Tell Us What You Think: Exploring Environmental Ethical Considerations in the Problem-Solving Studio
Publication: Journal of Civil Engineering Education
Volume 150, Issue 1
Abstract
Universities employ numerous approaches to integrate ethics into programs of study that can range from faculty-led case studies integrated into course curricula (distributed model) to standalone ethics courses (consolidated model). The approach described here enhanced a distributed model in which several courses are assigned responsibility to integrate an ethical component into the assignments capped with an integrative experience. We created a problem-solving studio (PSS) environment wherein an ill-defined current case study was presented to the students and the program’s board of advisors (BOA). The students role-played as staff engineers (early-career employees with less than three years of experience), and BOA members provided the perspective of specific stakeholders relevant to the case study (e.g., state or federal regulator, principal engineer in a consulting firm, civic leader, etc.). Both groups were provided with the same preparatory materials. Small groups (student–BOA dyads) were established to review the current state and context of the problem, investigate specified or potential ethical considerations, and propose strategies to prevent or address the ethical dilemmas identified. The session was structured around three rounds of discussion (12–15 min) to explore the problem through the ethical considerations of “willful negligence” and “acts of omission.” The session ended as a large group, and each BOA member would share one ethical consideration from their career that was evoked during this case study. Students would then submit a short paper to provide their insights into the case study (results of the dyad interactions) and how the event expanded their understanding of the ethical considerations. The ethics PSS provided an opportunity for increased interaction between students and “experienced mentors” equally valued by each group. Assessments revealed that the experience positively contributed to student confidence in meeting course objectives and integrating different perspectives into their development.
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Data Availability Statement
The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article and its Supplemental Materials.
Acknowledgments
The authors offer our sincerest thanks to our students and BOA members. Both groups fully embraced this highly engaging activity. Although the research presented in this paper has been undertaken by personnel employed by the United States Military Academy, it does not necessarily reflect the views of the Academy or the United States Army.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Civil Engineering Education
Volume 150 • Issue 1 • January 2024
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Aug 17, 2022
Accepted: Jun 15, 2023
Published online: Aug 26, 2023
Published in print: Jan 1, 2024
Discussion open until: Jan 26, 2024
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