Year: 2017
Type: article
Abstract: Science plays an important role in most aspects of society, and scientists face ethical decisions as a routine part of their work, but science education frequently omits or segregates content related to ethics and broader impacts of science.Undergraduate research experiences have the potential to bridge traditional divides in education and provide a holistic view of science.In practice, these experiences can be inconsistent and may not provide the optimal learning environment.We developed a course that combines seminar and independent research elements to support student learning during undergraduate research, makes ethical and societal impacts of science clear by relating them to the students' own research projects, and develops students' ethical decision-making skills.Here, we describe the course and provide resources for developing a similar course.The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has recognized that instruction in ethics is essential to provide a foundation of research integrity [1].Ethics in this context includes responsible conduct of research, such as questions of research misconduct, data management, and standards regulating the use of humans and animals in research.The NIH recommends that ethics instruction also extend to "the scientist as a responsible member of society, contemporary ethical issues in biomedical research, and the environmental and societal impacts of scientific research" [1].Recent debates surrounding the potential for human genome editing and genetically modified organisms in food highlight the importance of science in society and the need for scientists to understand ethical issues and become ethical actors.Much of the focus of ethics education has been at the postbaccalaureate level, and many graduate programs require training in ethical conduct [2].In contrast, most undergraduates receive little to no exposure to ethical issues related to science [3,4].When ethics is taught, it is often as an unconnected add-on to a course or in a separate course [5].This presentation can give students the impression that ethics is separate from science rather than an integral part of science [5,6].An additional challenge is to provide students with the tools to "recognize,
Source: PLoS Biology
Institutions: Pennsylvania State University, Grinnell College
Language: English
Subfield: Education
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $5,500
Funder: Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Award: G6750789909
OpenAlex ID: W2598914705