Turning students into ethical professionals

At the engineering school of the University of Virginia, a primary responsibility is turning students into ethical professionals, Three Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) Engineering Criteria (EC 2000 outcomes are a primary focus of this effort. The three relevant ABET EC 2000 outcomes are: "f", which requires students to demonstrate an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility; "h", which requires an understanding the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context; and "j", which asks for knowledge contemporary issues. These outcomes are broad. In order to create more specific outcomes, it is important to talk about the types of knowledge and skills students need to acquire in order to become ethical practitioners. The work presented establishes a framework, dividing the knowledge that engineering students need into four categories, based loosely on M. Adler\´s Paiadeia principles (1982).