Bioethics principles in the teaching of climate change

Abstract

Problem statement: Bioethics is the philosophical study of the ethical controversies about humans and his environment. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, philosophy, theology and climate change. The objective of this study is to examine the impact of using bioethics resources as teaching tool in the teaching of climate change at tertiary level. Approach: This is done through assessing the extent of bioethics knowledge acquired in the learning process and how bioethics principles affect respondents thinking and opinions. The research employs a qualitative analysis of the data that is collected through pre-and post-tests and from feedback solicited through discussions with respondents. Some 100 university undergraduate students participated in this study. Results: The findings reveal that through the use of bioethics resources in teaching climate change, respondents' showed increased comprehension of bioethics knowledge and greater appreciation of its principles. Conclusion: Therefore the study concludes that the use of bioethics resources can accentuate the importance of bioethics principles in the understanding and in the provision of ethical framework in dealing with climate changes issues and mitigation initiatives. This research finding can be a useful source of information for scholars and researchers developing teaching strategies using bioethics resources. © 2011 Science Publications.