Ethics Across the Curriculum
The implementation of full-scale university-wide engineering ethics education

NISHIMURA, Hideo
Kanazawa Institute of Technology,RISTEX

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Introduction
 The realization of EAC, Ethics Across theCurriculum, at KIT
 Capstone subject, “Science and Engineering Ethics”
 General education subjects
 Each specialized subject

 EAC Taskforce Committee
 EAC Workshop and “Micro-Insertion”

2What’s EAC?
 EAC： Ethics Across the Curriculum Let students examine ethical elements at every possible

opportunity through whole curriculum Benefits brought about to students by EAC Understanding of the social and environmental impact ofscience and technology
 Understanding of ethical and social responsibility as aprofessional
3Ethics Across the Curriculum at KIT
Freshmen
SpringAutumnWinterSophomores
SpringAutumnWinterJuniors
SpringAutumnSeniors
WinterSpringAutumnWinterTerm

General education course “Science and Engineering Ethics”
Introduction toEngineer I,II,III

Humanity& Nature
Ⅲ

Science,Technologyand Society

Specialized Eng.
courseD. IEng.
D. II“ Coreコアseminar”
ゼミEngineering
Design III

Sequentially implemented since AY 2004. Limited to directly related subjects.

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“Science and Engineering Ethics”

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“Science and Engineering Ethics”
Capstone subject of engineering ethics
education at KITCompulsory for juniors
 2 credit course 60 min x 2 lectures/wk x 11 wks
 1,600 students (all juniors) by 5/6 instructors
 Divided into 30 classes (50-70 students per class) 10 classes per term = 2-3 classes per instructor Employing case method
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“Science and Engineering Ethics”
Educational Goals
 Understanding of the tremendous social andenvironmental impact of science and technology
 Understanding of ethical and social responsibility

as a professional Improvement in the ability to solve an ethicalproblem that engineers may face with7

Course contents
1General Introduction

2What’s Value?

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What’s Ethics? What’s Technology? What’s Engineering Ethics?

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Outline of Environmental Ethics, Bioethics and Information Ethics.
Special Responsibility of Engineer.

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What’s Ethics Code?

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Case Study 1 (Space Shuttle Challenger Accident)

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The Method for making good judgment (Ethics Test, Seven-Step
Guide etc.)
8Course contents
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Explanation of some cases (Ford’s Pint, Hyatt Regency, Citicorp
Tower, Honda’s CVCC Engine, etc.)

9Midterm Examination

10“Science and Technology” and Risk

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Research Ethics (Fabrication, Falsification, Plagiarism)

12Group Discussion about Research Ethics

13Laws, Engineering Ethics and Business Ethics

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Case Study 2 (“Gilbane Gold”)

9Course contents
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Case Study 2 (cont.),
Group Discussion about Whistle-blowing

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Business Ethics

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Engineering Ethics and Transnational Enterprise18

Add-up of this course

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Final Examination

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Checking the score

Textbook: Caroline Whitbeck (1998), Ethics in Engineering Practice and Research,
England: Cambridge University Press.
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“Science and Engineering Ethics”
Examinations and Assignments Midterm and final examinations
 A quiz A case study report
 Reports on 3 times of group discussions
 7 assignments

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“Science and Engineering Ethics”
Cases with discussion
 Space Shuttle Challenger Accident• Unstructured discussion
 Research Ethics
 “Gilbane Gold”• Structured discussion
based on “Seven-Step
Guide ”
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EAC Task Force Committee

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EAC Task Force Committee
SystemSession: Several times a year
 Chairperson: Dean of academic affairs
 Committee members: Selected from each department
Missions
Provide engineering ethics information to the specializedsubject instructors
 Encourage the specialized subject instructors to provide theethics subject instructors with cases in line with actualsituations in their specialized field Master the “Micro-Insertion” technique through participation tothe EAC-Workshop
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EAC Task Force Committee Future challenges
 Strengthen linkage between specialized subjects
and general education subjects.
• “Engineering Design I, II & III”
• “Introduction to Engineer I, II & III”
• “Japanology (Japan and Japanese)” Form working groups.
 Solve difficulty in gaining understanding andcooperation from the specialized subjectinstructors.

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Ethics Across the Curriculum at KITFreshmen
SpringAutumnWinterSophomores
SpringAutumnWinterJuniors
SpringAutumnSeniors
WinterSpringAutumnWinterTerm

General education course
Introduction toEngineer I,II,III“Science and Engineering Ethics”
Humanity& Nature
ⅢScience,
Technologyand Society

Specialized Eng.
courseD. IEng.
D. II“ Coreコアseminar”
ゼミ

Engineering
Design III

Sequentially implemented since AY 2004. Limited to directly related subjects.

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EAC Workshop

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EAC Workshop (Japanese version)
 Intended participants: Specialized subject instructors
and ethics officers of entities
 Aims Deepen understanding on science and engineering ethics.
 Master the “Micro-Insertion” technique.

 Three Japanese-version EAC Workshops up to now 1st Workshop（2005）
 2nd Workshop (2006）
 3rd Workshop（2007）18

“Micro-Insertion”

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“Micro-Insertion”
A technique of incorporating ethical elements
in quiz and assignments of normal specialized
subjects
The engineering ethics education in line withthe actual situations of the specialized
subjects can be given by the specialized
subject instructors during their specialized
subject course, with low burden.
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Good example of Micro-Insertion
Created by Ph.D Yoshio Katakura,
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University

Q1. In the process of growing a microorganism in a liquid culture, thedX= μX , where X ischange in the cell concentration is given asdt
cell concentration (cells⋅ml-1) and μ is the specific growth rate (h-1).
Introduce the equation that gives the cell concentration at time t (h).
Suppose that the initial cell concentration is X0 (cells⋅ml-1).
Q2. Table 1 shows the specific growth rates of a bacterium at variousconditions. Calculate the cell concentration after 24, 48 and 72 h at20°C and pH 5. Suppose that the initial cell concentration is 102cells⋅ml-1.
Q3 When the initial cell concentration is 102 cells⋅ml-1, calculate thetime required for the cells to propagate to the concentration of 108
cells⋅ml-1 at 35°C and pH 7.
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Good example of Micro-Insertion
Created by Ph.D Yoshio Katakura,
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University

Q4. A microorganism can produce useful or toxic material (defined as aproduct) in the culture. The change in the product concentration isgiven as dP = ρX , where P is the product concentration (g⋅l-1) anddt
ρ is the specific production rate (g-product⋅g-cell-1⋅h-1). Introduce
the equation that gives the product concentration at time t (h).
Suppose that the initial product concentration is P0 (g⋅l-1).
Q5. The specific production rates of a product at various growth
conditions are shown in Table 1(abbr.). When the microorganism
is grown under a condition at 20°C and pH 7, and under acondition at 35°C and pH 5, compare the product concentrations
after 12 h of incubation.
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Good example of Micro-Insertion
Created by Ph.D Yoshio Katakura,
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University

Homework
You work for Y Corporation and are developing a new kind of soft drink.
Your boss orders you to define the expiration date of the drink on acommercial basis. Assuming that:the drink contains 102 cells⋅ml-1 of a bacterium which produces
enterotoxin A.
the specific growth and production rates given in Table 1(abbr.)
can be applied for the bacterium.
the pH of the drink is 5.
Investigate the poisonous properties of enterotoxin A, and define theexpiration date by yourself.

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Good example of Micro-Insertion
Created by Ph.D Yoshio Katakura,
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University

Points for grading
Did the student investigate the poisonous properties (the amount ofenterotoxin that develops poisoning)?
There are many reports about the toxicity and there are various values
about the toxicity. If the student compares a number of the values
and adopts the most safety value, add extra point.
Are the data obtained from reliable source(s)?
Is the source of the data described in her/his report?
How did the student assume the intake of the drink?
Did she/he consider unexpected intake, for example, drink 1 L at atime?
Did the student give consideration to weak people?
Babies and aged persons are more sensitive to the toxin.

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Good example of Micro-Insertion
Created by Ph.D Yoshio Katakura,
Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University

Points for grading（Cont.）
Did the student consider the temperature management at store andmarketing distribution channel?
If the student defines the expiration date in summer and winter individually,
add extra point.
If the student takes refrigeration into consideration, add extra point in thefollowing cases:
The student considers the possibility that the drink is kept at room
temperature by mistake.
The student defines expiration date based on the datum at 5°C as promises
for the distribution at dependable stores such as manufacturer's retailstore.
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Add-up26

Add-up The realization of EAC, Ethics Across theCurriculum at KIT
 Capstone subject, “Science and Engineering Ethics”• Realized the engineering ethics education targeting at
approximately 1,600 students• Introduced an educational approach utilizing the case method• Established the learning/educational objectives, educational
materials (case examples, presentation/distribution materials,issues) and measurement/assessment methods that are
structurally defined and that can easily be improved• In preparation for a drastic revision in the next fiscal year General education subjects
 Each specialized subject

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Add-up
 EAC Taskforce Committee
 EAC-Workshop and “Micro-Insertion”
 Issues We still have difficulty gaining understanding andcooperation from the specialized subject instructors.
 We need to devise ways to realize a true sense of EAC.

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