Case-based ethics education: promoting understanding or dumbing down? Ethics is more than "causes and outcomes"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22850144

J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics. 2012 Jul;7(3):63-77.

Case-based ethics education: the impact of cause complexity and outcome favorability on ethicality.

[No authors listed]

Abstract

Case-based learning has been used across multiple disciplines, including ethics education, as an effective instructional tool. However, the value of case-based learning in ethics education has varied widely regarding case quality. Case content may significantly impact the ability of case-basedethics education to promote knowledge acquisition and knowledge transfer to future situations requiring ethical decision-making. This study examined two critical areas of ethical case content-causes and outcomes. Complexity of described causes and outcome favorability were manipulated in two ethical cases used during an ethics education course. Results suggest that including information in case studies reflecting clear, simple key causes and negative outcomes results in better ethical sensemaking and ethical decision-making. Implications regarding case content and case-basedethics education are explored.