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Transcript of The Use of the Debate to Enhance Teaching and Learning in Ethics Marcel F. Beausoleil Ph. D....
The Use of the Debate to Enhance Teaching and Learning in Ethics
Marcel F. Beausoleil Ph. D.Fitchburg State University
Challenges of teaching applied ethics
How do you get students to think deeply about ethics
Getting the students to learn, and understand the concepts involved, and how to apply them
Students do not think that they need they need to study ethics, already ethical
Challenges
Often do not understand the concepts, lack of a basic philosophical backgroundHow does this apply in the real worldNot appreciate the weight of the dilemmasNot understand the power of Criminal Justice Professionals
Why is study of ethics/integrity important General consensus – lack of in society today
Issues:
Sports – Steroids – other cheating Football/Baseball Politics – scandals abound : MA – RI National – corruption Torture of terrorism prisoners Ongoing issues in state and local government: MA
and RI –Fraud investigators committing fraud – no show jobs
Unethical practices and corruption in business Unethical and illegal practices abound in policing and
CJ
Question – is there more unethical behavior in society today or do we just know about it more
High and low profile incidents are all around us
It has been argued that more Americans are cheating today in some fashion to get ahead with the attitude and thought that this is okay.
Callahan argues that this mindset is becoming pervasive throughout our society
It is even found in our students
Derek Bok: Studies of undergraduate students: less altruistic, more concerned with self-
serving goals Values: on rise- to be well off financially, to
gain personal recognition On decline – to find a meaningful
philosophy of life, to be involved in civic affairs
Number who admit cheating on rise * Can Higher Education Foster Higher Morals” (2001)
"I actually think cheating is good. A person who has an entirely honest life can't succeed these days.” (student quote from poll)
McCabe, Donald L., Linda Klebe Treviño, Kenneth D. Butterfield. “Cheating in Academic Institutions: A Decade of Research.” ETHICS & BEHAVIOR, 11(3), 219–232, 2001
Why teach CJ Ethics Important to properly prepare for work in the
profession
Criminal justice professionals – power, authority, and discretion – will they be used properly, need a proper foundation to understand.
Nonis and Swift study: examine relationship between academic dishonesty and workplace dishonesty, found a correlation
research supports ethics education and development of students. Work of Kohlberg, Rest (James), Aristotle Nichomachean Ethics
• Encouragement to examine situations from other points of view
• Exposure to individuals whose thinking is a stage higher than one’s own
• Exposure to conflicts in moral reasoning that challenge one’s present stage
• Engagement in logical thinking, such as reasoned argument and consideration of alternatives
• Responsibility for making moral decisions and acting on them
• Participation in creating and maintaining a just community
Stimulate the "moral imagination" by posing difficult moral dilemmas.
Encourage the recognition of ethical issues beyond immediate goals.
Help to develop analytical skills and the tools of ethical analysis.
Elicit a sense of moral obligation and personal responsibility.
Explore the morality of coercion, which is intrinsic to criminal justice.
Help students recognize the difference between technical and moral competence.
Address the full range of moral issues in criminology and criminal justice.
The Case Study Method
Good, but often students only go through the motionsNot really think deeply: Don’t really understand the issuesChoose a course of action, but cannot really say why they chose a particular actionLooking for easy answersDo not fully appreciate the consequences of their actions
Attended a session last year at NEFDC and got an idea
on debates and decided to adapt to ethics class
Issue – How do I get more meaningful
interaction from students in discussing and thinking about ethics
o Need to design a debate that is student centered, not instructor centered.
Why the debate
Need for student involvement
Help them to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the issues
Choice of topic
Important Encompass critical ethical issues in Criminal
Justice Controversial Ongoing and difficult to resolve – good
arguments on both sides Will have to think through argument
Strong component of the debate: out of class research and work
Preparation
Need to know and understand the topic so can take a reasoned argument
Practice Allow each side time to present argument Questions from Jury Each side allowed a rebuttal argument Jury also allowed rebuttal questions Jury “deliberate” present its findings
Cover thoroughly in class – what is expected
How to prepare
How will be assessed/graded
Prior to debate - put time aside in class, meet with teams in class, assess progress, where they are at, offer advice/assistance where needed
Results
Success, better than hoped Evidence of research and thought Students - into it Good questions asked - evidence of depth of
thought Lively discussion Ran over time
Callahan, David. The Cheating Culture: Why More Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead. Mariner Books, 2004.
Kardasz, Frank. “Why Bother Teaching Ethics.” Ethics Education. www.kardasz.org.
Nonis, Sarah and Cathy Swift. “An Examination of the Relationship Between Academic Dishonesty and Workplace Dishonesty: A Multicampus Investigation.” Journal of Education for Business. November/December 2001.
Sherman, Lawrence. Ethics in Criminal Justice Education. Hastings Center, 1982.
Velasquez, manuel, et. al. “Can Ethics be Taught.” Markula Center for Applied Ethics. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/