Decentring engineering education beyond the technical dimension: ethical skills framework

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2024

Authors

Monteiro, F (Author) Other; Armando Jorge Sousa (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: London Review of Education

Vol. 22 No. 1, Article 34

ISSN: 1474-8460

Publisher: UCL Institute of Education

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 0 Citations

Scopus - 0 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-011-0SJ

DOI: 10.14324/lre.22.1.23

Abstract (EN): Engineering plays a key role in society today, influencing social behaviour, economic systems, (un)sustainability and future construction. Faced with this central and powerful role of engineering, it is urgent to recognise the need for professionals in this area to be culturally competent and sociopolitically committed in the collective ethical construction of the common good. Engineering course curricula generally focus on technical-scientific training - as is the case in Portugal - not on including or valuing other educational dimensions (namely, social, ethical, cultural or political responsibility). However, to promote an ethically responsible and sustainable future, it is imperative that these dimensions are included in engineers' training, namely through ethical education that promotes a responsible professional practice that contributes to a viable common future. Intending to contribute to a culturally responsive engineering education, and to the development of the pedagogical dimension of the ethical education of engineering students, this study aims to develop a framework of the ethical skills necessary for the professional practice of engineering. The methodology used included a systematic literature review and document analysis. The developed framework allows systematising and interconnecting ethical skills, which can promote and facilitate the inclusion of ethical education in engineering courses. The framework helped to design a curricular module in engineering. It is a useful tool for professors of ethics in engineering, for those responsible for structuring engineering curriculum plans and for anyone responsible for enhancing this field of engineering education.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 21