Linking personal and professional social responsibility development to microethics and macroethics: Observations from early undergraduate education

Abstract

Background Developing social responsibility attitudes in future engineers and computer scientists is of critical and rising importance. Yet research shows that prosocial attitudes decline during undergraduate engineering education. Purpose Influenced by the Professional Social Responsibility Development Model (PSRDM), this study explores the connection between undergraduate personal social responsibility attitudes and the development of professional social responsibility attitudes. We consider a wide range of college and precollege influences and inhibitors. Design/Method We conducted and analyzed 21 semistructured interviews of second‐year undergraduates, predominantly in engineering and computer science. The interviews form the first collection of qualitative data for a multiyear mixed methods study which has followed a cohort of students since they entered college. Results We find preliminary evidence that social responsibility attitudes tend to be conceptually separated for early undergraduates along two lines: personal and professional considerations, and microlevel and macrolevel concerns. This leads some students to assume that social responsibility obligations can be considered as a weekend project, may fall into place later in one's career, and can generally be deprioritized compared to technical education and career pursuits. Candidate explanations for this divide include early influences from parents, religious values, collegiate social interaction, students' limited familiarity with their future profession, and a social/technical divide and meritocratic ideology in engineering culture. Conclusions This study provides qualitative evidence to advance the conceptual understanding of professional social responsibility development. The findings highlight key individual and institutional influences and barriers for scholars and practitioners interested in nurturing prosocial attitudes among engineering students.

A Multi-level Review of Engineering Ethics Education: Towards a Socio-technical Orientation of Engineering Education for Ethics

“…The implications for ethics teaching become apparent. Empirical research on the culture of engineering education (Cech, 2014;Godfrey, 2014;Godfrey & Parker, 2010;Schiff et al, 2021) confirms the valorisation of the technical and the marginalisation of the societal dimension of engineering. Tormey et al, (2015, p. 2) notes that students' declining moral reasoning is the outcome of the culture within their institution, as courses with ethical content are "swimming against the hidden cultural tide of the programme as a whole".…”

“…We are guided in the use of the concept of “culture” by the definition provided by Schein ( 1992 , p. 12) and popularised in engineering education research by Godfrey and Parker ( 2010 ), according to which culture is understood as a pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid, and therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to those problems. As Godfrey ( 2009 , p. 3) points out, this definition focuses on “the deepest, unconscious level of basic beliefs and assumptions, which underpins the more visible cultural manifestations”.…”

Auditing the ‘Social’ of Quantum Technologies: A Scoping Review

“…It is suggested that "a quantum awareness or concepts course" on the undergraduate level, if possible in the first year, "to introduce students to the field early" would be beneficial [83] (p. 18), and that new courses are already being developed [84]. At the same time, it is recognized that the teaching of technical students on the 'social' aspects of technologies is lacking [85][86][87][88][89][90]. Techno-determinism and techno-optimism are recognized as biased forms of reporting within the STEM education literature [91][92][93][94], as is evident as well within statements such as "the need for quantum workforce and a well-educated society with knowledge and attitudes towards the acceptance of QT is imminent" [95] (p. 1).…”

“…Indeed, given that students have different interests [96], adding the 'social' might broaden the interest into quantum. The mapping exercises might counter the recognized problem that the teaching of technical students in 'social' aspects is lacking [85][86][87][88][89][90] and that techno-determinism and techno-optimism are recognized as biased forms of reporting within the STEM education literature [91][92][93][94], which also seems to be evident in quantum policy views on education, as evident from statements such as "the need for quantum workforce and a well-educated society with knowledge and attitudes towards the acceptance of QT is imminent" [95] (p. 1). It is suggested that "a quantum awareness or concepts course" on the undergraduate level, if possible in the first year "to introduce students to the field early" would be beneficial [83] (p. 18).…”

“In Our Own Little World”: Invisibility of the Social and Ethical Dimension of Engineering Among Undergraduate Students

“…Scholars contested that the current challenges in Teaching Engineering Ethics is deeply grounded in the culture of engineering which over-stresses technical knowledge while marginalizing the ethical and societal dimension of engineering (Jamison et al, 2014;Schiff et al, 2021). Students' perceptions are shaped by the binary cultural frame.…”