Moral judgment in computing undergraduates

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine whether, when teaching professional ethics, the educational interventions have any effect on improving students' moral decisions. One method often used to measure change is the well‐established defining issues test – an American test based on Kohlberg's stage theory.Design/methodology/approachUsing this test, two before‐and‐after studies were carried out on cross‐cultural cohorts of first year computing undergraduates which both received the same lectures, debates and moral‐decision‐making exercises.FindingsOne study showed a significant increase in moral judgment whilst the other showed a decrease (although not significant). Both studies indicated mean scores far below the American averages.Research limitations/implicationsAs both studies involved relatively small sample sizes, the results are indicative rather than conclusive. However, they bring to light issues associated with the test, in both American and non‐American research, indicating that lower than average mean scores could be due to cross‐cultural and situational variations.Practical implicationsThe paper questions the premise of stage theory as a method for measurement within a cross‐cultural context; and the usefulness of measuring one component of moral development (moral judgment) in isolation.Originality/valueThe paper proposes that tests based on more discipline‐specific skills, rather than stage theory, would be of greater use in evaluating student levels of moral development.

Gender and digital privacy: examining determinants of attitude toward digital piracy among youths in an emerging market

“…Moral judgment is one of the four components of cognitive developmental psychology, which was developed by Lawrence Kohlberg (Jagger, ). Banerjee et al .…”

“…Moral judgment is one of the four components of cognitive developmental psychology, which was developed by Lawrence Kohlberg (Jagger, 2011). Banerjee et al (1998) defined moral judgment as the way a person reasons when faced with an ethical situation.…”

Do higher education computing degree courses develop the level of moral judgement required from a profession?

“…Many studies have utilised the DIT in an attempt to measure the success of educational intervention of various types but results have been varied with some showing a positive change in DIT scores after the delivery of targeted ethics teaching, and some no change or a decline (Staehr and Bryme, 2003, p. 233; Poneman, 1993, p. 207; Tennant, 2002, p. 2657; Woodward and Ashby, 2006, p. 6; Jagger, 2011, pp. 27‐31).…”