Case Studies: Ethics
- Discuss your interpretations and impressions of this topic.
- Prepare to present your scenario and summarize your
discussions for the rest of the class (each group has a different topic).
The following are adapted from:
http://temp.onlineethics.org/edu/precol/classroom/lesson2.html
Changing Data
Jane is making electrical measurements in a physics laboratory. She
is a good student and is confident that she has set up the circuit properly.
When she tries to do the required calculations to verify the formulas in her
physics book she finds that the data she took appears to be incorrect. She suspects that one of the electrical components she was given is not working properly. Her teacher, Mr. Grim, is busy helping some of the weaker students so Jane
decides not to report the problem. Instead she does the mathematical calculations to determine what a correct set of data would be and simply changes the
data to match what the calculations.
a) I feel strongly that Jane's actions are ok
b) I somewhat feel that Jane's actions are ok
c) I somewhat feel that Jane's actions are problematic
d) I feel strongtly that Jane's actions are problematic
Loaning Data
Pete, Brooke and Lisa are laboratory partners in their chemistry class. Yesterday Lisa was absent. This required Pete and Brooke to work very diligently to complete the experiment during the lab period so they could hand in the report in class today. Today Lisa has returned to school after being ill. She meets her lab partners on the way into school in the morning and asks them for the data from yesterday's experiment so she can write it up during study period and hand it in. Pete is willing to give Lisa the data, but Brooke objects.
a) I feel strongly that they should give Lisa the data
b) I somewhat feel that they should give Lisa the data
c) I somewhat feel that they should not give Lisa the data
d) I feel strongly that they should not give Lisa the data
To Dissect or Not to Dissect
Dr. Katkill has told the class that they will be studying
anatomy and physiology during the next class. When James arrives, there is
a note on the door directing the class to a lab. Katkill says that she
has a surprise for the class - cat dissection. James is uncomfortable
but goes along so that his grade does not suffer.
a) I feel strongly that James did the right thing
b) I somewhat feel that James did the right thing
c) I somewhat feel that James did not do the right thing
d) I feel strongly that James did not do the right thing