Curriculum and Faculty Development for the Teaching of Academic Research Ethics
This three-year project to support faculty development and pilot teaching of an interdisciplinary graduate seminar in ethics and academic research was completed in December of 1995. Judy E. Stern, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and of Pathology, and Deni Elliott, Professor of Ethics at the University of Montana, were co-directors of the project. Other members of the faculty multidisciplinary team included Drs. Edward M. Berger, Albert Bradley Third Century Professor of Biology; Marilyn Brown, Director, Animal Care and Use Program; Bernard Gert, Eunice and Julian Cohen Professor of Ethics and Human Values in the Department of Philosophy; Allan U. Munck, Third Century Professor of Physiology; and Karen Lomax, Director, National Center for Clinical Ethics at the Department of Veteran's Affairs.
The course, Science 120: Ethical Issues in Scientific Research,that was developed by the team had the following goals:
Students will:
- be able to clearly describe relevant scientific conventions including laboratory practice, institutional responsibility, etc.;
- be able to describe what leads to ethical problems including causes inherent in the social context of the practice of science;
- be able to consider how to bring current scientific conventions more in line with the ideal;
- be able to separate behaviors into four categories: morally prohibited, required, permitted, and encouraged, thus illustrating an understanding of the role of the scientist in society.
The team recently authored a paper on, which was recently published in the journal Science and Engineering Ethics: Elliott, D., Stern, J.E. "Evaluating Teaching and Students' Learning of Academic Research Ethics." Volume 2(3): 345-366. 1996.
Two books which were also developed from this project are:
- Elliott, D and Stern, J. E. (eds). 1997. Research Ethics: A Reader. Hanover NH: University Press of New England
- Stern, J.E. and Elliott, D. 1997. The Ethics of Scientific Research: A Guidebook for Course Development. Hanover NH: University Press of New England. (Please note: This book is no longer being published, to view electronically click here )
Institute Programs
