Using case studies to teach engineering design and ethics

Abstract

At the University of Virginia, we have developed (researched and written) a set of case studies for teaching engineering ethics, engineering design, and environmental issues. These cases have been used in a course on Invention and Design, and in other courses offered by our Division of Technology, Culture, and Communications (TCC). Many of these cases have been published in book form 1. Others are available through the course website for Invention and Design 2, the TCC Engineering Ethics site 3, and the Olsson Center for Applied Ethics at the Darden Graduate School of Business Administration 4. This paper will review the nature and use of case studies, discuss their value for developing higher level thinking skills, and describe some of the ethical, environmental and design issues we introduce through cases.