Ethics Course Research Articles

Evaluating research ethics committees in Vietnam and Laos: Results of a validated self-assessment tool.

There is an increase in human subject research in developing countries and conducting them in an ethical manner depends on the research ethics oversight in these countries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the operational, financial, and educational characteristics of research ethics committees (RECs) at institutions in Vietnam and Laos. A validated self-assessment tool designed to assess nine major characteristics of RECs was translated into Vietnamese and Laotian. The translated surveys were delivered to and completed by representatives from RECs at institutions in Vietnam and Laos. The surveys were collected, translated back into English, and scored. The data was analyzed to identify potential areas of strength and areas for improvement. The mean survey score for the 19 RECs surveyed was 165.3 out of a maximum of 200 points with a standard deviation of 22.9. Committees scored the highest in the review of specific protocol items (95.6%), submission arrangements and materials (89.5%), and the policies referring to review procedures (85.6%) domains. RECs scored the lowest in the resources domain (65.5%), with only 26.3% of committees having an annual budget. Nearly all RECs have standard operating procedures (94.7%) and policies for disclosing conflicts of interest (89.5%). Most committees use prior ethics training as a criterion to select REC chairs (78.9%) and members (73.7%), with the majority of committees requiring a training course in ethics (76.5%). 68.4% of committees have continuing education in ethics for members and only 42.1% of committees have a budget for member training. This study demonstrated that RECs in Vietnam and Laos have strong foundational review processes for research protocols. Important areas of improvement include improved institutional oversight, financial and administrative resources, and the continued ethics education for current committee members.

Effectiveness of E-learning on "Sexual Health" among students of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences based on the Kirkpatrick model.

Implementing educational programs such as E-learning is highly low-cost and highly effective. The aim was to design and implement a sexual health education program to enhance female students' knowledge based on the Kirkpatrick model. This study was a quasi-experimental intervention study conducted on 60 female students of the Medical Ethics course at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences based on the Kirkpatrick model. After needs assessment and determining the course syllabus, the teaching content was produced electronically and made available to the research population after scientific (Women's Group) and technical (E-Learning Group) approval. Data analysis was performed based on Mann-Whitney U test and independent t-test through SPSS version 26. The mean (standard deviation) scores of the Kirkpatrick level 2 measurement (learning) of the participants increased from 15.34 (4.89) before the intervention to 16.88 (5.20) after intervention (P < 0.001), which was statistically significant. The participants' satisfaction rate with the educational content was 86%, with the course duration was 94.4%, with the educational facilities and equipment was 85.4%, and with the presentation method and attractiveness of the materials was 86.3%. In total, the participants' satisfaction rate with the electronic course was 88%. The results of this study indicated a positive impact of the course on students' knowledge regarding sexual issues, and the students overall expressed satisfaction with this electronic course. Therefore, it is recommended to implement this course extensiver in other universities considering the advantages of E-learning.

The Role of Ethics and Civilization Course in Nurturing a Madani Generation

The development of a Madani generation involves more than just material advancement; it necessitates meticulous thought and the cultivation of ethical values. The 10th Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, conceived the slogan “Malaysia MADANI,” paving the way for Malaysia and its diverse population of races, religions, and cultures to progress. Therefore, this study aims to examine the role of ethics and civilization appreciation courses in fostering a Madani generation. The six main pillars contained in the idea of a civilized Malaysia, including sustainability, well-being, creativity, respect, confidence, and courtesy, were also debated to foster a generation that is advanced in terms of thought, spirituality, and materiality. The entire study employs qualitative methods to analyze primary and secondary sources. A document analysis study was also carried out to ensure the validity of each piece of information presented and evaluate the available facts. The study’s results revealed that the ethics and civilization appreciation course significantly contributed to the understanding of the six core pillars that shape a Malaysian generation MADANI, thereby enhancing critical and analytical thinking skills to navigate a more challenging life. The study’s implications demonstrate that ethics and civilization appreciation courses significantly contribute to the development of the most Madani generation, thereby contributing to the progress of the nation.

An examination of the effectiveness of in an integrated appreciative curriculum moral education for college students from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and mainland China--Taking ethics and life as an example

This study investigates the effectiveness of fusion-based appreciative curriculum moral education through non-experimental research methods involving college students from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and mainland China who took the Ethics and Life course. The findings indicate that: (1) moral education based on integrated appreciation significantly enhances students’ moral cognition and demonstrates a positive but nonsignificant impact on moral behaviour. (2) Both classroom reflection and course papers reveal that integrative appreciation-based moral education promotes moral cognition and fosters value cultivation. (3) Gender can influence the effectiveness of curriculum moral education, warranting attention to the active utilization of this subgroup characteristic in practice. (4) College students’ moral cognition and behaviour are not significantly correlated with their academic performance.

ATTITUDE TOWARDS PROFESSIONALISM AMONG UNDERGRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE DENTAL STUDENTS

Objectives: To assess the perceptions and attitude of under and postgraduate dental students toward professionalism in Peshawar. Materials and Methods: This Descriptive cross sectional was conducted at Khyber College of Dentistry (KCD), Rehman college of Dentistry (RCD) and Sardar Begum Dental College (SBDC) Peshawar.:Third year and fi nal year BDS students and postgraduate dental residents were asked to complete a specially designed proforma validated by 32 experts. Likert Scale was used for scoring the diff erent domains of professionalism. The SPSS 23 was used for analyzing the data. Results: A total number of students participated in the study were158. The most appreciated and valued domain selected by the student was Honor and Integrity. Duty/Accountability was the least valued domain scored by the participants. A signifi cant diff erence was noted among the attitude of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the domains of Duty/Accountability, Excellence/Autonomy, Altruism and Respect. The mean score for Excellence/Autonomy domain was significantly higher among public sector institutes as compared to private one (p=0.008). Conclusion: Knowledge of professionalism in most of our study participants is not optimal, reflecting lack of behavioral sciences in the undergraduate and postgraduate curricula, which recommend provision of ethics course in the dental curriculum.

Design Considerations for Facilitating Equitable Participation in an Ethical Data Science Course for High School Students

The emergence of data science, Big Data Analytics, and other related methodologies have resulted in differential outcomes for people situated differently in society. Exacerbating these effects is the privilege hazard (D’Ignazio &amp; Klein, 2020) that occurs when teams of data scientists are composed primarily of individuals from privileged backgrounds. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to understand how educators may support students from different backgrounds (both relatively privileged and marginalized) to participate equitably and meaningfully in ethical data science discussions in order to safeguard against the privilege hazard. To do this, we draw on the literature regarding STEM identity formation, use Cobb and Yackel’s (1996) framework for analyzing social norms for discourse in inquiry-based classrooms, and draw on Hodge and Cobb’s Cultural Participation Orientation towards developing an inclusive classroom environment. Finally, we describe the course design elements (task structures, participation structures, and discursive moves) that supported students’ equitable participation in ethical data science discussions (Sandoval, 2004).

An Analysis of The Skill-Based Questıons Prepared By The Ministry of National Education for Secondary School Religious Culture and Ethics Course in Terms of Taxonomics

Bu araştırmanın amacı MEB tarafından ortaokul 5, 6 ve 7.sınıflar için hazırlanan Din Kültürü Ahlak Bilgisi dersi beceri temelli soruların Yenilenen Bloom Taksonomisinin “Bilgi” ve “Bilişsel Süreç” boyutuna göre durumunu incelemektir. Araştırma nitel bir araştırmadır ve durum çalışması deseni benimsenmiştir. Araştırmada MEB’in 5, 6 ve 7. sınıflar için yayımladığı beceri temelli soruların tamamı incelenmiştir. Araştırmanın verileri doküman incelemesi yolu ile toplanmış, verilerin analizi betimsel analiz yolu ile yapılmıştır. Araştırmada verilerin güvenilirliği Miles ve Huberman’ın güvenilirlik formülü kullanılarak belirlenmiştir. Araştırma sonucunda beceri temelli toplam 308 soru ile ilgili şu verilere ulaşılmıştır: “Bilgi” boyutunda soruların 71’i (%23,1) “Olgusal Bilgi”, 236’sı (%76,6) “Kavramsal Bilgi”, 1’i (%0,3) “İşlemsel Bilgi” türünde; “Bilişsel Süreç” boyutunda soruların 20’si (%6,5) “Hatırlama”, 83’ü (%26,9) “Anlama”, 12’si (%3,9) “Uygulama”, 191’i (%62) “Çözümleme”, 2’si (%0,6) “Değerlendirme” sürecinde yer almaktadır. Sorularda en fazla “Kavramsal Bilgi” türü ve “Çözümleme” süreci yer almakta, “Üstbilişsel Bilgi” türü ve “Yaratma” süreci yer almamaktadır. Araştırmada ortaya çıkan sonuçlardan yola çıkılarak soruların Yenilenen Bloom Taksonomisinin “Bilgi” boyutunda tüm bilgi türlerine, “Bilişsel Süreç” boyutunda tüm süreçlere hitap edebilecek düzeyde ve dengeli bir şekilde dağılması gerektiği önerilmiştir.

Knowledge of Legislation as an Ethical Principle for Undergraduate Rehabilitation Students

Undergraduate rehabilitation education (URE) degree programs have trained entry-level practitioners since the mid-twentieth century. Accrediting bodies of rehabilitation and human services degree programs have required, while educators and researchers have supported, the inclusion of ethics within URE curriculum. Yet many undergraduate programs do not have courses that are purely dedicated to ethics. This paper highlights legislative principles in URE curriculum and rehabilitation practice as an ethical imperative, to address ever changing sociopolitical concerns that impact the rehabilitation field. Students in undergraduate rehabilitation education programs may benefit more from full ethics courses to meet these needs.

Approaches and Models for Teaching Digital Ethics in Information Systems Courses – A Review of the Literature

The value and importance of teaching Digital Ethics within Information Systems and ICT courses is widely recognized and stand-alone or integrated digital ethics units are broadly implemented across degree courses. However, how such courses should be taught and what content they should include is a little explored topic. Using a narrative literature review methodology, this paper reviews the pedagogical theories underpinning digital ethics courses discussed in the literature and outlines approaches that deploy standalone ethics units, integrated ethics teaching, and hybrid teaching approaches and the use of interdisciplinary models. The paper identifies the employment of, and emphasis given to various moral theories in digital ethics education. The paper then discusses how our findings relating to different pedagogical approaches, degree of integration of ethics teaching, the use of interdisciplinary models and use of moral theories—are related to each other. The discussion explores trends in approaches and models for teaching digital ethics highlighted in the review, and makes recommendations for further exploration and inquiry. It concludes that the effective teaching of digital ethics will likely involve a considered combination of approaches, models and techniques, which may also be tailored to the needs of different roles and industries.

Effect of empathy competence on moral sensitivity in Chinese student nurses: the mediating role of emotional intelligence

BackgroundEthical issues may pose challenges to nursing students entering clinical practice. Moral sensitivity can assist them in recognising existing moral situations and then taking adequate action. Identifying the variables associated with moral sensitivity may be useful in preparing to improve nursing students' moral sensitivity.ObjectivesThis study investigated empathy, emotional intelligence, and moral sensitivity in Chinese student nurses to explore the association among these three factors and to verify the mediating function of emotional intelligence in determining the connection between empathy and moral sensitivity.DesignThis study used a cross-sectional correlational design.Setting and participantsThrough convenience sampling, 239 fourth-year nursing undergraduates at a university in Western China were enrolled in this study.MethodsNursing students who volunteered to participate in the study completed self-reported scales on empathy, emotional intelligence, and moral sensitivity between September and October 2022. The potential mediating effect was explored using the Process Macro and bootstrap method.ResultsThe nursing students' average scores were 39.62 ± 5.27 on moral sensitivity, 108.21 ± 15.49 on empathy, and 124.41 ± 13.66 on EI. Moral sensitivity was positively correlated with emotional intelligence (r = 0.454, p < 0.001) and empathy (r = 0.545, p < 0.001). Furthermore, empathy exerted a substantial direct effect on nursing students' moral sensitivity (B = 0.1424, p < 0.001). Emotional intelligence could mediate the indirect path from empathy to moral sensitivity. (B = 0.0372, p < 0.001).ConclusionEmotional intelligence mediated the association between empathy and moral sensitivity. Thus, educational activities and programmes placing an emphasis on empathy and emotional intelligence may offer an alternative way to promote moral sensitivity in Chinese student nurses.ImplicationsNursing educators can organise programmes to improve nursing students' emotional competence and professional values. Early exposure to clinical practice benefits nursing students a lot in terms of building interactions with patients and increasing emotional resonance. In addition, nursing educators should develop situational teaching in nursing ethics courses to help students cope with ethical issues.

The Place of Contemporary Religious Issues in Religious Culture and Ethics Courses: An Evaluation According to Teachers' Views

Değişen zamana ve yenilenen şartlara bağlı olarak toplumun ihtiyaç ve beklentileri de çeşitlenmekte, hayatın pek çok alanında arayışlar ortaya çıkmaktadır. Bu durum dinî alana da yansımaktadır. İnsanlar zamana ve koşullara bağlı olarak değişen şartlar çerçevesinde dinî hükümleri yaşayışlarına göre yeniden gözden geçirme ihtiyacını sürekli olarak hissetmektedir. İslâm dini özelinde düşünüldüğünde, yetkin kurumlar tarafından yenilik ve dönüşümlerin gerçekleştiği alanlarda yorum ve içtihatların yapıldığı ve söz konusu ihtiyacın bu şekilde karşılanmaya çalışıldığı görülmektedir. Türkiye’de güncel şartlara bağlı olarak yenilik ve dönüşümlerin dinî açıdan ele alındığı alanlardan biri de okullar ve burada okutulan Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi dersleridir. Nitekim bu dersin ortaöğretim 12. sınıfta yer alan dördüncü ünitesi “Güncel Dinî Meseleler” başlığını taşımaktadır. Gündelik hayatta karşılaşılan ve dinî hüküm açısından sorgulanarak cevap aranan bazı durum ve olaylar bu ünitede ele alınmakta ve işlenmektedir. Bu çalışmada Güncel Dinî Meseleler ünitesinin genel yapısının, içeriğinin ve öğrenme-öğretme sürecindeki durumunun Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi öğretmenlerinin gözünden incelenmesi ve değerlendirilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Çalışma, nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden durum çalışması desenine uygun olarak tasarlanmıştır. Bu doğrultuda Güncel Dinî Meseleler ünitesi ve bu ünitenin derslerde işlenmesi araştırmaya konu edilebilecek bir durum olarak kabul edilmiştir. Verilerin toplanmasında ise yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme tekniği kullanılmıştır. Bu kapsamda cinsiyet, görev yaptığı okul türü, kıdem ve öğrenim durumları farklılık arz eden 9 katılımcı tespit edilmiş ve kendileri ile gerekli etik kurul izinlerinin alınmasından sonra çevrimiçi görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Kayıt altına alınan bu görüşmeler önce yazıya aktarılmış, daha sonra da araştırmacılar tarafından içerik analizi ile çözümlenmeye çalışılmıştır. Verilerin analizi önce kodlara ulaşma, sonrasında da bu kodlardan tema üretme şeklinde iki ayrı adımda gerçekleştirilmiştir. Veri analizi sürecinin sonunda Din Kültürü ve Ahlak Bilgisi öğretmeninin ilgili ünite ve bu ünite kapsamındaki konuların işlenişi ile ilgili görüşlerinde 5 tema ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu temalar şunlardır: İhtiyaç, içeriğin güncel değeri, öğretmen yeterliği, yöntem ve materyal kullanımı ve karşılaşılan sorunlar. Birinci tema çerçevesinde araştırmaya katılım sağlayan tüm öğretmenler ortaya çıkan güncel konu ve meselelerin dinî hüküm ve açıklamalarının bu ders kapsamında ele alınıp işlenmesinin bir ihtiyaç ve gereklilik olduğunu ifade etmişlerdir. İçeriğin güncel değerinin ele alındığı ikinci temada öğretmenler bu ünitenin konularını güncel ile ilişkili bulmakla beraber bu ilişkinin yeterli olmadığını dile getirmişlerdir. Bununla beraber e-ticaret, metaverse gibi güncel değeri giderek yükselen ve öğrenciler tarafından sıklıkla sorgulanan konuların da dikkate alınması yönünde önerilerde bulunmuşlardır. Öğretmenlerin kendi yeterliklerini değerlendirdiği üçüncü temada bu yeterliğin kendi beklentilerinin altında olduğu görüşü öne çıkmıştır. İlgili ünitenin işlenmesinde kullanılan yöntem ve materyallerin ele alındığı dördüncü temada, öğretmenlerin anlatım ve soru-cevap başta olmak üzere klasik yöntemleri aşıp yöntem çeşitliliğine yer veremediği tespit edilmiştir. Materyal kullanımında ise ağırlıklı olarak okulların imkânlarından yararlanıldığı, materyal geliştirme ve üretmenin gerçekleşmediği görülmüştür. Son olarak bu ünitenin öğrencilerin mezun olmaya yaklaştığı 12. sınıfın sondan bir önceki ünitesi olması ve güncel konularla ilgili kazanımların gündelik hayata alışkanlık olarak yansımamasının birer sorun olarak dile getirildiği ortaya çıkmıştır. Elde edilen temalar birer bulgu başlığı olarak ele alınıp tartışıldıktan sonra sonuçlandırılmış ve konuya ilişkin çeşitli öneriler geliştirilmiştir.

Accounting Ethics Education On Ethical Behaviour of Accounting Graduates In Malaysia

The rising corporate scandals caused by unethical accountants have concerned various parties, especially the stakeholders. These scandals, whether in public or private sectors, will impact the economy and reputation of a country. Therefore, the role of ethical accountants in providing reliable information for decision-making is a very crucial and should be addressed seriously. Thus, the education sector is believed to be one of the ways to produce graduates with good technical skills, knowledge, and high morality to make the best judgement for society. The research is conducted to assess the influence of accounting ethics education (ethics courses and teaching styles) on the ethical behaviour of accounting graduates in Malaysia. This study uses questionnaire which distributed to accounting graduates from MIA-accredited universities. 70 usable responses were received and PLS-SEM is used to analyse the data. This study found that teaching styles used in teaching ethics courses have a positive and significant relationship on the ethical behaviour of accounting graduates in Malaysia. However, ethics courses offered in the accounting program at the university was found not be significant. thus, it is suggested that lecturers need to use various methods of teaching in delivering ethics courses to enhance the ethical behaviour of accounting graduates in Malaysia.

Ethics Education in U.S. Allopathic Medical Schools: A National Survey of Medical School Deans and Ethics Course Directors.

An online questionnaire addressed to academic deans and ethics course directors identified by medical school websites was emailed to 157 Association of American Medical Colleges member medical schools in two successive waves in early 2022. Descriptive statistics were utilized to summarize responses. Representatives from 61 (39%) schools responded. Thirty-two (52%) respondents were course directors; 26 (43%) were deans of academic affairs, medical education, or curriculum; and 3 with other roles also completed the survey (5%). All 61 schools reported some form of formal ethics education during the first year of medical school, with most (n = 54, 89%) reporting a formal mandatory introductory course during preclinical education. Schools primarily utilized lecture and small-group teaching methods. Knowledge-based examinations, attendance, and participation were most commonly used for assessment. A large majority regarded ethics as equally or more important than other foundational courses, but fewer (n = 37, 60%) provided faculty training for teaching ethics. Despite a response rate of 39 percent, the authors conclude that medical schools include ethics in their curricula in small-group and lecture formats with heterogeneity regarding content taught. Preclinical curricular redesigns must innovate and implement best practices for ensuring sound delivery of ethics content in future curricula. Additional large-scale research is necessary to determine said best practices.

The impact of an ethics curriculum in a longitudinal integrated clerkship: a qualitative study of graduates

Background: Little is known about the effectiveness of ethics education in developing knowledge and skills in medical schools that persist into residency and beyond. While previous research has demonstrated that graduates of Longitudinal Integrated Clerkships (LICs) continue practices of patient-centeredness and empathy, to our knowledge, no studies have looked at effect of a medical ethics curriculum integrated into LICs. Methods: In 2011, the University of North Carolina School of Medicine-Asheville initiated an Ethics and Humanism course alongside the LIC. The goals of the program were for students to be able to identify ethical issues as they arose and exercise moral imagination in resolving these issues. Later, practices of mindfulness and writing were added. We conducted a qualitative case study using The Kirkpatrick Model of training evaluation to assess graduates of this course in their capacity to apply those skills in ongoing clinical practice. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and independently coded. The Kirkpatrick Model informed the organization of codes into themes. Results: The qualitative analysis reached thematic saturation with review of 22 graduates’ interview transcripts. The findings of this study suggest that the Ethics and Humanism curriculum successfully shaped how respondents approached ethical tensions and the healthcare system more broadly. Furthermore, the interviews revealed that respondents used moral imagination in their approaches to conflict resolution and advocacy projects. Discussion: We found graduates of this ethics curriculum continued to identify ethical dilemmas in their daily clinical practice and using moral imagination to address and resolve conflicts. Our findings suggest that linking ethics education to the clinical curriculum may develop persistent skills in navigating ethical dilemmas and increase graduates’ capacity to be resilient, holistic physicians. The potential benefits of this program in preventing burnout are explored. We believe this demonstrates the value of a dedicated ethics curriculum integrated into an LIC.

Effectiveness of a gamified learning analytics dashboard with coregulation mechanism for self-regulated learning in college ethics courses

ABSTRACT It is known that teachers commonly utilize learning platforms equipped with Learning Analytics Dashboards (LAD) to support students in their Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) endeavors. However, students may struggle to effectively employ LAD due to a lack of sufficient metacognitive skills. Co-regulation of learning (CoRL) has been proven to facilitate metacognitive knowledge sharing. However, the implementation of LAD with CoRL mechanisms in self-paced, asynchronous learning environments, aimed at enhancing students' SRL, remains unclear. Investigating how students utilize a LAD with CoRL and how such a system can promote SRL in selfpaced, asynchronous courses is an important topic. This study designed a gamified LAD utilizing a futures trading market interactive interface as the CoRL mechanism. A quasi-experimental design was adopted to assess the effects of the gamified LAD with CoRL on SRL, learning engagement, and academic achievement among 60 students from two Business Ethics classes over the course of a semester. The gamified LAD with CoRL had positive effects on the SRL and learning engagement of the asynchronous learners in the experimental group. Significant differences were observed in the academic achievement of the experimental and control groups. The gamified LAD with CoRL had positive effects on learners in self-paced, asynchronous courses.

Science Education Graduate Students’ Views Towards Ethics of Science

The aim of this research is to determine the views of science education graduate students towards ethics of science. In the study, phenomenological approach was employed as qualitative research method. The data were collected through personal information forms and semi-structured interview questions that were formed in accordance with the research purpose and were analyzed by content analysis technique. The views of graduate students were examined in depth within the scope of 8 themes, which are the concept of ethics of science, scientific ethics course, unethical behaviours, underlying reasons of unethical behaviours, socio-cultural factors, conducting academic studies at schools, sanctions for unethical behaviours and the effect of unethical behaviours on science. The results highlighted the significance of scientific ethics course integration to undergraduate and graduate level. Moreover, underlying reasons and preventive measures of unethical behaviours have been detected from the graduate students’ perspective.

Fostering public health ethics awareness among medical students through interactive web-based values exchange learning: A cross-sectional study.

Medical ethics have traditionally encountered resistance in medical education, with doubts regarding their necessity during preclinical years. Concerns include the practical application of theoretical ethics and favoring the learning of ethics through observation and imitation. Furthermore, ethics courses often focus on codes and regulations and neglect the promotion of moral reasoning and decision-making skills. Therefore, enhancing ethical researcher-training modules is essential for advancing instructional methods and promoting a unified and interactive learning atmosphere. A 3-week course was conducted using the values exchange (VX) online platform to assess the effectiveness of the VX system in involving students and its impact on their perceptions of the importance of research ethics. Accordingly, a blended course was provided as an optional course to the students, and a qualitative course evaluation survey was administered at the end of the course. Sixty-one medical students participated in a pilot-blended research ethics program and the majority (93%) reported a positive learning experience. The course was preferred over traditional classroom-based courses by 80% of the respondents, with 77% reporting increased interest and motivation to study Research Ethics. Over half of the students (57%) reported that the course stimulated their thinking and changed their perspectives on handling medical research issues. Some students (20%) reported improvements in their social and information technology skills. The VX platform was able to meet the expectations of both faculty and students, and fulfilled all dimensions of the Health Professions Learning Environment Conceptual Framework. The VX platform provides an interactive and effective simulated learning environment that promotes ethical research aligned with the Health Professions Learning Environment Framework and fosters core competencies, such as ethical reasoning, decision-making, and cultural respect. Medical schools are encouraged to implement VX to enhance the teaching of research ethics.

Japanese nurse academics' pedagogical development using collaborative action research

BackgroundTo meet contemporary professional standards, nurse educators must provide students with educational content that considers active learning strategies. ObjectiveThis study explored the process and challenges faced by nurse academics working collaboratively to implement an online problem-based learning course. DesignCollaborative action research. SettingThis study was conducted with nurse academics at Yamaguchi University in Japan from May 2020 to April 2022. ParticipantsFive Japanese nurse academics and two Australian academics participated in this study. MethodsNurse academics met regularly online to discuss issues and plan, act, and reflect on their experiences using Norton's (2001) five-step process. The meetings were recorded, and structured and written reflections from each participant were collected throughout the process. Data collected from the meetings and structured reflections were analysed to identify key themes. ResultsIn Step 1, the key stakeholders were discussed and issues were identified. Step 2 included planning a short seminar for the convenience of student participants, Step 3 involved the conduct of an online nursing ethics course (four sessions) for the students, and Step 4 included the evaluation. One year after the academics had completed their teaching, a discussion of future directions was conducted (Step 5). Through the collaborative action research process, four themes were identified: (1) creating a shared understanding, (2) adopting new paradigms for teaching and research, (3) learning and experiences while practicing, and (4) looking back and moving forward. ConclusionsDespite some challenges experienced, the action research approach enhanced the curriculum development process, provided collegial opportunities to explore and learn together, and led to increased changes in the educational practice of academics, even beyond the collaborative action research.

MORAL REASONING AND INTENTION TO PERFORM UNETHICAL BEHAVIOUR OF LECTURERS IN MALAYSIA

The process of deciding what is right or wrong in a particular scenario is known as moral reasoning. Moral reasoning is important as it will help to shape an individual’s intention whether to perform or not to perform an unethical behaviour. This study will examine the level of moral reasoning of lecturers in public universities of Malaysia and examine its relationship to intention to perform unethical behaviour. The Defining Issues Test 2 (DIT2) via N2 scores was used to measure the level of moral reasoning of lecturers. Intention to perform unethical behaviour was measured using ethical dilemmas scenarios. Online survey was sent to 30 lecturers of the Faculty of Business/ Management from 20 public universities. 130 responses were received, and data collected was sent to the Centre for the Study of Ethical Development University of Alabama for reliability test, scoring and analysis, as it is copyrighted. Only 83 responses passed the DIT2 reliability test and was then used for further analysis. The result shows that the N2 score of lecturers is at the low level of 23.39 which falls in Kohlberg’s Cognitive Moral Development stage 2 and 3 representing the personal interest schema. The study also found that moral reasoning of lecturers does not affect their intention to perform unethical behaviour. This could be because the level of moral reasoning of lecturers are at a low level and thus do not affect intention to perform unethical behaviour. Thus, efforts should be taken to develop the moral reasoning to a higher level such as exposing them to ethics courses and ethics training program that can increase their cognitive moral development to a higher level so that they do not only focus on self but also on law, social order and universal ethical principles.

Exploring Environmental Ethics: From Exclusion of More-than-Human Beings Towards a New Materialist Paradigm

Environmental ethics deals with discussing the ethical framework of environmental values, their organization and regulation, and their ethical premises. One of the main cul-de-sacs that environmental ethics has is its anthropocentrism that can be observed through its diverse ethical approaches—even ecocentric ones, developed as non-anthropocentric egalitarian alternatives. This article aims to question the exclusiveness of Anthropos, the practices, values, and discourses that determine the scope and course of environmental ethics, and the exclusion of nonhuman animals or more-than human beings from its focus. It first examines the main approaches in environmental ethics (land ethic, deep ecology, social ecology, and postmodern environmental ethics)—biocentric, ecocentric, anthropocentric, socialist, postmodern—and reveals that they are but limited to the human perspective, deeply rooted in human exceptionalism. All of these approaches provide us with a critical frame that still needs to be deconstructed so that they will not project an anthropocentric orientation. This article posits that the compass of environmental ethics, recently aligning itself to embrace the more-than-human world in its ecocentric attitude, still needs to be revisited for its discourses of exclusion. At this point, new materialism functions as a prolific theoretical site as it diminishes the classical boundaries between human and animal or subject and object that anthropocentric environmental ethics relies on. With such concepts as “agential realism” (Barad), “transcorporeal ethics” (Alaimo), “vibrant matter” (Bennett), or “storied matter” (Oppermann and Iovino) the new materialist view of the human and the nonhuman evolves to end set dualities in the discourses of environmental ethics. This article concludes that the new materialist theory destabilizes any anthropocentric position in environmental ethics and includes more-than-human beings in its ethical focus, discarding any dualities that serve anthropocentrism or human exceptionalism.