Ethical Dilemmas

Posted on by Nattasit Dancholvichit

PURPOSE

To promote critical thinking by presenting stories or scenarios that contain ethical dilemmas. 

DESCRIPTION

Students are prompted to engage with, and respond to, stories that contain ethical questions. These stories prompt students to draw on their own values and craft arguments through critical thinking and reflection. 

UNDERLYING EDUCATIONAL THEORIES

constructivism, critical thinking, reflection 

PEDAGOGICAL BENEFITS 

  • Presenting students with ethical questions promotes their critical thinking skills by prompting them to critically evaluate the scenario and craft a justified response. 
  • Prompting students to tackle ethical dilemmas in groups can support the development of teamwork and social skills. 
  • Moving students to wrestle with ethical dilemmas helps to prepare them for dealing with real-world situations. 
  • Supporting students in critical reflection helps them learn how to evaluate their own learning journey. 

STRATEGIES FOR IMPLEMENTATION 

  1. In developing a lesson plan, consider potential stories or scenarios that are appropriate for your content. What sort of dilemmas are most suitable? 
  2. Consider whether your activity will be individual or team-based. Consider how students will share their responses to the dilemmas (e.g., in small group or whole-class discussion). 
  3. Plan to discuss the activity with students beforehand and outline your requirements for their participation. Allow for questions and check their understanding prior to starting the activity. 
  4. Be sure to check in with students during the activity. 
  5. Consider how the activity will be assessed (e.g., merit- or content-based). 
  6. Allow time for prompted reflection. Consider individual vs. group-level reflection of the activity and discussion. 

REFERENCES AND FURTHER READING 

Angelo, T. A., & Cross, K. P. (2012). Everyday ethical dilemmas. In Classroom assessment techniques, 271-274, Jossey-Bass / Wiley.  

Jenlink, P. M., & Jenlink, K. E. (2015). Ethical Leadership and Moral Literacy: Incorporating Ethical Dilemmas in a Case-Based Pedagogy. Education Leadership Review, 16(2), 55-85.