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

How set up

Pro team

Con team

Jury

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

Problems

Time Self-assessment piece, honesty Some students clearly work hard, small #

not.

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/