We also realized that as much as the faculty wanted to see improvement in how students approached
ethical problems at the end of the term, we also were interested to see whether students perceived any
change in themselves. It seemed to us that part of learning ethics is the student’s ability to bring to
consciousness patterns of thinking through problems, whether adequate or flawed. The student’s ability
to perceive change in how he or she thought about an ethical problem was at least as important as any
change that we perceived.
The posttest instructions used in the second year reflected the faculty’s new understandings. Students
were specifically asked not to repeat their initial analysis, but to evaluate the adequacy of their initial
analysis. In addition, students were given the posttest as a “final exam.” The posttest instructions read
as follows:
The purpose of this final exam is to help assess the influence this class has had on the way in which
you analyze ethical problems in the practice of science.
The diagnostic test that you completed at the beginning of the term is attached.
1. Please review the case, the instructions you received at the beginning of the term and your
responses.
2. Analyze your initial response. Describe how your thinking has changed. Be sure to discuss
understandings or information that you have now that you didn’t have at the beginning of the term.