Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Integrating Service Learning Into a Graduate Business Ethics Course

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 599-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin O’Brien ◽  
Dennis Wittmer ◽  
Bahman Paul Ebrahimi
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Business Ethics ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Behavioral Ethics ◽  
Broad Definition ◽  
Descriptive Ethics ◽  
Ethics Course ◽  
Student Reflections

Adopting a broad definition that distinguishes behavioral ethics as science and behavioral ethics in practice, we describe how service learning can be a meaningful component of a four-credit, one-quarter graduate business ethics course by blending both normative/prescriptive and behavioral/descriptive ethics. We provide a conceptual and theoretical grounding for our integration of service learning and describe how service learning is used in the course. We explain how we frame the service-learning project, the challenges we have faced, and final student reflections on the experience. Finally, we describe the assessment process used in the course. Based on the assessment of 215 students’ service-learning reflection papers, the results indicated that over 90% of students were able to make direct connections between major themes of the course and their service-learning experience. This is an indication of the efficacy of the use of service learning in teaching behavioral ethics.

scholarly journals Cross-Disciplinary Service-Learning to Enhance Engineering Identity and Improve Communication Skills

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Keshwani ◽  
Krista Adams
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Elementary Education ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Engineering Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Technical Information ◽  
Working Relationships ◽  
Technical Content ◽  
Elementary Education Students ◽  
Student Reflections

Traditional engineering curricula often do not provide opportunities for students to experience working with non-technical collaborators on real projects. Such interactions may help engineering students develop relevant communication skills. In this study, junior level engineering students collaborated with junior level elementary education students to develop afterschool STEM clubs for elementary children. The study sought to identify the effects of a cross-disciplinary, project-based service-learning experience on:  a) the development of a deeper understanding of engineering as a discipline and b) the development of skills necessary to communicate technical information to a non-technical audience. This paper describes the learning outcomes achieved by engaging undergraduate engineering students in cross-disciplinary working relationships. The results suggest that the cross-disciplinary experience affected learning in the knowledge, skills, attitudes and identity of student participants. Student learning was assessed through analysis of questionnaire responses and student reflections. The results also confirmed that simply knowing technical information does not correlate with the ability to communicate that same information. Students reported that they gained experience communicating technical content with non-technical audiences and developed leadership skills. Opportunities to learn communication skills were identified through student comments in course questionnaires and end of the semester focus group discussions.

scholarly journals Business Ethics Decision-Making: Examining Partial Reflective Awareness

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2635
Author(s):  
Marli Gonan Božac ◽  
Katarina Kostelić ◽  
Morena Paulišić ◽  
Charles G. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Business Ethics ◽  
Ethical Decision Making ◽  
Field Research ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Ethical Business ◽  
Reflective Awareness ◽  
Ethical Choices ◽  
Available Information ◽  
Context Characteristics

The aim of this research was to examine partial reflective awareness in ethical business choices in Croatia. The ethical decision-making is interlinked with sustainable practices, but it is also its prerequisite. Thus, better understanding of business ethics decision-making provides a basis for designing and implementing sustainability in a corporate setting. The research was done on student populations who will soon carry important roles and make important decisions for individuals, organizations, and society. The field research was conducted using Kohlberg’s scenarios. The results reveal that the process of decision-making goes through the lenses of respondents’ own preferred ethics. However, the reflective awareness of respondents’ preferred ethics is skewed and regularities in that deviations point out to the relevance of the context characteristics and arousal factors. In addition, the individuals do not use all available information in the assessment process. The revealed partial reflective awareness contributes to explanation of why people have problems with justifying their choices. As there are many examples of unethical behavior in the environment that remain unpunished, it is necessary to raise awareness of the issue. Improvement in reflective awareness would contribute to more sustainable ethical choices and reveal a possibility of an intervention design within the higher education framework.

scholarly journals Service Learning Collaborations: A Formula for Reciprocity

2010 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 127-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura A. Lowe ◽  
Victoria L. Medina
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Professional Growth ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Death And Dying ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Mixed Methodology ◽  
Educational Institutions

Service learning offers opportunities for both educational institutions and the community. To demonstrate the possibilities this pedagogy can offer, this article discusses a service learning experience partnering students with a hospice agency. Using mixed methodology, impact on students, patients, and staff are examined. Results indicate that students improved their attitudes toward the elderly, and death and dying; they also believed the experience caused personal and professional growth. Interviews with patients highlighted the importance of relationships and recognition, and staff identified benefits to students, patients, and the hospice agency. The conclusion is made that service learning is best perceived in a light of reciprocity and that this method of engagement offers opportunities for educators and practitioners. Finally, some tips are given for practitioners interested in developing such collaborations.

scholarly journals Conceptual Framework for Assessing Process Variables Salient for Service-Learning Experience

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ka Hing Lau ◽  
Robin Snell
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Community Service ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Community Partner ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Past ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
Effective Integration

Service-learning is an established pedagogy which integrates experiential learning with community service. It has been widely adopted in higher education around the world including in Hong Kong, yet the key ingredients that determine its successful impacts for its stakeholders have not been fully assessed. This study reviewed the past literature, which indicates the key ingredients that may be found in successful service-learning programmes. We identify six key ingredients: students provide meaningful service; the community partner representative plays a positive role; effective preparation and support for students; effective reflection by students; effective integration of service-learning within the course design; and stakeholder synergy in terms of collaboration, communication and co-ownership. In order to obtain an inter-subjectively fair and trustworthy data set, reflecting the extent to which those key ingredients are perceived to have been achieved, we propose a multi-stakeholder approach for data collection, involving students, instructors and community partner representatives.

scholarly journals Kilimanjaro: A Case of Meaningful Adventure And Service Learning Abroad

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 420-433
Author(s):  
Cathy Cavanaugh ◽  
Ewa Gajer ◽  
John Mayberry ◽  
Brendan O’Connor ◽  
Jace Hargis
Keyword(s):  
Service Learning ◽  
Student Perceptions ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Meaningful Learning ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Female Undergraduate ◽  
Theoretical Frameworks ◽  
Mount Kilimanjaro ◽  
The World

This qualitative evaluation explored how female undergraduate students developed an understanding of themselves and the broader world as a result of an adventure and service learning experience in Tanzania, Africa. The project built upon theoretical frameworks regarding meaningful learning—active, constructive, intentional, and authentic—and applied activity theory as a framework for interpreting outcomes. The study included multi-faceted examination of student perceptions of the effects of the year-long experience that culminated in a ten day trip to Tanzania, including a climb to the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. Students’ reflections on the impacts of the trip focused on wanting, doing, reflecting, and relating. Thus, the experience catalyzed change in students’ understanding of the world that strongly indicates a meaningful learning experience.

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