Theories on Teaching & Training in Ethics

Abstract

The paper examines the education
 and training of adults in ethics. It
 applies to courses at universities
 and colleges as well as in the work
 place. The paper explores the evidence
 on our ability to strengthen
 moral behaviour through courses on
 ethics, finds it to be weak, so starts
 with the assumption that we cannot
 teach people to be ethical. The paper
 asks therefore what the objectives
 of a course could be and how best
 to achieve them. It examines the
 different theories in the literature,
 eventually settling on four objectives:
 increasing moral cognition; teaching
 a widening and strengthening of
 ethical practices; adopting teaching
 approaches that maximise learning
 impact, and developing the personal
 skills of individuals in negotiation and
 persuasion. All four objectives are of
 value to people who seek an ethical
 work environment. The paper then
 explores the theories and differing
 approaches used for achieving each
 objective, including among others,
 public interest disclosures, structuring
 and using codes of ethics, case problems
 and other experiential learning
 techniques, organisational and institutional
 approaches to ensuring ethical
 behaviour, classroom interaction, the
 role of theory, team teaching and
 tailoring the courses to meet an ethical
 needs analysis for that discipline,
 profession or organisation.