Ethics
Analyze ethical issues in personal, professional, and civic life and produce reasoned evaluations of competing value systems and ethical claims.
Description:
Description: Ethics is about right human conduct. This ULO requires students to be able to assess their own ethical values and the social context of problems, recognize ethical issues in a real-world setting, think about how different ethical frameworks might be applied to such issues and consider the ramifications of alternative actions. Students’ ethical self-awareness develops as they practice ethical reasoning skills, learn how to describe and analyze positions on ethical issues, and engage with others with diverse views. (adapted from AAC&U Value Rubric – Ethical Reasoning)
Glossary:
Core principles/values: Those fundamental ideas that consciously or unconsciously influence one’s ethical thinking and conduct. Even when unacknowledged, core principles/values shape one’s actions. These principles/values can reflect one’s environment, religion, culture, or training. A person may or may not choose to act on their core principles/values.
Ethics: The different means through which right human conduct is judged, such as ethical theories (e.g., utilitarian, deontological, care, virtue, deep ecology) or ethical concepts (e.g., rights, justice, duty, care, service).
Rubric
Downloadable Version: Ethics ULO Rubric
| CRITERIA | 4 – Exemplary Work | 3 – Good | 2 – Developing | 1 – Unsatisfactory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Understanding Ethical Frameworks | Clearly and concisely describes relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards and deftly explains their interrelationship, history, features, or use. | Articulates an adequate understanding of relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards and a basic assessment of their interrelationship, history, features, or use. | Articulates a partial understanding of relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards and a simplistic assessment of their interrelationship, history, features, or use. | Unable to articulate an understanding of relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards and/or an assessment of their interrelationship, history, features, or use. |
| 2 Analyzing Ethical Issues | Identifies and accurately describes an issue of ethical interest, including multiple viewpoints and their implications; poses critical questions about the issue and explains how these might be addressed according to relevant ethics. | Identifies and adequately describes an issue of ethical interest, including multiple viewpoints and their implications; poses some questions about the issue and explains how these might be addressed according to relevant ethics. | Identifies and partially describes an issue of ethical interest, may include multiple viewpoints and their implications; poses some questions about the issue and partially explains how these might be addressed according to relevant ethics. | Identifies an issue of ethical interest, but unable to identify multiple viewpoints; poses irrelevant questions about the issue without explanation for how such questions might be addressed according to relevant ethics. |
| 3 Ethical Reasoning | Develops a well-reasoned, well-supported position that applies relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards to an issue; thoroughly responds to potential objections/additions from different viewpoints. | Develops an adequately reasoned and supported position that applies relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards to an issue; mostly responds to potential objections/additions from different viewpoints. | Partially develops a position that applies relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards to an issue; partially responds to potential objections/additions from different viewpoints. | Unsuccessfully develops a position that applies relevant ethical frameworks, principles, guidelines, or standards to an issue; unable to respond to potential objections/additions from different viewpoints. |
| 4 Ethical Self-Awareness | Identifies and clearly explains one’s core principles and/or values, provides reasons for holding them, and thoughtfully considers their potential implications for oneself and one’s community. | Identifies and adequately explains one’s core principles and/or values, provides reasons for holding them, and considers their potential implications for oneself and one’s community. | Identifies and may partially explain one’s core principles and/or values, provides a reason for holding them, and speculates on a potential implication for oneself and one’s community. | Identifies core principles and/or values with minimal or no explanation, does not provide reasons for holding them and/or does not reflect on their potential implications for oneself and one’s community. |