formation of a generation of students who are more sensitive to ethical and social issues in societ.

Ethical Consumption as Fetishism: Unmasking Capitalist Ideologies, Social Distinctions, and the Educational Imperative

This paper offers a critical examination of ethical consumption, exploring how it reinforces social identities within the capitalist framework. It argues for the crucial role of educational institutions in addressing ethical consumption within their curricula. While ethical consumption is often promoted for its moral virtues and its potential to address issues such as environmental sustainability and labor rights, the paper contends that it inadvertently perpetuates capitalist ideologies and exacerbates class divisions. Through this lens, the analysis critiques the ways in which ethical consumption practices sustain existing social structures, often cloaked in the guise of moral virtue. The paper suggests that educational institutions should integrate discussion on ethical consumption into their ethics courses in advertising and marketing programs to facilitate a more thorough examination of its consequences. This approach would equip students to critically navigate the complexities of ethical consumer choices, fostering a generation of informed, discerning, and socially responsible consumers.

The use and ethics of dental photography and social media at an oral healthcare training centre in South Africa.

The ethics surrounding the use and sharing of photographs on social media has come under the spotlight as the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPI Act) has come into play. The aim is to determine the use, ethical practice and sharing of dental photography on social media among qualified and undergraduate oral health practitioners at a dental school in South Africa. A cross-sectional study design was used on staff and students at the University of the Western Cape's Dental Faculty in 2022. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used to determine associations between the different graduation statuses and various demographic factors. From the 80 undergraduate students and 46 qualified oral healthcare practitioners, the majority were aware that photography could be used in dentistry, and 87.3% (n = 110) took photographs of the dental treatments performed on their patients. Only 60.3% of the participants attended an ethical course that addressed issues with social media and digital photography. Almost 80% (n = 100) of the participants did not feel that they needed to mention all the social media platforms that they would use with their patients' photographs before sharing. Dental photography is being used and sometimes shared on social media platforms by some students and staff at university level. Not all participants have attended an ethical course on clinical photography. Dental training needs to include an ethical course on dental photography and the use of sharing photographs on social media. Good ethical practice regarding clinical photographs in all undergraduate and postgraduate curriculums, to eliminate any uncertainty.

How can I help? An archetype-based approach to community interpreters’ solidarity

Considering different archetypes —i.e., collective identity representations—helps to discern the multiple ways in which community and public service interpreters are compelled to be of help. I argue that archetypes are a useful analytical tool for interpreters: It allows them to name competing rationales for solidarity; it helps them identify underlying personal motivations that might otherwise remain unconscious; and it permits a conscious decision-making process for the search of ethical courses of action when faced with dilemmas. Conscious decision-making warrants coherent practice that aligns with high professional standards supporting the communicative autonomy of the parties to an interaction. In this article, I present both the model for this archetype-based approach to interpreters’ professional role as well as the analysis of three interpreters’ narrative accounts of their perceptions of role, solidarity, and the model proposed. This input from the field yields rich insights, illustrates the analytical power of the archetypes proposed, and suggests that an expansion of their list might be in order.

How to Renew Business Ethics Education?

Business ethics education is losing credibility worldwide. This is partly due to the experience that teaching ethics in business schools does not necessarily help future professionals to be more ethical in business. The article agrees with Claus Dierksmeier’s criticism of conventional business ethics education and suggests that business ethics courses should be renewed both in contents and pedagogy. The article advances a position that business ethics education is much needed in business schools as they can give room for both students and faculty for transformational learning and moral growth.

Educational approach for public health ethics in nursing: Focusing on COVID-19.

Background: With the increasing ethical challenges and dilemmas faced by nurses due to various disasters such as COVID-19 worldwide, there is a need for a new public health ethics education curriculum to strengthen competencies for ethical responses in the nursing field. Objectives: This study was aimed to identify the impact of a teaching method utilizing news articles and panel discussion material in the public health ethics education program on nursing students' thinking regarding ethical issues. Design: This was an exploratory study to identify the thinking styles inherent in ethical reflection by analyzing the reflection contents written by nursing students using text mining techniques. Participants: 73 among the students taking a nursing ethics course at a university in Seoul, South Korea, voluntarily participated in this study after providing informed consent. Methods: The public health ethics program was conducted with sessions held once a week for a total of 7 weeks, and reflections written by nursing students were collected as text files during session 5 to 7. In this study, data preprocessing process, keyword analysis, and LDA topic modeling were sequentially conducted utilizing the R program according to the data analysis procedure of text mining techniques. Ethical considerations: This study was conducted under ethics approval from the institution where participants were recruited. Findings and discussion: The results of this study show that the teaching method utilizing news articles enhanced rational ethical deliberation from the cognitive aspect, whereas the teaching method utilizing panel discussion material strengthened the response to emotions on a more internal level. Conclusions: The teaching method utilizing news articles and panel discussion materials in public health ethics education is expected to be mutually complementary and effective, so further studies are recommended.

Is all that glitters gold? Exploring sustainability and business ethics education in ethics-friendly environments

Purpose This study aims to identify students’ perceptions of the importance and objectives of sustainability and business ethics education, considering contextual factors (ethics-friendly environments) and including the social desirability (SD) bias to strengthen data robustness and assess response truthfulness. Design/methodology/approach A survey was administered to 170 business students at an Icelandic university to measure their attitudes and perceptions toward sustainability and business ethics courses. Descriptive statistics, Mann–Whitney tests, χ2 tests and multivariate regression were used for the analysis. Findings The results show no significant differences among participants, depending on individual and organizational factors. The authors did not find significant differences in gender, age or exposure to sustainability and business ethics courses concerning social desirability bias. Contextual solid factors can explain these results. Originality/value This study expands on previous research by examining students’ perceptions of sustainability and business ethics education in an “ethics-friendly environment” like Iceland, a new and fertile territory for business ethics education research. These elements are crucial for further research on students’ attitudes toward sustainability and business ethics and the role of this subject in university curricula.

Dampak Pemahaman Kode Etik Profesi Akuntan Dan Idealisme Terhadap Persepsi Etika Mahasiswa Akuntansi : Peran Jender Sebagai Variabel Moderasi

Students as the nation's successors who are expected to contribute greatly in upholding the name of the country have a role to do the best, especially accounting students in disclosing the accountability of state financial reporting, starting from simulating the understanding of several ethics courses that have been given in college. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of understanding the accountant's professional code of ethics and idealism on the ethical perceptions of accounting students with gender roles as moderating variables. In analyzing this research using quantitative methods with purposive sampling techniques to evaluate the population of accounting students in Gresik Regency and data collection was carried out through distributing online questionnaires using a Likert scale and tested using SEM PLS MGA techniques. From going through various test processes, the results showed that Gender managed to moderate the Accountant Professional Code of Ethics strongly on the Ethical Perceptions of Accountant Students. And the Accounting Professional Code of Ethics and Idealism have a positive effect on the Ethical Perceptions of Accounting Students. However, Gender did not succeed in moderating Idealism on the Ethical Perceptions of Accounting Students.

Laboratory animal ethics education improves medical students' awareness of laboratory animal ethics

ObjectiveIn this study, we added laboratory animal ethics education into both didactic sessions and practical sessions the general surgery laboratory course, with the didactic sessions focus on teaching the fundamental principles of laboratory animal ethics, while the practical sessions emphasize the application of these principles in laboratory classes and have assessed the changes in medical students' perception of laboratory animal ethics following medical students exposure to such education.MethodsOne hundred and eighty-nine third-year medical students from Wuhan University's Second Clinical College completed a laboratory animal ethics awareness questionnaire and a laboratory animal ethics written examination before and after laboratory animal ethics education.ResultsAfter receiving laboratory animal ethics education, the percentage of students who supported euthanasia for the execution of animals and humane treatment of laboratory animals were 95.2% and 98.8%, respectively, which did not differ from the 94.9% and 96.4% observed before the education. Moreover, there was a notable increase in the proportion of students who knew about regulations related to laboratory animals (from 39.9% to 57.1%), welfare issues (from 31.9% to 50.0%), and the 3R principle (from 30.4% to 58.9%) post-education, all statistically significant at P < 0.05. Test scores also showed improvement, with students scoring (93.02 ± 11.65) after education compared to (67.83 ± 8.08) before, a statistically significant difference.ConclusionsThis research helps to provide information for the good practices of laboratory animal ethics education. After receiving laboratory animal ethics education, students are better able to treat laboratory animals in a correct animal ethical manner. Laboratory animal ethics education helps improve students' knowledge of laboratory animal ethics. Students’ perception towards how the laboratory animal ethics course should be delivered may vary. Still, new courses or better organized courses on laboratory animal ethics education are required in order to provide students an in-depth understanding.

Peran Mata Kuliah Etika Profesi Keguruan dalam Pembentukan Karakter dan Praktik Profesional Mahasiswa Calon Guru di Indonesia

Education has a crucial role in forming individual character and morality, and the role of teachers as educational agents is very important in this process. This research method is a qualitative research method with a library approach, namely a research approach that uses written or literary sources of information, whether from books, journal articles, magazines and other sources as a basis for gaining an in-depth understanding of the role of the Teaching Professional Ethics course in character formation. and Professional Practices of Prospective Teacher Students in Indonesia. By better understanding its impact, we can identify learning strategies that are more effective and relevant to local contexts, thereby improving the quality of teacher education and, in turn, the quality of national education as a whole.

Revisiting the evaluation of IT ethical scenarios using a multidimensional scale

PurposeIn 2001, Ellis and Griffith used a multidimensional ethics scale including three subdimensions of moral equality, relativism and contractualism to examine the ethicality of IT scenarios. In the 20 plus years to follow, there has been an exponential growth in uses and users of technology. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to ascertain if the multi-item ethics measure remains valid in spite of the technological advances and progression of communication made possible through technology.Design/methodology/approachThe survey consisted of technology-related ethical situations, an ethical judgment scale, an engagement scale and demographical questions. The sample size was 366, consisting of mainly white, upperclassman, American-native males having proficient experience with computers and spending an average of 20 h or less a week on a computer.FindingsThe findings reveal that both moral equity and relativism have a positive relationship with engagement across all tested scenarios, while contractualism has a positive relationship in four scenarios. Furthermore, a significant difference between the means of gender exists in four of the six scenarios. These findings indicate that indeed college students can not only recognize, but also make an ethical decision to not engage in unethical behavior and reconfirm that using a multidimensional ethics scale is warranted.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is not without limitations. First, the data is cross-sectional and causal inferences are not warranted. Second, the sample consisted of students and may not be generalizable to employees. Therefore, future research may sample employees in a technology organization to provide greater insight into ethical judgment and engagement in such scenarios. Another limitation of this study is that the scenarios were generated from students discussing their concerns regarding various ethical judgment situations they anticipate encountering in the near future with technology. Although this method of developing scenarios addresses current concerns of students, some of the scenarios do not directly apply to the workplace and may appear to be limited in their applicability. Therefore, future studies should consider developing scenarios that reflect more practical situations that occur in the workplace in general and through work-life blending.Practical implicationsOne of the implications of these findings is that universities and business schools who embed ethics courses in the curriculum need to incorporate moral reasoning in ethics courses, as moral reasoning is an essential component of ethical decision-making and is shown to have a positive relationship with engagement in this study. By providing students with instruction on moral reasoning, universities can equip them with the skills to make ethical decisions that align with the values of their future employers and ameliorate their engagement levels. Continuing professional education in these ethical issues areas helps bridge college edification with practical career application, and ensures that as technologies and situations change, future business professionals are equipped to navigate changing environments and ethical scenarios.Social implicationsWith a brighter spotlight shining on employee ethical behavior both in and out of the workplace (Parker et al., 2019), the ability to make moral choices is vital. This study’s findings indicate that an increased focus on ethics education in universities is effective in helping future business professionals recognize and avoid ethical lapses. Therefore, it may be worthwhile for organizations to invest in ethics training programs to promote ethical decision-making skills among employees. By doing so, organizations may create a culture that values ethical behavior and provides employees with the tools and knowledge necessary to make informed and ethical decisions.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of ethics education and training programs and underscores the need for organizations to foster a culture of ethical behavior. Additionally, the study’s findings regarding gender differences call for greater efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace, particularly in leadership positions.

Course-Embedded Advising for International Students: Opportunities for Engagement Building

This pilot involved the implementation of a course-embedded advising model in a graduate level ethics course of a small international university. Online education has been employed to reduce the effects of massification and target resources (Franco et al., 2019; Yann &amp; Ibrahim, 2020) with the aim of increasing assess to education in underserved and developing countries. Online education improves access but access alone does not suffice. Quality in online courses, determined in part by engagement, is one factor that may address inequity of access Adarkwah (2021). Lessons learned and future directions are discussed in the context of Self-Determination Theory.