ONLINE FIRST
published on May 15, 2025
Michael C. Loui

https://doi.org/10.5840/tej2025514159
Professional Competence for Teaching Ethics in Science and Engineering
I consider whether instructors in science and engineering can competently teach ethics in their fields without formal training in ethics. I argue that they can teach ethics competently, even without content expertise, by emphasizing the professional norms of their fields and by eschewing moral theories. Instructors can choose essential learning objectives such as knowledge of professional standards and skills for handling conflicting values¡ªrealistic objectives that are achievable within a limited time. Learning objectives can include general skills such as communication and negotiation. To meet these objectives, instructors can use pedagogical strategies whose effectiveness has been established through previous research.