A normative analysis to determine the goals of ethics education through utilizing three approaches: rational moral education, ethical acculturation, and learning throughout life

Abstract

Ethics education is an emerging concept at the intersection of ethics and education, and this article aims to define the goals of ethics education in order to specify the general structure of teaching ethics in healthcare. Additionally, providing the opportunity to map the next stages of ethics education, such as what to teach and how to teach, is another purpose of the suggested normative framework. Kohlberg's cognitive-developmental approach, Handelsman et al.'s ethical acculturation model, and the Delors Report's learning throughout life concept are utilized to determine the notion of teaching ethics and its objectives. Through the integration of these three approaches and the adaptation of the Delors Report's pillars, the goals of ethics education are described as: (1) increasing ethical knowledge; (2) improving ethical skills to strengthen ethical sensitivity, awareness, and judgement; (3) developing ethical behavior; and (4) promoting cultural competence. These goals indicate that ethics education is an ongoing process transcending to teach or learn certain ethical codes, norms, and principles. Exploring and recognizing individuals' abilities, personal values, and cultural backgrounds are also essential requirements of teaching ethics. Furthermore, this perspective demands administrating existing ethical challenges, differences, and conflicts in healthcare through augmenting cultural competence rather than imposing and/or assimilating policies.

Reflection of People Ethical Ideas in Proverbs and Sayings

“…Therefore, we can conclude that ethics is inseparable from philosophy. According to the Aristotle, the goal of ethics is not knowledge, but action; the so-called "golden rule" of ethics "do not do to others what you do not wish for yourself" existed in one form or another independently in different cultures also it is present in Confucius (Gensler, 2013;Yao, 2017;Saukov, 2017;Avci, 2017).…”

Ethics education should make room for emotions: a qualitative study of medical ethics teaching in Indonesia and the Netherlands

“…However, ethics is not only about identifying and solving ethical problems (Leget and Olthuis 2007, Saltzburg 2014, Avci 2016. Ethics is also about recognizing personal values (Avci 2017) and critical reflection, which involve both rational and emotional capacities (Mackenzie 2007).…”

“…In fact, many medical schools have proposed this broad view of ethics teaching within their curriculum (Carrese et al 2015, Indonesia 2012, NFU 2009. We believe this broad view is ideal to achieve the goals within the medical curriculum, to prepare students to deal with the continuous changes, complexities and uncertainties in healthcare (Campbell, Chin, and Voo 2007) and prepare them for the lifelong learning throughout their professional lives (Avci 2017). In this paper, we wish to explore students' emotions, including differences in the kind and extent of emotional discomforts, which might be related to cultural backgrounds; and discuss what ethics education, in particular teachers in ethics, can offer to students in this matter.…”

A Case for Transformative Learning in Medical Ethics Education

“…increasing ethical knowledge; improving ethical skills to strengthen ethical sensitivity, awareness, and judgement; developing ethical behavior; and promoting cultural competence. 4 (p143)…”