The Engineering and Science Issues Test (ESIT): a discipline-specific approach to assessing moral judgment

Area of Science:

• Science and Engineering Ethics
• Moral Development Assessment

Background:

• Assessing ethics pedagogy in science and engineering is crucial for responsible innovation.
• Existing tools may not adequately address the unique ethical challenges faced by scientists and engineers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a new instrument, the Engineering and Science Issues Test (ESIT), for measuring ethics pedagogy in science and engineering.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of stand-alone ethics instruction on moral development in science and engineering students.

Main Methods:

• Developed the Engineering and Science Issues Test (ESIT), a novel assessment tool based on technical dilemmas.
• Employed a quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-tests, comparing an intervention group to a control group.
• Administered both written and electronic versions of the ESIT to assess response rates and pedagogical sensitivity.

Main Results:

• Several stand-alone ethics classes demonstrated significant improvements in moral development compared to the control group.
• The written version of the ESIT exhibited higher response rates and greater sensitivity to pedagogical interventions than the electronic version.
• No significant pre-test score differences were found based on age, education, gender, or political leanings, but native English speakers scored differently.

Conclusions:

• Stand-alone ethics instruction can effectively enhance moral development in science and engineering contexts.
• The written Engineering and Science Issues Test (ESIT) is a sensitive and effective tool for evaluating ethics pedagogy.
• Further research is needed to understand long-term effects of ethics instruction and address potential biases in assessment.