[Issues of the practical value of ethics in healthcare].

PubMed

Liubarskiene, Zita

2007-01-01

In November 2006, the "Journal of Medical Ethics" published an article where prominent medical specialists stated that medical ethics, as a teaching and a theory, has no practical value. The article was based on the physicians' clinical experience and view that the theory of ethics has little in common with its application in daily practice and provides generalized guidelines for behavior, but is ineffective in decision-making in individual cases. At the same time, when describing conflict situations in healthcare, Lithuanian public press raises the role of ethics to the absolute and states that the lack or violation of ethics is the sole cause of all problems in healthcare, and there would be no problems if physicians behaved morally. From the viewpoint of an ethics professional, both controversial opinions deserve attention, and this paper is devoted to the analysis of these opinions. Ethical collisions and conflicts emerging in providing healthcare are not signs of the helplessness of medical ethics. Both viewpoints - the one disclaiming the role of medical ethics and the one attributing the absolute role to medical ethics - are equally erroneous. Decisions of the society and physicians are aggravated by health policy and the organization of healthcare in the country, as well as by a concrete individual's level of ethical thinking, worldview, and knowledge. Sometimes ethical collisions arise when there is a conflict among ethical principles themselves, and healthcare specialists have to decide which principle should be given priority. There are cases where setting priorities is impossible, and one has to admit that one single specialist is unable to solve the problem without his/her colleagues' assistance. Collective and collegial professionals' work helps to solve such ethical collisions.

Ethical evaluation of decision-making for distribution of health resources in China.

PubMed

Guo-Ping, Wang

2007-06-01

Since distribution of health resources involves various aspects of ethics, the evaluation of ethical problems should be emphasised in health decisions using criteria of fairness and fundamental principles of ethics correctly understood and chosen in order to solve the real conflicts evident in the distribution of health resources and to enable fair and reasonable distribution of health resources.

Justice and Caring and the Problem of Moral Relativism: Reframing the Gender Question in Ethics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brell, Carl D., Jr.

1989-01-01

Examines the issue of moral relativism as it pertains to conceptualizations of gender effect on moral development. Reviews positions of theorists regarding the importance of formal and contextually relative criteria to the development of moral reasoning. Argues that neither a justice nor a caring ethic alone can solve the problem of moral…

Connecting United States Air Force Core Values to Mission Accomplishment

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-04

making ( Kohlberg , 2008), to published works with a specific focus on ethics in the Air Force. The case studies referenced throughout the paper are used...useful backdrop for solving this problem. Lawrence Kohlberg , an American psychologist, experimentally derived a model for moral development based...on the cognitive reasoning one employs in making moral decisions and solving ethical quandaries ( Kohlberg , 2008). How one thinks through moral and

Steps to strengthen ethics in organizations: research findings, ethics placebos, and what works.

PubMed

Pope, Kenneth S

2015-01-01

Research shows that many organizations overlook needs and opportunities to strengthen ethics. Barriers can make it hard to see the need for stronger ethics and even harder to take effective action. These barriers include the organization's misleading use of language, misuse of an ethics code, culture of silence, strategies of justification, institutional betrayal, and ethical fallacies. Ethics placebos tend to take the place of steps to see, solve, and prevent problems. This article reviews relevant research and specific steps that create change.

A New Formulation of the Ethical Self through Kierkegaard's Notion of Subjectivity: In Search of a New Moral Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwak, Duck-Joo

2001-01-01

Essay on Kierkegaard's notion of subjectivity in the formulation of the ethical self. Suggests that Kierkegaard's self-reflecting ethical model offers an alternative approach to the teaching of moral education in South Korean schools, currently dominated by a theory-oriented, problem-solving paradigm. (PKP)

Codes of professional responsibility for lawyers: ethics or law?

PubMed

Lawry, R P

1984-01-01

The American Bar Association has three times in this century produced a code of ethics for lawyers. The movement has clearly been from a general, hortatory format to one of a statement of principles of law. In the ABA's latest effort, the problems of client confidentiality loom as the most serious and most difficult to solve. The question of ethics versus law weighs heavily in this context, and the ABA's latest resolutions of the confidentiality problems are found to be unsatisfactory.

How Should Ethical Theories Be Dealt with in Engineering Ethics?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohishi, Toshihiro

Contemporary engineering ethics scholars deal with contesting several ethical theories without criticizing them radically and try to use them to solve ethical problems. In this paper I first show that a conflict between ethical theories is not superficial, and pragmatic methods are adopted in engineering ethics. Second, I claim that the way to deal with contesting ethical theories in contemporary engineering ethics has an unacceptable side which does not accord with my argument that a conflict between ethical theories is not superficial and pragmatic methods are adopted in engineering ethics. Finally, I conclude that this inconsistency in contemporary engineering ethics should be corrected to make contemporary engineering ethics consistent.

Chinese ethics review system and Chinese medicine ethical review: past, present, and future.

PubMed

Li, En-Chang; Du, Ping; Ji, Ke-Zhou; Wang, Zhen

2011-11-01

The Chinese medical ethics committee and the ethical review system have made the following achievements: (1) enabled the institutionalization of medical ethics, (2) carried out the ethics review of Chinese medicine (CM) and integrative medicine extensively, (3) trained a large number of ethical professionals, (4) supported and protected the interests of patients and subjects, and (5) ensured the correct direction of biological research and provided ethical defense for the publication of its results. However, at the same time, they are also faced with some new problems and difficulties that need to be resolved in the following ways: (1) to refine the relevant rules of ethical review, (2) to develop the relevant standards of the CM and integrative medicine ethical review, (3) to enhance the independence and authority of ethics committee, (4) to emphasize innovation and to discover and solve new problems, and (5) to increase international exchanges and improve relevant research.

Steps to Strengthen Ethics in Organizations: Research Findings, Ethics Placebos, and What Works

PubMed Central

Pope, Kenneth S.

2015-01-01

Research shows that many organizations overlook needs and opportunities to strengthen ethics. Barriers can make it hard to see the need for stronger ethics and even harder to take effective action. These barriers include the organization’s misleading use of language, misuse of an ethics code, culture of silence, strategies of justification, institutional betrayal, and ethical fallacies. Ethics placebos tend to take the place of steps to see, solve, and prevent problems. This article reviews relevant research and specific steps that create change. PMID:25602131

An ethics dilemma: when parents and doctors disagree on the best treatment for the child.

PubMed

Oppenheim, Daniel; Brugières, Laurence; Corradini, Nadège; Vivant, Florence; Hartmann, Olivier

2004-09-01

The increasing complexity of present day medicine--with highly effective and yet risky treatments, individual and collective expectations, and evolving ideological and cultural landmarks--often gives rise to difficult ethical problems. Specific meetings are valuable for understanding such problems, acquiring the relevant skills and for gaining and transmitting experience on how to solve them. Parents and doctors may disagree about what is the best treatment. Such a difference of opinion is not rare but usually a solution can easily be found. This is not the case when the child is treated for a severe illness and when there is no clearly defined or satisfactory treatment for him\\her. We present how a dramatic conflict arose between the parents and the doctors faced with such a case (mostly because the staff failed to understand early enough the psychological factors at the root of the father's demands), how clinical, institutional and ethical problems were analysed during a meeting, and how they were solved.

How Engineers Perceive the Importance of Ethics in Finland

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taajamaa, Ville; Majanoja, Anne-Maarit; Bairaktarova, Diana; Airola, Antti; Pahikkala, Tapio; Sutinen, Erkki

2018-01-01

Success in complex and holistic engineering practices requires more than problem-solving abilities and technical competencies. Engineering education must offer proficient technical competences and also train engineers to think and act ethically. A technical "engineering-like" focus and demand have made educators and students overlook the…

A quick guide to ethical theory in healthcare: solving ethical dilemmas in nutrition support situations.

PubMed

Ferrie, Suzie

2006-04-01

Ethical dilemmas can be challenging for the nutrition support clinician who is accustomed to evidence-based practice. The emotional and personal nature of ethical decision making can present difficulties, and conflict can arise when people have different ethical perspectives. An understanding of ethical terms and ethical theories can be helpful in clarifying the source of this conflict. These may include prominent ethical theories such as moral relativism, utilitarianism, Kantian absolutism, Aristotle's virtue ethics and ethics of care, as well as the key ethical principles in healthcare (autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice). Adopting a step-by-step approach can simplify the process of resolving ethical problems.

Dehumanization in organizational settings: some scientific and ethical considerations

PubMed Central

Christoff, Kalina

2014-01-01

Dehumanizing attitudes and behaviors frequently occur in organizational settings and are often viewed as an acceptable, and even necessary, strategy for pursuing personal and organizational goals. Here I examine a number of commonly held beliefs about dehumanization and argue that there is relatively little support for them in light of the evidence emerging from social psychological and neuroscientific research. Contrary to the commonly held belief that everyday forms of dehumanization are innocent and inconsequential, the evidence shows profoundly negative consequences for both victims and perpetrators. As well, the belief that suppressing empathy automatically leads to improved problem solving is not supported by the evidence. The more general belief that empathy interferes with problem solving receives partial support, but only in the case of mechanistic problem solving. Overall, I question the usefulness of dehumanization in organizational settings and argue that it can be replaced by superior strategies that are ethically more acceptable and do not entail the severely negative consequences associated with dehumanization. PMID:25309401

Relationship among Students' Problem-Solving Attitude, Perceived Value, Behavioral Attitude, and Intention to Participate in a Science and Technology Contest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huang, Neng-Tang Norman; Chiu, Li-Jia; Hong, Jon-Chao

2016-01-01

The strong humanistic and ethics-oriented philosophy of Confucianism tends to lead people influenced by these principles to undervalue the importance of hands-on practice and creativity in education. GreenMech, a science and technology contest, was implemented to encourage real-world, hands-on problem solving in an attempt to mitigate this effect.…

Systems thinking and ethics in public health: a necessary and mutually beneficial partnership.

PubMed

Silva, Diego S; Smith, Maxwell J; Norman, Cameron D

2018-06-13

Systems thinking has emerged as a means of conceptualizing and addressing complex public health problems, thereby challenging more commonplace understanding of problems and corresponding solutions as straightforward explanations of cause and effect. Systems thinking tries to address the complexity of problems through qualitative and quantitative modeling based on a variety of systems theories, each with their own assumptions and, more importantly, implicit and unexamined values. To date, however, there has been little engagement between systems scientists and those working in bioethics and public health ethics. The goal of this paper is to begin to consider what it might mean to combine systems thinking with public health ethics to solve public health challenges. We argue that there is a role for ethics in systems thinking in public health as a means of elucidating implicit assumptions and facilitating ethics debate and dialogue with key stakeholders.

Promises to Practice: Learning a PROactive Approach to Ethical Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambery, Mary Elizabeth; Steinbrunner, Ruth K.

2007-01-01

Learning to be PROactive, as the title of this article suggests, means Pooling one's knowledge, Reflecting respect, and Opening oneself to action. It recognizes early childhood educators' promises to their field of practice, based on widely held beliefs and principles. Educators can apply professional ethics to everyday problem solving and their…

From environmental to ecological ethics: toward a practical ethics for ecologists and conservationists.

PubMed

Minteer, Ben A; Collins, James P

2008-12-01

Ecological research and conservation practice frequently raise difficult and varied ethical questions for scientific investigators and managers, including duties to public welfare, nonhuman individuals (i.e., animals and plants), populations, and ecosystems. The field of environmental ethics has contributed much to the understanding of general duties and values to nature, but it has not developed the resources to address the diverse and often unique practical concerns of ecological researchers and managers in the field, lab, and conservation facility. The emerging field of "ecological ethics" is a practical or scientific ethics that offers a superior approach to the ethical dilemmas of the ecologist and conservation manager. Even though ecological ethics necessarily draws from the principles and commitments of mainstream environmental ethics, it is normatively pluralistic, including as well the frameworks of animal, research, and professional ethics. It is also methodologically pragmatic, focused on the practical problems of researchers and managers and informed by these problems in turn. The ecological ethics model offers environmental scientists and practitioners a useful analytical tool for identifying, clarifying, and harmonizing values and positions in challenging ecological research and management situations. Just as bioethics provides a critical intellectual and problem-solving service to the biomedical community, ecological ethics can help inform and improve ethical decision making in the ecology and conservation communities.

The effects of low doses of ionizing radiation - A question of ethics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tschaeche, A.N.

1996-12-31

Three ethical questions are asked and answered about the current state of affairs concerning how those in power manipulate public understanding of the effects of low doses of ionizing radiation. The questions are as follows: (1) Is it ethical to frighten people when you do not know that there is anything to be frightened of? (2) Is it ethical to be so conservative that resources are spent to solve a problem that may not exist? (3) Is it ethical not to tell the whole truth about the effects of low levels of ionizing radiation?

The ethically trained physician: myth or reality?

PubMed Central

Balkos, G. K.

1983-01-01

Through a questionnaire distributed to 300 physicians in the Toronto area, three aspects of their ethical awareness were examined: the formal codes, the need for consultation in making decisions and the need for training in medical ethics. Most of the physicians (81%) felt that they were facing ethical problems in their daily practice. A majority of these would try to solve the problems either themselves (30%) or through discussion with a colleague (43%). When they turned outside the profession it was sometimes to a lawyer (12%), which suggests concern with the legalities of some situations. Only a small proportion of the respondents were found to be familiar with two of the established codes of ethics, yet 13% would still turn to the code of the Canadian Medical Association for guidance. Finally, there was widespread recognition of the need for proper training in medical ethics and for the establishment of a specialty in this field. PMID:6825034

Cognitive constraints on high school students' representations of real environmental problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Ervin Kenneth

One class of juniors and seniors was studied through one semester in the investigation of how students think about, learn from, and solve real environmental problems. The intention was to listen to student voices while researching the features of their representations of these problems, the beliefs they held (tenets), the cognitive processes they employed, and the principles of science, ecology, problem solving, and ethics they held as tenets. The focus was upon two self-selected groups as they perceived, engaged, analyzed, and proposed solutions for problems. Analysis of the student representations involved interpretation of the features to include both the perspective tenets and the envisioning processes. These processes included the intentive and attentive constraints as tenet acquisition and volitive and agential constraints as tenet affirmation. The perspective tenets included a variety of conceptual (basic science, ecological, ethical, and problem-solving) constraints as well as ontological, epistemological, and other cultural (role, status, power, and community) constraints. The perspective tenets were interpreted thematically including the ways populations of people cause and care about environmental problems, the magnitude of environmental problems and the science involved, the expectations and limitations students perceive for themselves, and the importance of community awareness and cooperation to addressing these problems. Some of these tenets were interpreted to be principles in that they were rules that were accepted by some people as true. The perspective tenets, along with the envisioning processes, were perceived to be the constraints that determined the environmental problems and limited the solution possibilities. The students thought about environmental problems in mature and principled ways using a repertoire of cognitive processes. They learned from them as they acquired and affirmed tenets. They solved them through personal choices and efforts to increase community awareness. The ways students think about, learn from, and solve real environmental problems were all constrained by the perspective tenets (including cultural tenets of role, status, and power) and envisioning processes. It was concluded that students need help from the community to go further in solving these real environmental problems.

An ethics of suffering: does it solve the problems we want to solve?: commentary.

PubMed

Edwards, Barbara Springer

1991-01-01

Erich H. Loewy proposes to elevate the moral obligation to prevent and relieve suffering to the level of a prima facie moral duty by delineating which beings are of primary moral worth and which are of secondary moral worth. Sentient beings have a capacity to suffer and are therefore of primary moral worth. Beings that are insentient cannot suffer; therefore such beings are only of secondary moral worth. Objects of secondary moral worth include patients in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) and brain-dead patients. This proposal, he says, would solve a number of problems in clinical bioethics. First, it would help to clarify our moral duties at the bedside. And secondly, by creating a hierarchy of moral values, it helps to differentiate which patients are owed our primary allegiance and resources. Despite his extensive and painstaking proof, I believe several questions remain about the use of the "capacity of sentient beings to suffer" as a basis for a universal grounding in ethics.

Principle of serviceability and gratuitousness in transplantation?

PubMed

Pashkov, Vitaliy M; Golovanova, Iryna A; Noha, Petro P

the issue of commercialization of transplantation analyses in the article. Attention is paid to the importance of transplantation as a method of treatment and saving human lives. the clarify the feasibility of the introduction of donation commercialization as an avenue to solve the shortage of donor organs and means of combating with black organ market and finding alternative avenues solving these problems, which are more morally acceptable for society is the aim of this article. the experience of foreign countries has been analyses in the research. Additionally, we used data from international organizations, conclusions scientists and report of Global Financial Integrity in the research. it is impossible to solve most problems by means of paid donation. therapeutic organ and tissue cloning based on genetic technology is the best way out and solving ethical transplantation problems.

Eight-dimensional methodology for innovative thinking about the case and ethics of the Mount Graham, Large Binocular Telescope project.

PubMed

Berne, Rosalyn W; Raviv, Daniel

2004-04-01

This paper introduces the Eight Dimensional Methodology for Innovative Thinking (the Eight Dimensional Methodology), for innovative problem solving, as a unified approach to case analysis that builds on comprehensive problem solving knowledge from industry, business, marketing, math, science, engineering, technology, arts, and daily life. It is designed to stimulate innovation by quickly generating unique "out of the box" unexpected and high quality solutions. It gives new insights and thinking strategies to solve everyday problems faced in the workplace, by helping decision makers to see otherwise obscure alternatives and solutions. Daniel Raviv, the engineer who developed the Eight Dimensional Methodology, and paper co-author, technology ethicist Rosalyn Berne, suggest that this tool can be especially useful in identifying solutions and alternatives for particular problems of engineering, and for the ethical challenges which arise with them. First, the Eight Dimensional Methodology helps to elucidate how what may appear to be a basic engineering problem also has ethical dimensions. In addition, it offers to the engineer a methodology for penetrating and seeing new dimensions of those problems. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the Eight Dimensional Methodology as an analytical tool for thinking about ethical challenges to engineering, the paper presents the case of the construction of the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) on Mount Graham in Arizona. Analysis of the case offers to decision makers the use of the Eight Dimensional Methodology in considering alternative solutions for how they can proceed in their goals of exploring space. It then follows that same process through the second stage of exploring the ethics of each of those different solutions. The LBT project pools resources from an international partnership of universities and research institutes for the construction and maintenance of a highly sophisticated, powerful new telescope. It will soon mark the erection of the world's largest and most powerful optical telescope, designed to see fine detail otherwise visible only from space. It also represents a controversial engineering project that is being undertaken on land considered to be sacred by the local, native Apache people. As presented, the case features the University of Virginia, and its challenges in consideration of whether and how to join the LBT project consortium.

The role of ethical principles in health care and the implications for ethical codes.

PubMed Central

Limentani, A E

1999-01-01

A common ethical code for everybody involved in health care is desirable, but there are important limitations to the role such a code could play. In order to understand these limitations the approach to ethics using principles and their application to medicine is discussed, and in particular the implications of their being prima facie. The expectation of what an ethical code can do changes depending on how ethical properties in general are understood. The difficulties encountered when ethical values are applied reactively to an objective world can be avoided by seeing them as a more integral part of our understanding of the world. It is concluded that an ethical code can establish important values and describe a common ethical context for health care but is of limited use in solving new and complex ethical problems. PMID:10536764

An Education in Narratives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gallagher, Shaun

2014-01-01

I argue for a broad education in narratives as a way to address several problems found in moral psychology and social cognition. First, an education in narratives will address a common problem of narrowness or lack of diversity, shared by virtue ethics and the simulation theory of social cognition. Secondly, it also solves the "starting…

Creating human organs in chimaera pigs: an ethical source of immunocompatible organs?

PubMed

Shaw, David; Dondorp, Wybo; Geijsen, Niels; de Wert, Guido

2015-12-01

New techniques in regenerative medicine may soon enable the creation of human organs inside animals using induced pluripotent stem cells. This technology has the potential to solve the organ scarcity problem by providing a limitless source of personalised organs for transplantation, but also raises several ethical issues, particularly concerning animal welfare, the 'human features' problem and human dignity. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The practice setting: site of ethical conflict for some mothers and midwives.

PubMed

Thompson, Faye E

2003-11-01

Practitioners' ethical orientation and responses vary between practice settings. Yet, currently, the ethics for midwifery practice that is explicit in the literature and which provides the ideals of socialization into practice, is that of bio(medical)ethics. Traditional bioethics, developed because of World War II atrocities and increased scientific research, is based on moral philosophy, normative theory, abstract universal principles and objective problem solving, all of which focus on right and wrong 'action' for resolving dilemmas. They exclude context and relationship. Personal narratives of mothers and midwives contest the appropriateness of these accepted values and systems for childbirth because they induce conflict between workplace/service provider ethics and personal/professional midwifery ethics. In contrast to the disembedded and disembodied approach of biomedical ethics, an ethically adequate response in midwifery practice resonates more with the ethics of intimates, such as feminist virtue ethics.

Learning Ethics through Everyday Problems: Informed Consent

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verdu, Fernando; Frances, Francesc; Castello, Ana

2012-01-01

The teaching of bioethics and its importance in clinical relationships is to a certain extent complicated when we address students of medicine, young people who are more used to dealing with and solving strictly clinical problems. Informed Consent is one of the aspects of professional practice that is generally and widely accepted in Western…

[The ethical reflection approach in decision-making processes in health institutes].

PubMed

Gruat, Renaud

2015-12-01

Except in the specific case of end-of-life care, the law says nothing about the way in which health professionals must carry out ethical reflection regarding the treatment of their patients. A problem-solving methodology called the "ethical reflection approach" performed over several stages can be used. The decision-making process involves the whole team and draws on the ability of each caregiver to put forward a reasoned argument, in the interest of the patient. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Investigation of Environmental Topics in the Science and Technology Curriculum and Textbooks in Terms of Environmental Ethics and Aesthetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lacin Simsek, Canan

2011-01-01

In order to solve environmental problems, it is thought that education should be connected with values. For this reason, it is emphasized that environmental issues should be integrated with ethical and aesthetic values. In this study, 6th, 7th and 8th grade science and technology curriculum and textbooks were investigated to find out how much…

[Transgressive Conducts in the Academic Environment].

PubMed

Campo-Cabal, Gerardo

2012-01-01

This article presents a historical review, from an ethic standpoint, of the national legislation that rules the practice of Medicine in Colombia; ity also refers to the deontological code and the Colombian psychiatric code as well as to the commitment of the Health Faculty of the Universidad del Valle regarding ethical conducts. Ethics is introduced as an original innate faculty, resulting from cognitive development and learning while being also a manifestation of underlying biological processes or a result of the interaction of different models. The teaching-learning process is a situation in which teachers and students get together in order to acquire competences that are to be ethically expressed. Empirical studies have shown transgressive forms of behavior in teachers, students and academic administrators throughout the world; in addition, the mass media expose transgressions committed by other social groups such as politicians, financiers, clergymen, researchers, etc. Firstly proposed as a problem-solving strategy is the acceptance of the very existence of transgressions, followed by the conformation of a committee aimed at principle-identification for, subsequently, undertaking eductional and following-up actions, while administering sanctions when necessary. The proposal for adopting problem-solving strategies for the Faculty of Health of the Universidad del Valle is also presented. Copyright © 2012 Asociación Colombiana de Psiquiatría. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

Bioethics in Russia.

PubMed

Tishchenko, P D

2005-01-01

Ten years of development in Russian bioethics presents significant progress. At the beginning of the 90s bioethics was practically unknown for Russian medical doctors, philosophers and the public. Since the year 2000 bioethics has become an obligatory course for all medical students. The Russian Orthodox Church published the same year "The Social Doctrine" that included a special part "The Church and Problems of Bioethics." Different bioethical problems are often discussed in the mass media. The development of Russian bioethics proves the basic understanding of ethics presented by John Dewey--ethics is a function of the moral life of the community. Norms are good or bad mostly as instruments that could be used in everyday life to solve real problems people meet.

Global Public Leadership in a Technological Era

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masciulli, Joseph

2011-01-01

Good (ethical and effective) global public leadership--by national politicians, intergovernmental and nongovernmental international organizational leaders, multinational corporate leaders, and technoscientists--will make a significant positive difference in our global system's capacity to solve contemporary and futuristic global problems. High…

[Implementation of ethics services. Opportunities and obstacles].

PubMed

Salomon, F

2015-04-01

Medical success in the last century has caused situations, in which the question arises whether therapy is right. In the same time autonomy has become more and more important. Furthermore, human beings want to decide on health, life and dying. Experience of limitations of life and desire of autonomy in healthcare lead to ethical questions. Different ethical services were established to deal with and to solve problems. Ethics committees with multiprofessional members and different qualifications will give guidance in critical decision making. Ethics services do not receive responsibility for the decision, but helps those who are responsible by structured reflection, estimation of values and including all concerned. Implementing ethics services also encounters obstructions and scepticism. Time, responsibility for therapy and criticism of customs and structures must be considered to perpetuate success. Instructions for implementing ethics services are presented.

How engineers perceive the importance of ethics in Finland

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taajamaa, Ville; Majanoja, Anne-Maarit; Bairaktarova, Diana; Airola, Antti; Pahikkala, Tapio; Sutinen, Erkki

2018-01-01

Success in complex and holistic engineering practices requires more than problem-solving abilities and technical competencies. Engineering education must offer proficient technical competences and also train engineers to think and act ethically. A technical 'engineering-like' focus and demand have made educators and students overlook the importance of ethical awareness and transversal competences. Using two Finnish surveys, conducted in 2014 and 2016, we examine how engineers perceive working life needs regarding ethics. The data consider different age groups. We research whether an engineer's age affects their perception of the importance of ethics in their work and if there are differences between young experts and young managers in their use of ethics within work. The results indicate that practising engineers do not consider ethical issues important in their work. This especially applies to younger engineers; the older an engineer, the more important they consider ethics. No statistically significant difference was found between young engineering experts and managers.

[Ethical issues in nursing leadership].

PubMed

Wang, Shu-Fang; Hung, Chich-Hsiu

2005-10-01

Social transition causes shifts and changes in the relationship between health professionals and their patients. In their professional capacity, it is important today for nurses to handle ethical dilemmas properly, in a manner that fosters an ethical environment. This article investigates the ethical concerns and decision processes of nurses from a knowledge construction perspective, and examines such issues as patient needs, staff perceptions, organizational benefits, and professional image. The decision making methods commonly used when facing ethical dilemma explored in this study include the traditional problem solving, nursing process, MORAL model, and Murphy's methods. Although decision making for ethical dilemmas is governed by no universal rule, nurses are responsible to try to foster a trusting relationship between employee and employer, health care providers and patients, and the organization and colleagues. When decision making on ethical dilemmas is properly executed quality care will be delivered and malpractice can be reduced.

RAF and SOF Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

must continue efforts to change the Service’s cultural perspective on the AC-RC dynamic. Far too much parochialism exists with the net effect of...based on their ability to operate independently. These leaders must think creatively and solve problems, all within the legal, moral and ethical

Promoting Civic Literacy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Peggy Ann, Ed.

1985-01-01

Descriptions of college programs that integrate civic issues and responsibilities are provided, along with an essay entitled "Liberal Education's Civic Agenda," by Arthur Levine and David Haselkorn. The essay recommends a curriculum that emphasizes such things as basic skills and problem solving, and values and ethics. The program…

Ombuds Office

Science.gov Websites

mission of the Ombuds Office is to enhance communication and mitigate conflict at the Laboratory. Contact alternative for assistance with informal complaint resolution, problem solving, and communication. The Ombuds Ombudsman Association Code of Ethics (pdf) International Ombudsman Association Standards of Practice (pdf

Re-Engineering Graduate Skills--A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nair, Chenicheri Sid; Patil, Arun; Mertova, Patricie

2009-01-01

Research on student-learning outcomes indicates that university graduates do not possess important skills required by employers, such as communication, decision-making, problem-solving, leadership, emotional intelligence, social ethics skills as well as the ability to work with people of different backgrounds. Today, engineering graduates are…

Why Employee Motivation Has Declined in America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Philip C.

1982-01-01

Examines possible reasons for declining employee motivation: greater instability and diversity of values; more guaranteed rewards; inability of rewards to satisfy emerging needs; disappearing work ethic; reduced costs of failure; rising income and progressive taxation; more group production and problem solving; decreased employee loyalty; less…

Gifted and Talented Education: Elementary Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corono-Norco Unified School District, Corono, CA.

The curriculum ideas were developed by elementary teachers in a gifted and talented program. Five strands are incorporated throughout curriculum areas: development of problem solving skills, development of ethical standards, development of sensitivity and responsibility to others, development of a healthy self concept, and development of…

Implementation of graduate employability skills SJT instrument in Universiti Utara Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zakaria, Mohd Hafiz; Yatim, Bidin; Ismail, Suzilah

2014-12-01

Assessing graduate employability skills before they enter the job market is very important because if they are lacking certain skills, improvement can be made through the process of training. In this study, a valid and reliable new instrument for measuring graduate employability skills using Situational Judgement Test (SJT) approach was implemented. The instrument consisted of 12 items representing five employability skills namely communication skill, professional ethics & morality, entrepreneurial skill, critical thinking in problem solving and personal quality. The purpose was to obtain a norm score for each of these skills. A survey was conducted using the SJT instrument on 1012 Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM) local undergraduate final year students. The norm score was generated by employing BCA bootstrap technique. Scores guideline was created based on three levels (low, moderate and high). The outcomes indicated that the students possessed moderate level of communicationskill, entrepreneurial skill, critical thinking in problem solving and personal quality but has high professional ethics & morality.

[Ethical Dilemmas in Practice of Medicine Child].

PubMed

Ruiz López, Justo; Navarro Zaragoza, Javier; Carrillo Navarro, Francisco; Luna Maldonado, Aurelio

2017-01-01

After reviewing the existing bibliography in the last 20 years, we concluded that there is a lack of information regarding the ethical conflicts that affect to pediatrics in their daily practice. It produces certain degree of uncertainty in these professionals at the time of solving these problems. We made a systematic search in the main data bases, finding more than 150 articles related, of which 80 were considered outstanding. After studying them, we have found 40 ethical dilemmas, related to some principle of solution and that we described in this article. Through them we can find such important dilemmas as those related to physical disability, palliative care or consent from children.

A systematic format for resolving ethical issues in clinical periodontics.

PubMed

Schloss, Alexander J

2012-01-01

Ethical dilemmas are becoming increasingly common in dentistry and periodontics. Clinicians, challenged with such dilemmas, may not know how to apply the appropriate moral reasoning needed to resolve these situations especially when any of the five fundamental principles of ethics that form the foundation of the American Dental Association Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct--patient autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice, and veracity--come into conflict with each other. The author describes one clinical case that presented with an ethical dilemma. An analytic framework, used in medicine, is introduced and used to solve the clinical case on whether to proceed with periodontal surgery on a patient who is not aware of his terminal prognosis from metastatic prostate cancer. Upon using the analytic framework, recommendations are made on the ethically appropriate path for the periodontist to follow in providing care for the patient's periodontal problem consistent with the principles of patient autonomy, respect for persons, and veracity.

Encourage Risk, Failure and Values-Driven Decision Making, by Developing and Integrating Ethical and Critical Thinking in Geocurricula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasko, A.

2015-12-01

Critical thinking is characterized by risk or uncertainty. Ethical thinking determines if an individual will conform to accepted cultural or professional standards of conduct. Both of these skills are desirable, but have attributes that people tend to resist or avoid. This presentation briefly examines the cognitive nature and development of these two skills. Various outcomes and consequences are illustrated when different ethics and critical thinking strategies are employed to solve the same problem. Further discussion around: why are these skills important, and what particular traits directly impact geosciences? How can educators integrate ethical and critical thinking skills into formal or informal teaching environments? What are the benefits to geoscience and society with individuals who are engaged as ethical and critical thinkers? Do we as geoscientists, have a responsibility to advocate in promoting the development of positive critical and ethical thinking abilities?

[Assessing bioethics education: Teaching to be virtuous doctors or just doctors with practical ethical skills].

PubMed

Esquerda, Montse; Pifarré, Josep; Roig, Helena; Busquets, Ester; Yuguero, Oriol; Viñas, Joan

2018-04-04

In the last decades, bioethics has been incorporated into the academic training of the Medical Schools. Some studies analyze the ethical-moral development of medical students and the effect of ethical education in other countries. This evaluation is done by measuring Kohlberg's moral reasoning (virtuous doctors), or ethical sensitivity to resolve clinical cases (physicians with ethical skills). The following study is proposed to assess the impact of bioethics training on these two variables, in Spanish medical students. Observational cross-sectional study. SITE: Faculty of Medicine, University of Lleida. 175 students from third year of medicine (78 before bioethics and 97 after bioethics, in different courses) were conducted. Bioethics course. A socio-demographic questionnaire, the Rest Defining Issue test scale, and Problem Identification Test with clinical vignettes were administered. A consistent and significant correlation has been found between moral reasoning and ethical sensitivity. Women presented greater post-conventional reasoning. There were no changes in Kohlberg's stage of global moral reasoning with ethical training. There were changes in ethical sensitivity with bioethical training, with a significantly and globally improvement. In our study, training in bioethics does not improve moral development but rather the ethical problem solving skills. It is asked if this improvement is enough to train doctors prepared for the new challenges. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

"What Works" Doesn't Work: The Problem with the Call for Evidence Based Practices in the Classroom. Badass Teachers Association White Paper Collection 1(2)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheldon, James

2016-01-01

A commonly proposed, but naïve approach to solving the debates over curriculum and pedagogy would be to merely go with what the research says "works," but educational debates are not so easily solved. Educational decisions are at the heart value judgements, and to claim that research can tell us what to do represents an ethical and moral…

Soft Skills at the Malaysian Institutes of Higher Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shakir, Roselina

2009-01-01

This article discusses human capital development through the seven soft skills elements which comprise communication skills, critical thinking and problem solving skills, team work, lifelong learning and information management skills, entrepreneurship skills, ethics, and professional moral and leadership skills. The Ministry of Higher Education,…

Problem solving, loneliness, depression levels and associated factors in high school adolescents.

PubMed

Sahin, Ummugulsum; Adana, Filiz

2016-01-01

To determine problem solving, loneliness, depression levels and associated factors in high school adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted in a city west of Turkey (Bursa) in a public high school and the population was 774 and the sampling was 394 students. Students to be included in the study were selected using the multiple sampling method. A personal Information Form with 23 questions, Problem Solving Inventory (PSI), Loneliness Scale (UCLA), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used as data collection tools in the study. Basic statistical analyses, t-test, Kruskall Wallis-H, One Way Anova and Pearson Correlation test were used to evaluate the data. Necessary permissions were obtained from the relevant institution, students, parents and the ethical committee. The study found significant differences between "problem solving level" and family type, health assessment, life quality and mothers', fathers' siblings' closeness level; between "loneliness level" and gender, family income, health assessment, life quality and mothers', fathers', siblings' closeness level; between "depression level" and life quality, family income, fathers' closeness level. Unfavorable socio-economic and cultural conditions can have an effect on the problem solving, loneliness and depression levels of adolescents. Providing structured education to adolescents at risk under school mental health nursing practices is recommended.

Cesarean delivery on maternal request: Can the ethical problem be solved by the principlist approach?

PubMed Central

Nilstun, Tore; Habiba, Marwan; Lingman, Göran; Saracci, Rodolfo; Da Frè, Monica; Cuttini, Marina

2008-01-01

In this article, we use the principlist approach to identify, analyse and attempt to solve the ethical problem raised by a pregnant woman's request for cesarean delivery in absence of medical indications. We use two different types of premises: factual (facts about cesarean delivery and specifically attitudes of obstetricians as derived from the EUROBS European study) and value premises (principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, respect for autonomy and justice). Beneficence/non-maleficence entails physicians' responsibility to minimise harms and maximise benefits. Avoiding its inherent risks makes a prima facie case against cesarean section without medical indication. However, as vaginal delivery can have unintended consequences, there is a need to balance the somewhat dissimilar risks and benefits. The principle of autonomy poses a challenge in case of disagreement between the pregnant woman and the physician. Improved communication aimed to enable better informed choice may overcome some instances of disagreement. The principle of justice prohibits unfair discrimination, and broadly favours optimising resource utilisation. Available evidence supports vaginal birth in uncomplicated term pregnancies as the standard of care. The principlist approach offered a useful framework for ethical analysis of cesarean delivery on maternal request, identified the rights and duties of those involved, and helped reach a conclusion, although conflict at the individual level may remain challenging. PMID:18559083

Cesarean delivery on maternal request: can the ethical problem be solved by the principlist approach?

PubMed

Nilstun, Tore; Habiba, Marwan; Lingman, Göran; Saracci, Rodolfo; Da Frè, Monica; Cuttini, Marina

2008-06-17

In this article, we use the principlist approach to identify, analyse and attempt to solve the ethical problem raised by a pregnant woman's request for cesarean delivery in absence of medical indications. We use two different types of premises: factual (facts about cesarean delivery and specifically attitudes of obstetricians as derived from the EUROBS European study) and value premises (principles of beneficence and non-maleficence, respect for autonomy and justice).Beneficence/non-maleficence entails physicians' responsibility to minimise harms and maximise benefits. Avoiding its inherent risks makes a prima facie case against cesarean section without medical indication. However, as vaginal delivery can have unintended consequences, there is a need to balance the somewhat dissimilar risks and benefits. The principle of autonomy poses a challenge in case of disagreement between the pregnant woman and the physician. Improved communication aimed to enable better informed choice may overcome some instances of disagreement. The principle of justice prohibits unfair discrimination, and broadly favours optimising resource utilisation. Available evidence supports vaginal birth in uncomplicated term pregnancies as the standard of care. The principlist approach offered a useful framework for ethical analysis of cesarean delivery on maternal request, identified the rights and duties of those involved, and helped reach a conclusion, although conflict at the individual level may remain challenging.

Ethical psychiatry in an uncertain world: conversations and parallel truths.

PubMed

Carson, Alexander M; Lepping, Peter

2009-06-25

Psychiatric practice is often faced with complex situations that seem to pose serious moral dilemmas for practitioners. Methods for solving these dilemmas have included the development of more objective rules to guide the practitioner such as utilitarianism and deontology. A more modern variant on this objective model has been 'Principlism' where 4 mid level rules are used to help solve these complex problems. In opposition to this, there has recently been a focus on more subjective criteria for resolving complex moral dilemmas. In particular, virtue ethics has been posited as a more sensitive method for helping doctors to reason their way through difficult ethical issues. Here the focus is on the character traits of the practitioner. Bloch and Green advocated another way whereby more objective methods such as Principlism and virtue ethics are combined to produce what they considered sound moral reasoning in psychiatrists. This paper points out some difficulties with this approach and instead suggests that a better model of ethical judgment could be developed through the use of narratives or stories. This idea puts equal prima facie value on the patient's and the psychiatrist's version of the dilemma they are faced with. It has the potential to lead to a more genuine empathy and reflective decision-making.

The Values of School Administration: Preferences, Ethics, and Conflicts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Begley, Paul T.; Johansson, Olof

2008-01-01

This article reports the findings of two studies focused on the personal and professional values of school administrators. Two themes were employed as general organizers for the research: the influence of personal preference and trans-rational principles on the problem solving actions of school administrators and the value conflicts that…

Teacher Education With an Inquiry Emphasis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wright, David P.

A program for prospective elementary and secondary teachers emphasizing inquiry and problem solving techniques for use in the classroom is described. In the conceptual framework of this program, a situation is defined as a set of circumstances that teachers commonly encounter, and an issue is a theoretical, ethical, or methodological question. A…

Seven Times Around A City: The Evolution Of Israeli Operational Art In Urban Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

urban conflict represents a complex adaptive ecology , the physical environment, the intangible domain, and the problem-solving approach will come...and therefore, also, a Jewish state. Perennial questions about the purpose of the military, its force structure and ethics , law and civil-military

Foundations for the Future: The Socio-Emotional Development of Gifted, Adolescent Women.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Callahan, Carolyn M.; And Others

1994-01-01

This study of five gifted female adolescents examined their male-female relationships, independence, perceptions of ability and expectations for success, overreliance on social manipulation, motivation, ethic of caring, superwoman syndrome, and familial influences. The study found positive examples of the use of problem-solving strategies; it also…

Science, ethics, and the historical roots of our ecological crisis - was White right?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In 1967 historian Lynn White Jr. suggested that values developed and perpetuated by Christian theology permeate Western science and technology and are responsible for human's seemingly continuous abuse of the environment. Our failure to solve environmental problems is due to a belief that humans are...

Ethics, Deafness, and New Medical Technologies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hintermair, Manfred; Albertini, John A.

2005-01-01

In the last 50 years, several new technologies have become enormously important within the Deaf community and have helped significantly to improve deaf people's lives in a hearing world. Current public attention and admiration, however, seems unduly focused on medical technologies that promise to solve "the problem" of being deaf. One reason for…

Successful Development of Generic Capabilities in an Undergraduate Medical Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McNeil, H. Patrick; Scicluna, Helen A.; Boyle, Patrick; Grimm, Michael C.; Gibson, Kathryn A.; Jones, Philip D.

2012-01-01

The development of generic capabilities or graduate attributes in communication, teamwork, critical analysis of information, problem solving and ethical practice is widely recognised as a desired outcome of higher education. This emphasis on generic capabilities has emerged despite ongoing debates about the concept and development of such…

An Advanced Tabu Search Approach to Solving the Mixed Payload Airlift Load Planning Problem

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

cargo, and the problem therefore becomes trivial. 3. Shoring: Some cargo requires shoring which is small planks of plywood stacked on top of each...Integer Programming Method In 1989, Kevin Ng examined the bin-packing MPALP for Canada’s C-130 aircraft (Ng 1992). His goal was to move a set of... leadership & ethics [ ] warfighting [ ] international security [ ] doctrine [X] other (specify): Military Airlift

Public titles of clinical trials should have ethics review.

PubMed

Saenz, Carla; Reveiz, Ludovic; Tisdale, John F

2015-09-01

A key aspect to guarantee that research with human subjects is ethical is being overlooked. Ethics review committees invest great effort examining the informed consent documents of research protocols to ensure that potential participants can provide consent validly and are not deluded into thinking that the experimental intervention they may sign up for is already known to be therapeutic. However, these efforts to avoid what is called the "therapeutic misconception" might be in vain if the title with which the studies are being introduced to the potential participants escapes ethics review. Research participants might be deceived by clinical trials entitled "novel therapy" when the point of the trial is precisely to find out whether the intervention at stake is therapeutic or not. Providing potential research participants with such misleading information hampers their ability to make informed decisions. The well-established scrutiny that ethics review committees exercise with regard to consent forms is limited if the registration of clinical trials, for which a public title is chosen, constitutes a process that is independent from the ethics review. In this article, we examine this problem, assess recent measures to integrate clinical trial registration with ethics review processes, and provide specific recommendations to solve the problem and ultimately enhance the accountability, transparency, and ethics of research with human subjects. Copyright © 2015 Pan American Health Organization. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A software platform to analyse the ethical issues of electronic patient privacy policy: the S3P example.

PubMed

Mizani, M A; Baykal, N

2007-12-01

Paper-based privacy policies fail to resolve the new changes posed by electronic healthcare. Protecting patient privacy through electronic systems has become a serious concern and is the subject of several recent studies. The shift towards an electronic privacy policy introduces new ethical challenges that cannot be solved merely by technical measures. Structured Patient Privacy Policy (S3P) is a software tool assuming an automated electronic privacy policy in an electronic healthcare setting. It is designed to simulate different access levels and rights of various professionals involved in healthcare in order to assess the emerging ethical problems. The authors discuss ethical issues concerning electronic patient privacy policies that have become apparent during the development and application of S3P.

Survival ethics in the real world: the research university and sustainable development.

PubMed

Verharen, Charles; Tharakan, John; Bugarin, Flordeliz; Fortunak, Joseph; Kadoda, Gada; Middendorf, George

2014-03-01

We discuss how academically-based interdisciplinary teams can address the extreme challenges of the world's poorest by increasing access to the basic necessities of life. The essay's first part illustrates the evolving commitment of research universities to develop ethical solutions for populations whose survival is at risk and whose quality of life is deeply impaired. The second part proposes a rationale for university responsibility to solve the problems of impoverished populations at a geographical remove. It also presents a framework for integrating science, engineering and ethics in the efforts of multidisciplinary teams dedicated to this task. The essay's third part illustrates the efforts of Howard University researchers to join forces with African university colleagues in fleshing out a model for sustainable and ethical global development.

Case-based medical informatics

PubMed Central

Pantazi, Stefan V; Arocha, José F; Moehr, Jochen R

2004-01-01

Background The "applied" nature distinguishes applied sciences from theoretical sciences. To emphasize this distinction, we begin with a general, meta-level overview of the scientific endeavor. We introduce the knowledge spectrum and four interconnected modalities of knowledge. In addition to the traditional differentiation between implicit and explicit knowledge we outline the concepts of general and individual knowledge. We connect general knowledge with the "frame problem," a fundamental issue of artificial intelligence, and individual knowledge with another important paradigm of artificial intelligence, case-based reasoning, a method of individual knowledge processing that aims at solving new problems based on the solutions to similar past problems. We outline the fundamental differences between Medical Informatics and theoretical sciences and propose that Medical Informatics research should advance individual knowledge processing (case-based reasoning) and that natural language processing research is an important step towards this goal that may have ethical implications for patient-centered health medicine. Discussion We focus on fundamental aspects of decision-making, which connect human expertise with individual knowledge processing. We continue with a knowledge spectrum perspective on biomedical knowledge and conclude that case-based reasoning is the paradigm that can advance towards personalized healthcare and that can enable the education of patients and providers. We center the discussion on formal methods of knowledge representation around the frame problem. We propose a context-dependent view on the notion of "meaning" and advocate the need for case-based reasoning research and natural language processing. In the context of memory based knowledge processing, pattern recognition, comparison and analogy-making, we conclude that while humans seem to naturally support the case-based reasoning paradigm (memory of past experiences of problem-solving and powerful case matching mechanisms), technical solutions are challenging. Finally, we discuss the major challenges for a technical solution: case record comprehensiveness, organization of information on similarity principles, development of pattern recognition and solving ethical issues. Summary Medical Informatics is an applied science that should be committed to advancing patient-centered medicine through individual knowledge processing. Case-based reasoning is the technical solution that enables a continuous individual knowledge processing and could be applied providing that challenges and ethical issues arising are addressed appropriately. PMID:15533257

Understanding ill-structured engineering ethics problems through a collaborative learning and argument visualization approach.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Michael; Borenstein, Jason

2014-03-01

As a committee of the National Academy of Engineering recognized, ethics education should foster the ability of students to analyze complex decision situations and ill-structured problems. Building on the NAE's insights, we report about an innovative teaching approach that has two main features: first, it places the emphasis on deliberation and on self-directed, problem-based learning in small groups of students; and second, it focuses on understanding ill-structured problems. The first innovation is motivated by an abundance of scholarly research that supports the value of deliberative learning practices. The second results from a critique of the traditional case-study approach in engineering ethics. A key problem with standard cases is that they are usually described in such a fashion that renders the ethical problem as being too obvious and simplistic. The practitioner, by contrast, may face problems that are ill-structured. In the collaborative learning environment described here, groups of students use interactive and web-based argument visualization software called "AGORA-net: Participate - Deliberate!". The function of the software is to structure communication and problem solving in small groups. Students are confronted with the task of identifying possible stakeholder positions and reconstructing their legitimacy by constructing justifications for these positions in the form of graphically represented argument maps. The argument maps are then presented in class so that these stakeholder positions and their respective justifications become visible and can be brought into a reasoned dialogue. Argument mapping provides an opportunity for students to collaborate in teams and to develop critical thinking and argumentation skills.

Dimensions of Mathematical Thinking and Learning in ACCEL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sriraman, Bharath

2017-01-01

Sternberg (2017) summarizes the history of identification of giftedness in the 20th century and presents a case for the shortcomings of measures such as IQ for problem-solving skills required in the 21st century. The Active Concerned Citizenship and Ethical Leadership (ACCEL) model is proposed to replace the outdated construct of IQ, particularly…

CASE: A Configurable Argumentation Support Engine

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scheuer, O.; McLaren, B. M.

2013-01-01

One of the main challenges in tapping the full potential of modern educational software is to devise mechanisms to automatically analyze and adaptively support students' problem solving and learning. A number of such approaches have been developed to teach argumentation skills in domains as diverse as science, the Law, and ethics. Yet,…

Mission: Define Computer Literacy. The Illinois-Wisconsin ISACS Computer Coordinators' Committee on Computer Literacy Report (May 1985).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Computing Teacher, 1985

1985-01-01

Defines computer literacy and describes a computer literacy course which stresses ethics, hardware, and disk operating systems throughout. Core units on keyboarding, word processing, graphics, database management, problem solving, algorithmic thinking, and programing are outlined, together with additional units on spreadsheets, simulations,…

Dialogic Ruptures: An Ethical Imperative

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arndt, Sonja

2017-01-01

Dialogue is promoted as a key strategy to "solve" the "problem" of diversity in educational settings. Yet, "[w]hen we select words … We usually take them from other utterances, and mainly from utterances that are kindred to ours in genre, that is in theme, composition or style" (p. 87, emphasis in the original). This…

Organisational and individual support for nurses' ethical competence: A cross-sectional survey.

PubMed

Poikkeus, Tarja; Suhonen, Riitta; Katajisto, Jouko; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2018-05-01

Nurses' ethical competence has been identified as a significant factor governing high quality of care. However, nurses lack support in dealing with ethical problems, and therefore managerial support for nurses' ethical competence is needed. This study aimed to analyse, from the perspective of nurse and nurse leaders, the level of nurses' and nurse leaders' ethical competence, perceptions of support for nurses' ethical competence at the organisational and individual levels and background factors associated with this support. A descriptive, cross-sectional study design was employed. The Ethical Competence and Ethical Competence Support questionnaires were used to measure the main components. Descriptive statistics and multifactor analysis of variance were used for data analysis. The participants were 298 nurses and 193 nurse leaders working in specialised (48%/52%), primary (43%/36%) or private healthcare (5%/7%) in Finland. Ethical considerations: Ethical approval was obtained from the university ethics committee. Nurses estimated their own ethical competence to be at an average level, whereas nurse leaders estimated their own competence at a high level. Nurses' and nurse leaders' perceptions of provided support for nurses' ethical competence was not at a high level. The positive agreement percentage related to organisational support was 44% among nurses and 51% among nurse leaders. The positive agreement percentage related to individual support was lower, that is, 38% among nurses and 61% among nurse leaders. University education had a positive association with some items of individual support. Despite the findings that ethical competence was estimated at a high level among nurse leaders, perceptions of support for nurses' ethical competence were not at a satisfactory level. At the organisational level, nurse leaders need to inform of ethical procedures and practices in orientation; encourage multidisciplinary ethics discussions and collaboration; and support nurses at an individual level to participate in ethics education, multidisciplinary ethics discussions and in solving ethical problems.

Moral competence among nurses in Malawi: A concept analysis approach.

PubMed

Maluwa, Veronica Mary; Gwaza, Elizabeth; Sakala, Betty; Kapito, Esnath; Mwale, Ruth; Haruzivishe, Clara; Chirwa, Ellen

2018-01-01

Nurses are expected to provide comprehensive, holistic and ethically accepted care according to their code of ethics and practice. However, in Malawi, this is not always the case. This article analyses moral competence concept using the Walker and Avant's strategy of concept analysis. The aim of this article is to analyse moral competence concept in relation to nursing practice and determine defining attributes, antecedents and consequences of moral competence in nursing practice. Analysis of moral competence concept was done using Walker and Avant's strategy of concept analysis. Deductive analysis was used to find the defining attributes of moral competence, which were kindness, compassion, caring, critical thinking, ethical decision making ability, problem solving, responsibility, discipline, accountability, communication, solidarity, honesty, and respect for human values, dignity and rights. The identified antecedents were personal, cultural and religious values; nursing ethics training, environment and guidance. The consequences of moral competence are team work spirit, effective communication, improved performance and positive attitudes in providing nursing care. Moral competence can therefore be used as a tool to improve care in nursing practice to meet patients' problems and needs and consequently increase public's satisfaction in Malawi.

Research Ethics Education in the STEM Disciplines: The Promises and Challenges of a Gaming Approach.

PubMed

Briggle, Adam; Holbrook, J Britt; Oppong, Joseph; Hoffmann, Joesph; Larsen, Elizabeth K; Pluscht, Patrick

2016-02-01

While education in ethics and the responsible conduct of research (RCR) is widely acknowledged as an essential component of graduate education, particularly in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and math), little consensus exists on how best to accomplish this goal. Recent years have witnessed a turn toward the use of games in this context. Drawing from two NSF-funded grants (one completed and one on-going), this paper takes a critical look at the use of games in ethics and RCR education. It does so by: (a) setting the development of research and engineering ethics games in wider historical and theoretical contexts, which highlights their promise to solve important pedagogical problems; (b) reporting on some initial results from our own efforts to develop a game; and (c) reflecting on the challenges that arise in using games for ethics education. In our discussion of the challenges, we draw out lessons to improve this nascent approach to ethics education in the STEM disciplines .

Forthcoming ethical issues in biological psychiatry.

PubMed

Helmchen, Hanfried

2005-01-01

Ethical issues in biological psychiatry are framed by (i) progress in the neurosciences, and (ii) a changing socio-cultural context. With regard to forthcoming neurotechniques to modify specifically defined brain functions by pharmacological substances with selective effects, by activating neuroplasticity including neurogenesis, or by implantation of neuronal tissues or computer-brain interfaces, etc., ethical problems will develop (i) at the border between therapy of diseases and enhancement of abilities in healthy people with regard to effects on society (e.g., social justice: equal access, loss of societal diversity) as well as on human value systems (e.g., personality, efforts, conditio humana), and (ii) at the border between the medical system and the wellness market with regard to financing what by whom? Ethical dilemmas in psychiatry develop (i) between the individual's best and the common good (demanded from outside medicine), (ii) among different ethical principles (inside medicine), iii) if solutions are influenced by personal reasons without observing ethical principles. Ethical guidelines are necessary for ethical orientation, but may protect against misconduct only (i) if psychiatrists are educated in ethics and (ii) if psychiatric acting is under continuous debate (by ethical review boards or the public). Thus, if we psychiatrists will become ethically sensitive by reflecting and perhaps solving our current ethical dilemmas we will be prepared to deal with forthcoming ethical issues in biological psychiatry.

Ethical dilemmas in geosciences. We can ask, but, can we ans?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marone, Eduardo

2016-04-01

Philosophy tries to provide rules and principles enabling us to solve the ethical dilemmas we face in a wide sense, and, also, in particular fields as (geo)sciences. One alleged goal of ethics is to figure out how to solve ethical dilemmas. But, is it possible to solve such dilemmas? And what can we do if we cannot? An ethical dilemma is a problem that offers an alternative between two or more solutions, none of which proves to be fully acceptable in practice. Dilemmas arise because of conflict between the rightness or wrongness of the actions/means and the goodness or badness of the consequences/ends. They involve an apparent conflict between moral imperatives, in which to follow one would result in violating another. Can a geoscientist answer those dilemmas that appear in the exercise of his/her profession? Always? In some cases? Not at all? What if we cannot? Have we? As geoscientists, we hold the knowledge (our scientific principles), not perfect, thus fallible, and always subject to changes and improvements. If we have to do what is right, based on our principles, despite potentially bad consequences, then we have to be sure that the principle is an absolute true. But, are our scientific principles such a true? Deontological theories may deny that consequences are of any concern, provided the intention was a good one. However, if our principles are not perfect (and we know that): can we answer in one or other direction to geoethical dilemmas in good faith? Although, if a geoscientist action does usually go for the best consequences, sometimes bad consequences may be accepted. But, who have to decide to accept the bad consequences? If ethical dilemmas with a conflict between means and ends cannot simply be solved by a geoscientist, where is our duty? If there is no real solution to the conflict of the right with the good, in the sense that a solution usually seems to be expected, what has to be our professional attitude? When we have duties of omission and when duties of commission? The task of examining ethical dilemmas is a relatively recent issue in the 3K years old philosophy and, off course, just a "baby" in geosciences. But the time has arrived to better examine and rethink the challenge of answering and how to approach geoethical dilemmas.

Educational Effects of Practical Education Using a Debate Exercise on Engineering Ethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takanokura, Masato; Hayashi, Shigeo

The educational effects of practical education using a debate exercise are investigated using questionnaires. For the group-work composed of discussion and debate, students understand thoroughly various engineering ethical topics, such as factors preventing ethical decision-making. Students enhance their abilities to make a rational and logical decision by themselves such as a judgment based on correct information. Mutual evaluation by students through group interaction elevates positive educational effects. However, students answer fewer questions related to the understanding of professional duties and cooperate social responsibility because of the group-work using failure cases. Students also show less progress in their abilities to communicate with others and to express their opinions to audiences. A more suitable number of group members solves the latter problem.

[Ethical case discussions in the intensive care unit : from testing to routine].

PubMed

Meyer-Zehnder, B; Barandun Schäfer, U; Albisser Schleger, H; Reiter-Theil, S; Pargger, H

2014-06-01

The daily work of many healthcare professionals has become more complex and demanding in recent years. Apart from purely medical issues, ethical questions and problems arise quite often. Managing these problems requires ethical knowledge. Questions about the usefulness of a therapy and treatment occur especially at the end of life. So-called medical futility, a useless futile therapy, is often perceived by nurses and physicians in intensive care units who themselves often develop symptoms of depression or burnout. The clinical ethical model METAP (acronym from module, ethics, therapy decision, allocation and process) provides methods and criteria that allow the clinical team to treat and solve ethical issues according to a solution-oriented approach. The ethical decision-making of this model addresses these issues according to a series of sequential stages in the form of a so-called escalation model. When it is not possible to tackle and solve an ethical problem or dilemma in one stage, one moves to the next. The implementation of this approach in everyday practice requires the commitment of all team members in addition to certain basic conditions. In a surgical intensive care unit a fixed date in the schedule is reserved for ethical case discussions (level 3 of the escalation model). At this level a team member who has been specified according to a quarterly plan is responsible for the organization and performance of the discussion. All protocols of the 44 ethical case discussions in 41 patients between January 2011 and July 2012 were collected and summarized. A short questionnaire to all participants recorded their assessment of the benefits for the patient and the team as well as their perception of personal stress reduction. Also queried was the impact of this method on the collaboration between nurses and physicians and the ethical competence. Ethical case discussions among the care team took place regularly (44 case discussions between January 2011 and June 2012). The duration of these discussions ranged from 30 to 60 min. On average 6.2 persons took part, including 2.7 nurses and 3.2 physicians. Of the 41 patients (16 female, 25 male) for whom a discussion was carried out, 23 died during the continued hospital stay. The respondents (response rate 52 %) assessed the benefit for patients and team as high (slightly higher benefit for physicians than nurses) and 55 % of physicians and 71 % of nurses perceived a reduction in the burden of decision-making in difficult cases due to the case discussions. All physicians and 66 % of the nurses reported an improvement in the cooperation between the professional groups and 80 % of the nurses and more than half of the physicians noticed an increase in their own ethical competence. A methodically structured ethical decision-making process can and should be integrated into the clinical routine. This process requires a fixed place in everyday practice and the defined responsibility for the actual organization and performance. Support by medical and nursing management personnel is also essential for the implementation. The regular occurrence of ethical case discussions among the care team relieves the participants and improves collaboration between nurses and physicians.

Impact of ethical climate on moral distress revisited: multidimensional view.

PubMed

Atabay, Gülem; Çangarli, Burcu Güneri; Penbek, Şebnem

2015-02-01

Moral distress is a major problem in nursing profession. Researchers identified that the stronger the ethical basis of the organization, the less moral distress is reported. However, different ethical climates may have different impacts on moral distress. Moreover, conceptualization of moral distress and ethical climate as well as their relationship may change according to the cultural context. The main aim of the study is to investigate the relationship between different types of ethical climate as described in Victor and Cullen's framework, and moral distress intensity among nurses in Turkish healthcare settings. An online survey was administrated to collect data. Questionnaires included moral distress and ethical climate scales in addition to demographic questions. Data were collected from registered nurses in Turkey. In all, 201 of 279 nurses completed questionnaires, resulting in a response rate of 72%. Ethical approval was obtained from the university to which the authors were affiliated, after a detailed investigation of the content and data collection method. Factor analyses showed that moral distress had three dimensions, namely, organizational constraints, misinformed and over-treated patients, and lack of time and resources, while ethical climate had four types, namely, rules, well-being of stakeholders, individualism, and organizational interests. Positive correlations were identified between certain types of ethical climate (rules, individualism, or organizational interests) and moral distress intensity. Factor distribution of the scales shows some commonalities with the findings of previous research. However, context-specific dimensions and types were also detected. No particular ethical climate type was found to have a negative correlation with moral distress. Recommendations were made for reducing the negative impact of ethical climate on moral distress. These include solving the nursing-shortage problem, increasing autonomy, and improving physical conditions. © The Author(s) 2014.

Institutionalizing Large-Scale Curricular Change: The Top 25 Project at Miami University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, David C.; Nadler, Marjorie Keeshan; Shore, Cecilia; Taylor, Beverley A. P.

2011-01-01

Now more than ever, it is urgent that colleges and universities mobilize themselves to produce graduates who are capable of being productive, creative, and responsible members of a global society. Employers want clear communicators who are strong critical thinkers and who can solve real-world problems in an ethical way. To achieve these outcomes,…

Civic Learning and Teaching as a Resource for Sexual Justice: An Undergraduate Religious Studies Course Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vasko, Elisabeth T.

2017-01-01

Civic learning and teaching, a form of critical and democratically engaged pedagogy, is utilized in an upper-level undergraduate sexual ethics course to leverage public problem solving around the sexual violence on a mid-size Catholic collegiate campus. Through the course, students, faculty, staff, and community members work together to deepen…

People, Places, and Environments: Social Studies and Spanish Cultural Enrichment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Helms, Ronald G.; Ankenbauer, Mary

2009-01-01

If the young people are to become effective participants in a democratic society, then social studies must be an essential part of the curriculum in the early childhood/elementary years. In a world that demands independent and cooperative problem solving to address complex social, economic, ethical, and personal concerns, the social studies are as…

[Conflict of rights in the decision of nursing care].

PubMed

Deodato, Sérgio

2008-01-01

Nursing care relations require an ethical decision, for an identified problem or a dilemma. To solve these requires a search for good solutions, respecting involved people and their rights. Care decision may come across situations where two rights of the person can oppose each other. Starting from the concept that there are no absolute rights, nurses take over, as their duty, the search for the best ethical resolution conciliating both, in each particular situation. As a reply to this problem, we shall analyze the principle of practical agreementfor the conflict resolution of the persons'rights and assume for ourselves to plan the best solutions for the dilemmatic situations in the nursing profession. Along with the reflection around this principle, we shall approach some examples that will help to clarify those ideas.

Ethical Concerns of and Risk Mitigation Strategies for Crowdsourcing Contests and Innovation Challenges: Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Pan, Stephen W; Mathews, Allison; Stein, Gabriella; Bayus, Barry; Rennie, Stuart

2018-01-01

Background Crowdsourcing contests (also called innovation challenges, innovation contests, and inducement prize contests) can be used to solicit multisectoral feedback on health programs and design public health campaigns. They consist of organizing a steering committee, soliciting contributions, engaging the community, judging contributions, recognizing a subset of contributors, and sharing with the community. Objective This scoping review describes crowdsourcing contests by stage, examines ethical problems at each stage, and proposes potential ways of mitigating risk. Methods Our analysis was anchored in the specific example of a crowdsourcing contest that our team organized to solicit videos promoting condom use in China. The purpose of this contest was to create compelling 1-min videos to promote condom use. We used a scoping review to examine the existing ethical literature on crowdsourcing to help identify and frame ethical concerns at each stage. Results Crowdsourcing has a group of individuals solve a problem and then share the solution with the public. Crowdsourcing contests provide an opportunity for community engagement at each stage: organizing, soliciting, promoting, judging, recognizing, and sharing. Crowdsourcing poses several ethical concerns: organizing—potential for excluding community voices; soliciting—potential for overly narrow participation; promoting—potential for divulging confidential information; judging—potential for biased evaluation; recognizing—potential for insufficient recognition of the finalist; and sharing—potential for the solution to not be implemented or widely disseminated. Conclusions Crowdsourcing contests can be effective and engaging public health tools but also introduce potential ethical problems. We present methods for the responsible conduct of crowdsourcing contests. PMID:29523500

Recovery after work: the role of work beliefs in the unwinding process.

PubMed

Zoupanou, Zoe; Cropley, Mark; Rydstedt, Leif W

2013-01-01

According to the Effort-Recovery model, mental or physical detachment from work is an important mechanism of work related recovery, as delayed recovery has been associated with range of negative health symptoms. In this paper, we examine whether recovery from work (in the form of mentally disengagement from work) is affected by the concept of 'work ethic', which refers to beliefs workers hold about their work and leisure and the effects of experiencing interruptions at work. Two indices of post-work recovery were utilized: problem solving pondering and psychological detachment. The study was conducted with 310 participants employed from diverse occupational sectors. Main effects of positive and negative appraisal of work interruption and beliefs were analysed using mediated and moderated regression analysis on problem-solving pondering and detachment. Weakened belief in wasted time as a partial mediator, reduced problem-solving pondering post work when interruptions were appraised as positive, and a high evaluation of leisure partially mediated problem-solving pondering when interruptions were appraised as positive. The results also showed that a high evaluation of centrality of work and leisure moderated the effect of negative appraisal of work interruption on elevated problem-solving pondering. Positive appraisal of work interruption was related to problem-solving pondering, and the strength of this association was further moderated by a strong belief in delay of gratification. In addition, employees' positive appraisal of work interruption was related to work detachment, and the strength of this association was further moderated by strong beliefs in hard work and self-reliance. These findings are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications for employees who are strongly influenced by such work beliefs.

Ethical issues in engineering models: an operations researcher's reflections.

PubMed

Kleijnen, J

2011-09-01

This article starts with an overview of the author's personal involvement--as an Operations Research consultant--in several engineering case-studies that may raise ethical questions; e.g., case-studies on nuclear waste, water management, sustainable ecology, military tactics, and animal welfare. All these case studies employ computer simulation models. In general, models are meant to solve practical problems, which may have ethical implications for the various stakeholders; namely, the modelers, the clients, and the public at large. The article further presents an overview of codes of ethics in a variety of disciples. It discusses the role of mathematical models, focusing on the validation of these models' assumptions. Documentation of these model assumptions needs special attention. Some ethical norms and values may be quantified through the model's multiple performance measures, which might be optimized. The uncertainty about the validity of the model leads to risk or uncertainty analysis and to a search for robust models. Ethical questions may be pressing in military models, including war games. However, computer games and the related experimental economics may also provide a special tool to study ethical issues. Finally, the article briefly discusses whistleblowing. Its many references to publications and websites enable further study of ethical issues in modeling.

Mediation: a response to aid-in-dying and the Supreme Court decision.

PubMed

Saulo, M; Wagener, R J; Rothschild, I S

1998-01-01

The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning aid-in-dying has drawn attention to the complexity of end-of-life care. The authors summarize the recent Supreme Court's decision and the problems surrounding this complex issue. A case study is provided to demonstrate how mediation facilitates collaborative problem solving. Finally, the authors demonstrate how nurse leaders can apply this three-stage process and its attendant principles to facilitate ethical decision making in end-of-life care.

Mathematics Teachers as Moral Educators: The Implications of Conceiving of Mathematics as a Technology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warnick, Bryan R.; Stemhagen, Kurt

2007-01-01

Mathematics educators often fail to see that their subject has social and ethical dimensions. If anything, mathematics is seen as a neutral tool that has a social dimension only because it can be used to solve social problems. This study critically examines this idea by arguing that, although school mathematics is indeed a technology, technology…

Business ethics as a novel issue in health care economics.

PubMed

Vrbová, H; Holmerová, I; Hrubantová, L

1997-01-01

The problems of health care providing and solutions suggested to solve them should be discussed publicly at all appropriate levels in all developed countries. In this contribution, new approaches to understanding the problems of business ethics in health care are mentioned and recommended for discussion. An application of such principles of business ethics as trust, accountability, solidarity, transparency and social responsibility is considered in the four following areas. First, it is the allocation of limited resources in health care. This is the world-wide problem of the end of 20th century, as the development of medical technologies offers a wide range of new diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. In our country this coincides with the on-going, and still incompleted reform of health care. Second, the other area is that of connecting health-care and social problems, important namely for vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and chronically ill. The third area is concerned with the privatization of health care, the newly emanating structure and function of the health care system and the role of health care provides in society. The last group contains issues concerning attempts to facilitate communication between health care specialists and general public, as well as attempts to support those institutions of the civic democratic society that are oriented toward health, sickness and health care providing.

Science Curriculum Components Favored by Taiwanese Biology Teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Chen-Yung; Hu, Reping; Changlai, Miao-Li

2005-09-01

The new 1-9 curriculum framework in Taiwan provides a remarkable change from previous frameworks in terms of the coverage of content and the powers of teachers. This study employs a modified repertory grid technique to investigate biology teachers' preferences with regard to six curriculum components. One hundred and eighty-five in-service and pre-service biology teachers were asked to determine which science curriculum components they liked and disliked most of all to include in their biology classes. The data show that the rank order of these science curriculum components, from top to bottom, was as follows: application of science, manipulation skills, scientific concepts, social/ethical issues, problem-solving skills, and the history of science. They also showed that pre-service biology teachers, as compared with in-service biology teachers, favored problem-solving skills significantly more than manipulative skills, while in-service biology teachers, as compared with pre-service biology teachers, favored manipulative skills significantly more than problem-solving skills. Some recommendations for ensuring the successful implementation of the Taiwanese 1-9 curriculum framework are also proposed.

Ethical Concerns of and Risk Mitigation Strategies for Crowdsourcing Contests and Innovation Challenges: Scoping Review.

PubMed

Tucker, Joseph D; Pan, Stephen W; Mathews, Allison; Stein, Gabriella; Bayus, Barry; Rennie, Stuart

2018-03-09

Crowdsourcing contests (also called innovation challenges, innovation contests, and inducement prize contests) can be used to solicit multisectoral feedback on health programs and design public health campaigns. They consist of organizing a steering committee, soliciting contributions, engaging the community, judging contributions, recognizing a subset of contributors, and sharing with the community. This scoping review describes crowdsourcing contests by stage, examines ethical problems at each stage, and proposes potential ways of mitigating risk. Our analysis was anchored in the specific example of a crowdsourcing contest that our team organized to solicit videos promoting condom use in China. The purpose of this contest was to create compelling 1-min videos to promote condom use. We used a scoping review to examine the existing ethical literature on crowdsourcing to help identify and frame ethical concerns at each stage. Crowdsourcing has a group of individuals solve a problem and then share the solution with the public. Crowdsourcing contests provide an opportunity for community engagement at each stage: organizing, soliciting, promoting, judging, recognizing, and sharing. Crowdsourcing poses several ethical concerns: organizing-potential for excluding community voices; soliciting-potential for overly narrow participation; promoting-potential for divulging confidential information; judging-potential for biased evaluation; recognizing-potential for insufficient recognition of the finalist; and sharing-potential for the solution to not be implemented or widely disseminated. Crowdsourcing contests can be effective and engaging public health tools but also introduce potential ethical problems. We present methods for the responsible conduct of crowdsourcing contests. ©Joseph D Tucker, Stephen W Pan, Allison Mathews, Gabriella Stein, Barry Bayus, Stuart Rennie. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 09.03.2018.

Practical ethical theory for nurses responding to complexity in care.

PubMed

Fairchild, Roseanne Moody

2010-05-01

In the context of health care system complexity, nurses need responsive leadership and organizational support to maintain intrinsic motivation, moral sensitivity and a caring stance in the delivery of patient care. The current complexity of nurses' work environment promotes decreases in work motivation and moral satisfaction, thus creating motivational and ethical dissonance in practice. These and other work-related factors increase emotional stress and burnout for nurses, prompting both new and seasoned nurse professionals to leave their current position, or even the profession. This article presents a theoretical conceptual model for professional nurses to review and make sense of the ethical reasoning skills needed to maintain a caring stance in relation to the competing values that must coexist among nurses, health care administrators, patients and families in the context of the complex health care work environments in which nurses are expected to practice. A model, Nurses' Ethical Reasoning Skills, is presented as a framework for nurses' thinking through and problem solving ethical issues in clinical practice in the context of complexity in health care.

Teaching for adaptive expertise in biomedical engineering ethics.

PubMed

Martin, Taylor; Rayne, Karen; Kemp, Nate J; Hart, Jack; Diller, Kenneth R

2005-04-01

This paper considers an approach to teaching ethics in bioengineering based on the How People Learn (HPL) framework. Curricula based on this framework have been effective in mathematics and science instruction from the kindergarten to the college levels. This framework is well suited to teaching bioengineering ethics because it helps learners develop "adaptive expertise". Adaptive expertise refers to the ability to use knowledge and experience in a domain to learn in unanticipated situations. It differs from routine expertise, which requires using knowledge appropriately to solve routine problems. Adaptive expertise is an important educational objective for bioengineers because the regulations and knowledge base in the discipline are likely to change significantly over the course of their careers. This study compares the performance of undergraduate bioengineering students who learned about ethics for stem cell research using the HPL method of instruction to the performance of students who learned following a standard lecture sequence. Both groups learned the factual material equally well, but the HPL group was more prepared to act adaptively when presented with a novel situation.

[National Database of Genotypes--ethical and legal issues].

PubMed

Franková, Vera; Tesínová, Jolana; Brdicka, Radim

2011-01-01

National Database of Genotypes--ethical and legal issues The aim of the project National Database of Genotypes is to outline structure and rules for the database operation collecting information about genotypes of individual persons. The database should be used entirely for health care. Its purpose is to enable physicians to gain quick and easy access to the information about persons requiring specialized care due to their genetic constitution. In the future, another introduction of new genetic tests into the clinical practice can be expected thus the database of genotypes facilitates substantial financial savings by exclusion of duplicates of the expensive genetic testing. Ethical questions connected with the creating and functioning of such database concern mainly privacy protection, confidentiality of personal sensitive data, protection of database from misuse, consent with participation and public interests. Due to necessity of correct interpretation by qualified professional (= clinical geneticist), particular categorization of genetic data within the database is discussed. The function of proposed database has to be governed in concordance with the Czech legislation together with solving ethical problems.

[Globalization in medical research].

PubMed

Ehni, H-J; Wiesing, U

2018-03-01

The globalization of clinical research is gaining momentum. In particular, emerging countries, such as Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa show a significant increase in clinical trials. This trend is generating various ethical problems, which are examined in the present article. Sometimes, generally accepted ethical rules, such as the evaluation of clinical trials by ethics commissions are not respected and sometimes conflicts are generated which are difficult to resolve. For instance, it is controversial which standard of care researchers and sponsors have to provide in an international study. These conflicts are exacerbated by a fundamental dilemma: more research on diseases prevalent in developing and emerging countries is necessary. At the same time, the protection of study participants in those countries creates particular challenges. In recent years, international commissions and guidelines have achieved significant progress in solving these conflicts; however, the further development has to be analyzed very carefully. Incentives for better research on neglected diseases have to be created. Undesirable developments and abuse have to be prevented by appropriate international ethical standards.

Could the ethics of institutionalized health care be anything but Kantian? Collecting building blocks for a unifying metaethics.

PubMed

Kaldis, Byron

2005-01-01

Is a Health Care Ethics possible? Against sceptical and relativist doubts Kantian deontology may advance a challenging alternative affirming the possibility of such an ethics on the condition that deontology be adopted as a total programme or complete vision. Kantian deontology is enlisted to move us from an ethics of two-person informal care to one of institutions. It justifies this affirmative answer by occupying a commanding meta-ethical stand. Such a total programme comprises, on the one hand, a dual-aspect strategy incorporating the macro- (institutional) and micro- (person-to-person) levels while, on the other, it integrates consistently within moral epistemology a meta-ethics with lower-ground moral theories. The article describes the issues to be dealt with and the problems which have to be solved on the way to a unifying theory of that kind (Sections I-III) and indicates elements of Kantian moral philosophy which may serve as building blocks (Section IV). Among these are not only Kant's ideas concerning the moral acting of persons and his ideas concerning civil society and state but also his ideas concerning morality, schematism and religion.

Non-technical Issues in Design and Development of Personal Portable Devices.

PubMed

Lhotska, Lenka; Cheshire, Paul; Pharow, Peter; Macku, David

2016-01-01

Mobile technologies are constantly evolving and with the development of Internet of Things we can expect continuous increase of various applications. Mobile technologies have undeniable opportunities to play an important role in health services. Concerning purely technical aspects, almost every problem can be solved. However, there are still many unsolved and unclear issues related with ethics and governance mechanisms for mobile phone applications. These issues are even more critical in medical and health care applications of mobile technologies. This paper tries to analyse ethical, and privacy-related challenges that may occur when introducing Personal Portable Devices (PPD) to collect and record personal health data in health care and welfare environment.

Ethical philanthropy in academic psychiatry.

PubMed

Roberts, Laura Weiss

2006-05-01

From an ethical perspective, psychiatrists cannot accept gifts of significant monetary value from their patients. This guideline raises important questions regarding institutional practices related to gift-giving in academic psychiatry. The first aim of this article is to explain the ethical tensions and shared ethical commitments of the professions of psychiatry and philanthropy. The second aim is to outline a series of steps that may be undertaken to assure ethical philanthropic practices within an institution, including the establishment of a committed advisory workgroup and the creation of ground rules and safeguards for gift-giving. Each situation should be evaluated for "ethical risk," and specific measures to safeguard donors should be considered. The author outlines methods to manage, minimize, or eliminate conflict of interest issues, including identification and disclosure of conflicting interests, role separation, goal clarification, confidentiality protections, proper timing, and ongoing oversight. Three case illustrations are provided and discussed. The process of institutional engagement, dialogue, and shared problem-solving is especially important. A shared, constructive ethic will be attained only if leaders and diverse stakeholders communicate the value of the new approach through their words, expectations, and actions. Through these efforts, greater attention will be given to the concerns of people with mental illness, and academic institutions may be better able to fulfill their responsibilities to this important but neglected population now and in the future.

[The clinical ethics committee (CEC) in the area of conflict between hospital certification, moral pragmatics and scientific approach].

PubMed

Bauer, Axel W

2007-01-01

During the last decade numerous consultative bodies for bioethical and medical ethical issues have been established. In this study we will introduce the clinical ethics committee (CEC), which can be mainly brought into action for three purposes: discussing moral problems in a hospital's everyday work, developing guidelines for the clinic, and giving further education to the hospital's staff. Starting with the denominational hospitals at the end of the 1990s, CECs have been established in the meantime at a large number of German clinics, often in an interrelation with hospital certification. We will describe the process of establishing a CEC at the university hospital in Mannheim (Baden-Württemberg) and examine its formal structure given by the statutes and the standing orders. An important issue of the CEC's activities consists in individual consultation, for instance concerning withholding or withdrawing life-supporting therapy from comatose patients. First and foremost it has to be clarified whether there is really an ethical problem which cannot be solved by those seeking advice or whether the CEC is just asked a rhetorical question in order to attain allies. In this case disappointment will often be the consequence. The quality of an ethical consultation cannot be treated as equivalent to the correspondence with preconceived moral attitudes. The CEC is not a "moral police" but a multi-professional body, in which scientific medical ethics should play an important but under no circumstances a dominating role. Meaningful criteria and measuring methods to study the effectiveness of clinical ethics committees will have to be evolved and tested in practice as soon as possible.

The wisdom of nature in integrating science, ethics and the arts.

PubMed

Moser, A

2000-07-01

This paper deals with an approach to the integration of science (with technology and economics), ethics (with religion and mysticism), the arts (aesthetics) and Nature, in order to establish a world-view based on holistic, evolutionary ethics that could help with problem solving. The author suggests that this integration is possible with the aid of "Nature's wisdom" which is mirrored in the macroscopic pattern of the ecosphere. The corresponding eco-principles represent the basis for unifying soft and hard sciences resulting in "deep sciences". Deduction and induction will remain the methodology for deep sciences and will include conventional experiments and aesthetic and sentient experiences. Perception becomes the decisive factor with the senses as operators for the building of consciousness through the subconscious. In this paper, an attempt at integrating the concepts of the "true", the "right" and the "beautiful" with the aid of Nature's wisdom is explained in more detail along with consequences.

Subject, function, and trend in medical ethics research: a comparative study of Chinese and non-Chinese literature using bibliometrics.

PubMed

Jiang, Lanhui; Shen, Jiantong; Li, Youping; Deng, Shaolin; Wu, Taixiang; Chen, Baoqing; Xie, Zhiyi; Qin, Chaoyi; Yu, Zhiyuan; Qin, Chuan; Huang, Jin; Liu, Xuemei; Li, Yan; Jiang, Jie

2012-05-01

To perform a comparative quantitative and qualitative analysis of Chinese and non-Chinese medical ethics literature using systematic research and literature analysis in order to discern research trends in the area and provide baseline data as a reference for relevant decision making and further study. We retrieved articles using MeSH terms and keywords related to medical ethics in PubMed and CNKI, and then constructed a set of charts by applying word co-occurrence, The Pathfinder Networks algorithms, an included subject chart, a research field relationship chart, and strategy coordination charts. The total of number of papers retrieved from PubMed was six times that retrieved from CNKI. Outside China, medical ethics has been studied in eight fully shaped subject fields, including morals, ethical review, physician-patient relationships, clinical trials, euthanasia, ethics education, clinical ethics, and health policy. In contrast, medical ethics research in China is still confined to five subject fields: morals, physician-patient relations, medical ethics education, ethical review, and medical research. Medical ethics research outside China emphasizes the application of medical ethics to solve emerging problems in clinical and medical research. It is mainly centered on morals, ethical review, and physician-patient relations. By comparison, medical ethics research in China places greater emphasis on morals and medical education. In order to narrow this gap between China and other countries, we should broaden the research scope of medical ethics and add more applied research, such as ethical review and medical education. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University.

The impact of an interprofessional problem-based learning curriculum of clinical ethics on medical and nursing students' attitudes and ability of interprofessional collaboration: a pilot study.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Chih; Chan, Te-Fu; Lai, Chung-Sheng; Chin, Chi-Chun; Chou, Fan-Hao; Lin, Hui-Ju

2013-09-01

Clinical ethic situations in modern multiprofessional healthcare systems may involve different healthcare professions who work together for patient care. The undergraduate interprofessional education of clinical ethics would help to incubate healthcare students' ability of interprofessional collaboration in solving ethical problems. However, the impact from an interprofessional educational model on student's attitudes and confidence of interprofessional collaboration should be carefully evaluated during the process of curricular development. This study aimed to conduct a pilot interprofessional PBL curriculum of clinical ethics and evaluate the curricular impact on interprofessional students' attitude and confidence of collaborative teamwork. Thirty-six medical and nursing students volunteered to participate in this study and were divided into three groups (medical group, nursing group, and mixed group). Tutors were recruited from the Medical School and the College of Nursing. The pilot curriculum included one lecture of clinical ethics, one PBL case study with two tutorial sessions, and one session of group discussion and feedback. A narrative story with multiple story lines and a multiperspective problem analysis tool were used in the PBL tutorials. The students' self-evaluation of learning questionnaire was used to evaluate students' learning of clinical ethics and interprofessional collaborative skills and attitude. The internal consistency of the questionnaire was measured by Cronbach α, and the criterion-related validity of the questionnaire was evaluated through associations between the dimension scores with the student group by one-way analysis of variance test (ANOVA) test and Tukey-Kramer honestly significant difference (HSD) comparison. There was significant difference among different groups in students' ability and attitudes about "interprofessional communication and collaboration" (p = 0.0184). The scores in the mixed group (37.58 ± 3.26) were higher than the medical group (32.10 ± 4.98). In conclusion, our model for the interprofessional PBL curriculum of clinical ethics is practicable and will produce positive impacts on students' attitudes and confidence of interprofessional collaboration. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Crowdsourced 'R&D' and medical research.

PubMed

Callaghan, Christian William

2015-09-01

Crowdsourced R&D, a research methodology increasingly applied to medical research, has properties well suited to large-scale medical data collection and analysis, as well as enabling rapid research responses to crises such as disease outbreaks. Multidisciplinary literature offers diverse perspectives of crowdsourced R&D as a useful large-scale medical data collection and research problem-solving methodology. Crowdsourced R&D has demonstrated 'proof of concept' in a host of different biomedical research applications. A wide range of quality and ethical issues relate to crowdsourced R&D. The rapid growth in applications of crowdsourced R&D in medical research is predicted by an increasing body of multidisciplinary theory. Further research in areas such as artificial intelligence may allow better coordination and management of the high volumes of medical data and problem-solving inputs generated by the crowdsourced R&D process. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Towards a global human embryonic stem cell bank.

PubMed

Lott, Jason P; Savulescu, Julian

2007-08-01

An increasingly unbridgeable gap exists between the supply and demand of transplantable organs. Human embryonic stem cell technology could solve the organ shortage problem by restoring diseased or damaged tissue across a range of common conditions. However, such technology faces several largely ignored immunological challenges in delivering cell lines to large populations. We address some of these challenges and argue in favor of encouraging contribution or intentional creation of embryos from which widely immunocompatible stem cell lines could be derived. Further, we argue that current immunological constraints in tissue transplantation demand the creation of a global stem cell bank, which may hold particular promise for minority populations and other sub-groups currently marginalized from organ procurement and allocation systems. Finally, we conclude by offering a number of practical and ethically oriented recommendations for constructing a human embryonic stem cell bank that we hope will help solve the ongoing organ shortage problem.

Health Policy, Ethics, and the Kansas Legislative Health Academy

PubMed Central

Maree, Gina; Schrandt, Suzanne; Soderquist, Chris; Steffensmeier, Tim; St. Peter, Robert

2015-01-01

We describe a unique program, the Kansas Legislative Health Academy, that brings together state legislators from across the political spectrum to build their capacity in advancing policies that can improve the health of Kansans. To that end, the academy helps legislators develop new skills to deliberate the ethics of health policy, use systems thinking to understand the long- and short-term effects of policy action and inaction, and engage in acts of civic leadership. The academy also seeks to foster an environment of respectful open dialogue and to build new cross-chamber and cross-party relationships. Among the most important outcomes cited by program participants is the value of sustained, personal interaction and problem solving with individuals holding differing political views. PMID:25607945

Health policy, ethics, and the Kansas Legislative Health Academy.

PubMed

Blacksher, Erika; Maree, Gina; Schrandt, Suzanne; Soderquist, Chris; Steffensmeier, Tim; St Peter, Robert

2015-03-01

We describe a unique program, the Kansas Legislative Health Academy, that brings together state legislators from across the political spectrum to build their capacity in advancing policies that can improve the health of Kansans. To that end, the academy helps legislators develop new skills to deliberate the ethics of health policy, use systems thinking to understand the long- and short-term effects of policy action and inaction, and engage in acts of civic leadership. The academy also seeks to foster an environment of respectful open dialogue and to build new cross-chamber and cross-party relationships. Among the most important outcomes cited by program participants is the value of sustained, personal interaction and problem solving with individuals holding differing political views.

Seven Basic Steps to Solving Ethical Dilemmas in Special Education: A Decision-Making Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stockall, Nancy; Dennis, Lindsay R.

2015-01-01

This article presents a seven-step framework for decision making to solve ethical issues in special education. The authors developed the framework from the existing literature and theoretical frameworks of justice, critique, care, and professionalism. The authors briefly discuss each theoretical framework and then describe the decision-making…

Relationship between ethical ideology and moral judgment: Academic nurse educators' perception.

PubMed

Abou Hashish, Ebtsam Aly; Ali Awad, Nadia Hassan

2017-01-01

Ascertaining the relationship between ethical ideology, moral judgment, and ethical decision among academic nurse educators at work appears to be a challenge particularly in situations when they are faced with a need to solve an ethical problem and make a moral decision. This study aims to investigate the relationship between ethical ideology, moral judgment, and ethical decision as perceived by academic nurse educators. A descriptive correlational research design was conducted at Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University. All academic nurse educators were included in the study (N = 220). Ethical Position Questionnaire and Questionnaire of Moral Judgment and Ethical Decisions were proved reliable to measure study variables. Ethical considerations: Approval was obtained from Ethics Committee at Faculty of Nursing, Alexandria University. Privacy and confidentiality of data were maintained and assured by obtaining subjects' informed consent. This study reveals a significant positive moderate correlation between idealism construct of ethical ideology and moral judgment in terms of recognition of the behavior as an ethical issue and the magnitude of emotional consequences of the ethical situation (p < 0.001; p = 0.031) respectively. Also, there is a positive significant moderate correlation between relativism construct of ethical ideology and overall moral judgment (p = 0.010). Approximately 3.5% of the explained variance of overall moral judgment is predicted by idealism together with relativism. The findings suggest that variations in ethical position and ideology are associated with moral judgment and ethical decision. Organizations of academic nursing education should provide a supportive work environment to help their academic staff to develop their self-awareness and knowledge of their ethical position and promoting their ethical ideologies and, in turn, enhance their moral judgment as well as develop ethical reasoning and decision-making capability of nursing students. More emphasis in nursing curricula is needed on ethical concepts for developing nursing competencies.

Student-inspired activities for the teaching and learning of engineering ethics.

PubMed

Alpay, E

2013-12-01

Ethics teaching in engineering can be problematic because of student perceptions of its subjective, ambiguous and philosophical content. The use of discipline-specific case studies has helped to address such perceptions, as has practical decision making and problem solving approaches based on some ethical frameworks. However, a need exists for a wider range of creative methods in ethics education to help complement the variety of activities and learning experiences within the engineering curriculum. In this work, a novel approach is presented in which first-year undergraduate students are responsible for proposing ethics education activities of relevance to their peers and discipline area. The students are prepared for the task through a short introduction on engineering ethics, whereby generic frameworks for moral and professional conduct are discussed, and discipline and student-relevance contexts provided. The approach has been used in four departments of engineering at Imperial College London, and has led to the generation of many creative ideas for wider student engagement in ethics awareness, reflection and understanding. The paper presents information on the premise of the introductory sessions for supporting the design task, and an evaluation of the student experience of the course and task work. Examples of proposals are given to demonstrate the value of such an approach to teachers, and ultimately to the learning experiences of the students themselves.

My Time in Medicine.

PubMed

Fins, Joseph J

2017-01-01

Through this autobiographical reflection on a life in medicine and bioethics, the author discovers that time is a unifying theme in his work. From his early writing on the regulation of house staff work hours and his abandonment of essentialism and the development of clinical pragmatism as a method of moral problem-solving to his scholarship on end-of-life care and disorders of consciousness, time has been a central heuristic in an effort to bridge ethical theory and clinical practice.

Antagonistic neural networks underlying differentiated leadership roles.

PubMed

Boyatzis, Richard E; Rochford, Kylie; Jack, Anthony I

2014-01-01

The emergence of two distinct leadership roles, the task leader and the socio-emotional leader, has been documented in the leadership literature since the 1950s. Recent research in neuroscience suggests that the division between task-oriented and socio-emotional-oriented roles derives from a fundamental feature of our neurobiology: an antagonistic relationship between two large-scale cortical networks - the task-positive network (TPN) and the default mode network (DMN). Neural activity in TPN tends to inhibit activity in the DMN, and vice versa. The TPN is important for problem solving, focusing of attention, making decisions, and control of action. The DMN plays a central role in emotional self-awareness, social cognition, and ethical decision making. It is also strongly linked to creativity and openness to new ideas. Because activation of the TPN tends to suppress activity in the DMN, an over-emphasis on task-oriented leadership may prove deleterious to social and emotional aspects of leadership. Similarly, an overemphasis on the DMN would result in difficulty focusing attention, making decisions, and solving known problems. In this paper, we will review major streams of theory and research on leadership roles in the context of recent findings from neuroscience and psychology. We conclude by suggesting that emerging research challenges the assumption that role differentiation is both natural and necessary, in particular when openness to new ideas, people, emotions, and ethical concerns are important to success.

Antagonistic neural networks underlying differentiated leadership roles

PubMed Central

Boyatzis, Richard E.; Rochford, Kylie; Jack, Anthony I.

2014-01-01

The emergence of two distinct leadership roles, the task leader and the socio-emotional leader, has been documented in the leadership literature since the 1950s. Recent research in neuroscience suggests that the division between task-oriented and socio-emotional-oriented roles derives from a fundamental feature of our neurobiology: an antagonistic relationship between two large-scale cortical networks – the task-positive network (TPN) and the default mode network (DMN). Neural activity in TPN tends to inhibit activity in the DMN, and vice versa. The TPN is important for problem solving, focusing of attention, making decisions, and control of action. The DMN plays a central role in emotional self-awareness, social cognition, and ethical decision making. It is also strongly linked to creativity and openness to new ideas. Because activation of the TPN tends to suppress activity in the DMN, an over-emphasis on task-oriented leadership may prove deleterious to social and emotional aspects of leadership. Similarly, an overemphasis on the DMN would result in difficulty focusing attention, making decisions, and solving known problems. In this paper, we will review major streams of theory and research on leadership roles in the context of recent findings from neuroscience and psychology. We conclude by suggesting that emerging research challenges the assumption that role differentiation is both natural and necessary, in particular when openness to new ideas, people, emotions, and ethical concerns are important to success. PMID:24624074

Ethics, A Choice for the Future: An Interdisciplinary Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Downie, Susan L.

1989-01-01

Describes an interdisciplinary program in which English, social studies, physics, and calculus teachers joined forces to teach high school students critical-thinking skills so that students could make ethical decisions and solve ethical dilemmas. (MM)

Interns' perceptions on medical ethics education and ethical issues at the Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine in Turkey.

PubMed

Ozan, S; Timbil, S; Semin, S; Musal, B

2010-11-01

In Turkey and its neighboring countries, few studies have investigated medical students' reactions to ethics education and ethical issues they encounter. The aim of this study was to investigate interns' perceptions of medical ethics education and ethical issues. In students' first three years at the Dokuz Eylul University School of Medicine, various teaching methods are used in ethics education, including problem-based learning, interactive lectures and movies. During the clinical years, the curriculum helps students consider the ethical dimension of their clinical work, and during the internship period a discussion on ethical issues is held. Data were collected through a questionnaire distributed to interns in the 2005-2006 academic year. Its questions asked about interns' perceived adequacy of their ethics education, any interpersonal ethical problems they had witnessed, their approaches to ethical problems, obstacles they believe prevented them from resolving ethical problems and whether they felt themselves ready to deal with ethical problems. 67.2 % of interns were reached and all of them responded. In the assessment of the adequacy of ethics education, the most favorable score was given to educators. Students' most often mentioned ethical problems encountered were between physicians and students and between physicians and patients. Interns believed that difficult personalities on the team and team hierarchy were important obstacles to resolving ethical problems. There were significant differences between the approaches students currently used in dealing with ethical problems and how they anticipated they would approach these problems in their future professional lives. We obtained information about students' perceptions about ethics education and ethical problems which helped us to plan other educational activities. This study may assist other medical schools in preparing an ethics curriculum or help evaluate an existing curriculum.

Landscape design strategies for post-disaster reconstructions based on traditional ethical wisdom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Shouli; Hu, Di; Gao, Suping; Lei, Ting; Chen, Qibin

2018-03-01

In the face of the black swan events which frequently happened globally, I take the earthquake of Ya'an, happened at 4.20 in Sichuan, as an example of my subject. The results indicate that the social responsibility of landscape architects is a post-disaster reconstruction of a material and spiritual homeland for victims and mental care for individuals, which specifically reflected in the process of rebuilding victims' sense of security. The reconstruction of a sense of security must follow certain ethics and moralities which embody the ecological wisdom. We take a typical case of Ya'an Lushan Snow Mountain Village-the earthquake distress area, we found the incidence of disease was up to 68.6% through the PTSD analysis, indicating the overall absence of a sense of security. To solve the problem and reconstruct people's mental and material homeland, the article discussed the strategies and solutions to post-disaster landscape design based on traditional ethical wisdom.

[Importance of clinical trial design and standardized implementation in ophthalmology].

PubMed

Xu, Xun

2013-06-01

Clinical trial is an important medical research method, as well as the bridge of translational medicine. The results of scientific evidences are useful to make clinical practice guidelines. At present,much experience of carrying out ophthalmology clinical trials has been obtained and achieved, but there are still some scientific, practical and ethical problems to be solved,because of their impact on the authenticity and reliability of the results. Therefore, attaching great importance to design of the clinical research and implement of the standardization would be the goal and the development direction. Clinical trial design rely on objective, follow international design principles on the ethics,randomization, blinding and placebo setting. During the trial implementation, personnel training,project management and monitoring would help to reduce protocol deviation and ensure data authenticity.

The changing landscape of care: does ethics education have a new role to play in health practice?

PubMed

Wintrup, Julie

2015-05-08

In the UK, higher education and health care providers share responsibility for educating the workforce. The challenges facing health practice also face health education and as educators we are implicated, by the way we design curricula and through students' experiences and their stories. This paper asks whether ethics education has a new role to play, in a context of major organisational change, a global and national austerity agenda and the ramifications of disturbing reports of failures in care. It asks: how would it be different if equal amounts of attention were given to the conditions in which health decisions are made, if the ethics of organisational and policy decisions were examined, and if guiding collaborations with patients and others who use services informed ethics education and its processes? This is in three parts. In part one an example from an inspection report is used to question the ways in which clinical events are decontextualised and constructed for different purposes. Ramifications of a decision are reflected upon and a case made for different kinds of allegiances to be developed. In part two I go on to broaden the scope of ethics education and make a case for beginning with the messy realities of practice rather than with overarching moral theories. The importance of power in ethical practice is introduced, and in part three the need for greater political and personal awareness is proposed as a condition of moral agency. This paper proposes that ethics education has a new contribution to make, in supporting and promoting ethical practice - as it is defined in and by the everyday actions and decisions of practitioners and people who need health services. Ethics education that promotes moral agency, rather than problem solving approaches, would explore not only clinical problems, but also the difficult and contested arenas in which they occur. It would seek multiple perspectives and would begin with places and people, and their priorities. It would support students to locate their practice in imperfect global contexts, and to understand how individual and collective forms of power can influence healthcare quality.

Secondary use of empirical research data in medical ethics papers on gamete donation: forms of use and pitfalls.

PubMed

Provoost, Veerle

2015-03-01

This paper aims to provide a description of how authors publishing in medical ethics journals have made use of empirical research data in papers on the topic of gamete or embryo donation by means of references to studies conducted by others (secondary use). Rather than making a direct contribution to the theoretical methodological literature about the role empirical research data could play or should play in ethics studies, the focus is on the particular uses of these data and the problems that can be encountered with this use. In the selection of papers examined, apart from being used to describe the context, empirical evidence was mainly used to recount problems that needed solving. Few of the authors looked critically at the quality of the studies they quoted, and several instances were found of empirical data being used poorly or inappropriately. This study provides some initial baseline evidence that shows empirical data, in the form of references to studies, are sometimes being used in inappropriate ways. This suggests that medical ethicists should be more concerned about the quality of the empirical data selected, the appropriateness of the choice for a particular type of data (from a particular type of study) and the correct integration of this evidence in sound argumentation. Given that empirical data can be misused also when merely cited instead of reported, it may be worthwhile to explore good practice requirements for this type of use of empirical data in medical ethics.

The ethics of research using biobanks: reason to question the importance attributed to informed consent.

PubMed

Hoeyer, Klaus; Olofsson, Bert-Ove; Mjörndal, Tom; Lynöe, Niels

2005-01-10

During the past decade, the use of stored tissue has become an object of increased ethical query. A Swedish biobank and a biotech company have been praised for solving the ethical problems with explicit informed consent procedures, and we decided to investigate donors' perceptions of the system. A questionnaire was sent to a randomized sample of 1200 donors who had donated blood and signed informed consent forms. The response rate was 80.9%. Of the respondents, 64.5% were aware that they had consented to donate a blood sample, 55.4% thought that they had consented to donate phenotypic information, and 31.6% believed that they could withdraw their consent. Among respondents, 3.9% considered informing donors about the research objective as the most important ethical issue in relation to biobanks, and 5.6% were unsatisfied with the information they had been given. There was 85.9% acceptance of surrogate decision making by regional research ethics committees. Considering that the donors in this study were not always aware of their donation but generally were not unsatisfied with the information they had received, and that they did not rate being informed about the research objective as an important issue, informed consent seems to be an inadequate measure of public acceptance of biobank-based research.

"Big eye" surgery: the ethics of medicalizing Asian features.

PubMed

Aquino, Yves Saint James

2017-06-01

The popularity of surgical modifications of race-typical features among Asian women has generated debates on the ethical implications of the practice. Focusing on blepharoplasty as a representative racial surgery, this article frames the ethical discussion by viewing Asian cosmetic surgery as an example of medicalization, which can be interpreted in two forms: treatment versus enhancement. In the treatment form, medicalization occurs by considering cosmetic surgery as remedy for pathologized Asian features; the pathologization usually occurs in reference to western features as the norm. In the enhancement form, medicalization occurs by using medical means to improve physical features to achieve a certain type of beauty or physical appearance. Each type of medicalization raises slightly different ethical concerns. The problem with treatment medicalization lies in the pathologization of Asian features, which is oppressive as it continues to reinforce racial norms of appearance and negative stereotypes. Enhancement medicalization is ethically problematic because cosmetic surgery tends to conflate beauty and health as medical goals of surgery, overemphasizing the value of appearance that can further displace women's control over their own bodies. I conclude that in both forms of medicalization, cosmetic surgery seems to narrowly frame a complex psychosocial issue involving physical appearance as a matter that can be simply solved through surgical means.

[Ethical problems experienced by nurses in primary health care: integrative literature review].

PubMed

Nora, Carlise Rigon Dalla; Zoboli, Elma Lourdes Campos Pavone; Vieira, Margarida

2015-03-01

The aim of this study is to identify ethical problems experienced by nurses in primary health care and resources for coping based on publications on the subject. An integrative literature review was performed between the months of October and November 2013, using the databases: BDTD, CINAHL, LILACS, MEDLINE, Biblioteca Cochrane, PubMed, RCAAP and SciELO. Articles, dissertations and theses published in Portuguese, English and Spanish were included, totalling 31 studies published from 1992 to 2013. This analysis resulted in four categories: ethical problems in the relationship between team members, ethical problems in the relationship with the user, ethical problems in health services management and resources for coping with ethical problems. Results showed that nurses need to be prepared to face ethical problems, emphasizing the importance of ethics education during the education process before and during professional practice to enhance the development of ethical sensitivity and competence for problem resolution.

What is Proof of Concept Research and how does it Generate Epistemic and Ethical Categories for Future Scientific Practice?

PubMed

Kendig, Catherine Elizabeth

2016-06-01

"Proof of concept" is a phrase frequently used in descriptions of research sought in program announcements, in experimental studies, and in the marketing of new technologies. It is often coupled with either a short definition or none at all, its meaning assumed to be fully understood. This is problematic. As a phrase with potential implications for research and technology, its assumed meaning requires some analysis to avoid it becoming a descriptive category that refers to all things scientifically exciting. I provide a short analysis of proof of concept research and offer an example of it within synthetic biology. I suggest that not only are there activities that circumscribe new epistemological categories but there are also associated normative ethical categories or principles linked to the research. I examine these and provide an outline for an alternative ethical account to describe these activities that I refer to as "extended agency ethics". This view is used to explain how the type of research described as proof of concept also provides an attendant proof of principle that is the result of decision-making that extends across practitioners, their tools, techniques, and the problem solving activities of other research groups.

Ethics and governance of global health inequalities

PubMed Central

Ruger, J P

2006-01-01

Background A world divided by health inequalities poses ethical challenges for global health. International and national responses to health disparities must be rooted in ethical values about health and its distribution; this is because ethical claims have the power to motivate, delineate principles, duties and responsibilities, and hold global and national actors morally responsible for achieving common goals. Theories of justice are necessary to define duties and obligations of institutions and actors in reducing inequalities. The problem is the lack of a moral framework for solving problems of global health justice. Aim To study why global health inequalities are morally troubling, why efforts to reduce them are morally justified, how they should be measured and evaluated; how much priority disadvantaged groups should receive; and to delineate roles and responsibilities of national and international actors and institutions. Discussion and conclusions Duties and obligations of international and state actors in reducing global health inequalities are outlined. The ethical principles endorsed include the intrinsic value of health to well‐being and equal respect for all human life, the importance of health for individual and collective agency, the concept of a shortfall from the health status of a reference group, and the need for a disproportionate effort to help disadvantaged groups. This approach does not seek to find ways in which global and national actors address global health inequalities by virtue of their self‐interest, national interest, collective security or humanitarian assistance. It endorses the more robust concept of “human flourishing” and the desire to live in a world where all people have the capability to be healthy. Unlike cosmopolitan theory, this approach places the role of the nation‐state in the forefront with primary, though not sole, moral responsibility. Rather shared health governance is essential for delivering health equity on a global scale. PMID:17053290

Solving Ethical Dilemmas with Children: Empowering Classroom Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parr, Michelann

2010-01-01

This article identifies and discusses ethical dilemmas inherent when undertaking research with children or other vulnerable populations: power relations, risks and benefits, and informed consent and confidentiality (Maguire, 2005). Ethical dilemmas often arise when researchers attempt to merge the interests of their research and the interests of…

Training of Ability for Engineering Design through Long Term Internship Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konishi, Masami; Gofuku, Akio; Tomita, Eiji

The education program for engineering design capabilities through long term internship of Okayama University had started in 2006. The program supported by the MEXT is aimed to educate students in the Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology of Okayama University. The internship satellite laboratory of the University is settled in the near place of collaborative companies in which students are engaged with the project themes extracted from problems in the factory of collaborative companies. Through the program, promotion of abilities for setup and solving a problem considering cost and due date together with performance of the solution. Students are also expected to gain knowledge on patent and ethics required for skillful engineers.

Bioethics of Clinical Applications of Stem Cells.

PubMed

Petrini, Carlo

2017-04-12

The clinical applications of stem cells pose a multitude of problems, including safety, efficacy, information and consent, the right to unproven treatments, the "right to try", costs, access, sustainability, scientific scrupulousness, patents and regulatory aspects, to name but a few. This article does not address individual issues, but rather introduces and discusses some of the possible approaches to solving the problems. The first part compares the consequentialist and deontological approaches, offering an overview of "top-down" and "bottom-up" models and proposing the principles of personalism as applied in clinical settings. The second part of the article suggests practical frameworks for organising the ethical issues, focusing in particular on the medical indications, patient preferences, quality of life, and contextual features.

Fostering a culture of land. Commentary on "Agrarian philosophy and ecological ethics".

PubMed

Freyfogle, Eric T

2008-12-01

Paul Thompson's essay, "Agrarian Philosophy and Ecological Ethics," [1] usefully highlights some of the defects in the now-dominant strands of environmental ethics. It offers an agrarian alternative that solves many of them. Thompson's agrarianism, in turn, has its own limitations, yet it nonetheless merits close attention.

Levinas's ethics as a basis of healthcare - challenges and dilemmas.

PubMed

Nordtug, Birgit

2015-01-01

Levinas's ethics has in the last decades exerted a significant influence on Nursing and Caring Science. The core of Levinas's ethics - his analyses of how our subjectivity is established in the ethical encounter with our neighbour or the Other - is applied both to healthcare practice and in the project of building an identity of Nursing and Caring Science. Levinas's analyses are highly abstract and metaphysical, and also non-normative. Thus, his analyses cannot be applied directly to practical problems and questions. Theorists in Nursing and Caring Science are generally aware of this. Nevertheless, many of them use Levinas's analyses to explore and solve questions of practical and normative character. This article focuses on the challenges and dilemmas of using Levinas in this manner. The article is divided into two parts. The first part presents some central ideas of Levinas's ethics based on the latter part of his authorship. The main focus is on the radicalism of Levinas's critique of the symbolic order (which includes concepts, categories, knowledge, etc.) - or as he puts it 'the said' - as a basis for subjectivity and responsibility. Levinas's notions of saying, anarchy, and singularity accentuate this point of view. These notions refer to conditions in the language, which counteract the symbolic order in the ethical encounter to such an extent that it becomes an incomprehensible. Levinas gives the argumentation a metaphysical frame: The encounter with the incomprehensible is an encounter with the Holy, which is not the ontological God, but a metaphysical desire. It is a mystery as to what this means, and herein lies possibly the main challenge when using Levinas's ethics in science and research: How to maintain the radicalism of his critique of the symbolic order when this is to be communicated in a scientific context that expects clarification of statements and ideas? The second part of the article explores this question by examining how some theorists use Levinas's ethics on questions and problems in the area of healthcare and Nursing and Caring Science. The focus is especially on the theorists' reception and use of the just mentioned notions. The study reveals that these theorists to a large extent transform Levinas's ethics according to their own approaches, with the result that his ethics loses its critical radicalism. Thus, I question the reason why they use Levinas. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The importance of meta-ethics in engineering education.

PubMed

Haws, David R

2004-04-01

Our shared moral framework is negotiated as part of the social contract. Some elements of that framework are established (tell the truth under oath), but other elements lack an overlapping consensus (just when can an individual lie to protect his or her privacy?). The tidy bits of our accepted moral framework have been codified, becoming the subject of legal rather than ethical consideration. Those elements remaining in the realm of ethics seem fragmented and inconsistent. Yet, our engineering students will need to navigate the broken ground of this complex moral landscape. A minimalist approach would leave our students with formulated dogma--principles of right and wrong such as the National Society for Professional Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics for Engineers--but without any insight into the genesis of these principles. A slightly deeper, micro-ethics approach would teach our students to solve ethical problems by applying heuristics--giving our students a rational process to manipulate ethical dilemmas using the same principles simply referenced a priori by dogma. A macro-ethics approach--helping students to inductively construct a posteriori principles from case studies--goes beyond the simple statement or manipulation of principles, but falls short of linking personal moral principles to the larger, social context. Ultimately, it is this social context that requires both the application of ethical principles, and the negotiation of moral values--from an understanding of meta-ethics. The approaches to engineering ethics instruction (dogma, heuristics, case studies, and meta-ethics) can be associated with stages of moral development. If we leave our students with only a dogmatic reaction to ethical dilemmas, they will be dependent on the ethical decisions of others (a denial of their fundamental potential for moral autonomy). Heuristics offers a tool to deal independently with moral questions, but a tool that too frequently reduces to casuistry when rigidly applied to "simplified" dilemmas. Case studies, while providing a context for engineering ethics, can encourage the premature analysis of specific moral conduct rather than the development of broad moral principles--stifling our students' facility with meta-ethics. Clearly, if a moral sense is developmental, ethics instruction should lead our students from lower to higher stages of moral development.

[Requiem for Henrietta].

PubMed

Gilgenkrantz, Simone

2010-05-01

Fifty years after Henrietta Lacks died of aggressive glandular cervical cancer, the first cell line - HeLa cell line - is the workhorse of laboratories everywhere. It helped to produce drugs for numerous diseases, including poliomyelitis, Parkinson's, leukemias. But they are so outrageously robust that they contaminated hundred of other cell lines, as far away as Russia. For decades, biologists worked with contaminated cell lines and today, the problem is not yet solved. But the story of HeLa cells is also a moving reflection of racial and ethical issues in medicine in the late half-twentieth century in the USA.

The Human Touch: Practical and Ethical Implications of Putting AI and Robotics to Work for Patients.

PubMed

Banks, Jim

2018-01-01

We live in a time when science fiction can quickly become science fact. Within a generation, the Internet has matured from a technological marvel to a utility, and mobile telephones have redefined how we communicate. Health care, as an industry, is quick to embrace technology, so it is no surprise that the application of programmable robotic systems that can carry out actions automatically and artificial intelligence (AI), e.g., machines that learn, solve problems, and respond to their environment, is being keenly explored.

Evaluating programs that address ideological issues: ethical and practical considerations for practitioners and evaluators.

PubMed

Lieberman, Lisa D; Fagen, Michael C; Neiger, Brad L

2014-03-01

There are important practical and ethical considerations for organizations in conducting their own, or commissioning external, evaluations and for both practitioners and evaluators, when assessing programs built on strongly held ideological or philosophical approaches. Assessing whether programs "work" has strong political, financial, and/or moral implications, particularly when expending public dollars, and may challenge objectivity about a particular program or approach. Using a case study of the evaluation of a school-based abstinence-until-marriage program, this article discusses the challenges, lessons learned, and ethical responsibilities regarding decisions about evaluation, specifically associated with ideologically driven programs. Organizations should consider various stakeholders and views associated with their program to help identify potential pitfalls in evaluation. Once identified, the program or agency needs to carefully consider its answers to two key questions: Do they want the answer and are they willing to modify the program? Having decided to evaluate, the choice of evaluator is critical to assuring that ethical principles are maintained and potential skepticism or criticism of findings can be addressed appropriately. The relationship between program and evaluator, including agreements about ownership and eventual publication and/or promotion of data, should be addressed at the outset. Programs and organizations should consider, at the outset, their ethical responsibility when findings are not expected or desired. Ultimately, agencies, organizations, and programs have an ethical responsibility to use their data to provide health promotion programs, whether ideologically founded or not, that appropriately and effectively address the problems they seek to solve.

The ethics of socio-ecohydrological catchment management: towards hydrosolidarity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falkenmark, M.; Folke, Carl

This paper attempts to clarify key biophysical issues and the problems involved in the ethics of socio-ecohydrological catchment management. The issue in managing complex systems is to live with unavoidable change while securing the capacity of the ecohydrological system of the catchment to sustain vital ecological goods and services, aquatic as well as terrestrial, on which humanity depends ultimately. Catchment management oriented to sustainability has to be based on ethical principles: human rights, international conventions, sustaining crucial ecological goods and services, and protecting ecosystem resilience, all of which have water linkages. Many weaknesses have to be identified, assessed and mitigated to improve the tools by which the ethical issues can be addressed and solved:

• a heritage of constraining tunnel vision in both science and management;
• inadequate shortcuts made in modern scientific system analyses (e.g. science addressing sustainability issues);
• simplistic technical-fix approaches to water and ecosystems in land/water/ecosystem management;
• conventional tools for evaluation of scientific quality with its focus on "doing the thing right" rather than "doing the right thing".

The new ethics have to incorporate principles that, on a catchment basis, allow for proper attention to the hungry and poor, upstream and downstream, to descendants, and to sites and habitats that need to be protected.

Integration of Ethics across the Curriculum: From First Year through Senior Seminar†

PubMed Central

Gasparich, Gail E.; Wimmers, Larry

2014-01-01

The Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM) at Towson University (TU) has integrated authentic research experiences throughout the curriculum from first year STEM courses through advanced upper-level classes and independent research. Our observation is that training in both responsible conduct of research (RCR) and bioethics throughout the curriculum was an effective strategy to advance the cognitive and psychosocial development of the students. As students enter TU they generally lack the experience and tools to assess their own competence, to apply ethical debates, to investigate scientific topics from an ethical perspective, or to integrate ethics into final conclusions. Student behavior and development follow cognitive models such as described in the theories put forth by Piaget, Kohlberg, and Erikson, both for initial learning and for how concepts are understood and adopted. Three examples of this ethics training integration are described, including a cohort-based course for first year students in the STEM Residential Learning Community, a cohort-based course for community college students that are involved in an NIH-funded Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, and a senior seminar in Bioethics in the Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics Program. All three focus on different aspects of RCR and bioethics training, providing opportunities for students to learn about the principles of effective decision-making, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and communication with increasing degrees of complexity as they move through the curriculum. PMID:25574282

Integration of Ethics across the Curriculum: From First Year through Senior Seminar.

PubMed

Gasparich, Gail E; Wimmers, Larry

2014-12-01

The Fisher College of Science and Mathematics (FCSM) at Towson University (TU) has integrated authentic research experiences throughout the curriculum from first year STEM courses through advanced upper-level classes and independent research. Our observation is that training in both responsible conduct of research (RCR) and bioethics throughout the curriculum was an effective strategy to advance the cognitive and psychosocial development of the students. As students enter TU they generally lack the experience and tools to assess their own competence, to apply ethical debates, to investigate scientific topics from an ethical perspective, or to integrate ethics into final conclusions. Student behavior and development follow cognitive models such as described in the theories put forth by Piaget, Kohlberg, and Erikson, both for initial learning and for how concepts are understood and adopted. Three examples of this ethics training integration are described, including a cohort-based course for first year students in the STEM Residential Learning Community, a cohort-based course for community college students that are involved in an NIH-funded Bridges to the Baccalaureate program, and a senior seminar in Bioethics in the Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Bioinformatics Program. All three focus on different aspects of RCR and bioethics training, providing opportunities for students to learn about the principles of effective decision-making, critical and analytical thinking, problem solving, and communication with increasing degrees of complexity as they move through the curriculum.

[New possibilities resulting from oocyte banking].

PubMed

Revel, Ariel; Revel, Michel; Laufer, Neri; Kasher, Asa

2011-06-01

Oocyte cryopreservation solves the legal and ethical problems associated with the cryopreservation of embryos in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures. Furthermore, it may also offer the possibility of extending the reproductive capability of young women with malignant diseases in cases where the treatment may compromise the ovarian reserve. Moreover, it may also offer alternatives for infertile patients who are subject to ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome or premature ovarian faiLure or who require oocyte donation. The creation of banks for cryopreserved oocytes avoids the need for cycle synchronization or the formation of an over-supply of embryos destined for cryopreservation. If a Large number of oocytes is obtained it could possibly enable women and couples the opportunity to postpone childbirth according to their wishes. This paper reviews the revolution obtained by oocyte vitrification, reports on ethical issues and discusses the pros and cons of oocyte banking and its potential effects on society.

Obstacles and problems of ethical leadership from the perspective of nursing leaders: a qualitative content analysis.

PubMed

Barkhordari-Sharifabad, Maasoumeh; Ashktorab, Tahereh; Atashzadeh-Shoorideh, Foroozan

2017-01-01

In the nursing profession, leadership plays a significant role in creating motivation and thus enabling nurses to provide high quality care. Ethics is an essential component of leadership qualifications and the ethical leader can help create an ethical atmosphere, offer ethical guidance, and ensure the occupational satisfaction of personnel through prioritizing moralities. However, some issues prevent the implementation of this type of leadership by nursing leaders. The aim of this study was to identify and describe some problems and obstacles in ethical leadership faced by nursing leaders, and to help them achieve more accurate information and broader perspective in this field. The present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and content analysis. A total of 14 nursing managers and educators were selected purposefully, and deep and semi-structured interviews were conducted with them. Content analysis was performed using an inductive approach. Three main categories were obtained after data analysis: ethical, cultural and managerial problems. "Ethical problems" pertain to doubt in ethical actions, ethical conflicts and ethical distress; "cultural problems" include organizational and social culture; and "managerial problems" are connected to organizational and staff-related issues. Nursing leaders put forth various aspects of the problems associated with ethical leadership in the clinical setting. This style of leadership could be promoted by developing suitable programs and providing clear-cut strategies for removing the current obstacles and correcting the organizational structure. This can lead to ethical improvement in nursing leaders and subsequently the nurses.

Bioethics of Clinical Applications of Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Petrini, Carlo

2017-01-01

The clinical applications of stem cells pose a multitude of problems, including safety, efficacy, information and consent, the right to unproven treatments, the “right to try”, costs, access, sustainability, scientific scrupulousness, patents and regulatory aspects, to name but a few. This article does not address individual issues, but rather introduces and discusses some of the possible approaches to solving the problems. The first part compares the consequentialist and deontological approaches, offering an overview of “top–down” and “bottom–up” models and proposing the principles of personalism as applied in clinical settings. The second part of the article suggests practical frameworks for organising the ethical issues, focusing in particular on the medical indications, patient preferences, quality of life, and contextual features. PMID:28417921

Ethical problems in nursing management: The views of nurse managers.

PubMed

Aitamaa, Elina; Leino-Kilpi, Helena; Iltanen, Silja; Suhonen, Riitta

2016-09-01

Nurse managers have responsibilities relating to the quality of care, the welfare of the staff and running of the organization. Ethics plays significant role in these responsibilities. Ethical problems are part of daily management, but research in this area is limited. The aim of this study was to identify and describe ethical problems nurse managers encounter in their work to get more detailed and extensive view of these problems. The data consisted of nine interviews with nurse managers at different management levels in primary healthcare and specialized healthcare organizations, and it was analysed by inductive content analysis. Permission to conduct the interviews including ethical approval was given at all participating organizations according to national standards. The respondents were informed about the aim of the study, and voluntary participation, anonymous response and confidentiality were explained to them. Four main categories were found: conflicts in practical situations, lack of appreciation, disregard of problems and experienced inadequacy. Problems could also be divided to patient-related, staff-related, organization-related and other problems. The findings correspond with results from earlier studies but add knowledge of the nature and details of nurse managers' ethical problems. New information is produced related to the ethical problems with nurse managers' own courage, motivation and values. Nurse managers identified a variety of different ethical problems in their work. This information is useful in the development of ethics in nursing management. Further research about the frequency and intensity of nurse managers' ethical problems is needed as well as possible differences in different levels of management. © The Author(s) 2015.

Ethical problems in pediatrics: what does the setting of care and education show us?

PubMed

Guedert, Jucélia Maria; Grosseman, Suely

2012-03-16

Pediatrics ethics education should enhance medical students' skills to deal with ethical problems that may arise in the different settings of care. This study aimed to analyze the ethical problems experienced by physicians who have medical education and pediatric care responsibilities, and if those problems are associated to their workplace, medical specialty and area of clinical practice. A self-applied semi-structured questionnaire was answered by 88 physicians with teaching and pediatric care responsibilities. Content analysis was performed to analyze the qualitative data. Poisson regression was used to explore the association of the categories of ethical problems reported with workplace and professional specialty and activity. 210 ethical problems were reported, grouped into five areas: physician-patient relationship, end-of-life care, health professional conducts, socioeconomic issues and health policies, and pediatric teaching. Doctors who worked in hospitals as well as general and subspecialist pediatricians reported fewer ethical problems related to socioeconomic issues and health policies than those who worked in Basic Health Units and who were family doctors. Some ethical problems are specific to certain settings: those related to end-of-life care are more frequent in the hospital settings and those associated with socioeconomic issues and public health policies are more frequent in Basic Health Units. Other problems are present in all the setting of pediatric care and learning and include ethical problems related to physician-patient relationship, health professional conducts and the pediatric education process. These findings should be taken into consideration when planning the teaching of ethics in pediatrics. This research article didn't reports the results of a controlled health care intervention. The study project was approved by the Institutional Ethical Review Committee (Report CEP-HIJG 032/2008).

Are We Serious about Preparing Chemists for the 21st Century Workplace or Are We Just Teaching Chemistry?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerr, Sylvia; Runquist, Olaf

2005-02-01

What characteristics of employees do you value in the workplace? Sixteen leaders from world-class chemistry-based industries responded: "We want competent scientists who have high-level communication skills, cultural competencies, knowledge of how for-profit organizations function, excellent team problem-solving skills, broad backgrounds, strong work ethics, the ability to move effortlessly from science to business to humanitarian issues, and data-analysis skills." A wish list of 16 valued characteristics was generated. In response to the concern of industrial leaders and as a result of a National Science Foundation grant the Hamline University 3M Project was initiated. This unique project brought 3M professionals and Hamline University faculty members together in teams to address the concerns of industry leaders and to design and initiate curricular changes to better prepare students for the 21st century technological workplace. Each of five teams focused on one of five skill areas: namely, communications, team problem solving, data analysis, cultural competency, business, and economics. The Hamline 3M Project demonstrated a model for utilizing the industrial intellectual community to enhance undergraduate science education.

What makes a problem an ethical problem? An empirical perspective on the nature of ethical problems in general practice

PubMed Central

Braunack-Mayer, A. J.

2001-01-01

Whilst there has been considerable debate about the fit between moral theory and moral reasoning in everyday life, the way in which moral problems are defined has rarely been questioned. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with 15 general practitioners (GPs) in South Australia to argue that the way in which the bioethics literature defines an ethical dilemma captures only some of the range of lay views about the nature of ethical problems. The bioethics literature has defined ethical dilemmas in terms of conflict and choice between values, beliefs and options for action. While some of the views of some of the GPs in this study about the nature of their ethical dilemmas certainly accorded with this definition, other explanations of the ethical nature of their problems revolved around the publicity associated with the issues they were discussing, concern about their relationships with patients, and anxiety about threats to their integrity and reputation. The variety of views about what makes a problem a moral problem indicates that the moral domain is perhaps wider and richer than mainstream bioethics would generally allow. Key Words: Empirical ethics • general practice • qualitative research PMID:11314166

[Ethic rounds in intensive care. Possible instrument for a clinical-ethical assessment in intensive care units].

PubMed

Scheffold, N; Paoli, A; Gross, J; Riemann, U; Hennersdorf, M

2012-10-01

Ethical problems, such as medical end-of-life decisions or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment are viewed as an essential task in intensive care units. This article presents the ethics rounds as an instrument for evaluation of ethical problems in intensive care medicine units. The benchmarks of ethical reflection during the ethics rounds are considerations of ethical theory of principle-oriented medical ethics. Besides organizational aspects and the institutional framework, the role of the ethicist is described. The essential evaluation steps, as a basis of the ethics rounds are presented. In contrast to the clinical ethics consultation, the ethicist in the ethics rounds model is integrated as a member of the ward round team. Therefore ethical problems may be identified and analyzed very early before the conflict escalates. This preventive strategy makes the ethics rounds a helpful instrument in intensive care units.

Overview of psychiatric ethics V: utilitarianism and the ethics of duty.

PubMed

Robertson, Michael; Morris, Kirsty; Walter, Garry

2007-10-01

The aim of this paper is to describe the ethical theories of utilitarianism and the ethics of duty (Kant's ethics) and to evaluate their value as theoretical bases of psychiatric ethics. Utilitarianism is a well-established moral philosophy and has significant instrumental value in dealing with common ethical problems faced by psychiatrists. Despite its capacity to generate solutions to ethical problems, utilitarianism requires a process of what Rawls described as 'reflective equilibrium' to avoid morally repugnant choices, based on utility. The criticisms of utilitarianism, such as the problems of quantifying utility and the responsibility for consequences, are very relevant for psychiatry. Singer's model of utilitarian thinking is particularly problematic for our profession. Kant's ethics provides the pretext for duty bound codes of ethics for psychiatrists, but suffers from problems of flawed claims to the universalizability prescribed by Kant's 'categorical imperative'. Kant's valorization of reason as the core of the autonomy of persons is a valuable insight in understanding psychiatrists' ethical obligations to their patients.

Ethics and Economics: A Comment on Narvaez's "Revitalizing Human Virtue by Restoring Organic Morality"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Minnameier, Gerhard

2016-01-01

This paper comments on Darcia Narvaez's Kohlberg Memorial Lecture (EJ1111256), published in this issue, with respect to her contrasting ethics and economics, or morality and market. My basic claim is that ethics and economics, properly understood, are just two sides of the same coin. One main point is that all morality solves cooperation problems…

[The ethics of ethnography revisited: learning from documentaries].

PubMed

Weber, Florence

2011-01-01

This article offers a comparison of the legal suits filed by the interviewees against the director of the documentary Être et avoir (to have and to be) with the rights of interviewees in ethnographic investigations, focusing particularly on image copyrights and labor law. To say that interviewees contribute to such investigations in anonymity does not solve the main problem - they are crucial to the investigation, marginal to the analysis, and then are assigned no publication credits. While information about the interviewees should remain confidential, this article argues, that contribution and role in the making of a publication should not be ignored.

[Bioethics in medical institutions--new custom or help? The example of clinical ethics consultation at a University Medical Center].

PubMed

Richter, G

2014-08-01

Although ethics committees are well established in the medical sciences for human clinical trials, animal research and scientific integrity, the development of clinical ethics in German hospitals started much later during the first decade of the twenty-first century. Clinical ethics consultation should be pragmatic and problem-centered and can be defined as an ethically qualified and informed conflict management within a given legal framework to deal with and resolve value-driven, normative problems in the care of patients. Clinical ethics consultations enable shared clinical decision-making of all parties (e.g. clinicians, patients, family and surrogates) involved in a particular patient's care. The clinical ethicist does not act as an ethics expert by making independent recommendations or decisions; therefore, the focus is different from other medical consultants. Ethics consultation was first established by healthcare ethics committees (HEC) or clinical ethics consultation (CEC) groups which were called in to respond to an ethically problematic situation. To avoid ethical dilemmas or crises and to act preventively with regard to ethical issues in individual patients, an ethics liaison service is an additional option to ethics case consultations which take place on a regular basis by scheduled ethics rounds during the normal ward rounds. The presence of the ethicist offers some unique advantages: it allows early recognition of even minor ethical problems and accommodates the dynamics of ethical and clinical goal-setting in the course of patient care. Most importantly, regular and non-authoritative participation of the ethicist in normal ward rounds allows continuous ethical education of the staff within the everyday clinical routine. By facilitating clinical ethical decision-making, the ethicist seeks to empower physicians and medical staff to deal appropriately with ethical problems by themselves. Because of this proactive approach, the ethics liaison service can make a significant contribution to preventative ethics in reducing the number of emerging ethical problems to the satisfaction of all parties involved.

Strategies in Forecasting Outcomes in Ethical Decision-making: Identifying and Analyzing the Causes of the Problem

PubMed Central

Beeler, Cheryl K.; Antes, Alison L.; Wang, Xiaoqian; Caughron, Jared J.; Thiel, Chase E.; Mumford, Michael D.

2010-01-01

This study examined the role of key causal analysis strategies in forecasting and ethical decision-making. Undergraduate participants took on the role of the key actor in several ethical problems and were asked to identify and analyze the causes, forecast potential outcomes, and make a decision about each problem. Time pressure and analytic mindset were manipulated while participants worked through these problems. The results indicated that forecast quality was associated with decision ethicality, and the identification of the critical causes of the problem was associated with both higher quality forecasts and higher ethicality of decisions. Neither time pressure nor analytic mindset impacted forecasts or ethicality of decisions. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. PMID:20352056

Qualitative assessment of a blended learning intervention in an undergraduate nursing course.

PubMed

Hsu, Li-Ling

2012-12-01

Nurses are experiencing new ethical issues because of global developments and changes in the healthcare environment. Blended learning is one of the various methods used to deliver meaningful learning experiences. Well-designed, properly administered nursing ethics education is essential for nursing students to visualize the role of professional nurses. However, a literature review shows that only a few existing studies have touched on the subject of nursing student experiences with blended learning in a nursing ethics course. This study examines how undergraduate nursing students respond to a blended learning approach in a nursing ethics course and how blended learning affects the learning process. We used a qualitative research design with in-depth interviews. Participants included 28 female undergraduate nursing students who had completed the nursing ethics course. Each interview lasted 50-100 minutes. The researcher conducted all interviews in 2009. The researcher identified six major themes and 13 subthemes from the data. The six themes included (a) enhancing thinking ability, (b) improving problem-solving skills, (c) reflecting in and on practice, (d) perceiving added workload, (e) encouraging active learning, and (f) identifying the value of nursing. Participants felt that the blended learning experience was a generally positive experience. Most participants appreciated the opportunity to take a more active role in the learning process, think about issues profoundly and critically, and exercise metacognitive powers in the thinking and decision-making process. Study findings may suggest productive ideas for fine-tuning blended learning models.

Exploring creativity and critical thinking in traditional and innovative problem-based learning groups.

PubMed

Chan, Zenobia C Y

2013-08-01

To explore students' attitude towards problem-based learning, creativity and critical thinking, and the relevance to nursing education and clinical practice. Critical thinking and creativity are crucial in nursing education. The teaching approach of problem-based learning can help to reduce the difficulties of nurturing problem-solving skills. However, there is little in the literature on how to improve the effectiveness of a problem-based learning lesson by designing appropriate and innovative activities such as composing songs, writing poems and using role plays. Exploratory qualitative study. A sample of 100 students participated in seven semi-structured focus groups, of which two were innovative groups and five were standard groups, adopting three activities in problem-based learning, namely composing songs, writing poems and performing role plays. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. There are three themes extracted from the conversations: 'students' perceptions of problem-based learning', 'students' perceptions of creative thinking' and 'students' perceptions of critical thinking'. Participants generally agreed that critical thinking is more important than creativity in problem-based learning and clinical practice. Participants in the innovative groups perceived a significantly closer relationship between critical thinking and nursing care, and between creativity and nursing care than the standard groups. Both standard and innovative groups agreed that problem-based learning could significantly increase their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Further, by composing songs, writing poems and using role plays, the innovative groups had significantly increased their awareness of the relationship among critical thinking, creativity and nursing care. Nursing educators should include more types of creative activities than it often does in conventional problem-based learning classes. The results could help nurse educators design an appropriate curriculum for preparing professional and ethical nurses for future clinical practice. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Research methods in nursing students' Bachelor's theses in Sweden: A descriptive study.

PubMed

Johansson, Linda; Silén, Marit

2018-07-01

During the nursing programme in Sweden, students complete an independent project that allows them to receive both a professional qualification as a nurse and a Bachelor's degree. This project gives students the opportunity to develop and apply skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making, thus preparing them for their future work. However, only a few, small-scale studies have analysed the independent project to gain more insight into how nursing students carry out this task. The aim of the present study was to describe the methods, including ethical considerations and assessment of data quality, applied in nursing students' independent Bachelor's degree projects in a Swedish context. A descriptive study with a quantitative approach. A total of 490 independent projects were analysed using descriptive statistics. Literature reviews were the predominant project form. References were often used to support the analysis method. They were not, however, always relevant to the method. This was also true of ethical considerations. When a qualitative approach was used, and data collected through interviews, the participants were typically professionals. In qualitative projects involving analysis of biographies/autobiographies or blogs participants were either persons with a disease or next of kin of a person with a disease. Although most of the projects were literature reviews, it seemed unclear to the nursing students how the data should be analysed as well as what ethical issues should be raised in relation to the method. Consequently, further research and guidance are needed. In Sweden, independent projects are not considered research and are therefore not required to undergo ethics vetting. However, it is important that they be designed so as to avoid possible research ethics problems. Asking persons about their health, which occurred in some of the empirical projects, may therefore be considered questionable. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harnessing our very life.

PubMed

Wills, Peter R; Williams, David L F; Trussell, Denys; Mann, L R B

2013-01-01

The Aristotelian ideas of nature (physis) and technology (techné) are taken as a starting point for understanding what it would mean for technology to be truly living. Heidegger's critique of the conflation of scientific and technological thinking in the current era is accepted as demonstrating that humanity does not have a deep enough appreciation of the nature of life to harness its essence safely. Could the vision of harnessing life be realized, which we strongly doubt, living technology would give selected humans transforming powers that could be expected to exacerbate, rather than solve, current global problems. The source of human purposefulness, and hence of both technology and ethics, is identified in nature's emergent capability to instantiate informational representations in material forms. Ethics that are properly grounded in an appreciation of intrinsic value, especially that of life, demand that proposals to give humanity the capabilities of living technology address the social, political, economic, and environmental problems inherent in its development and potential deployment. Before any development is embarked on, steps must be taken to avoid living technology, whatever the term eventually designates, becoming available for destructive or antisocial purposes such as those that might devastate humanity or irrevocably damage the natural world.

An exploratory study into students' conceptual understanding of acid/base principles associated with chemical buffer systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MacGowan, Catherine Elizabeth

The overall objective of this research project was to provide an insight into students' conceptual understanding of acid/base principles as it relates to the comprehension and correct application of scientific concepts during a problem-solving activity. The difficulties experienced learning science and in developing appropriate problem-solving strategies most likely are predetermined by students' existing conceptual and procedural knowledge constructs; with the assimilation of newly acquired knowledge hindering or aiding the learning process. Learning chemistry requires a restructuring of content knowledge which will allow the individual to assemble and to integrate his/her own perception of science with instructional knowledge. The epistemology of constructivism, the theoretical grounding for this research project, recognizes the student's role as an active participant in the learning process. The study's design was exploratory in nature and descriptive in design. The problem-solving activity, the preparation of a chemical buffer solution at pH of 9, was selected and modified to reflect and meet the study's objective. Qualitative research methods (i.e., think aloud protocols, retrospective interviews, survey questionnaires such as the Scale of Intellectual Development (SID), and archival data sources) were used in the collection and assessment of data. Given its constructivist grounding, simplicity, and interpretative view of knowledge acquisition and learning of collegiate aged individuals, the Perry Intellectual and Ethical Development Model (1970) was chosen as the applied model for evaluation student cognition. The study's participants were twelve traditional college age students from a small, private liberal arts college. All participants volunteered for the project and had completed or were completing a general college chemistry course at the time of the project. Upon analysis of the data the following observations and results were noted: (1) students' overall comprehension level of key acid/base principles was at the misconception/miscued level of understanding; (2) the level of a student's conceptual knowledge effected their problem-solving performance and influenced their use of problem-solving tactics; (3) students casual use of the terms "acid" and/or "base" played a significant role in the misuse and misunderstanding of the principles of acid/base chemistry; (4) as assessed from their think aloud protocols and described by the Perry Scheme positions of intellect the study's participants' overall level of cognition were ranked as dualistic/relativistic thinkers; and (5) the SID questionnaire survey rankings did not seem to assess or reflect the participants' cognitive ability to learn or correctly use acid/base concepts as they preformed the study's problem-solving activity--the preparation of buffer solution having a pH of 9.

"Bringing the Message Forward": Using Poetic Re-Presentation to Solve Research Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ward, Angela

2011-01-01

Researchers cannot always rely on traditional methods for solving research dilemmas. In a research project that explored the friendships and social relationships of four students with severe disabilities in four secondary schools in New Zealand, the author uses poetic re-presentation to solve several ethical and pragmatic research dilemmas. Within…

The justificatory power of moral experience.

PubMed

van Thiel, G J M W; van Delden, J J M

2009-04-01

A recurrent issue in the vast amount of literature on reasoning models in ethics is the role and nature of moral intuitions. In this paper, we start from the view that people who work and live in a certain moral practice usually possess specific moral wisdom. If we manage to incorporate their moral intuitions in ethical reasoning, we can arrive at judgements and (modest) theories that grasp a moral experience that generally cannot be found outside the practice. Reflective equilibrium (RE) provides a framework for balancing moral intuitions, ethical principles and general theories. Nevertheless, persisting problems associated with the use of intuitions need to be addressed. One is the objection that moral intuitions lack the credibility necessary to guide moral reasoning. Ethicists have tried to solve this problem by formulating criteria to separate the "bad" intuitions from the "good" ones at the beginning of the reasoning process. We call this the credible input-justified outcome strategy. An example is the appeal to the common morality by Beauchamp and Childress. We think this approach is unsuccessful. As an alternative, we outline the good reasoning-justified outcome strategy. It connects to a variant of RE in which intuitions from different sources are incorporated. We argue that the elements of RE have different levels of justificatory power at the start of reasoning. In our strategy, each element can gain or lose justificatory power when it is tested in a reasoning process that meets several criteria.

Birthing Ethics: What Mothers, Families, Childbirth Educators, Nurses, and Physicians Should Know About the Ethics of Childbirth

PubMed Central

Torres, Jennifer M; De Vries, Raymond G

2009-01-01

This article discusses current ethical issues associated with childbirth in the United States. It provides a review of moral problems and ethical choices made by parents and health-care professionals during the prenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum periods. Ethical issues are identified and framed through a “naturalized bioethics” approach, as recommended by Margaret Walker and her colleagues, Hilde Lindemann and Marian Verkerk. This approach critiques traditional bioethics and gives attention to everyday ethics and the social, economic, and political context within which ethical problems exist. This approach provides the reader with the tools needed to critically assess the way ethical problems are defined and resolved. PMID:19360141

Moral theories in teaching applied ethics.

PubMed

Lawlor, Rob

2007-06-01

It is argued, in this paper, that moral theories should not be discussed extensively when teaching applied ethics. First, it is argued that, students are either presented with a large amount of information regarding the various subtle distinctions and the nuances of the theory and, as a result, the students simply fail to take it in or, alternatively, the students are presented with a simplified caricature of the theory, in which case the students may understand the information they are given, but what they have understood is of little or no value because it is merely a caricature of a theory. Second, there is a methodological problem with appealing to moral theories to solve particular issues in applied ethics. An analogy with science is appealed to. In physics there is a hope that we could discover a unified theory of everything. But this is, of course, a hugely ambitious project, and much harder than, for example, finding a theory of motion. If the physicist wants to understand motion, he should try to do so directly. We would think he was particularly misguided if he thought that, to answer this question, he first needed to construct a unified theory of everything.

Moral theories in teaching applied ethics

PubMed Central

Lawlor, Rob

2007-01-01

It is argued, in this paper, that moral theories should not be discussed extensively when teaching applied ethics. First, it is argued that, students are either presented with a large amount of information regarding the various subtle distinctions and the nuances of the theory and, as a result, the students simply fail to take it in or, alternatively, the students are presented with a simplified caricature of the theory, in which case the students may understand the information they are given, but what they have understood is of little or no value because it is merely a caricature of a theory. Second, there is a methodological problem with appealing to moral theories to solve particular issues in applied ethics. An analogy with science is appealed to. In physics there is a hope that we could discover a unified theory of everything. But this is, of course, a hugely ambitious project, and much harder than, for example, finding a theory of motion. If the physicist wants to understand motion, he should try to do so directly. We would think he was particularly misguided if he thought that, to answer this question, he first needed to construct a unified theory of everything. PMID:17526691

Conceptual and practical problems of moral enhancement.

PubMed

Beck, Birgit

2015-05-01

Recently, the debate on human enhancement has shifted from familiar topics like cognitive enhancement and mood enhancement to a new and - to no one's surprise - controversial subject, namely moral enhancement. Some proponents from the transhumanist camp allude to the 'urgent need' of improving the moral conduct of humankind in the face of ever growing technological progress and the substantial dangers entailed in this enterprise. Other thinkers express more sceptical views about this proposal. As the debate has revealed so far, there is no shared opinion among philosophers (or scientists) about the meaning, prospects, and ethical evaluation of moral enhancement. In this article I will address several conceptual and practical problems of this issue, in order to encourage discussion about the prospects of (thinking about) moral enhancement in the future. My assumption is that (i) for the short term, there is little chance of arriving at an agreement on the proper understanding of morality and the appropriateness of one single (meta-)ethical theory; (ii) apart from this, there are further philosophical puzzles loosely referred to in the debate which add to theoretical confusion; and (iii) even if these conceptual problems could be solved, there are still practical problems to be smoothed out if moral enhancement is ever to gain relevance apart from merely theoretical interest. My tentative conclusion, therefore, will be that moral enhancement is not very likely to be made sense of - let alone realized - in the medium-term future. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Universal Skills and Competencies for Geoscientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mosher, S.

2015-12-01

Geoscience students worldwide face a changing future workforce, but all geoscience work has universal cross-cutting skills and competencies that are critical for success. A recent Geoscience Employers Workshop, and employers' input on the "Future of Undergraduate Geoscience Education" survey, identified three major areas. Geoscience work requires spatial and temporal (3D & 4D) thinking, understanding that the Earth is a system of interacting parts and processes, and geoscience reasoning and synthesis. Thus, students need to be able to solve problems in the context of an open and dynamic system, recognizing that most geoscience problems have no clear, unambiguous answers. Students must learn to manage uncertainty, work by analogy and inference, and make predations with limited data. Being able to visualize and solve problems in 3D, incorporate the element of time, and understand scale is critical. Additionally students must learn how to tackle problems using real data, including understand the problems' context, identify appropriate questions to ask, and determine how to proceed. Geoscience work requires integration of quantitative, technical, and computational skills and the ability to be intellectually flexible in applying skills to new situations. Students need experience using high-level math and computational methods to solve geoscience problems, including probability and statistics to understand risk. Increasingly important is the ability to use "Big Data", GIS, visualization and modeling tools. Employers also agree a strong field component in geoscience education is important. Success as a geoscientist also requires non-technical skills. Because most work environments involve working on projects with a diverse team, students need experience with project management in team settings, including goal setting, conflict resolution, time management and being both leader and follower. Written and verbal scientific communication, as well as public speaking and listening skills, are important. Success also depends on interpersonal skills and professionalism, including business acumen, risk management, ethical conduct, and leadership. A global perspective is increasingly important, including cultural literacy and understanding societal relevance.

The actual goals of geoethics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nemec, Vaclav

2014-05-01

The most actual goals of geoethics have been formulated as results of the International Conference on Geoethics (October 2013) held at the geoethics birth-place Pribram (Czech Republic): In the sphere of education and public enlightenment an appropriate needed minimum know how of Earth sciences should be intensively promoted together with cultivating ethical way of thinking and acting for the sustainable well-being of the society. The actual activities of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Changes are not sustainable with the existing knowledge of the Earth sciences (as presented in the results of the 33rd and 34th International Geological Congresses). This knowledge should be incorporated into any further work of the IPCC. In the sphere of legislation in a large international co-operation following steps are needed: - to re-formulate the term of a "false alarm" and its legal consequences, - to demand very consequently the needed evaluation of existing risks, - to solve problems of rights of individuals and minorities in cases of the optimum use of mineral resources and of the optimum protection of the local population against emergency dangers and disasters; common good (well-being) must be considered as the priority when solving ethical dilemmas. The precaution principle should be applied in any decision making process. Earth scientists presenting their expert opinions are not exempted from civil, administrative or even criminal liabilities. Details must be established by national law and jurisprudence. The well known case of the L'Aquila earthquake (2009) should serve as a serious warning because of the proven misuse of geoethics for protecting top Italian seismologists responsible and sentenced for their inadequate superficial behaviour causing lot of human victims. Another recent scandal with the Himalayan fossil fraud will be also documented. A support is needed for any effort to analyze and to disclose the problems of the deformation of the contemporary science very closely connected with many practical problems in Earth sciences. In the framework of discovering the real and complete truth a broad and open discussion is needed. Possible alternative solutions of any problem are to be admitted in the interest of the common good. Any effort trying to misuse peer reviewing process should be avoided. An open and efficient discussion should be started with media emphasizing their high responsibility for promoting ethical way of thinking and acting as well as a correct promotion of geoethics in the world. Geological art (geoart) should be developed and oriented to a further cultivation of nobility and spirituality of the human kind as well as of its sensibility to the Nature and to the Earth. In mining activities protection of the environment should be always considered by limitation of unwanted environmental impact and by revitalizing areas abandoned by the exploitation. The relatively new and rapidly growing field of nano-materials and other advanced materials and innovation should be taken into consideration because of the existing real visions to replace classical mineral resources in a near future. (This contribution is planned as an introductory overview of ethical and geoethical problems; double time will be needed.)

Teaching medical students to discern ethical problems in human clinical research studies.

PubMed

Roberts, Laura Weiss; Warner, Teddy D; Green Hammond, Katherine A; Brody, Janet L; Kaminsky, Alexis; Roberts, Brian B

2005-10-01

Investigators and institutional review boards are entrusted with ensuring the conduct of ethically sound human studies. Assessing ethical aspects of research protocols is a key skill in fulfilling this duty, yet no empirically validated method exists for preparing professionals to attain this skill. The authors performed a randomized controlled educational intervention, comparing a criteria-based learning method, a clinical-research- and experience-based learning method, and a control group. All 300 medical students enrolled at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine in 2001 were invited to participate. After a single half-hour educational session, a written posttest of ability to detect ethical problems in hypothetical protocol vignettes was administered. The authors analyzed responses to ten protocol vignettes that had been evaluated independently by experts. For each vignette, a global assessment of the perceived significance of ethical problems and the identification of specific ethical problems were evaluated. Eighty-three medical students (27%) volunteered: 50 (60%) were women and 55 (66%) were first- and second-year students. On global assessments, the criteria-focused group perceived ethical problems as more significant than did the other two groups (p < .02). Students in the criteria-focused group were better able than students in the control group (p < .03) to discern specific ethical problems, more closely resembling expert assessments. Unexpectedly, the group focused on clinical research participants identified fewer problems than did the control group (p < .05). The criteria-focused intervention produced enhanced ethical evaluation skills. This work supports the potential value of empirically derived methods for preparing professionals to discern ethical aspects of human studies.

Ethics in the laboratory examination of patients

PubMed Central

Nyrhinen, T.; Leino-Kilpi, H.

2000-01-01

Various value problems are connected with the clinical examination of patients. The purpose of this literature review is to clarify: 1) in which patient examinations ethical problems are generally found; 2) what kind of ethical problems are found in the different phases of the examination process, and 3) what kind of ethical problems are found in connection with the use of examination results. Genetic testing, autopsy, prenatal and HIV examinations were ethically the most problematic laboratory examinations. The most problematic phase in the laboratory examination process proved to be the pre-analytic phase. At present the results of laboratory examination are used more and more often for the prediction of diseases. The problems appear when the examination results are used for discrimination and stigmatisation. Because of the lack of empirical ethical research, it is important to chart empirical knowledge about present value conflict situations involved in the laboratory examination process. Key Words: Ethic • laboratory • test • examination • diagnosis • patient PMID:10701173

Winding roads and faded signs: ethical decision making in a postmodern world.

PubMed

Coverston, C; Rogers, S

2000-09-01

We are living in an era, sometimes referred to as "postmodern," exemplified by complex change related to vast increases in information and technology and exposure to diverse people and ideas. Society as a whole is experiencing dissonance in solving ethical dilemmas, and nurses' ethical dilemmas are never far removed from the social context in which nurses practice. This article explores aspects of postmodernism that complicate ethical decision making. It is hoped that this discussion may aid nurses in understanding how world values, especially those of postmodernism, complicate ethical decision making in health care. Suggestions melding aspects of the postmodern with traditional approaches to ethical decision making are presented.

Moral experience and ethical challenges in an emergency department in Pakistan: emergency physicians' perspectives.

PubMed

Zafar, Waleed

2015-04-01

Emergency departments (ED) are often stressful environments posing unique ethical challenges-issues that primarily raise moral rather than clinical concerns-in patient care. Despite this, there are very few reports of what emergency physicians find ethically challenging in their everyday work. Emergency medicine (EM) is a relatively young but rapidly growing specialty that is gaining acceptance worldwide. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of EM residents and physicians regarding the common ethical challenges they face during patient care in one of only two academic EM departments in Pakistan. These challenges could then be addressed in residents' training and departmental practice guidelines. A qualitative research design was employed and in-depth interviews were conducted with ED physicians. Participants were encouraged to think of specific examples from their work, to highlight the particular ethical concerns raised and to describe in detail the process by which those concerns were addressed or left unresolved. Transcripts were analysed using grounded theory methods. Thirteen participants were interviewed and they described four key challenges: how to provide highest quality care with limited resources; how to be truthful to patients; what to do when it is not possible to provide or continue treatment to patients; and when (and when not) to offer life-sustaining treatments. Participants' accounts provided important insights into how physicians tried to resolve these challenges in the 'local moral world' of an ED in Pakistan. The study highlights the need for developing systematic and contextually appropriate mechanisms for resolving common ethical challenges in the EDs and for training residents in moral problem solving. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

How Earth Educators Can Help Students Develop a Holistic Understanding of Sustainability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curren, R. R.; Metzger, E. P.

2017-12-01

With their expert understanding of planetary systems, Earth educators play a pivotal role in helping students understand the scientific dimensions of solution-resistant ("wicked") challenges to sustainability that arise from complex interactions between intertwined and co-evolving natural and human systems. However, teaching the science of sustainability in isolation from consideration of human values and social dynamics leaves students with a fragmented understanding and obscures the underlying drivers of unsustainability. Geoscience instructors who wish to address sustainability in their courses may feel ill-equipped to engage students in investigation of the fundamental nature of sustainability and its social and ethical facets. This presentation will blend disciplinary perspectives from Earth system science, philosophy, psychology, and anthropology to: 1) outline a way to conceptualize sustainability that synthesizes scientific, social, and ethical perspectives and 2) provide an overview of resources and teaching strategies designed to help students connect science content to the socio-political dimensions of sustainability through activities and assignments that promote active learning, systems thinking, reflection, and collaborative problem-solving.

Against risk-benefit review of prisoner research.

PubMed

Chwang, Eric

2010-01-01

The 2006 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, 'Ethical Considerations for Research Involving Prisoners', recommended five main changes to current US Common Rule regulations on prisoner research. Their third recommendation was to shift from a category-based to a risk-benefit approach to research review, similar to current guidelines on pediatric research. However, prisoners are not children, so risk-benefit constraints on prisoner research must be justified in a different way from those on pediatric research. In this paper I argue that additional risk-benefit constraints on prisoner research are unnecessary: the current Common Rule regulations, omitting category-based restrictions but conjoined with the IOM report's other four main recommendations, ensure that prisoner research is as ethical as non-prisoner research is. I explain why four problems which which may be more prevalent in prisons and which risk-benefit constraints may seem to address - coercion, undue inducements, exploitation, and protection from harm - are in fact not solved by adding further risk-benefit constraints on prisoner research.

Activist engineering: changing engineering practice by deploying praxis.

PubMed

Karwat, Darshan M A; Eagle, Walter E; Wooldridge, Margaret S; Princen, Thomas E

2015-02-01

In this paper, we reflect on current notions of engineering practice by examining some of the motives for engineered solutions to the problem of climate change. We draw on fields such as science and technology studies, the philosophy of technology, and environmental ethics to highlight how dominant notions of apoliticism and ahistoricity are ingrained in contemporary engineering practice. We argue that a solely technological response to climate change does not question the social, political, and cultural tenet of infinite material growth, one of the root causes of climate change. In response to the contemporary engineering practice, we define an activist engineer as someone who not only can provide specific engineered solutions, but who also steps back from their work and tackles the question, What is the real problem and does this problem "require" an engineering intervention? Solving complex problems like climate change requires radical cultural change, and a significant obstacle is educating engineers about how to conceive of and create "authentic alternatives," that is, solutions that differ from the paradigm of "technologically improving" our way out of problems. As a means to realize radically new solutions, we investigate how engineers might (re)deploy the concept of praxis, which raises awareness in engineers of the inherent politics of technological design. Praxis empowers engineers with a more comprehensive understanding of problems, and thus transforms technologies, when appropriate, into more socially just and ecologically sensitive interventions. Most importantly, praxis also raises a radical alternative rarely considered-not "engineering a solution." Activist engineering offers a contrasting method to contemporary engineering practice and leads toward social justice and ecological protection through problem solving by asking not, How will we technologize our way out of the problems we face? but instead, What really needs to be done?

Ethics in independent nurse consulting: strategies for avoiding ethical quicksand.

PubMed

Creel, Eileen L; Robinson, Jennifer C

2010-11-01

Changes in health care have created a variety of new roles and opportunities for nurses in advanced practice. One of these changes is the increasing number of advanced practice nurses carrying out independent consultation. Differences in goals between business and health care may create ethical dilemmas for nurse consultants. The purpose of this article is to describe possible ethical pitfalls that nurse consultants may encounter and strategies to prevent or solve these dilemmas. Three themes related to nursing codes of ethics will be discussed: the duty to uphold human rights, the duty to fulfill commitments, and the duty to practice the profession competently.

Transplant ethics under scrutiny – responsibilities of all medical professionals

PubMed Central

Trey, Torsten; Caplan, Arthur L.; Lavee, Jacob

2013-01-01

In this text, we present and elaborate ethical challenges in transplant medicine related to organ procurement and organ distribution, together with measures to solve such challenges. Based on internationally acknowledged ethical standards, we looked at cases of organ procurement and distribution practices that deviated from such ethical standards. One form of organ procurement is known as commercial organ trafficking, while in China the organ procurement is mostly based on executing prisoners, including killing of detained Falun Gong practitioners for their organs. Efforts from within the medical community as well as from governments have contributed to provide solutions to uphold ethical standards in medicine. The medical profession has the responsibility to actively promote ethical guidelines in medicine to prevent a decay of ethical standards and to ensure best medical practices. PMID:23444249

Transplant ethics under scrutiny - responsibilities of all medical professionals.

PubMed

Trey, Torsten; Caplan, Arthur L; Lavee, Jacob

2013-02-01

In this text, we present and elaborate ethical challenges in transplant medicine related to organ procurement and organ distribution, together with measures to solve such challenges. Based on internationally acknowledged ethical standards, we looked at cases of organ procurement and distribution practices that deviated from such ethical standards. One form of organ procurement is known as commercial organ trafficking, while in China the organ procurement is mostly based on executing prisoners, including killing of detained Falun Gong practitioners for their organs. Efforts from within the medical community as well as from governments have contributed to provide solutions to uphold ethical standards in medicine. The medical profession has the responsibility to actively promote ethical guidelines in medicine to prevent a decay of ethical standards and to ensure best medical practices.

Evaluating the Effects that Existing Instruction on Responsible Conduct of Research Has on Ethical Decision Making

PubMed Central

Antes, Alison L.; Wang, Xiaoqian; Mumford, Michael D.; Brown, Ryan P.; Connelly, Shane; Devenport, Lynn D.

2015-01-01

Purpose To examine the effects that existing courses on the responsible conduct of research (RCR) have on ethical decision making by assessing the ethicality of decisions made in response to ethical problems and the underlying processes involved in ethical decision making. These processes included how an individual thinks through ethical problems (i.e., meta-cognitive reasoning strategies) and the emphasis placed on social dimensions of ethical problems (i.e., social–behavioral responses). Method In 2005–2007, recruitment announcements were made, stating that a nationwide, online study was being conducted to examine the impact of RCR instruction on the ethical decision making of scientists. Recruitment yielded contacts with over 200 RCR faculty at 21 research universities and medical schools; 40 (20%) RCR instructors enrolled their courses in the current study. From those courses, 173 participants completed an ethical decision-making measure. Results A mixed pattern of effects emerged. The ethicality of decisions did not improve as a result of RCR instruction and even decreased for decisions pertaining to business aspects of research, such as contract bidding. Course participants improved on some meta-cognitive reasoning strategies, such as awareness of the situation and consideration of personal motivations, but declined for seeking help and considering others’ perspectives. Participants also increased in their endorsement of detrimental social–behavioral responses, such as deception, retaliation, and avoidance of personal responsibility. Conclusions These findings indicated that RCR instruction may not be as effective as intended, and in fact, may even be harmful. Harmful effects might result if instruction leads students to overstress avoidance of ethical problems, be overconfident in their ability to handle ethical problems, or overemphasize their ethical nature. Future research must examine these and other possible obstacles to effective RCR instruction. PMID:20182131

Evaluating the effects that existing instruction on responsible conduct of research has on ethical decision making.

PubMed

Antes, Alison L; Wang, Xiaoqian; Mumford, Michael D; Brown, Ryan P; Connelly, Shane; Devenport, Lynn D

2010-03-01

To examine the effects that existing courses on the responsible conduct of research (RCR) have on ethical decision making by assessing the ethicality of decisions made in response to ethical problems and the underlying processes involved in ethical decision making. These processes included how an individual thinks through ethical problems (i.e., meta-cognitive reasoning strategies) and the emphasis placed on social dimensions of ethical problems (i.e., social-behavioral responses). In 2005-2007, recruitment announcements were made, stating that a nationwide, online study was being conducted to examine the impact of RCR instruction on the ethical decision making of scientists. Recruitment yielded contacts with over 200 RCR faculty at 21 research universities and medical schools; 40 (20%) RCR instructors enrolled their courses in the current study. From those courses, 173 participants completed an ethical decision-making measure. A mixed pattern of effects emerged. The ethicality of decisions did not improve as a result of RCR instruction and even decreased for decisions pertaining to business aspects of research, such as contract bidding. Course participants improved on some meta-cognitive reasoning strategies, such as awareness of the situation and consideration of personal motivations, but declined for seeking help and considering others' perspectives. Participants also increased their endorsement of detrimental social-behavioral responses, such as deception, retaliation, and avoidance of personal responsibility. These findings indicated that RCR instruction may not be as effective as intended and, in fact, may even be harmful. Harmful effects might result if instruction leads students to overstress avoidance of ethical problems, be overconfident in their ability to handle ethical problems, or overemphasize their ethical nature. Future research must examine these and other possible obstacles to effective RCR instruction.

The Ethics of Doing Ethics.

PubMed

Hansson, Sven Ove

2017-02-01

Ethicists have investigated ethical problems in other disciplines, but there has not been much discussion of the ethics of their own activities. Research in ethics has many ethical problems in common with other areas of research, and it also has problems of its own. The researcher's integrity is more precarious than in most other disciplines, and therefore even stronger procedural checks are needed to protect it. The promotion of some standpoints in ethical issues may be socially harmful, and even our decisions as to which issues we label as "ethical" may have unintended and potentially harmful social consequences. It can be argued that ethicists have an obligation to make positive contributions to society, but the practical implications of such an obligation are not easily identified. This article provides an overview of ethical issues that arise in research into ethics and in the application of such research. It ends with a list of ten practical proposals for how these issues should be dealt with.

Factors influencing emergency nurses' ethical problems during the outbreak of MERS-CoV.

PubMed

Choi, Jeong-Sil; Kim, Ji-Soo

2018-05-01

Whenever there has been a worldwide contagious disease outbreak, there have been reports of infection and death of healthcare workers. Particularly because emergency nurses have contact with patients on the front line, they experience ethical problems in nursing while struggling with infectious diseases in an unfavorable environment. The objective of this study was to explore emergency nurses' ethical problems and to identify factors influencing these problems during the outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus in Korea. For this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire survey was conducted with emergency nurses working in six hospitals selected through convenience sampling from the hospitals designated for Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus patients in the capital area. Data were collected from 169 emergency nurses in Korea during August 2015. Ethical considerations: This research was approved by the Institutional Review Board of G University in Korea. The findings of this study suggest that during the Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus outbreak, emergency nurses experienced ethical problems tied to a mind-set of avoiding patients. Three factors were found to influence emergency nurses' ethical problems (in order of influence): cognition of social stigmatization, level of agreement with infection control measures, and perceived risk. Through this study, we obtained information on emergency nurses' ethical problems during the Middle East respiratory syndrome-coronavirus outbreak and identified the factors that influence them. As found in this study, nurses' ethical problems were influenced most by cognitions of social stigmatization. Accordingly, to support nurses confidently care for people during future health disasters, it is most urgent to promote appropriate public consciousness that encourages healthcare workers.

Obstacles and problems of ethical leadership from the perspective of nursing leaders: a qualitative content analysis

PubMed Central

Barkhordari-Sharifabad, Maasoumeh; Ashktorab, Tahereh; Atashzadeh-Shoorideh, Foroozan

2017-01-01

In the nursing profession, leadership plays a significant role in creating motivation and thus enabling nurses to provide high quality care. Ethics is an essential component of leadership qualifications and the ethical leader can help create an ethical atmosphere, offer ethical guidance, and ensure the occupational satisfaction of personnel through prioritizing moralities. However, some issues prevent the implementation of this type of leadership by nursing leaders. The aim of this study was to identify and describe some problems and obstacles in ethical leadership faced by nursing leaders, and to help them achieve more accurate information and broader perspective in this field. The present study was conducted using a qualitative approach and content analysis. A total of 14 nursing managers and educators were selected purposefully, and deep and semi-structured interviews were conducted with them. Content analysis was performed using an inductive approach. Three main categories were obtained after data analysis: ethical, cultural and managerial problems. “Ethical problems” pertain to doubt in ethical actions, ethical conflicts and ethical distress; “cultural problems” include organizational and social culture; and “managerial problems” are connected to organizational and staff-related issues. Nursing leaders put forth various aspects of the problems associated with ethical leadership in the clinical setting. This style of leadership could be promoted by developing suitable programs and providing clear-cut strategies for removing the current obstacles and correcting the organizational structure. This can lead to ethical improvement in nursing leaders and subsequently the nurses. PMID:28523116

Ethical Issues in Paediatric Practice - Part I: General Principles

PubMed Central

Attard-Montalto, S

2001-01-01

Clinical problems with ethical implications pose an ever increasing dilemma in everyday medical practice, and this is particularly the case with ethical issues involving children and those unable to take their own decisions. In this editorial we shall review some of the general principles that guide medical ethical problems. PMID:22368603

Ethical problems and moral sensitivity in physiotherapy: a descriptive study.

PubMed

Kulju, Kati; Suhonen, Riitta; Leino-Kilpi, Helena

2013-08-01

This study identified and described ethical problems encountered by physiotherapists in their practice and physiotherapists' moral sensitivity in ethical situations. A questionnaire-based survey was constructed to identify ethical problems, and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire Revised version was used to measure moral sensitivity. Physiotherapists (n = 116) working in public health services responded to the questionnaire. Based on the results, most of the physiotherapists encounter ethical problems weekly. They concern mainly financial considerations, equality and justice, professionalism, unethical conduct of physiotherapists or other professions and patients' self-determination. The dimension of moral strength was emphasised in physiotherapists' self-evaluations of their moral sensitivity. As a conclusion, ethical problems do occur not only at individual level but also at organisational and society level. Physiotherapists seem to have moral strength for speaking on behalf of the patient. Scarce resources make them feel insufficient but much could still be done to provide quality care in co-operation with other health-care professionals.

Bioethical conflicts between Muslim patients and German physicians and the principles of biomedical ethics.

PubMed

Ilkilic, Ilhan

2002-01-01

In the age of globalisation, more and more people who are members of different religions and cultures live in the same society. This situation tends to create many conflicts in different areas of life and not least in the health care system, a fact which raises a number of bioethical issues. The cultural and religious differences between patient and physician can be a cause of bioethical conflicts and therefore represent a challenge for biomedical ethics. The confrontation between Turkish Muslin patients and the German health care system is a convenient example of this situation. The Muslim Turks came to Germany 40 years ago as industrial workers. Their value system had been shaped by traditional and Islamic parameters in Turkey. With this value system, they now found themselves in the German modern health care system. In many fields of modern medicine there are areas of potential conflict of values, where a Muslin patient will argue differently from a secular or Christian person. In an ethical conflict between two individuals who are members of different cultures, it is necessary to make sure that the ethical concept which is to be used for resolving the problem is relevant. In this particular case, both the Islamic legal responses (fatwa) and the classical theories of biomedical ethics are often insufficient. This paper tries to give a brief outline of these bioethical conflicts and discuss these conflicts with regard to the principle of respect for autonomy in the concept of "principilism," as introduced by T.L. Beauchamp and J.F. Childress. The central question is whether this bioethical concept is able to analyse and to help solve the kinds of ethical conflicts which involve transcultural dimensions. This question is discussed with some consideration of the ongoing debate about universalism versus relativism in biomedical ethics.

Analysis of problem solving on project based learning with resource based learning approach computer-aided program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuncoro, K. S.; Junaedi, I.; Dwijanto

2018-03-01

This study aimed to reveal the effectiveness of Project Based Learning with Resource Based Learning approach computer-aided program and analyzed problem-solving abilities in terms of problem-solving steps based on Polya stages. The research method used was mixed method with sequential explanatory design. The subject of this research was the students of math semester 4. The results showed that the S-TPS (Strong Top Problem Solving) and W-TPS (Weak Top Problem Solving) had good problem-solving abilities in each problem-solving indicator. The problem-solving ability of S-MPS (Strong Middle Problem Solving) and (Weak Middle Problem Solving) in each indicator was good. The subject of S-BPS (Strong Bottom Problem Solving) had a difficulty in solving the problem with computer program, less precise in writing the final conclusion and could not reflect the problem-solving process using Polya’s step. While the Subject of W-BPS (Weak Bottom Problem Solving) had not been able to meet almost all the indicators of problem-solving. The subject of W-BPS could not precisely made the initial table of completion so that the completion phase with Polya’s step was constrained.

The limited relevance of analytical ethics to the problems of bioethics.

PubMed

Holmes, R L

1990-04-01

Philosophical ethics comprises metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics. These have characteristically received analytic treatment by twentieth-century Anglo-American philosophy. But there has been disagreement over their interrelationship to one another and the relationship of analytical ethics to substantive morality--the making of moral judgments. I contend that the expertise philosophers have in either theoretical or applied ethics does not equip them to make sounder moral judgments on the problems of bioethics than nonphilosophers. One cannot "apply" theories like Kantianism or consequentialism to get solutions to practical moral problems unless one knows which theory is correct, and that is a metaethical question over which there is no consensus. On the other hand, to presume to be able to reach solutions through neutral analysis of problems is unavoidably to beg controversial theoretical issues in the process. Thus, while analytical ethics can play an important clarificatory role in bioethics, it can neither provide, nor substitute for, moral wisdom.

Ethically problematic treatment decisions: a physician survey.

PubMed

Saarni, Samuli I; Parmanne, Piitu; Halila, Ritva

2008-02-01

Experiencing ethical problems requires both ethically problematic situations and ethical sensitivity. Ethically problematic treatment decisions are distressing and might reflect health care quality problems. Whether all physicians actually experience ethical problems, what these problems are and how they vary according to physician age, gender and work sector are largely unknown. A mail survey of all non-retired physicians licensed in Finland (n = 17,172, response rate 75.6%). The proportion of physicians reporting having made ethically problematic treatment decisions decreased in linear fashion from 60% at ages below 30 years to 21% at ages over 63 years. The only problem that did not decrease in frequency with age was having withdrawn necessary treatments. Women and primary care physicians reported problematic decisions most often, although gender differences were small. Primary care physicians most often reported having performed too many investigations or having pressured patients, whereas hospital physicians emphasized having withdrawn necessary treatments. Performing unnecessary treatments or investigations was explained by pressure from patients or relatives, and performing too few treatments or investigations was explained by inadequate resources. In general, young physicians felt pressured to do too much, whereas older physicians felt they could not do enough due to inadequate resources. Older physicians might be less exposed to ethically problematic situations, be more able to handle them or have lower ethical sensitivity. Young physicians could benefit from support in resisting pressure to perform unnecessary treatments, whereas older physicians might benefit from training in recognizing ethical issues.

Five Skills Psychiatrists Should Have in Order to Provide Patients with Optimal Ethical Care

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Analyses of empirical research and ethical problems require different skills and approaches. This article presents five core skills psychiatrists need to be able to address ethical problems optimally. These include their being able to recognize ethical conflicts and distinguish them from empirical questions, apply all morally relevant values, and know good from bad ethical arguments. Clinical examples of each are provided. PMID:21487542

A Pragmatic Approach to Ethical Decision-Making in Engineering Practice: Characteristics, Evaluation Criteria, and Implications for Instruction and Assessment.

PubMed

Zhu, Qin; Jesiek, Brent K

2017-06-01

This paper begins by reviewing dominant themes in current teaching of professional ethics in engineering education. In contrast to more traditional approaches that simulate ethical practice by using ethical theories to reason through micro-level ethical dilemmas, this paper proposes a pragmatic approach to ethics that places more emphasis on the practical plausibility of ethical decision-making. In addition to the quality of ethical justification, the value of a moral action also depends on its effectiveness in solving an ethical dilemma, cultivating healthy working relationships, negotiating existing organizational cultures, and achieving contextual plausibility in everyday professional practice. This paper uses a cross-cultural ethics scenario to further elaborate how a pragmatic approach can help us rethink ethical reasoning, as well as ethics instruction and assessment. This paper is expected to be of interest to educators eager to improve the ability of engineers and other professional students to effectively and appropriately deal with the kinds of everyday ethical issues they will likely face in their careers.

Lessons Learned from Undergraduate Students in Designing a Science-Based Course in Bioethics

PubMed Central

Loike, John D.; Rush, Brittany S.; Schweber, Adam; Fischbach, Ruth L.

2013-01-01

Columbia University offers two innovative undergraduate science-based bioethics courses for student majoring in biosciences and pre–health studies. The goals of these courses are to introduce future scientists and healthcare professionals to the ethical questions they will confront in their professional lives, thus enabling them to strategically address these bioethical dilemmas. These courses incorporate innovative pedagogical methods, case studies, and class discussions to stimulate the students to think creatively about bioethical issues emerging from new biotechnologies. At the end of each course, each student is required to submit a one-page strategy detailing how he or she would resolve a bioethical dilemma. Based on our experience in teaching these courses and on a qualitative analysis of the students’ reflections, we offer recommendations for creating an undergraduate science-based course in bioethics. General recommendations include: 1) integrating the science of emerging biotechnologies, their ethical ramifications, and contemporary bioethical theories into interactive class sessions; 2) structuring discussion-based classes to stimulate students to consider the impact of their moral intuitions when grappling with bioethical issues; and 3) using specific actual and futuristic case studies to highlight bioethical issues and to help develop creative problem-solving skills. Such a course sparks students’ interests in both science and ethics and helps them analyze bioethical challenges arising from emerging biotechnologies. PMID:24297296

Ethical safety of deep brain stimulation: A study on moral decision-making in Parkinson's disease.

PubMed

Fumagalli, Manuela; Marceglia, Sara; Cogiamanian, Filippo; Ardolino, Gianluca; Picascia, Marta; Barbieri, Sergio; Pravettoni, Gabriella; Pacchetti, Claudio; Priori, Alberto

2015-07-01

The possibility that deep brain stimulation (DBS) in Parkinson's disease (PD) alters patients' decisions and actions, even temporarily, raises important clinical, ethical and legal questions. Abnormal moral decision-making can lead to ethical rules violations. Previous experiments demonstrated the subthalamic (STN) activation during moral decision-making. Here we aim to study whether STN DBS can affect moral decision-making in PD patients. Eleven patients with PD and bilateral STN DBS implant performed a computerized moral task in ON and OFF stimulation conditions. A control group of PD patients without DBS implant performed the same experimental protocol. All patients underwent motor, cognitive and psychological assessments. STN stimulation was not able to modify neither reaction times nor responses to moral task both when we compared the ON and the OFF state in the same patient (reaction times, p = .416) and when we compared DBS patients with those treated only with the best medical treatment (reaction times: p = .408, responses: p = .776). Moral judgment is the result of a complex process, requiring cognitive executive functions, problem-solving, anticipations of consequences of an action, conflict processing, emotional evaluation of context and of possible outcomes, and involving different brain areas and neural circuits. Our data show that STN DBS leaves unaffected moral decisions thus implying relevant clinical and ethical implications for DBS consequences on patients' behavior, on decision-making and on judgment ability. In conclusion, the technique can be considered safe on moral behavior. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparison of problem-based learning and conventional teaching in nursing ethics education.

PubMed

Lin, Chiou-Fen; Lu, Meei-Shiow; Chung, Chun-Chih; Yang, Che-Ming

2010-05-01

The aim of this study was to compare the learning effectiveness of peer tutored problem-based learning and conventional teaching of nursing ethics in Taiwan. The study adopted an experimental design. The peer tutored problem-based learning method was applied to an experimental group and the conventional teaching method to a control group. The study sample consisted of 142 senior nursing students who were randomly assigned to the two groups. All the students were tested for their nursing ethical discrimination ability both before and after the educational intervention. A learning satisfaction survey was also administered to both groups at the end of each course. After the intervention, both groups showed a significant increase in ethical discrimination ability. There was a statistically significant difference between the ethical discrimination scores of the two groups (P < 0.05), with the experimental group on average scoring higher than the control group. There were significant differences in satisfaction with self-motivated learning and critical thinking between the groups. Peer tutored problem-based learning and lecture-type conventional teaching were both effective for nursing ethics education, but problem-based learning was shown to be more effective. Peer tutored problem-based learning has the potential to enhance the efficacy of teaching nursing ethics in situations in which there are personnel and resource constraints.

Interprofessional Clinical Ethics Education: The Promise of Cross-Disciplinary Problem-Based Learning.

PubMed

Kurtz, Melissa J; Starbird, Laura E

2016-09-01

A review of Lin et al.'s pilot study exploring the effects of an interprofessional, problem-based learning clinical ethics curriculum on Taiwanese medical and nursing students' attitudes towards interprofessional collaboration highlights the benefits of interprofessional collaboration and offers insight into how problem-based learning might be universally applied in ethics education. Interprofessional collaboration is an ideal approach for exploring ethical dilemmas because it involves all relevant professionals in discussions about ethical values that arise in patient care. Interprofessional ethics collaboration is challenging to implement, however, given time constraints and organizational and practice demands. Nevertheless, we suggest that when professionals collaborate, they can collectively express greater commitment to the patient. We also suggest future research avenues that can explore additional benefits of interprofessional collaboration in clinical ethics. © 2016 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Ethico-legal issues related to ovarian tissue transplantation.

PubMed

Voultsos, P; Raikos, N; Vasileiadis, N; Spiliopoulou, Ch; Tarlatzis, B

2016-07-04

Ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT) is a promising experimental method which may soon become well-established. In cases of minor oncology, where patients' fertility is seriously threatened by treatment, it may be applied as a unique fertility preservation option. OTT has a dual nature ('organ' and 'gamete'). Many stakeholders are involved, including donor, recipient, child, health-care providers and society at large. There is considerable uncertainty about the long-term consequences of the application of OTT and OT cryopreservation (OTC). Thus, application of OTT gives rise to a number of very different ethico-legal issues and dilemmas which are hard to solve coherently through a principlism-based bioethical approach. This study focuses on such dilemmas and attempts to review them. The role of virtue ethics, which may be combined with principlism, is essential to solve such dilemmas coherently and reasonably. Dealing with conflicts of ethical principles equivalent between them, or moral dilemmas without available answers and mind-sharing in a difficult interpersonal process of decision making, requires a virtue-based ethical approach. Besides, ethico-legal issues related to OTC/OTT are complex issues requiring a multidisciplinary approach (ethical considerations, medical, psychological and social evaluations etc.). We stress the crucial role of multidisciplinary Ethics Committee which is considered indispensable for each reproductive health-care unit practicing OTC/OTT. © The Author(s) 2016.

Toward Solving the Problem of Problem Solving: An Analysis Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roesler, Rebecca A.

2016-01-01

Teaching is replete with problem solving. Problem solving as a skill, however, is seldom addressed directly within music teacher education curricula, and research in music education has not examined problem solving systematically. A framework detailing problem-solving component skills would provide a needed foundation. I observed problem solving…

The person-affecting restriction, comparativism, and the moral status of potential people.

PubMed

Arrhenius, Gustaf

2003-01-01

Traditional ethical theories have paradoxical implications in regards to questions concerning procreation and our moral duties to future people. It has been suggested that the crux of the problem resides in an all too 'impersonal' axiology and that the problems of population axiology can be solved by adopting a 'Person Affecting Restriction' which in its slogan form states that an outcome can only be better than another if it is better for people. This move has been especially popular in the context of medical ethics where many of the problems of population axiology are actualized. Examples are embryo or egg selection, pre-implantation genetic testing, assisted reproduction programmes, abortion, just to mention a few. I discuss a number of different interpretations of the Restriction and in particular one interpretation which I call Comparativism. According to this view, we should draw a distinction between uniquely and non-uniquely realizable people. The former people only exist in one out of two possible outcomes, whereas the latter exist in both of the compared outcomes. The idea is that we should give more weight to the well-being of non-uniquely realizable people or take it into account in a different way as compared to the well-being of uniquely realizable people. I argue that the different versions of the Person Affecting Restriction and Comparativism either have counterintuitive implications of their own or are compatible with traditional theories such as Utilitarianism.

Goals and everyday problem solving: examining the link between age-related goals and problem-solving strategy use.

PubMed

Hoppmann, Christiane A; Coats, Abby Heckman; Blanchard-Fields, Fredda

2008-07-01

Qualitative interviews on family and financial problems from 332 adolescents, young, middle-aged, and older adults, demonstrated that developmentally relevant goals predicted problem-solving strategy use over and above problem domain. Four focal goals concerned autonomy, generativity, maintaining good relationships with others, and changing another person. We examined both self- and other-focused problem-solving strategies. Autonomy goals were associated with self-focused instrumental problem solving and generative goals were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in family and financial problems. Goals of changing another person were related to other-focused instrumental problem solving in the family domain only. The match between goals and strategies, an indicator of problem-solving adaptiveness, showed that young individuals displayed the greatest match between autonomy goals and self-focused problem solving, whereas older adults showed a greater match between generative goals and other-focused problem solving. Findings speak to the importance of considering goals in investigations of age-related differences in everyday problem solving.

Conducting longitudinal, process-oriented research with conflict-affected youth: Solving the inevitable challenges.

PubMed

Dubow, Eric F; Aber, J Lawrence; Betancourt, Theresa S; Cummings, E Mark; Huesmann, L Rowell

2017-02-01

The reader might get the impression that the four projects described in this Special Section proceeded in a systematic and predictable way. Of course, those of us engaged in each research project encountered pitfalls and challenges along the way. A main goal of this Special Section is to provide pathways and encouragement for those who may be interested in advancing high-quality research on this topic. In this paper, we describe a set of practical and ethical challenges that we encountered in conducting our longitudinal, process-oriented, and translational research with conflict-affected youth, and we illustrate how problems can be solved with the goal of maintaining the internal and external validity of the research designs. We are hopeful that by describing the challenges of our work, and how we overcame them, which are seldom treated in this or any other literature on research on child development in high-risk contexts, we can offer a realistic and encouraging picture of conducting methodologically sound research in conflict-affected contexts.

Resources in Technology: Problem-Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Technology Teacher, 1986

1986-01-01

This instructional module examines a key function of science and technology: problem solving. It studies the meaning of problem solving, looks at techniques for problem solving, examines case studies that exemplify the problem-solving approach, presents problems for the reader to solve, and provides a student self-quiz. (Author/CT)

Investigating the Relationship between Need for Cognition and Skill in Ethical Hackers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Le Blanc, Katya; Freeman, Sarah

As technology gets more complex and increasingly connected, there is an increasing concern with cyber security. There is also a growing demand for cyber security professionals. Unfortunately there currently are not enough skilled professionals to meet that demand. In order to prepare the next generation of cyber security professionals to meet this demand, we need to understand what characteristics make skilled cyber security professionals. For this work, we focus on professionals who take an offensive approach to cyber security, so called ethical hackers. These hackers utilize many of the same skills that the adversaries that we defend against would use,more » with the goal of identifying vulnerabilities and address them before they are exploited by adversaries. A commonly held belief among ethical hackers is that hackers must possess exceptional curiosity and problem solving skills in order to be successful. Curiosity is has been studied extensively in psychology, but there is no consensus on what it is and how to measure it. Further, many existing inventories for assessing curiosity are targeted at measuring curiosity in children. Although there isn’t an accepted standard to assess curiosity in adults, a related construct, called Need for Cognition (may capture what is meant when people speak of curiosity. The Need for Cognition scale also captures the tendency toward preferring complex problems (which correlates with good problem solving skills), which may provide insight into what make skilled hackers. In addition to the Need for Cognition, we used a structured interview to assess hacker skill. Hackers rated their own skill on a scale from one to ten on a predefined list of hacker skills. They were then asked to rate a peer who they felt was most skilled in each of the skills. They were asked to rate two peers for each skill, one that they worked with directly and one person that was the most skilled in the field (these could be known by reputation only). The hypothesis is that hackers have a higher than average (i.e., compared to non-hackers) Need for cognition and that Need for Cognition will be positively correlated with self-reported and peer reported skill. We interviewed 20 cyber security researchers who specialize in offensive approaches. Based on the responses to the hacker skill inventory, we generated a self-reported skill score for each participant. We also developed a peer-rating for each participant based on the number of times each individual that was interviewed was named as the most skilled in a particular area. The results indicate that the sample of ethical hackers has a high Need for Cognition and that Need for cognition was related to both self-reported skill and peer-reported skill. The results are discussed in the context of training and recruitment of cyber security professionals.« less

Organ Transplantation in Iran; Current State and Challenges with a View on Ethical Consideration.

PubMed

Kiani, Mehrzad; Abbasi, Mahmoud; Ahmadi, Mehdi; Salehi, Bahare

2018-03-05

Organ transplantation is a new issue in medical science. It is an important achievement and a sign of the progression and ability of medical centers around the world. Governments, populations, the medical community and people involved in culture, art, and media all have a decisive role in the culture of organ donation, which is the only way to guarantee that the healthy organs of a brain-dead person can continue to work and save the lives of people in need of organ transplantation. The brain death phenomenon and its possible application in organ transplantation, while offering new hope for the salvation of a number of patients, has led to many ethical, cultural, and legal issues. Ethical issues in organ transplantation are very complicated due to many social factors such as religion, culture, and traditions of the affected communities. The ethical and legal points of removing organs from the body of a living or cadaveric source, the definition of brain death, the moral and legal conditions of the donor and the recipient, and the financial relationship between them and many others, are all critical issues in organ transplantation. While there may be no available explicit solution to these issues, they should be rigorously considered by the experts. Efforts to systematically eliminate barriers and solve problems in organ transplantation, can not only reduce the costs of maintaining brain-dead patients and encourage patients that need organ transplantation but can also prevent immoral and illegal activities. In this paper, we have reviewed the most important and current challenges in organ transplantation with a view to the ethical considerations, and we have suggested some strategies to extend it in Iran.

Organ Transplantation in Iran; Current State and Challenges with a View on Ethical Consideration

PubMed Central

Kiani, Mehrzad; Abbasi, Mahmoud

2018-01-01

Organ transplantation is a new issue in medical science. It is an important achievement and a sign of the progression and ability of medical centers around the world. Governments, populations, the medical community and people involved in culture, art, and media all have a decisive role in the culture of organ donation, which is the only way to guarantee that the healthy organs of a brain-dead person can continue to work and save the lives of people in need of organ transplantation. The brain death phenomenon and its possible application in organ transplantation, while offering new hope for the salvation of a number of patients, has led to many ethical, cultural, and legal issues. Ethical issues in organ transplantation are very complicated due to many social factors such as religion, culture, and traditions of the affected communities. The ethical and legal points of removing organs from the body of a living or cadaveric source, the definition of brain death, the moral and legal conditions of the donor and the recipient, and the financial relationship between them and many others, are all critical issues in organ transplantation. While there may be no available explicit solution to these issues, they should be rigorously considered by the experts. Efforts to systematically eliminate barriers and solve problems in organ transplantation, can not only reduce the costs of maintaining brain-dead patients and encourage patients that need organ transplantation but can also prevent immoral and illegal activities. In this paper, we have reviewed the most important and current challenges in organ transplantation with a view to the ethical considerations, and we have suggested some strategies to extend it in Iran. PMID:29510570

A Delphi survey of traits of effective physiatric leaders.

PubMed

Braddom, C L; Braddom, R L

1986-11-01

A Delphi study of 14 physiatric leaders, 10 men and 4 women, ages 30 to 65, to determine their most important leadership characteristics, asked them to list the characteristics they considered most important for effective leadership. Responses were collated and any trait mentioned by at least three was put into a second survey, in which they were asked to rank the traits. A third survey gave them the results of the second, and asked for a final ranking. Fourteen traits made the final survey, in which the ten most important (in descending order of importance) were Organizational Skill, Commitment, Vision/Purpose, Communication Ability, Ability to Delegate, Sense of Ethics, Decisiveness, Knowledgeable, Flexibility/Adaptability and Analytical/Problem Solving Skill.

World Stem Cell Summit 2014. 3-5 December 2014, San Antonio, TX, USA.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Kouichi; Asada, Takashi; Sengoku, Shintaro; Nakatsuji, Norio

2015-05-01

Among the many international conferences in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, WSCS is distinct in focusing its efforts to serve as the meeting point by multisector communities of research, clinics, industry, regulation, policy making and ethics. All are aiming at advancing stem cell innovation and new therapies, under the banner of 'connect, collaborate and cure'. As same as past years, presenters and attendees included not only researchers but also clinicians, funding agencies, government officials, industries and patients. Thus, many sessions focused on the clinical translation from basic research. Another important agenda were industrial and social aspects, and problems to be solved before realization of practical and sustainable stem cell-based therapies.

Robotics supporting autonomy. 5th French Japanese Conference on Bio-ethics.

PubMed

Gelin, Rodolphe

2013-12-01

The aim of this paper is to propose a new vision on robots. Generally seen as a threat against humanity or at least against employment, we will demonstrate that this new kind of machine can be a support not only for people in loss of autonomy but even for everyone. They will not replace people, they will assist them. The mass production of these companion robots will create a new industry that could take the relay of the automotive and the computer industries in this century. This access to the mass market will require solving technological and acceptability problems by a common work of researchers, engineers, users and the major stakeholders of our society.

Can ethnography save the life of medical ethics?

PubMed

Hoffmaster, B

1992-12-01

Since its inception contemporary medical ethics has been regarded by many of its practitioners as 'applied ethics', that is, the application of philosophical theories to the moral problems that arise in health care. This 'applied ethics' model of medical ethics is, however, beset with internal and external difficulties. The internal difficulties point out that the model is intrinsically flawed. The external difficulties arise because the model does not fit work in the field. Indeed, the strengths of that work are its highly nuanced, particularized analyses of cases and issues and its appreciation of the circumstances and contexts that generate and structure these cases and issues. A shift away from a theory-driven 'applied ethics' to a more situational, contextual approach to medical ethics opens the way for ethnographic studies of moral problems in health care as well as a conception of moral theory that is more responsive to the empirical dimensions of those problems.

What should the management of incest pregnancies be? An ethical view presented via three cases.

PubMed

Yuksel, B; Kilic, S; Akin Su, F; Tasdemir, N; Uzunlar, O; Mollamahmutoglu, L

2008-01-01

Incest is a taboo and a neglected social problem. Especially in the adolescent population, which is a very sensitive period of development, it becomes harder for the patients to share their secret with either legal or health authorities. Sometimes pregnancy becomes the only vehicle to uncover this secret. There is a contradiction whether their pregnancies should continue or not. Some authors believe abortion is the best choice for the victim to pull herself together, whereas others advocate that it is just another trauma that will not solve the problem but merely hide it. In this report, three paternal incest cases and their pregnancies will be presented. The aim is not only to discuss the different points of view regarding the management of these pregnancies but also to make the clinicians think about the different choices before making a decision.

Project-based learning as a contributing factor to graduates' work readiness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jollands, Margaret; Jolly, Lesley; Molyneaux, Tom

2012-05-01

This paper explores what work readiness means for two cohorts of graduate engineers, one from a traditional curriculum, the second from a largely project-based curriculum. Professional bodies and employers have defined a set of attributes for engineering graduates so that graduates will be 'work ready'. Problem-based learning (PBL) is claimed to be a suitable approach to develop such skills. The graduates were interviewed some months after starting work, along with their managers. All the graduates recognised the benefits of taking PBL subjects as well as vacation work, with success in communication attributed more to PBL. Both cohorts had similar learning outcomes, high skill levels in project management, problem solving, communication skills, research and sustainability. A skills gap in ethics was identified for both cohorts of graduates and their managers. Further work is planned to link skill development with undergraduate learning experience.

Bioethics for Technical Experts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asano, Shigetaka

Along with rapidly expanding applications of life science and technology, technical experts have been implicated more and more often with ethical, social, and legal problems than before. It should be noted that in this background there are scientific and social uncertainty elements which are inevitable during the progress of life science in addition to the historically-established social unreliability to scientists and engineers. In order to solve these problems, therefore, we should establish the social governance with ‘relief’ and ‘reliance’ which enables for both citizens and engineers to share the awareness of the issues, to design social orders and criterions based on hypothetical sense of values for bioethics, to carry out practical use management of each subject carefully, and to improve the sense of values from hypothetical to universal. Concerning these measures, the technical experts can learn many things from the present performance in the medical field.

A Cognitive Analysis of Students’ Mathematical Problem Solving Ability on Geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusyda, N. A.; Kusnandi, K.; Suhendra, S.

2017-09-01

The purpose of this research is to analyze of mathematical problem solving ability of students in one of secondary school on geometry. This research was conducted by using quantitative approach with descriptive method. Population in this research was all students of that school and the sample was twenty five students that was chosen by purposive sampling technique. Data of mathematical problem solving were collected through essay test. The results showed the percentage of achievement of mathematical problem solving indicators of students were: 1) solve closed mathematical problems with context in math was 50%; 2) solve the closed mathematical problems with the context beyond mathematics was 24%; 3) solving open mathematical problems with contexts in mathematics was 35%; And 4) solving open mathematical problems with contexts outside mathematics was 44%. Based on the percentage, it can be concluded that the level of achievement of mathematical problem solving ability in geometry still low. This is because students are not used to solving problems that measure mathematical problem solving ability, weaknesses remember previous knowledge, and lack of problem solving framework. So the students’ ability of mathematical problems solving need to be improved with implement appropriate learning strategy.

[Occupational medicine: practice and ethical requirements of the new law on health and safety in the workplace (legislative decree 81/2008)].

PubMed

Franco, Giuliano; Mora, Erika

2009-01-01

Decisions in occupational health may involve ethical conflicts arising from conflicts between stakeholders' interests. Codes of ethics can provide a practical guide to solve dilemmas. The new law on health and safety in the workplace in Italy (decree 81/2008) states that occupational health practice must comply with the code of ethics of the International Commission on Occupational Health. The universally acknowledged ethical principles of beneficience/nonmaleficience, autonomy and justice, which are the basis of the Charter of fundamental rights of the European Union, inspired this code. Although the code is not a systematic textbook of occupational health ethics and does not cover all possible aspects arising from the practice, making decisions based on it will assure their effectiveness and compliance with ethical principles, besides the formal respect of the law.

The ethical attitude of emergency physicians toward resuscitation in Korea.

PubMed

Bae, Hyuna; Lee, Sangjin; Jang, Hye Young

2008-05-01

This study was conducted to assess the various ethical attitudes of emergency specialists in Korea toward resuscitation. A questionnaire investigating the following key topics concerning the ethics of resuscitation was sent to emergency specialists in Korea: when not to attempt resuscitation, when to stop resuscitation, withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment, diagnosis of death by non-physicians, permission for family members to stay with the patient during resuscitation, and teaching with the body of the recently deceased patient. We found broad variation in medical practice at patient death and in the ethical considerations held and followed by emergency physicians (EPs) during resuscitation in Korea. Initiating and concluding resuscitation attempts were practiced according to ethical and cultural norms, as well as medical conditions. Guidelines for resuscitation ethics that are based on the Korean medico-legal background need to be developed. Education of EPs to solve the ethical dilemma in resuscitation is needed.

Teaching Ethics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shellogg, Kathy M.; And Others

1988-01-01

Student activities professionals have a role in teaching ethics on campuses. Teaching ethics is defined as "the process of teaching ethical decision making." Karen Strohm Kitchener's "Model of Ethical Decision Making" provides a framework to be used when looking at an ethical problem. (MLW)

Implant ethics

PubMed Central

Hansson, S

2005-01-01

Implant ethics is defined here as the study of ethical aspects of the lasting introduction of technological devices into the human body. Whereas technological implants relieve us of some of the ethical problems connected with transplantation, other difficulties arise that are in need of careful analysis. A systematic approach to implant ethics is proposed. The major specific problems are identified as those concerning end of life issues (turning off devices), enhancement of human capabilities beyond normal levels, mental changes and personal identity, and cultural effects. PMID:16131553

Business Ethics 101 for the biotech industry.

PubMed

MacDonald, Chris

2004-01-01

Biotechnology companies face ethical challenges of two distinct types: bioethical challenges faced on account of the nature of work in the life sciences, and corporate ethical challenges on account of their nature as commercial entities. The latter set of challenges has received almost no attention at all in the academic literature or media. This paper begins to remedy that lacuna, examining ethical issues that arise specifically on account of the status of biotech companies as commercial entities. The focus here is on three representative issues: product safety, corporate social responsibility, and corporate governance. It is argued that each of these issues poses particular ethical challenges for companies in the biotech sector. In the area of product safety, it is noted that biotech companies face particular challenges in determining what counts as a "safe" product, given the contentious nature of what might count as a "harm" in the biotech field. In the area of corporate social responsibility, the adoption of a "stakeholder approach" and an attempt to manage the social consequences of products pose special challenges for biotech companies. This is due to the enormous range of groups and individuals claiming to have a stake in the doings of such companies, and the trenchant controversies over just what the social consequences of various biotechnologies might be. In the area of corporate governance, biotech companies need to seek out and follow best practices regarding the ways in which information, authority, and influence flow between a company's shareholders, managers, and Board of Directors, if they are to avoid duplicating the ethical and financial scandal that brought down ImClone. An important meta-issue, here--one that renders each of these corporate ethical challenges more vexing--is the difficulty of finding the appropriate benchmarks for ethical corporate behavior in a field as controversial, and as rapidly evolving, as biotechnology. Three programmatic suggestions can be made: Firstly, scholars and others interested in the ethical performance of the biotech sector must seek out and build opportunities for richer interdisciplinary collaboration. Secondly, companies within the biotech sector must seek out expertise and build capacity and competency in dealing with the corporate ethical issues that arise in their sector. Finally, companies in the biotech sector should explore the opportunities for collective problem solving afforded by the existence of local, national, and international industry associations such as the Biotechnology Industry Organization, BIOTECanada, and EuropaBio.

[Establishment of the background color to make discrimination of domestic ethical tablets sharper and more feasible based on the analysis of their color distribution].

PubMed

Ishizaki, Makiko; Maeda, Hatsuo; Okamoto, Ikuko

2012-01-01

In Japan, pharmacists as well as patients often have problems distinguishing one ethical tablet from another because they can be very similar in color. In an attempt to solve this problem, we hypothesized using a background sheet of dark gray identified by N3.5 on the Munsell color system (Munsell CS). The colors of 369 and 656 ethical tablets in Japan and the USA, respectively, were measured. On the Munsell CS, the Japanese tablets were localized mostly in the range of hues between 10R∼10Y with values ≧ 8 and chroma ≦ 4, while the colors of the American tablets were scattered over the hue spectrum with a variety of values and chroma. Based on these findings, we examined the effects of background colors on discrimination between 5 tablets classified into yellow, yellow red, red, or mixed groups that represented typical domestic Japanese tablets. Background colors of light, medium, and dark gray, purple, blue, and blue green were selected based on a general concept on color discrimination. The influence of white 10 mm-ruled squares on background sheets was examined as well. Under JIS Z8723 conditions, 42 volunteers used a 4-point scale to evaluate how clearly they could discriminate between each set of tablets on each of the background sheets. Variance analysis of the obtained data with SPSS demonstrated that with healthy vision, use of a dark gray background sheet with or without ruled squares enabled the sharpest and most feasible discrimination between all sets of tablets. A similar test with dark gray and white clearly demonstrated that the former works as a practical background color for discrimination among different domestic Japanese tablets.

Acceptability of participatory social network analysis for problem-solving in Australian Aboriginal health service partnerships

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background While participatory social network analysis can help health service partnerships to solve problems, little is known about its acceptability in cross-cultural settings. We conducted two case studies of chronic illness service partnerships in 2007 and 2008 to determine whether participatory research incorporating social network analysis is acceptable for problem-solving in Australian Aboriginal health service delivery. Methods Local research groups comprising 13–19 partnership staff, policy officers and community members were established at each of two sites to guide the research and to reflect and act on the findings. Network and work practice surveys were conducted with 42 staff, and the results were fed back to the research groups. At the end of the project, 19 informants at the two sites were interviewed, and the researchers conducted critical reflection. The effectiveness and acceptability of the participatory social network method were determined quantitatively and qualitatively. Results Participants in both local research groups considered that the network survey had accurately described the links between workers related to the exchange of clinical and cultural information, team care relationships, involvement in service management and planning and involvement in policy development. This revealed the function of the teams and the roles of workers in each partnership. Aboriginal workers had a high number of direct links in the exchange of cultural information, illustrating their role as the cultural resource, whereas they had fewer direct links with other network members on clinical information exchange and team care. The problem of their current and future roles was discussed inside and outside the local research groups. According to the interview informants the participatory network analysis had opened the way for problem-solving by “putting issues on the table”. While there were confronting and ethically challenging aspects, these informants considered that with flexibility of data collection to account for the preferences of Aboriginal members, then the method was appropriate in cross-cultural contexts for the difficult discussions that are needed to improve partnerships. Conclusion Critical reflection showed that the preconditions for difficult discussions are, first, that partners have the capacity to engage in such discussions, second, that partners assess whether the effort required for these discussions is balanced by the benefits they gain from the partnership, and, third, that “boundary spanning” staff can facilitate commitment to partnership goals. PMID:22682504

School Administrators Who Serve in Different Institutions Ethical Dilemmas and Their Attitudes towards These Dilemmas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karayama, Saffet

2018-01-01

The aim of the study was to determine what ethical dilemmas are faced by school administrators working in different institutions, what they are doing to solve the dilemmas/according to the motives. The research is a patterned qualitative case study and multiple case design is used. 50 school administrators participated by easy-to-reach state…

Group dynamics for the acquisition of competences in Project Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taguas, E. V.; Aguilar, M. C.; Castillo, C.; Polo, M. J.; Pérez, R.

2012-04-01

The Bologna Process promotes European citizens' employability from teaching fields in the University which implies the design of activities addressed to the development of skills for the labor market and engagement of employers. This work has been conceived for improving the formation of Engineering Project Management through group dynamics focused on: 1) the use of the creativity for solving problems; 2) promoting leadership capacities and social skills in multidisciplinary/multicultural work groups; 3) the ethical, social and environmental compromise; 4) the continuous learning. Different types of activities were designed: short activities of 15-30 minutes where fragments of books or songs are presented and discussed and long activities (2 h) where groups of students take different roles for solving common problems and situations within the Engineering Projects context. An electronic book with the content of the dynamics and the material for the students has been carried out. A sample of 20 students of Electronic Engineering degree which had participated at least in two dynamics, evaluated the utility for improving their formation in Engineering Project Management with a mark of 8.2 (scale 0-10, standard deviation equal to 0.9). On the other hand, the teachers observed how this type of work, promotes the interdisciplinary training and the acquisition of social skills, usually not-included in the objectives of the subjects.

Collaborative Communication in Pediatric Palliative Care: A Foundation for Problem-Solving and Decision-Making

PubMed Central

Feudtner, Chris

2007-01-01

Summary In an ideal world, all of us – patients, parents, family members, nurses, physicians, social workers, therapists, pastoral care workers, and others – would always work together in a collaborative manner to provide the best care possible to the patient: this article is committed to this ideal. The chapter will base the frameworks and suggestions in part upon studies of communication between patients, families, and clinicians, as well as more general works on communication, collaboration, decision-making, mediation, and ethics. This article unfolds in four parts. In Part I, we will explore what we mean by collaborative communication. In Part II, we will examine key concepts that influence how we frame the situations that children with life-threatening conditions confront and how these frameworks shape the care we provide. In Part III, we will consider a few general topics that are quite important to the task of collaborative communication, specifically how we use little “habits of thought”– called heuristics – when we set about to solve complicated problems; how emotion affects the exchange of information between people; and how we can avoid certain pitfalls when engaging in difficult conversations. In Part IV, we will proceed through three common tasks of collaborative communication offering practical advice for patient care. PMID:17933613

Problem-solving variability in older spouses: how is it linked to problem-, person-, and couple-characteristics?

PubMed

Hoppmann, Christiane A; Blanchard-Fields, Fredda

2011-09-01

Problem-solving does not take place in isolation and often involves social others such as spouses. Using repeated daily life assessments from 98 older spouses (M age = 72 years; M marriage length = 42 years), the present study examined theoretical notions from social-contextual models of coping regarding (a) the origins of problem-solving variability and (b) associations between problem-solving and specific problem-, person-, and couple- characteristics. Multilevel models indicate that the lion's share of variability in everyday problem-solving is located at the level of the problem situation. Importantly, participants reported more proactive emotion regulation and collaborative problem-solving for social than nonsocial problems. We also found person-specific consistencies in problem-solving. That is, older spouses high in Neuroticism reported more problems across the study period as well as less instrumental problem-solving and more passive emotion regulation than older spouses low in Neuroticism. Contrary to expectations, relationship satisfaction was unrelated to problem-solving in the present sample. Results are in line with the stress and coping literature in demonstrating that everyday problem-solving is a dynamic process that has to be viewed in the broader context in which it occurs. Our findings also complement previous laboratory-based work on everyday problem-solving by underscoring the benefits of examining everyday problem-solving as it unfolds in spouses' own environment.

Strategies for handling ethical problems in end of life care: obstacles and possibilities.

PubMed

Rejnö, Åsa; Berg, Linda

2015-11-01

In end of life care, ethical problems often come to the fore. Little research is performed on ways or strategies for handling those problems and even less on obstacles to and possibilities of using such strategies. A previous study illuminated stroke team members' experiences of ethical problems and how the teams managed the situation when caring for patients faced with sudden and unexpected death from stroke. These findings have been further explored in this study. The aim of the study was to illuminate obstacles and possibilities perceived by stroke team members in using strategies for handling ethical problems when caring for patients afflicted by sudden and unexpected death caused by stroke. A qualitative method with combined deductive and inductive content analysis was utilized. Data were collected through individual interviews with 15 stroke team members working in stroke units of two associated county hospitals in western Sweden. The study was approved by the Regional Ethics Review Board, Gothenburg, Sweden. Permission was also obtained from the director of each stroke unit. All the studied strategies for handling of ethical problems were found to have both obstacles and possibilities. Uncertainty is shown as a major obstacle and unanimity as a possibility in the use of the strategies. The findings also illuminate the value of the concept "the patient's best interests" as a starting point for the carers' ethical reasoning. The concept "the patient's best interests" used as a starting point for ethical reasoning among the carers is not explicitly defined yet, which might make this value difficult to use both as a universal concept and as an argument for decisions. Carers therefore need to strengthen their argumentation and reflect on and use ethically grounded arguments and defined ethical values like dignity in their clinical work and decisions. © The Author(s) 2014.

Genomic cloud computing: legal and ethical points to consider

PubMed Central

Dove, Edward S; Joly, Yann; Tassé, Anne-Marie; Burton, Paul; Chisholm, Rex; Fortier, Isabel; Goodwin, Pat; Harris, Jennifer; Hveem, Kristian; Kaye, Jane; Kent, Alistair; Knoppers, Bartha Maria; Lindpaintner, Klaus; Little, Julian; Riegman, Peter; Ripatti, Samuli; Stolk, Ronald; Bobrow, Martin; Cambon-Thomsen, Anne; Dressler, Lynn; Joly, Yann; Kato, Kazuto; Knoppers, Bartha Maria; Rodriguez, Laura Lyman; McPherson, Treasa; Nicolás, Pilar; Ouellette, Francis; Romeo-Casabona, Carlos; Sarin, Rajiv; Wallace, Susan; Wiesner, Georgia; Wilson, Julia; Zeps, Nikolajs; Simkevitz, Howard; De Rienzo, Assunta; Knoppers, Bartha M

2015-01-01

The biggest challenge in twenty-first century data-intensive genomic science, is developing vast computer infrastructure and advanced software tools to perform comprehensive analyses of genomic data sets for biomedical research and clinical practice. Researchers are increasingly turning to cloud computing both as a solution to integrate data from genomics, systems biology and biomedical data mining and as an approach to analyze data to solve biomedical problems. Although cloud computing provides several benefits such as lower costs and greater efficiency, it also raises legal and ethical issues. In this article, we discuss three key ‘points to consider' (data control; data security, confidentiality and transfer; and accountability) based on a preliminary review of several publicly available cloud service providers' Terms of Service. These ‘points to consider' should be borne in mind by genomic research organizations when negotiating legal arrangements to store genomic data on a large commercial cloud service provider's servers. Diligent genomic cloud computing means leveraging security standards and evaluation processes as a means to protect data and entails many of the same good practices that researchers should always consider in securing their local infrastructure. PMID:25248396

Genomic cloud computing: legal and ethical points to consider.

PubMed

Dove, Edward S; Joly, Yann; Tassé, Anne-Marie; Knoppers, Bartha M

2015-10-01

The biggest challenge in twenty-first century data-intensive genomic science, is developing vast computer infrastructure and advanced software tools to perform comprehensive analyses of genomic data sets for biomedical research and clinical practice. Researchers are increasingly turning to cloud computing both as a solution to integrate data from genomics, systems biology and biomedical data mining and as an approach to analyze data to solve biomedical problems. Although cloud computing provides several benefits such as lower costs and greater efficiency, it also raises legal and ethical issues. In this article, we discuss three key 'points to consider' (data control; data security, confidentiality and transfer; and accountability) based on a preliminary review of several publicly available cloud service providers' Terms of Service. These 'points to consider' should be borne in mind by genomic research organizations when negotiating legal arrangements to store genomic data on a large commercial cloud service provider's servers. Diligent genomic cloud computing means leveraging security standards and evaluation processes as a means to protect data and entails many of the same good practices that researchers should always consider in securing their local infrastructure.

Machine metaphors and ethics in synthetic biology.

PubMed

Boldt, Joachim

2018-06-04

The extent to which machine metaphors are used in synthetic biology is striking. These metaphors contain a specific perspective on organisms as well as on scientific and technological progress. Expressions such as "genetically engineered machine", "genetic circuit", and "platform organism", taken from the realms of electronic engineering, car manufacturing, and information technology, highlight specific aspects of the functioning of living beings while at the same time hiding others, such as evolutionary change and interdependencies in ecosystems. Since these latter aspects are relevant for, for example, risk evaluation of uncontained uses of synthetic organisms, it is ethically imperative to resist the thrust of machine metaphors in this respect. In addition, from the perspective of the machine metaphor viewing an entity as a moral agent or patient becomes dubious. If one were to regard living beings, including humans, as machines, it becomes difficult to justify ascriptions of moral status. Finally, the machine metaphor reinforces beliefs in the potential of synthetic biology to play a decisive role in solving societal problems, and downplays the role of alternative technological, and social and political measures.

[Ethics of medical management of inability to give birth. Johannes Stahelin and his plea for embryotomy].

PubMed

Sahmland, I

2001-01-01

Confronted with the inability to give birth to a child, delivery could be achieved by embryotomy--that was only permitted, when the foetus was dead--or by Caesarean section--where the chance to save mother and child as well was merely theoretical until the end of the 19th century. In two statements of the Theological Faculty of the Sorbonne in Paris embryotomy was absolutely rejected (1648), in nearly all cases of impossible delivery the Caesarean section was required (1733). In 1749 Johannes Stähelin starts a daring attempt to justify embryotomy by application of natural law to the situation of critical childbirth. Keywords of the theological statements are confronted with categories of the natural law in a sophisticated way, nevertheless the basis of Christian confession is maintained. This argumentation in order to justify embryotomy as a lawful method to deliver a woman seemed to be more adequate to the medical sphere than claiming the Caesarean section. The ethical debate continued until the problem was solved by mastering Caesarean section.

Resource Letter RPS-1: Research in problem solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Leonardo; Brewe, Eric; Foster, Thomas M.; Harper, Kathleen A.

2004-09-01

This Resource Letter provides a guide to the literature on research in problem solving, especially in physics. The references were compiled with two audiences in mind: physicists who are (or might become) engaged in research on problem solving, and physics instructors who are interested in using research results to improve their students' learning of problem solving. In addition to general references, journal articles and books are cited for the following topics: cognitive aspects of problem solving, expert-novice problem-solver characteristics, problem solving in mathematics, alternative problem types, curricular interventions, and the use of computers in problem solving.

WE-D-303-00: Computational Phantoms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lewis, John; Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA

2015-06-15

Modern medical physics deals with complex problems such as 4D radiation therapy and imaging quality optimization. Such problems involve a large number of radiological parameters, and anatomical and physiological breathing patterns. A major challenge is how to develop, test, evaluate and compare various new imaging and treatment techniques, which often involves testing over a large range of radiological parameters as well as varying patient anatomies and motions. It would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, both ethically and practically, to test every combination of parameters and every task on every type of patient under clinical conditions. Computer-based simulation using computationalmore » phantoms offers a practical technique with which to evaluate, optimize, and compare imaging technologies and methods. Within simulation, the computerized phantom provides a virtual model of the patient’s anatomy and physiology. Imaging data can be generated from it as if it was a live patient using accurate models of the physics of the imaging and treatment process. With sophisticated simulation algorithms, it is possible to perform virtual experiments entirely on the computer. By serving as virtual patients, computational phantoms hold great promise in solving some of the most complex problems in modern medical physics. In this proposed symposium, we will present the history and recent developments of computational phantom models, share experiences in their application to advanced imaging and radiation applications, and discuss their promises and limitations. Learning Objectives: Understand the need and requirements of computational phantoms in medical physics research Discuss the developments and applications of computational phantoms Know the promises and limitations of computational phantoms in solving complex problems.« less

Teachers' Perceptions of Difficulties in Teaching Ethics in Residencies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strong, Carson; And Others

1992-01-01

Analysis of responses of 63 medical faculty involved in formal ethics teaching programs for medical residents indicated such perceived problems as time constraints resulting from residents' heavy schedules; attitudes of residents; logistical problems; time demands on faculty; lack of reinforcement for teaching ethics; and deficiencies in faculty…

Ethics: A Course of Study for Educational Leaders.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimbrough, Ralph B.

This monograph provides readings in ethical thought and professional ethics in educational administration, supplemented by case studies illustrating ethical problems administrators face. Comments on the field of ethics and the importance of administrative ethics introduce the booklet, along with background information about the booklet and…

Students’ difficulties in probabilistic problem-solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arum, D. P.; Kusmayadi, T. A.; Pramudya, I.

2018-03-01

There are many errors can be identified when students solving mathematics problems, particularly in solving the probabilistic problem. This present study aims to investigate students’ difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It focuses on analyzing and describing students errors during solving the problem. This research used the qualitative method with case study strategy. The subjects in this research involve ten students of 9th grade that were selected by purposive sampling. Data in this research involve students’ probabilistic problem-solving result and recorded interview regarding students’ difficulties in solving the problem. Those data were analyzed descriptively using Miles and Huberman steps. The results show that students have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem and can be divided into three categories. First difficulties relate to students’ difficulties in understanding the probabilistic problem. Second, students’ difficulties in choosing and using appropriate strategies for solving the problem. Third, students’ difficulties with the computational process in solving the problem. Based on the result seems that students still have difficulties in solving the probabilistic problem. It means that students have not able to use their knowledge and ability for responding probabilistic problem yet. Therefore, it is important for mathematics teachers to plan probabilistic learning which could optimize students probabilistic thinking ability.

Nontechnical issues in waste management: ethical, institutional, and political concerns

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hebert, J.A.; Rankin, W.L.; Brown, P.G.

1978-05-01

The report consists of a presentation and distillation of major nontechnical issues surrounding commercial waste management, followed by ethical, institutional, and political analyses of these issues. The ethical analysis consists of a discusson of what is meant by ''ethics'' and ''morality'' in the waste management context and an illustrative attempt at an ethical analysis of the commercial nuclear waste problem. Two institutional analyses are presented: one is an analysis of the possible problems of long-term human institutions in waste management; the other is a presentation of institutional arrangements for the short term. A final chapter discusses issues and concerns involvingmore » intergovernmental relations--that is, local, state, and federal interface problems in waste management.« less

[Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker: nuclear disarmament and the search for freedom].

PubMed

Neuneck, Götz

2014-01-01

Carl Friedrich von Weizsäcker's comprehensive contributions to nuclear disarmament and arms control, as well as his peace policy impulses are to be understood primarily in the context of his family origin, his comprehensive thinking and the historical circumstances of the emerging nuclear age. They have a scientific, political and a strong philosophical-moral component. Beside the factual problems (nuclear energy, military strategy) he was interested in political power issues and their ambivalence and perception. His actual work is not only based on general academic knowledge, but also serve the immediate political influence on a scientific basis. Weizsäcker was not committed to nuclear disarmament or arms control per se, but about creating a lasting peace policy in the nuclear age. The paper discusses in chronological order of Weizsäcker's work within the policy field peace and disarmament. Family origin, study and work on the nuclear programme by Nazi-Germany laid the foundations for his later career. As a young physicist, he was directly involved in the political and ethical dilemma of the military and civilian use of nuclear energy. After the war, in Göttingen and Hamburg the reflections of the Nazi phase and the discussion of ways out of the dangers of the Cold War followed. The Max-Planck Institute in Starnberg dealt with the science-based treatment of global world problems, including the dangers of nuclear proliferation. Finally, Weizsäcker initiated a Peace Council in 1985. He urged both the perception of the moral responsibility of scientists as well as an ethics of the scientific-technological age. According to him, a general and profound change in the consciousness of humankind is needed to solve the existing power problems and the problem of war.

[Moral problems in home health care--a descriptive ethical study].

PubMed

Lauxen, Oliver

2009-12-01

In Germany there is an increasing importance of home health care and nurses that are employed in the home care sector often have to face ethical issues. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore moral problems in the daily practice of these nurses. The method used was qualitative interviews with 20 nurses which have been analysed by content analysis. The results showed that the ethical principle of beneficence was the core concept for the participants. Moral problems arise when nurses cannot act in accordance to this principle or when they cannot determine the good in a situation. In particular, there were four types of moral problems: "beneficence vs. autonomy", "beneficence vs. justice", "beneficence vs. loyalty" and "The good cannot be determined". The way nurses in home health care address moral problems should be improved. Some participants lack ethical competencies. Furthermore, appropriate support services for dealing with moral problems have to be designed.

Moral dilemmas in surgical training: intent and the case for ethical ambiguity.

PubMed Central

Newton, M J

1986-01-01

It is often assumed that the central problem in a medical ethics issue is determining which course of action is morally correct. There are some aspects of ethical issues that will yield to such analysis. However, at the core of important medical moral problems is an irreducible dilemma in which all possible courses of action, including inaction, seem ethically unsatisfactory. When facing these issues ethical behaviour depends upon an individual's understanding and acceptance of this painful dilemma without recourse to external moral authority. PMID:3806633

Empirical ethics and its alleged meta-ethical fallacies.

PubMed

de Vries, Rob; Gordijn, Bert

2009-05-01

This paper analyses the concept of empirical ethics as well as three meta-ethical fallacies that empirical ethics is said to face: the is-ought problem, the naturalistic fallacy and violation of the fact-value distinction. Moreover, it answers the question of whether empirical ethics (necessarily) commits these three basic meta-ethical fallacies.

Development of a problem solving evaluation instrument; untangling of specific problem solving assets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adams, Wendy Kristine

The purpose of my research was to produce a problem solving evaluation tool for physics. To do this it was necessary to gain a thorough understanding of how students solve problems. Although physics educators highly value problem solving and have put extensive effort into understanding successful problem solving, there is currently no efficient way to evaluate problem solving skill. Attempts have been made in the past; however, knowledge of the principles required to solve the subject problem are so absolutely critical that they completely overshadow any other skills students may use when solving a problem. The work presented here is unique because the evaluation tool removes the requirement that the student already have a grasp of physics concepts. It is also unique because I picked a wide range of people and picked a wide range of tasks for evaluation. This is an important design feature that helps make things emerge more clearly. This dissertation includes an extensive literature review of problem solving in physics, math, education and cognitive science as well as descriptions of studies involving student use of interactive computer simulations, the design and validation of a beliefs about physics survey and finally the design of the problem solving evaluation tool. I have successfully developed and validated a problem solving evaluation tool that identifies 44 separate assets (skills) necessary for solving problems. Rigorous validation studies, including work with an independent interviewer, show these assets identified by this content-free evaluation tool are the same assets that students use to solve problems in mechanics and quantum mechanics. Understanding this set of component assets will help teachers and researchers address problem solving within the classroom.

An organizational perspective on ethics as a form of regulation.

PubMed

Hoeyer, Klaus; Lynöe, Niels

2009-11-01

In this paper we propose a theoretical framework for analysing the history and function of ethics as a form of regulation. Ethics in the form of codes, rules and declarations, constitutes regulatory policies, and we wish to suggest analysing such policies from an organizational perspective. In many instances ethics policies are reactions to particular events involving harm of patients or research participants. As such they seem to come forward as solutions to specific problems. However, not all such events that instigate the making of new policies, and policies often have other effects and are used for other purposes than what we might expect from the events preceding them: when ethics takes on the form of policy making, the relationship between problems and solutions is more complex. We suggest that an organizational perspective on ethics codes, rules and declarations can deliver a relevant framework for future studies of the implications of wanting to address ethical problems through policy making.

Everyday ethical problems in dementia care: a teleological model.

PubMed

Bolmsjö, Ingrid Agren; Edberg, Anna-Karin; Sandman, Lars

2006-07-01

In this article, a teleological model for analysis of everyday ethical situations in dementia care is used to analyse and clarify perennial ethical problems in nursing home care for persons with dementia. This is done with the aim of describing how such a model could be useful in a concrete care context. The model was developed by Sandman and is based on four aspects: the goal; ethical side-constraints to what can be done to realize such a goal; structural constraints; and nurses' ethical competency. The model contains the following main steps: identifying and describing the normative situation; identifying and describing the different possible alternatives; assessing and evaluating the different alternatives; and deciding on, implementing and evaluating the chosen alternative. Three ethically difficult situations from dementia care were used for the application of the model. The model proved useful for the analysis of nurses' everyday ethical dilemmas and will be further explored to evaluate how well it can serve as a tool to identify and handle problems that arise in nursing care.

Age differences in everyday problem-solving effectiveness: older adults select more effective strategies for interpersonal problems.

PubMed

Blanchard-Fields, Fredda; Mienaltowski, Andrew; Seay, Renee Baldi

2007-01-01

Using the Everyday Problem Solving Inventory of Cornelius and Caspi, we examined differences in problem-solving strategy endorsement and effectiveness in two domains of everyday functioning (instrumental or interpersonal, and a mixture of the two domains) and for four strategies (avoidance-denial, passive dependence, planful problem solving, and cognitive analysis). Consistent with past research, our research showed that older adults were more problem focused than young adults in their approach to solving instrumental problems, whereas older adults selected more avoidant-denial strategies than young adults when solving interpersonal problems. Overall, older adults were also more effective than young adults when solving everyday problems, in particular for interpersonal problems.

Spontaneous gestures influence strategy choices in problem solving.

PubMed

Alibali, Martha W; Spencer, Robert C; Knox, Lucy; Kita, Sotaro

2011-09-01

Do gestures merely reflect problem-solving processes, or do they play a functional role in problem solving? We hypothesized that gestures highlight and structure perceptual-motor information, and thereby make such information more likely to be used in problem solving. Participants in two experiments solved problems requiring the prediction of gear movement, either with gesture allowed or with gesture prohibited. Such problems can be correctly solved using either a perceptual-motor strategy (simulation of gear movements) or an abstract strategy (the parity strategy). Participants in the gesture-allowed condition were more likely to use perceptual-motor strategies than were participants in the gesture-prohibited condition. Gesture promoted use of perceptual-motor strategies both for participants who talked aloud while solving the problems (Experiment 1) and for participants who solved the problems silently (Experiment 2). Thus, spontaneous gestures influence strategy choices in problem solving.

Too upset to think: the interplay of borderline personality features, negative emotions, and social problem solving in the laboratory.

PubMed

Dixon-Gordon, Katherine L; Chapman, Alexander L; Lovasz, Nathalie; Walters, Kris

2011-10-01

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with poor social problem solving and problems with emotion regulation. In this study, the social problem-solving performance of undergraduates with high (n = 26), mid (n = 32), or low (n = 29) levels of BPD features was assessed with the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised and using the means-ends problem-solving procedure before and after a social rejection stressor. The high-BP group, but not the low-BP group, showed a significant reduction in relevant solutions to social problems and more inappropriate solutions following the negative emotion induction. Increases in self-reported negative emotions during the emotion induction mediated the relationship between BP features and reductions in social problem-solving performance. In addition, the high-BP group demonstrated trait deficits in social problem solving on the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised. These findings suggest that future research must examine social problem solving under differing emotional conditions, and that clinical interventions to improve social problem solving among persons with BP features should focus on responses to emotional contexts.

An Investigation of Secondary Teachers’ Understanding and Belief on Mathematical Problem Solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuli Eko Siswono, Tatag; Wachidul Kohar, Ahmad; Kurniasari, Ika; Puji Astuti, Yuliani

2016-02-01

Weaknesses on problem solving of Indonesian students as reported by recent international surveys give rise to questions on how Indonesian teachers bring out idea of problem solving in mathematics lesson. An explorative study was undertaken to investigate how secondary teachers who teach mathematics at junior high school level understand and show belief toward mathematical problem solving. Participants were teachers from four cities in East Java province comprising 45 state teachers and 25 private teachers. Data was obtained through questionnaires and written test. The results of this study point out that the teachers understand pedagogical problem solving knowledge well as indicated by high score of observed teachers‘ responses showing understanding on problem solving as instruction as well as implementation of problem solving in teaching practice. However, they less understand on problem solving content knowledge such as problem solving strategies and meaning of problem itself. Regarding teacher's difficulties, teachers admitted to most frequently fail in (1) determining a precise mathematical model or strategies when carrying out problem solving steps which is supported by data of test result that revealed transformation error as the most frequently observed errors in teachers’ work and (2) choosing suitable real situation when designing context-based problem solving task. Meanwhile, analysis of teacher's beliefs on problem solving shows that teachers tend to view both mathematics and how students should learn mathematics as body static perspective, while they tend to believe to apply idea of problem solving as dynamic approach when teaching mathematics.

The Impact of Teacher Training on Creative Writing and Problem-Solving Using Futuristic Scenarios for Creative Problem Solving and Creative Problem Solving Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayel Al-Srour, Nadia; Al-Ali, Safa M.; Al-Oweidi, Alia

2016-01-01

The present study aims to detect the impact of teacher training on creative writing and problem-solving using both Futuristic scenarios program to solve problems creatively, and creative problem solving. To achieve the objectives of the study, the sample was divided into two groups, the first consist of 20 teachers, and 23 teachers to second…

[Ethics in clinical research: contextualizing and reductionist problem definitions, forms of ethical reflection and some particular implications].

PubMed

Roelcke, Volker

2003-12-01

The present paper starts off with a short outline of issues, conflicts, and goals of ethical reflection about clinical research. It is then argued that non-reductionist, patient-centred ethics should critically reflect on medically preformed problem definitions, ways of problem solution, and evaluations. The shortcomings of such preformed perceptions and interpretations are illustrated using the examples of dementia research, and the complexities of the notion of risk. A more comprehensive approach including the perceptions, interpretations, and evaluations of the patients' perspective necessitates a form of ethical reflection which takes into account the social and cultural contexts of clinical research, and which therefore relies on concepts and methods of the cultural sciences (in particular history, sociology, and cultural anthropology). The decision for a reductionist, or for a contextualising mode of ethical reflection represents in itself a value decision and needs to be explicitly justified.

The ethical challenges of animal research.

PubMed

Ferdowsian, Hope R; Gluck, John P

2015-10-01

In 1966, Henry K. Beecher published an article entitled "Ethics and Clinical Research" in the New England Journal of Medicine, which cited examples of ethically problematic human research. His influential paper drew attention to common moral problems such as inadequate attention to informed consent, risks, and efforts to provide ethical justification. Beecher's paper provoked significant advancements in human research policies and practices. In this paper, we use an approach modeled after Beecher's 1966 paper to show that moral problems with animal research are similar to the problems Beecher described for human research. We describe cases that illustrate ethical deficiencies in the conduct of animal research, including inattention to the issue of consent or assent, incomplete surveys of the harms caused by specific protocols, inequitable burdens on research subjects in the absence of benefits to them, and insufficient efforts to provide ethical justification. We provide a set of recommendations to begin to address these deficits.

Justice: A Problem for Military Ethics during Irregular War

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-05-22

monograph directly addresses the problem posed when considering the question ‘Who says what right is?’ or ‘Justice according to whom?’ The relative...nature of the term ‘justice’ creates a problem for military ethics, particularly when soldiers try to determine what actions are morally acceptable... What can stop this slide into strict formalism, where law eclipses ethics? The research conducted for this monograph has led the author to believe

Problem-solving skills in high school biology: The effectiveness of the IMMEX problem-solving assessment software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palacio-Cayetano, Joycelin

"Problem-solving through reflective thinking should be both the method and valuable outcome of science instruction in America's schools" proclaimed John Dewey (Gabel, 1995). If the development of problem-solving is a primary goal of science education, more problem-solving opportunities must be an integral part of K-16 education. To examine the effective use of technology in developing and assessing problem-solving skills, a problem-solving authoring, learning, and assessment software, the UCLA IMMEX Program-Interactive Multimedia Exercises-was investigated. This study was a twenty-week quasi-experimental study that was implemented as a control-group time series design among 120 tenth grade students. Both the experimental group (n = 60) and the control group (n = 60) participated in a problem-based learning curriculum; however, the experimental group received regular intensive experiences with IMMEX problem-solving and the control group did not. Problem-solving pretest and posttest were administered to all students. The instruments used were a 35-item Processes of Biological Inquiry Test and an IMMEX problem-solving assessment test, True Roots. Students who participated in the IMMEX Program achieved significant (p <.05) gains in problem-solving skills on both problem-solving assessment instruments. This study provided evidence that IMMEX software is highly efficient in evaluating salient elements of problem-solving. Outputs of students' problem-solving strategies revealed that unsuccessful problem solvers primarily used the following four strategies: (1) no data search strategy, students simply guessed; (2) limited data search strategy leading to insufficient data and premature closing; (3) irrelevant data search strategy, students focus in areas bearing no substantive data; and (4) extensive data search strategy with inadequate integration and analysis. On the contrary, successful problem solvers used the following strategies; (1) focused search strategy coupled with the ability to fill in knowledge gaps by accessing the appropriate resources; (2) targeted search strategy coupled with high level of analytical and integration skills; and (3) focused search strategy coupled with superior discrimination, analytical, and integration skills. The strategies of students who were successful and unsuccessful solving IMMEX problems were consistent with those of expert and novice problem solvers identified in the literature on problem-solving.

Mainstreaming AYUSH: an ethical analysis.

PubMed

Gopichandran, Vijayaprasad; Satish Kumar, Ch

2012-01-01

The National Rural Health Mission has stated as one of its key mandates the mainstreaming of the Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (AYUSH) systems in order to help solve the human resource shortage in Indian healthcare. This has been planned at the primary level by providing training to AYUSH practitioners on primary care and national health programmes; at the secondary level by establishing departments of AYUSH in the district and taluka level hospitals; and at the tertiary level  by establishing AYUSH centres of excellence as referral centres, and research, development and supervision points. The practical challenges to be considered include a gross divergence in the basic philosophy of practice; disparities in approach to specific clinical conditions; differences in their normative approach in decision making; an unclear policy for cross referral and problems of cross practice that could potentially rise in this condition. Mainstreaming of AYUSH into the existing public health system can have certain ethical implications: not doing good by failing to concentrate on the community value judgments about AYUSH; doing harm by a confusing plurality in approach and unhealthy segregation of practices without healthy dialogue between practitioners of either system; not disclosing which type of practitioners (AYUSH or allopathy) the patient is seeing; lack of proper public accountability mechanisms at the primary care and grassroots levels; and, finally, lack of social justice. These ethical issues have to be considered while mainstreaming AYUSH.

Foundation Officers, Evaluation, and Ethical Problems: A Pilot Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morris, Michael

2007-01-01

Ethical problems encountered by foundation officers in their evaluation-related work were identified via an email survey of a sample of Council on Foundations member organizations. Of the respondents who had worked with evaluators, one-third indicated that they had faced ethical challenges. Most challenges fell into one of four categories:…

Teacher Ethics as a Research Problem: Syntheses Achieved and New Issues

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Colnerud, Gunnel

2006-01-01

Research on teacher ethics and the moral dimensions of teaching has contributed to extensive and valuable knowledge, which has sometimes led to constructive syntheses of positions. Four research problems which have been elucidated are discussed in this article: the relationship between care and justice, the conflict between the ethics of virtue…

American College of Physicians Ethics Manual: sixth edition.

PubMed

Snyder, Lois

2012-01-03

Medicine, law, and social values are not static. Reexamining the ethical tenets of medicine and their application in new circumstances is a necessary exercise. The sixth edition of the American College of Physicians (ACP) Ethics Manual covers emerging issues in medical ethics and revisits older ones that are still very pertinent. It reflects on many of the ethical tensions in medicine and attempts to shed light on how existing principles extend to emerging concerns. In addition, by reiterating ethical principles that have provided guidance in resolving past ethical problems, the Manual may help physicians avert future problems. The Manual is not a substitute for the experience and integrity of individual physicians, but it may serve as a reminder of the shared duties of the medical profession.

Pre-Service Class Teacher' Ability in Solving Mathematical Problems and Skills in Solving Daily Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aljaberi, Nahil M.; Gheith, Eman

2016-01-01

This study aims to investigate the ability of pre-service class teacher at University of Petrain solving mathematical problems using Polya's Techniques, their level of problem solving skills in daily-life issues. The study also investigates the correlation between their ability to solve mathematical problems and their level of problem solving…

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems.

PubMed

Baars, Martine; Wijnia, Lisette; Paas, Fred

2017-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels). In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way.

Publication aspects of ethics in photogrammetry

USGS Publications Warehouse

Thompson, Morris M.

1991-01-01

According to the Code of Ethics of the American Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), the principles on which ethics are founded consist of honesty, justice, and courtesy, forming a moral philosophy associated with mutual interest among men. We will cover in particular the ethical problems of publication of photogrammetric material in the various media. There are many such problems, and we often face a dilemma in selecting a course which is the right thing to do.

Extraction of a group-pair relation: problem-solving relation from web-board documents.

PubMed

Pechsiri, Chaveevan; Piriyakul, Rapepun

2016-01-01

This paper aims to extract a group-pair relation as a Problem-Solving relation, for example a DiseaseSymptom-Treatment relation and a CarProblem-Repair relation, between two event-explanation groups, a problem-concept group as a symptom/CarProblem-concept group and a solving-concept group as a treatment-concept/repair concept group from hospital-web-board and car-repair-guru-web-board documents. The Problem-Solving relation (particularly Symptom-Treatment relation) including the graphical representation benefits non-professional persons by supporting knowledge of primarily solving problems. The research contains three problems: how to identify an EDU (an Elementary Discourse Unit, which is a simple sentence) with the event concept of either a problem or a solution; how to determine a problem-concept EDU boundary and a solving-concept EDU boundary as two event-explanation groups, and how to determine the Problem-Solving relation between these two event-explanation groups. Therefore, we apply word co-occurrence to identify a problem-concept EDU and a solving-concept EDU, and machine-learning techniques to solve a problem-concept EDU boundary and a solving-concept EDU boundary. We propose using k-mean and Naïve Bayes to determine the Problem-Solving relation between the two event-explanation groups involved with clustering features. In contrast to previous works, the proposed approach enables group-pair relation extraction with high accuracy.

Students’ Mathematical Problem-Solving Abilities Through The Application of Learning Models Problem Based Learning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasution, M. L.; Yerizon, Y.; Gusmiyanti, R.

2018-04-01

One of the purpose mathematic learning is to develop problem solving abilities. Problem solving is obtained through experience in questioning non-routine. Improving students’ mathematical problem-solving abilities required an appropriate strategy in learning activities one of them is models problem based learning (PBL). Thus, the purpose of this research is to determine whether the problem solving abilities of mathematical students’ who learn to use PBL better than on the ability of students’ mathematical problem solving by applying conventional learning. This research included quasi experiment with static group design and population is students class XI MIA SMAN 1 Lubuk Alung. Class experiment in the class XI MIA 5 and class control in the class XI MIA 6. The instrument of final test students’ mathematical problem solving used essay form. The result of data final test in analyzed with t-test. The result is students’ mathematical problem solving abilities with PBL better then on the ability of students’ mathematical problem solving by applying conventional learning. It’s seen from the high percentage achieved by the group of students who learn to use PBL for each indicator of students’ mathematical problem solving.

Integrating design and communication in engineering education: a collaboration between Northwestern University and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

PubMed

Hirsch, Penny L; Yarnoff, Charles

2011-01-01

The required course for freshmen in Northwestern University's engineering school - a 2-quarter sequence called Engineering Design and Communication (EDC) - is noteworthy not only for its project-based focus on user-centered design, but also for its innovative integrated approach to teaching communication, teamwork, and ethics. Thanks to the collaboration between EDC faculty and staff at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, EDC students, at the beginning of their education, experience the excitement of solving problems for real clients and users. At the same time, these authentic design projects offer an ideal setting for teaching students how to communicate effectively to different audiences and perform productively as team members and future leaders in engineering.

Using a general problem-solving strategy to promote transfer.

PubMed

Youssef-Shalala, Amina; Ayres, Paul; Schubert, Carina; Sweller, John

2014-09-01

Cognitive load theory was used to hypothesize that a general problem-solving strategy based on a make-as-many-moves-as-possible heuristic could facilitate problem solutions for transfer problems. In four experiments, school students were required to learn about a topic through practice with a general problem-solving strategy, through a conventional problem solving strategy or by studying worked examples. In Experiments 1 and 2 using junior high school students learning geometry, low knowledge students in the general problem-solving group scored significantly higher on near or far transfer tests than the conventional problem-solving group. In Experiment 3, an advantage for a general problem-solving group over a group presented worked examples was obtained on far transfer tests using the same curriculum materials, again presented to junior high school students. No differences between conditions were found in Experiments 1, 2, or 3 using test problems similar to the acquisition problems. Experiment 4 used senior high school students studying economics and found the general problem-solving group scored significantly higher than the conventional problem-solving group on both similar and transfer tests. It was concluded that the general problem-solving strategy was helpful for novices, but not for students that had access to domain-specific knowledge. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Revising explanatory models to accommodate anomalous genetic phenomena: Problem solving in the context of discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hafner, Robert; Stewart, Jim

Past problem-solving research has provided a basis for helping students structure their knowledge and apply appropriate problem-solving strategies to solve problems for which their knowledge (or mental models) of scientific phenomena is adequate (model-using problem solving). This research examines how problem solving in the domain of Mendelian genetics proceeds in situations where solvers' mental models are insufficient to solve problems at hand (model-revising problem solving). Such situations require solvers to use existing models to recognize anomalous data and to revise those models to accommodate the data. The study was conducted in the context of 9-week high school genetics course and addressed: the heuristics charactenstic of successful model-revising problem solving: the nature of the model revisions, made by students as well as the nature of model development across problem types; and the basis upon which solvers decide that a revised model is sufficient (that t has both predictive and explanatory power).

Parent-Teacher Communication about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination of Collaborative Problem-Solving

PubMed Central

Azad, Gazi F.; Kim, Mina; Marcus, Steven C.; Mandell, David S.; Sheridan, Susan M.

2016-01-01

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the problem-solving behaviors of parents and teachers of children with ASD. Participants included 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parent-teacher dyads were prompted to discuss and provide a solution for a problem that a student experienced at home and at school. Parents and teachers also reported on their problem-solving behaviors. Results showed that parents and teachers displayed limited use of the core elements of problem-solving. Teachers displayed more problem-solving behaviors than parents. Both groups reported engaging in more problem-solving behaviors than they were observed to display during their discussions. Our findings suggest that teacher and parent training programs should include collaborative approaches to problem-solving. PMID:28392604

Parent-Teacher Communication about Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: An Examination of Collaborative Problem-Solving.

PubMed

Azad, Gazi F; Kim, Mina; Marcus, Steven C; Mandell, David S; Sheridan, Susan M

2016-12-01

Effective parent-teacher communication involves problem-solving concerns about students. Few studies have examined problem solving interactions between parents and teachers of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), with a particular focus on identifying communication barriers and strategies for improving them. This study examined the problem-solving behaviors of parents and teachers of children with ASD. Participants included 18 teachers and 39 parents of children with ASD. Parent-teacher dyads were prompted to discuss and provide a solution for a problem that a student experienced at home and at school. Parents and teachers also reported on their problem-solving behaviors. Results showed that parents and teachers displayed limited use of the core elements of problem-solving. Teachers displayed more problem-solving behaviors than parents. Both groups reported engaging in more problem-solving behaviors than they were observed to display during their discussions. Our findings suggest that teacher and parent training programs should include collaborative approaches to problem-solving.

Errors analysis of problem solving using the Newman stage after applying cooperative learning of TTW type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rr Chusnul, C.; Mardiyana, S., Dewi Retno

2017-12-01

Problem solving is the basis of mathematics learning. Problem solving teaches us to clarify an issue coherently in order to avoid misunderstanding information. Sometimes there may be mistakes in problem solving due to misunderstanding the issue, choosing a wrong concept or misapplied concept. The problem-solving test was carried out after students were given treatment on learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type. The purpose of this study was to elucidate student problem regarding to problem solving errors after learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type. Newman stages were used to identify problem solving errors in this study. The new research used a descriptive method to find out problem solving errors in students. The subject in this study were students of Vocational Senior High School (SMK) in 10th grade. Test and interview was conducted for data collection. Thus, the results of this study suggested problem solving errors in students after learning by using cooperative learning of TTW type for Newman stages.

Rejection Sensitivity and Depression: Indirect Effects Through Problem Solving.

PubMed

Kraines, Morganne A; Wells, Tony T

2017-01-01

Rejection sensitivity (RS) and deficits in social problem solving are risk factors for depression. Despite their relationship to depression and the potential connection between them, no studies have examined RS and social problem solving together in the context of depression. As such, we examined RS, five facets of social problem solving, and symptoms of depression in a young adult sample. A total of 180 participants completed measures of RS, social problem solving, and depressive symptoms. We used bootstrapping to examine the indirect effect of RS on depressive symptoms through problem solving. RS was positively associated with depressive symptoms. A negative problem orientation, impulsive/careless style, and avoidance style of social problem solving were positively associated with depressive symptoms, and a positive problem orientation was negatively associated with depressive symptoms. RS demonstrated an indirect effect on depressive symptoms through two social problem-solving facets: the tendency to view problems as threats to one's well-being and an avoidance problem-solving style characterized by procrastination, passivity, or overdependence on others. These results are consistent with prior research that found a positive association between RS and depression symptoms, but this is the first study to implicate specific problem-solving deficits in the relationship between RS and depression. Our results suggest that depressive symptoms in high RS individuals may result from viewing problems as threats and taking an avoidant, rather than proactive, approach to dealing with problems. These findings may have implications for problem-solving interventions for rejection sensitive individuals.

Contentious problems in bioscience and biotechnology: a pilot study of an approach to ethics education.

PubMed

Berry, Roberta M; Borenstein, Jason; Butera, Robert J

2013-06-01

This manuscript describes a pilot study in ethics education employing a problem-based learning approach to the study of novel, complex, ethically fraught, unavoidably public, and unavoidably divisive policy problems, called "fractious problems," in bioscience and biotechnology. Diverse graduate and professional students from four US institutions and disciplines spanning science, engineering, humanities, social science, law, and medicine analyzed fractious problems employing "navigational skills" tailored to the distinctive features of these problems. The students presented their results to policymakers, stakeholders, experts, and members of the public. This approach may provide a model for educating future bioscientists and bioengineers so that they can meaningfully contribute to the social understanding and resolution of challenging policy problems generated by their work.

The Cyclic Nature of Problem Solving: An Emergent Multidimensional Problem-Solving Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlson, Marilyn P.; Bloom, Irene

2005-01-01

This paper describes the problem-solving behaviors of 12 mathematicians as they completed four mathematical tasks. The emergent problem-solving framework draws on the large body of research, as grounded by and modified in response to our close observations of these mathematicians. The resulting "Multidimensional Problem-Solving Framework" has four…

Mathematical Problem Solving: A Review of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Funkhouser, Charles

The major perspectives on problem solving of the twentieth century are reviewed--associationism, Gestalt psychology, and cognitive science. The results of the review on teaching problem solving and the uses of computers to teach problem solving are included. Four major issues related to the teaching of problem solving are discussed: (1)…

Teaching Problem Solving Skills to Elementary Age Students with Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cote, Debra L.; Jones, Vita L.; Barnett, Crystal; Pavelek, Karin; Nguyen, Hoang; Sparks, Shannon L.

2014-01-01

Students with disabilities need problem-solving skills to promote their success in solving the problems of daily life. The research into problem-solving instruction has been limited for students with autism. Using a problem-solving intervention and the Self Determined Learning Model of Instruction, three elementary age students with autism were…

Learning problem-solving skills in a distance education physics course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rampho, G. J.; Ramorola, M. Z.

2017-10-01

In this paper we present the results of a study on the effectiveness of combinations of delivery modes of distance education in learning problem-solving skills in a distance education introductory physics course. A problem-solving instruction with the explicit teaching of a problem-solving strategy and worked-out examples were implemented in the course. The study used the ex post facto research design with stratified sampling to investigate the effect of the learning of a problem-solving strategy on the problem-solving performance. The number of problems attempted and the mean frequency of using a strategy in solving problems in the three course presentation modes were compared. The finding of the study indicated that combining the different course presentation modes had no statistically significant effect in the learning of problem-solving skills in the distance education course.

A consideration of the ethics of brain death--what are the ethical guidelines for physician, family and society in dealing with brain death?

PubMed

Brooks, C M

1985-06-01

There is at present considerable confusion with respect to ethical guidelines that should govern the behavior of society and the physician confronted by problems resulting from recent attainments of medicine and science. The use of life supporting devices raises the problem of determining when death has occurred and what is proper ethical procedure in dealing with the deficient half life caused by "Brain Death." Some guidance is obtained from a consideration of the nature of life, the nature of death, the nature of man, and the essence lost in death of man. A parallel consideration of the nature of ethics, the bases of ethics and of ethical decision can be helpful. An individual may have ideals which control behavior, even elevate ethical standards; others entertain concepts that destroy social ethics. Ethics control and direct social interactions; ethics determine the quality of social behavior--ethics are established by societies not by individuals. Numerous commissions have endeavored to define the requirements of physicians for diagnosing brain death and for appropriate subsequent actions. The rationales presented, however, are not invariably accepted by lay society. The problem is created by numerous trends. Among them are the "rightest" movement which, though possessing many virtues, has its excesses such as expressed in the "right to life movement." These have not been beneficial and have necessitated "right to death movements." Opposition is also due to the fact that society's concepts of the medical profession have changed. The practice of organ transplantation has created problems. Finally, the concept of death as other than evil is no longer generally accepted. As more biological manipulations are possible ever more difficult ethical problems will arise. It is a certainty, however, that when brain death has occurred life of man and that of the individual has ended. Although others might not agree, our ethic requires us to use life assist techniques to preserve the vegetative man, the individual who can still breathe spontaneously though lacking consciousness and behavioral ability. All the codes of medical ethics state that a physician shall not kill--this does not mean he cannot permit the terminal phases of death when the essence of human life is lost. A major question is the ethical responsibility of one society toward another. Can an affluent society squander its resources in the preservation of ineffectual life in the body after "brain death" when others are without the medical assistance which would permit total living?

A Clinician's Approach to Clinical Ethical Reasoning

PubMed Central

Kaldjian, Lauris C; Weir, Robert F; Duffy, Thomas P

2005-01-01

We offer a systematic strategy that situates clinical ethical reasoning within the paradigm of clinical reasoning. The trajectory of this strategy parallels clinical reasoning: a plain statement of the initial problem, careful gathering of data, a differential diagnostic assessment, and articulation and confirmation of a justified plan. This approach pays special attention to the goals of medical care, because so much depends on whether or not physician and patient share the same goals. This approach also addresses the heterogeneity of clinical problems that at first appear ethical and acknowledges the ethical pluralism that pervades clinical ethics. PMID:15836537

The role of ethics in pediatrics.

PubMed

Cooke, Robert E

1975-10-01

Medical ethics has increased in importance in medical education and practice as a consequence of advances in definitive treatment of patients. Most problems in ethics related to medicine have certain common denominators. Medical scientists and practitioners frequently disclaim any ethical absolutes or consider as important only nonmoral consequences rather than ethical principles such as justice, noninjury, truth-telling, etc. Failure to differentiate moral from nonmoral decisions as well as differences in level of moral reasoning also account for substantial differences in analyzing a given clinical problem. Finally, individual moral policy may be rendered ineffective because of institutional policies that result from purely pragmatic considerations.

Ethics, finance, and automation: a preliminary survey of problems in high frequency trading.

PubMed

Davis, Michael; Kumiega, Andrew; Van Vliet, Ben

2013-09-01

All of finance is now automated, most notably high frequency trading. This paper examines the ethical implications of this fact. As automation is an interdisciplinary endeavor, we argue that the interfaces between the respective disciplines can lead to conflicting ethical perspectives; we also argue that existing disciplinary standards do not pay enough attention to the ethical problems automation generates. Conflicting perspectives undermine the protection those who rely on trading should have. Ethics in finance can be expanded to include organizational and industry-wide responsibilities to external market participants and society. As a starting point, quality management techniques can provide a foundation for a new cross-disciplinary ethical standard in the age of automation.

Brief report.

PubMed

Colnerud, Gunnel

2013-10-01

Most accounts of the ethical problems facing researchers across a broad spectrum of research fields come from ethicists, ethics committees, and specialists committed to the study of ethics in human research. In contrast, this study reports on the ethical questions that researchers, themselves, report facing in their everyday practice. Fifty-five Swedish researchers contributed 109 examples of ethical dilemmas, conflicts, and problems in research. They were all researchers at the postdoctoral level in the fields of medicine, the humanities, education, and the social sciences, who devoted at least 50 percent of their working hours to research. They reported issues they face before, during, and after gathering data. Their range of issues is broader than generally discussed and points to the importance of researchers' ethical sensitivity.

Ethical Judgments and Behaviors: Applying a Multidimensional Ethics Scale to Measuring ICT Ethics of College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jung, Insung

2009-01-01

Assuming that ICT ethics are influenced by both moral and circumstantial factors, the study investigates Japanese college students' ethical judgments and behavioral intentions in three scenarios involving ICT-related ethical problems and explores why they make such decisions, relying on five moral philosophies: moral equity, relativism,…

Theoretical frameworks used to discuss ethical issues in private physiotherapy practice and proposal of a new ethical tool.

PubMed

Drolet, Marie-Josée; Hudon, Anne

2015-02-01

In the past, several researchers in the field of physiotherapy have asserted that physiotherapy clinicians rarely use ethical knowledge to solve ethical issues raised by their practice. Does this assertion still hold true? Do the theoretical frameworks used by researchers and clinicians allow them to analyze thoroughly the ethical issues they encounter in their everyday practice? In our quest for answers, we conducted a literature review and analyzed the ethical theoretical frameworks used by physiotherapy researchers and clinicians to discuss the ethical issues raised by private physiotherapy practice. Our final analysis corpus consisted of thirty-nine texts. Our main finding is that researchers and clinicians in physiotherapy rarely use ethical knowledge to analyze the ethical issues raised in their practice and that gaps exist in the theoretical frameworks currently used to analyze these issues. Consequently, we developed, for ethical analysis, a four-part prism which we have called the Quadripartite Ethical Tool (QET). This tool can be incorporated into existing theoretical frameworks to enable professionals to integrate ethical knowledge into their ethical analyses. The innovative particularity of the QET is that it encompasses three ethical theories (utilitarism, deontologism, and virtue ethics) and axiological ontology (professional values) and also draws on both deductive and inductive approaches. It is our hope that this new tool will help researchers and clinicians integrate ethical knowledge into their analysis of ethical issues and contribute to fostering ethical analyses that are grounded in relevant philosophical and axiological foundations.

Ethical Issues and the Life Sciences. Test Edition. AAAS Study Guides on Contemporary Problems.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kieffer, George H.

This is one of several study guides on contemporary problems produced by the American Association for the Advancement of Science with support of the National Science Foundation. This study guide on Ethical Issues and the Life Sciences includes the following sections: (1) Introduction; (2) The Search for an Ethic; (3) Biomedical Issues including…

The Association between Motivation, Affect, and Self-regulated Learning When Solving Problems

PubMed Central

Baars, Martine; Wijnia, Lisette; Paas, Fred

2017-01-01

Self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are essential for learning during school years, particularly in complex problem-solving domains, such as biology and math. Although a lot of studies have focused on the cognitive resources that are needed for learning to solve problems in a self-regulated way, affective and motivational resources have received much less research attention. The current study investigated the relation between affect (i.e., Positive Affect and Negative Affect Scale), motivation (i.e., autonomous and controlled motivation), mental effort, SRL skills, and problem-solving performance when learning to solve biology problems in a self-regulated online learning environment. In the learning phase, secondary education students studied video-modeling examples of how to solve hereditary problems, solved hereditary problems which they chose themselves from a set of problems with different complexity levels (i.e., five levels). In the posttest, students solved hereditary problems, self-assessed their performance, and chose a next problem from the set of problems but did not solve these problems. The results from this study showed that negative affect, inaccurate self-assessments during the posttest, and higher perceptions of mental effort during the posttest were negatively associated with problem-solving performance after learning in a self-regulated way. PMID:28848467

An experience sampling study of learning, affect, and the demands control support model.

PubMed

Daniels, Kevin; Boocock, Grahame; Glover, Jane; Holland, Julie; Hartley, Ruth

2009-07-01

The demands control support model (R. A. Karasek & T. Theorell, 1990) indicates that job control and social support enable workers to engage in problem solving. In turn, problem solving is thought to influence learning and well-being (e.g., anxious affect, activated pleasant affect). Two samples (N = 78, N = 106) provided data up to 4 times per day for up to 5 working days. The extent to which job control was used for problem solving was assessed by measuring the extent to which participants changed aspects of their work activities to solve problems. The extent to which social support was used to solve problems was assessed by measuring the extent to which participants discussed problems to solve problems. Learning mediated the relationship between changing aspects of work activities to solve problems and activated pleasant affect. Learning also mediated the relationship between discussing problems to solve problems and activated pleasant affect. The findings indicated that how individuals use control and support to respond to problem-solving demands is associated with organizational and individual phenomena, such as learning and affective well-being.

What Does (and Doesn't) Make Analogical Problem Solving Easy? A Complexity-Theoretic Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wareham, Todd; Evans, Patricia; van Rooij, Iris

2011-01-01

Solving new problems can be made easier if one can build on experiences with other problems one has already successfully solved. The ability to exploit earlier problem-solving experiences in solving new problems seems to require several cognitive sub-abilities. Minimally, one needs to be able to retrieve relevant knowledge of earlier solved…

Synthesizing Huber's Problem Solving and Kolb's Learning Cycle: A Balanced Approach to Technical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kamis, Arnold; Khan, Beverly K.

2009-01-01

How do we model and improve technical problem solving, such as network subnetting? This paper reports an experimental study that tested several hypotheses derived from Kolb's experiential learning cycle and Huber's problem solving model. As subjects solved a network subnetting problem, they mapped their mental processes according to Huber's…

Generalization of Social Skills: Strategies and Results of a Training Program in Problem Solving Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Paraschiv, Irina; Olley, J. Gregory

This paper describes the "Problem Solving for Life" training program which trains adolescents and adults with mental retardation in skills for solving social problems. The program requires group participants to solve social problems by practicing two prerequisite skills (relaxation and positive self-statements) and four problem solving steps: (1)…

Young Children's Analogical Problem Solving: Gaining Insights from Video Displays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Zhe; Siegler, Robert S.

2013-01-01

This study examined how toddlers gain insights from source video displays and use the insights to solve analogous problems. Two- to 2.5-year-olds viewed a source video illustrating a problem-solving strategy and then attempted to solve analogous problems. Older but not younger toddlers extracted the problem-solving strategy depicted in the video…

Investigating Problem-Solving Perseverance Using Lesson Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bieda, Kristen N.; Huhn, Craig

2017-01-01

Problem solving has long been a focus of research and curriculum reform (Kilpatrick 1985; Lester 1994; NCTM 1989, 2000; CCSSI 2010). The importance of problem solving is not new, but the Common Core introduced the idea of making sense of problems and persevering in solving them (CCSSI 2010, p. 6) as an aspect of problem solving. Perseverance is…

Risk Assessment and Management for Medically Complex Potential Living Kidney Donors: A Few Deontological Criteria and Ethical Values

PubMed Central

Petrini, Carlo

2011-01-01

A sound evaluation of every bioethical problem should be predicated on a careful analysis of at least two basic elements: (i) reliable scientific information and (ii) the ethical principles and values at stake. A thorough evaluation of both elements also calls for a careful examination of statements by authoritative institutions. Unfortunately, in the case of medically complex living donors neither element gives clear-cut answers to the ethical problems raised. Likewise, institutionary documents frequently offer only general criteria, which are not very helpful when making practical choices. This paper first introduces a brief overview of scientific information, ethical values, and institutionary documents; the notions of “acceptable risk” and “minimal risk” are then briefly examined, with reference to the problem of medically complex living donors. The so-called precautionary principle and the value of solidarity are then discussed as offering a possible approach to the ethical problem of medically complex living donors. PMID:22174982

[Organ transplantation. Questions in the interface of ethics and anthropology].

PubMed

Birnbacher, D

2014-08-01

In the field of organ transplantation medical ethics is confronted with a number of problems where the particular difficulty lies in the fact that ethical and anthropological questions interpenetrate. This article discusses two of these problems in this interface both of which are highly controversial: the real or apparent contradiction between the dead-donor rule and the traditional definition of death and the real or apparent contradiction between the ethical desirability of harvesting organs from non-heart beating donors and the irreversibility of brain death.

Problem-solving deficits in Iranian people with borderline personality disorder.

PubMed

Akbari Dehaghi, Ashraf; Kaviani, Hossein; Tamanaeefar, Shima

2014-01-01

Interventions for people suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD), such as dialectical behavior therapy, often include a problem-solving component. However, there is an absence of published studies examining the problem-solving abilities of this client group in Iran. The study compared inpatients and outpatients with BPD and a control group on problem-solving capabilities in an Iranian sample. It was hypothesized that patients with BPD would have more deficiencies in this area. Fifteen patients with BPD were compared to 15 healthy participants. Means-ends problem-solving task (MEPS) was used to measure problem-solving skills in both groups. BPD group reported less effective strategies in solving problems as opposed to the healthy group. Compared to the control group, participants with BPD provided empirical support for the use of problem-solving interventions with people suffering from BPD. The findings supported the idea that a problem-solving intervention can be efficiently applied either as a stand-alone therapy or in conjunction with other available psychotherapies to treat people with BPD.

Impulsivity as a mediator in the relationship between problem solving and suicidal ideation.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Vivian M; Neander, Lucía L

2018-03-15

This study examined whether three facets of impulsivity previously shown to be associated with suicidal ideation and attempts (negative urgency, lack of premeditation, and lack of perseverance) help to account for the established association between problem solving deficits and suicidal ideation. Emerging adult college student drinkers with a history of at least passive suicidal ideation (N = 387) completed measures of problem solving, impulsivity, and suicidal ideation. A path analysis was conducted to examine the mediating role of impulsivity variables in the association between problem solving (rational problem solving, positive and negative problem orientation, and avoidance style) and suicidal ideation. Direct and indirect associations through impulsivity, particularly negative urgency, were found between problem solving and severity of suicidal ideation. Interventions aimed at teaching problem solving skills, as well as self-efficacy and optimism for solving life problems, may help to reduce impulsivity and suicidal ideation. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Ethics in clinical practice and in health care].

PubMed

Pintor, S; Mennuni, G; Fontana, M; Nocchi, S; Giarrusso, P; Serio, A; Fraioli, A

2015-01-01

The clinical ethics is the identification, analysis and solution of moral problems that can arise during the care of a patient. Given that when dealing with ethical issues in health care some risks will be encountered (talking about ethics in general, or as a problem overlapped with others in this area, or by delegation to legislative determinations) in the text certain important aspects of the topic are examined. First of all ethics as human quality of the relationship between people for the common good, especially in health services where there are serious problems like the life and the health. It is also necessary a "humanizing relationship" between those who work in these services in order to achieve quality and efficiency in this business. It is important a proper training of health professionals, especially doctors, so that they can identify the real needs and means of intervention. It is also important that scientific research must respect fundamental ethical assumptions. In conclusion, ethics in health care is not a simple matter of "cookbook" rules, but involves the responsibility and consciousness of individual operators.

A code of ethics for evidence-based research with ancient human remains.

PubMed

Kreissl Lonfat, Bettina M; Kaufmann, Ina Maria; Rühli, Frank

2015-06-01

As clinical research constantly advances and the concept of evolution becomes a strong and influential part of basic medical research, the absence of a discourse that deals with the use of ancient human remains in evidence-based research is becoming unbearable. While topics such as exhibition and excavation of human remains are established ethical fields of discourse, when faced with instrumentalization of ancient human remains for research (i.e., ancient DNA extractions for disease marker analyses) the answers from traditional ethics or even more practical fields of bio-ethics or more specific biomedical ethics are rare to non-existent. The Centre for Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich solved their needs for discursive action through the writing of a self-given code of ethics which was written in dialogue with the researchers at the Institute and was published online in Sept. 2011: http://evolutionäremedizin.ch/coe/. The philosophico-ethical basis for this a code of conduct and ethics and the methods are published in this article. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ethical concerns and dilemmas of Finnish and Dutch health professionals.

PubMed

Hopia, Hanna; Lottes, Ilsa; Kanne, Mariël

2016-09-01

Healthcare professionals encounter ethical dilemmas and concerns in their practice. More research is needed to understand these ethical problems and to know how to educate professionals to respond to them. To describe ethical dilemmas and concerns at work from the perspectives of Finnish and Dutch healthcare professionals studying at the master's level. Exploratory, qualitative study that used the text of student online discussions of ethical dilemmas at work as data. Participants' online discussions were analyzed using inductive content analysis. The sample consisted of 49 students at master's level enrolled in professional ethics courses at universities in Finland and the Netherlands. Permission for conducting the study was granted from both universities of applied sciences. All students provided their informed consent for the use of their assignments as research data. Participants described 51 problematic work situations. Among these, 16 were found to be ethical dilemmas, and the remaining were work issues with an ethical concern and did not meet criteria of a dilemma. The most common problems resulted from concerns about quality care, safety of healthcare professionals, patients' rights, and working with too few staff and inadequate resources. The results indicated that participants were concerned about providing quality of care and raised numerous questions about how to provide it in challenging situations. The results show that it was difficult for students to differentiate ethical dilemmas from other ethical work concerns. Online discussions among healthcare providers give them an opportunity to relate ethical principles to real ethical dilemmas and problems in their work as well as to critically analyze ethical issues. We found that discussions with descriptions of ethical dilemmas and concerns by health professionals provide important information and recommendations not only for education and practice but also for health policy. © The Author(s) 2015.

Improving mathematical problem solving skills through visual media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Widodo, S. A.; Darhim; Ikhwanudin, T.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this article was to find out the enhancement of students’ mathematical problem solving by using visual learning media. The ability to solve mathematical problems is the ability possessed by students to solve problems encountered, one of the problem-solving model of Polya. This preliminary study was not to make a model, but it only took a conceptual approach by comparing the various literature of problem-solving skills by linking visual learning media. The results of the study indicated that the use of learning media had not been appropriated so that the ability to solve mathematical problems was not optimal. The inappropriateness of media use was due to the instructional media that was not adapted to the characteristics of the learners. Suggestions that can be given is the need to develop visual media to increase the ability to solve problems.

Dual loyalties: Everyday ethical problems of registered nurses and physicians in combat zones.

PubMed

Lundberg, Kristina; Kjellström, Sofia; Sandman, Lars

2017-01-01

When healthcare personnel take part in military operations in combat zones, they experience ethical problems related to dual loyalties, that is, when they find themselves torn between expectations of doing caring and military tasks, respectively. This article aims to describe how Swedish healthcare personnel reason concerning everyday ethical problems related to dual loyalties between care and military tasks when undertaking healthcare in combat zones. Abductive qualitative design. Participants and research context: Individual interviews with 15 registered nurses and physicians assigned for a military operation in Mali. Ethical considerations: The participants signed up voluntarily, and requirements for informed consent and confidentiality were met. The research was approved by the Regional Ethics Review Board in Gothenburg (D no. 816-14; 24 November 2014). Three main categories emerged: reasons for not undertaking combat duties, reasons for undertaking combat duties and restricted loyalty to military duties, and 14 subcategories. Reasons for not undertaking combat duties were that it was not in their role, not according to ethical codes or humanitarian law or a breach towards patients. Reasons for undertaking combat duties were that humanitarian law does not apply or has to be treated pragmatically or that it is a case of force protection. Shortage of resources and competence were reasons for both doing and not doing military tasks. Under some circumstances, they could imagine undertaking military tasks: when under threat, if unseen or if not needed for healthcare duties. These discrepant views suggest a lack of a common view on what is ethically acceptable or not, and therefore we suggest further normative discussion on how these everyday ethical problems should be interpreted in the light of humanitarian law and ethical codes of healthcare personnel and following this, further training in ethical reflection before going on military operations.

The Relationship between Students' Problem Posing and Problem Solving Abilities and Beliefs: A Small-Scale Study with Chinese Elementary School Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Limin, Chen; Van Dooren, Wim; Verschaffel, Lieven

2013-01-01

The goal of the present study is to investigate the relationship between pupils' problem posing and problem solving abilities, their beliefs about problem posing and problem solving, and their general mathematics abilities, in a Chinese context. Five instruments, i.e., a problem posing test, a problem solving test, a problem posing questionnaire,…

An Investigation of the Effects on Students' Attitudes, Beliefs, and Abilities in Problem Solving and Mathematics after One Year of a Systematic Approach to the Learning of Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higgins, Karen M.

This study investigated the effects of Oregon's Lane County "Problem Solving in Mathematics" (PSM) materials on middle-school students' attitudes, beliefs, and abilities in problem solving and mathematics. The instructional approach advocated in PSM includes: the direct teaching of five problem-solving skills, weekly challenge problems,…

“Nobody tosses a dwarf!” The relation between the empirical and normative reexamined

PubMed Central

Leget, C.; Borry, P.; De Vries, R.

2009-01-01

This article discusses the relation between empirical and normative approaches in bioethics. The issue of dwarf tossing, while admittedly unusual, is chosen as point of departure because it challenges the reader to look upon several central bioethical themes – including human dignity, autonomy, and the protection of vulnerable people – with fresh eyes. After an overview of current approaches to the integration of empirical and normative ethics, we consider five ways that the empirical and normative can be brought together to speak to the problem of dwarf tossing: prescriptive applied ethics, theorist ethics, critical applied ethics, particularist ethics and integrated empirical ethics. We defend a position of critical applied ethics that allows for a two-way relation between empirical and normative theories. The approach we endorse acknowledges that a social practice can and should be judged by both the gathering of empirical data and by the normative ethics. Critical applied ethics uses a five stage process that includes: (a) determination of the problem, (b) description of the problem, (c) empirical study of effects and alternatives, (d) normative weighing and (e) evaluation of the effects of a decision. In each stage, we explore the perspective from both the empirical (sociological) and the normative ethical poles that, in our view, should operate as two independent focuses of the ellipse that is called bioethics. We conclude by applying our five stage critical applied ethics to the example of dwarf tossing. PMID:19338523

'Nobody tosses a dwarf!' The relation between the empirical and the normative reexamined.

PubMed

Leget, Carlo; Borry, Pascal; de Vries, Raymond

2009-05-01

This article discusses the relation between empirical and normative approaches in bioethics. The issue of dwarf tossing, while admittedly unusual, is chosen as a point of departure because it challenges the reader to look with fresh eyes upon several central bioethical themes, including human dignity, autonomy, and the protection of vulnerable people. After an overview of current approaches to the integration of empirical and normative ethics, we consider five ways that the empirical and normative can be brought together to speak to the problem of dwarf tossing: prescriptive applied ethics, theoretical ethics, critical applied ethics, particularist ethics and integrated empirical ethics. We defend a position of critical applied ethics that allows for a two-way relation between empirical and normative theories. Against efforts fully to integrate the normative and the empirical into one synthesis, we propose that the two should stand in tension and relation to one another. The approach we endorse acknowledges that a social practice can and should be judged both by the gathering of empirical data and by normative ethics. Critical applied ethics uses a five stage process that includes: (a) determination of the problem, (b) description of the problem, (c) empirical study of effects and alternatives, (d) normative weighing and (e) evaluation of the effects of a decision. In each stage, we explore the perspective from both the empirical (sociological) and the normative ethical point of view. We conclude by applying our five-stage critical applied ethics to the example of dwarf tossing.

Reexamining the Ethics of Nuclear Technology.

PubMed

Andrianov, Andrei; Kanke, Victor; Kuptsov, Ilya; Murogov, Viktor

2015-08-01

This article analyzes the present status, development trends, and problems in the ethics of nuclear technology in light of a possible revision of its conceptual foundations. First, to better recognize the current state of nuclear technology ethics and related problems, this article focuses on presenting a picture of the evolution of the concepts and recent achievements related to technoethics, based on the ethics of responsibility. The term 'ethics of nuclear technology' describes a multidisciplinary endeavor to examine the problems associated with nuclear technology through ethical frameworks and paradigms. Second, to identify the reasons for the intensification of efforts to develop ethics in relation to nuclear technology, this article presents an analysis of the recent situation and future prospects of nuclear technology deployment. This includes contradictions that have aggravated nuclear dilemmas and debates stimulated by the shortcomings of nuclear technology, as well as the need for the further development of a nuclear culture paradigm that is able to provide a conceptual framework to overcome nuclear challenges. Third, efforts in the field of nuclear technology ethics are presented as a short overview of particular examples, and the major findings regarding obstacles to the development of nuclear technology ethics are also summarized. Finally, a potential methodological course is proposed to overcome inaction in this field; the proposed course provides for the further development of nuclear technology ethics, assuming the axiological multidisciplinary problematization of the main concepts in nuclear engineering through the basic ethical paradigms: analytical, hermeneutical, and poststructuralist.

Student’s scheme in solving mathematics problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Setyaningsih, Nining; Juniati, Dwi; Suwarsono

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate students’ scheme in solving mathematics problems. Scheme are data structures for representing the concepts stored in memory. In this study, we used it in solving mathematics problems, especially ratio and proportion topics. Scheme is related to problem solving that assumes that a system is developed in the human mind by acquiring a structure in which problem solving procedures are integrated with some concepts. The data were collected by interview and students’ written works. The results of this study revealed are students’ scheme in solving the problem of ratio and proportion as follows: (1) the content scheme, where students can describe the selected components of the problem according to their prior knowledge, (2) the formal scheme, where students can explain in construct a mental model based on components that have been selected from the problem and can use existing schemes to build planning steps, create something that will be used to solve problems and (3) the language scheme, where students can identify terms, or symbols of the components of the problem.Therefore, by using the different strategies to solve the problems, the students’ scheme in solving the ratio and proportion problems will also differ.

Factors of Problem-Solving Competency in a Virtual Chemistry Environment: The Role of Metacognitive Knowledge about Strategies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scherer, Ronny; Tiemann, Rudiger

2012-01-01

The ability to solve complex scientific problems is regarded as one of the key competencies in science education. Until now, research on problem solving focused on the relationship between analytical and complex problem solving, but rarely took into account the structure of problem-solving processes and metacognitive aspects. This paper,…

Same Old Problem, New Name? Alerting Students to the Nature of the Problem-Solving Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yerushalmi, Edit; Magen, Esther

2006-01-01

Students frequently misconceive the process of problem-solving, expecting the linear process required for solving an exercise, rather than the convoluted search process required to solve a genuine problem. In this paper we present an activity designed to foster in students realization and appreciation of the nature of the problem-solving process,…

The Problem-Solving Process in Physics as Observed When Engineering Students at University Level Work in Groups

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gustafsson, Peter; Jonsson, Gunnar; Enghag, Margareta

2015-01-01

The problem-solving process is investigated for five groups of students when solving context-rich problems in an introductory physics course included in an engineering programme. Through transcripts of their conversation, the paths in the problem-solving process have been traced and related to a general problem-solving model. All groups exhibit…

Social Problem Solving and Depressive Symptoms Over Time: A Randomized Clinical Trial of Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy, Brief Supportive Psychotherapy, and Pharmacotherapy

PubMed Central

Klein, Daniel N.; Leon, Andrew C.; Li, Chunshan; D’Zurilla, Thomas J.; Black, Sarah R.; Vivian, Dina; Dowling, Frank; Arnow, Bruce A.; Manber, Rachel; Markowitz, John C.; Kocsis, James H.

2011-01-01

Objective Depression is associated with poor social problem-solving, and psychotherapies that focus on problem-solving skills are efficacious in treating depression. We examined the associations between treatment, social problem solving, and depression in a randomized clinical trial testing the efficacy of psychotherapy augmentation for chronically depressed patients who failed to fully respond to an initial trial of pharmacotherapy (Kocsis et al., 2009). Method Participants with chronic depression (n = 491) received Cognitive Behavioral Analysis System of Psychotherapy (CBASP), which emphasizes interpersonal problem-solving, plus medication; Brief Supportive Psychotherapy (BSP) plus medication; or medication alone for 12 weeks. Results CBASP plus pharmacotherapy was associated with significantly greater improvement in social problem solving than BSP plus pharmacotherapy, and a trend for greater improvement in problem solving than pharmacotherapy alone. In addition, change in social problem solving predicted subsequent change in depressive symptoms over time. However, the magnitude of the associations between changes in social problem solving and subsequent depressive symptoms did not differ across treatment conditions. Conclusions It does not appear that improved social problem solving is a mechanism that uniquely distinguishes CBASP from other treatment approaches. PMID:21500885

Implementing thinking aloud pair and Pólya problem solving strategies in fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpol, N. S. H.; Shahrill, M.; Li, H.-C.; Prahmana, R. C. I.

2017-12-01

This study implemented two pedagogical strategies, the Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving and Pólya’s Problem Solving, to support students’ learning of fractions. The participants were 51 students (ages 11-13) from two Year 7 classes in a government secondary school in Brunei Darussalam. A mixed method design was employed in the present study, with data collected from the pre- and post-tests, problem solving behaviour questionnaire and interviews. The study aimed to explore if there were differences in the students’ problem solving behaviour before and after the implementation of the problem solving strategies. Results from the Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test revealed a significant difference in the test results regarding student problem solving behaviour, z = -3.68, p = .000, with a higher mean score for the post-test (M = 95.5, SD = 13.8) than for the pre-test (M = 88.9, SD = 15.2). This implied that there was improvement in the students’ problem solving performance from the pre-test to the post-test. Results from the questionnaire showed that more than half of the students increased scores in all four stages of the Pólya’s problem solving strategy, which provided further evidence of the students’ improvement in problem solving.

Different views on ethics: how animal ethics is situated in a committee culture.

PubMed

Ideland, M

2009-04-01

Research that includes non-human animal experimentation is fundamentally a dilemmatic enterprise. Humans use other animals in research to improve life for their own species. Ethical principles are established to deal with this dilemma. But despite this ethical apparatus, people who in one way or another work with animal experimentation have to interpret and understand the principles from their individual points of view. In interviews with members of Swedish animal ethics committees, different views on what the term ethics really means were articulated. For one member, the difficult ethical dilemma of animal experimentation is the lack of enriched cages for mice. For another, the ethical problem lies in regulations restraining research. A third member talks about animals' right not to be used for human interests. These different views on "ethics" intersect once a month in the animal ethics committee meetings. There is no consensus on what constitutes the ethical problem that the members should be discussing. Therefore, personal views on what ethics means, and hierarchies among committee members, characterise the meetings. But committee traditions and priorities of interpretation as well are important to the decisions. The author discusses how "ethics" becomes situated and what implications this may have for committees' decisions.

Tendencies of Future Doctors' Ethical Competence Formation at Medical Universities in Europe and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dudikova, Larysa

2017-01-01

The materials presented in this article are the result of a documentary-bibliographic study, which is based on the use of methods of analysis, synthesis, comparison and generalization. The results of the study have shown that the problem of professional ethics and culture of health care professionals is of significant interest. Problems of ethics,…

Genetic influences on insight problem solving: the role of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms

PubMed Central

Jiang, Weili; Shang, Siyuan; Su, Yanjie

2015-01-01

People may experience an “aha” moment, when suddenly realizing a solution of a puzzling problem. This experience is called insight problem solving. Several findings suggest that catecholamine-related genes may contribute to insight problem solving, among which the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is the most promising candidate. The current study examined 753 healthy individuals to determine the associations between 7 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms on the COMT gene and insight problem-solving performance, while considering gender differences. The results showed that individuals carrying A allele of rs4680 or T allele of rs4633 scored significantly higher on insight problem-solving tasks, and the COMT gene rs5993883 combined with gender interacted with correct solutions of insight problems, specifically showing that this gene only influenced insight problem-solving performance in males. This study presents the first investigation of the genetic impact on insight problem solving and provides evidence that highlights the role that the COMT gene plays in insight problem solving. PMID:26528222

Genetic influences on insight problem solving: the role of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene polymorphisms.

PubMed

Jiang, Weili; Shang, Siyuan; Su, Yanjie

2015-01-01

People may experience an "aha" moment, when suddenly realizing a solution of a puzzling problem. This experience is called insight problem solving. Several findings suggest that catecholamine-related genes may contribute to insight problem solving, among which the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene is the most promising candidate. The current study examined 753 healthy individuals to determine the associations between 7 candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms on the COMT gene and insight problem-solving performance, while considering gender differences. The results showed that individuals carrying A allele of rs4680 or T allele of rs4633 scored significantly higher on insight problem-solving tasks, and the COMT gene rs5993883 combined with gender interacted with correct solutions of insight problems, specifically showing that this gene only influenced insight problem-solving performance in males. This study presents the first investigation of the genetic impact on insight problem solving and provides evidence that highlights the role that the COMT gene plays in insight problem solving.

Ethical Implications of Technological Advances on Business Communication.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Herschel, Richard T.; Andrews, Patricia Hayes

1997-01-01

Explores ethical issues heightened by use of technology, and examines a means for managing these ethical concerns. Argues that ethical problems are not inherent in technological advances, but rather it is how human beings choose to use these new tools that may lead to ethical dilemmas in business contexts. (SR)

Understanding Undergraduates’ Problem-Solving Processes †

PubMed Central

Nehm, Ross H.

2010-01-01

Fostering effective problem-solving skills is one of the most longstanding and widely agreed upon goals of biology education. Nevertheless, undergraduate biology educators have yet to leverage many major findings about problem-solving processes from the educational and cognitive science research literatures. This article highlights key facets of problem-solving processes and introduces methodologies that may be used to reveal how undergraduate students perceive and represent biological problems. Overall, successful problem-solving entails a keen sensitivity to problem contexts, disciplined internal representation or modeling of the problem, and the principled management and deployment of cognitive resources. Context recognition tasks, problem representation practice, and cognitive resource management receive remarkably little emphasis in the biology curriculum, despite their central roles in problem-solving success. PMID:23653710

Thinking Process of Naive Problem Solvers to Solve Mathematical Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mairing, Jackson Pasini

2017-01-01

Solving problems is not only a goal of mathematical learning. Students acquire ways of thinking, habits of persistence and curiosity, and confidence in unfamiliar situations by learning to solve problems. In fact, there were students who had difficulty in solving problems. The students were naive problem solvers. This research aimed to describe…

Teaching Problem Solving without Modeling through "Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pestel, Beverly C.

1993-01-01

Reviews research relevant to the problem of unsatisfactory student problem-solving abilities and suggests a teaching strategy that addresses the issue. Author explains how she uses teaching aloud problem solving (TAPS) in college chemistry and presents evaluation data. Among the findings are that the TAPS class got fewer problems completely right,…

Social Problem Solving, Conduct Problems, and Callous-Unemotional Traits in Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waschbusch, Daniel A.; Walsh, Trudi M.; Andrade, Brendan F.; King, Sara; Carrey, Normand J.

2007-01-01

This study examined the association between social problem solving, conduct problems (CP), and callous-unemotional (CU) traits in elementary age children. Participants were 53 children (40 boys and 13 girls) aged 7-12 years. Social problem solving was evaluated using the Social Problem Solving Test-Revised, which requires children to produce…

Personality, problem solving, and adolescent substance use.

PubMed

Jaffee, William B; D'Zurilla, Thomas J

2009-03-01

The major aim of this study was to examine the role of social problem solving in the relationship between personality and substance use in adolescents. Although a number of studies have identified a relationship between personality and substance use, the precise mechanism by which this occurs is not clear. We hypothesized that problem-solving skills could be one such mechanism. More specifically, we sought to determine whether problem solving mediates, moderates, or both mediates and moderates the relationship between different personality traits and substance use. Three hundred and seven adolescents were administered the Substance Use Profile Scale, the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised, and the Personality Experiences Inventory to assess personality, social problem-solving ability, and substance use, respectively. Results showed that the dimension of rational problem solving (i.e., effective problem-solving skills) significantly mediated the relationship between hopelessness and lifetime alcohol and marijuana use. The theoretical and clinical implications of these results were discussed.

Rights and Wrongs of Ethics Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rice, Dan; Dreilinger, Craig

1990-01-01

Ethics initiatives should provide employees with the tools they need to identify, clarify, and resolve ethical issues. Training efforts should focus on defining desired outcomes and considering the company's values and guidelines in working toward solutions to ethical problems. (SK)

Enhancing chemistry problem-solving achievement using problem categorization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bunce, Diane M.; Gabel, Dorothy L.; Samuel, John V.

The enhancement of chemistry students' skill in problem solving through problem categorization is the focus of this study. Twenty-four students in a freshman chemistry course for health professionals are taught how to solve problems using the explicit method of problem solving (EMPS) (Bunce & Heikkinen, 1986). The EMPS is an organized approach to problem analysis which includes encoding the information given in a problem (Given, Asked For), relating this to what is already in long-term memory (Recall), and planning a solution (Overall Plan) before a mathematical solution is attempted. In addition to the EMPS training, treatment students receive three 40-minute sessions following achievement tests in which they are taught how to categorize problems. Control students use this time to review the EMPS solutions of test questions. Although problem categorization is involved in one section of the EMPS (Recall), treatment students who received specific training in problem categorization demonstrate significantly higher achievement on combination problems (those problems requiring the use of more than one chemical topic for their solution) at (p = 0.01) than their counterparts. Significantly higher achievement for treatment students is also measured on an unannounced test (p = 0.02). Analysis of interview transcripts of both treatment and control students illustrates a Rolodex approach to problem solving employed by all students in this study. The Rolodex approach involves organizing equations used to solve problems on mental index cards and flipping through them, matching units given when a new problem is to be solved. A second phenomenon observed during student interviews is the absence of a link in the conceptual understanding of the chemical concepts involved in a problem and the problem-solving skills employed to correctly solve problems. This study shows that explicit training in categorization skills and the EMPS can lead to higher achievement in complex problem-solving situations (combination problems and unannounced test). However, such achievement may be limited by the lack of linkages between students' conceptual understanding and improved problem-solving skill.

Social problem-solving in Chinese baccalaureate nursing students.

PubMed

Fang, Jinbo; Luo, Ying; Li, Yanhua; Huang, Wenxia

2016-11-01

To describe social problem solving in Chinese baccalaureate nursing students. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with a cluster sample of 681 Chinese baccalaureate nursing students. The Chinese version of the Social Problem-Solving scale was used. Descriptive analyses, independent t-test and one-way analysis of variance were applied to analyze the data. The final year nursing students presented the highest scores of positive social problem-solving skills. Students with experiences of self-directed and problem-based learning presented significantly higher scores in Positive Problem Orientation subscale. The group with Critical thinking training experience, however, displayed higher negative problem solving scores compared with nonexperience group. Social problem solving abilities varied based upon teaching-learning strategies. Self-directed and problem-based learning may be recommended as effective way to improve social problem-solving ability. © 2016 Chinese Cochrane Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Problem Solving and Chemical Equilibrium: Successful versus Unsuccessful Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Camacho, Moises; Good, Ron

1989-01-01

Describes the problem-solving behaviors of experts and novices engaged in solving seven chemical equilibrium problems. Lists 27 behavioral tendencies of successful and unsuccessful problem solvers. Discusses several implications for a problem solving theory, think-aloud techniques, adequacy of the chemistry domain, and chemistry instruction.…

Worry and problem-solving skills and beliefs in primary school children.

PubMed

Parkinson, Monika; Creswell, Cathy

2011-03-01

To examine the association between worry and problem-solving skills and beliefs (confidence and perceived control) in primary school children. Children (8-11 years) were screened using the Penn State Worry Questionnaire for Children. High (N= 27) and low (N= 30) scorers completed measures of anxiety, problem-solving skills (generating alternative solutions to problems, planfulness, and effectiveness of solutions) and problem-solving beliefs (confidence and perceived control). High and low worry groups differed significantly on measures of anxiety and problem-solving beliefs (confidence and control) but not on problem-solving skills. Consistent with findings with adults, worry in children was associated with cognitive distortions, not skills deficits. Interventions for worried children may benefit from a focus on increasing positive problem-solving beliefs. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

The effectiveness of problem-based learning on students’ problem solving ability in vector analysis course

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mushlihuddin, R.; Nurafifah; Irvan

2018-01-01

The student’s low ability in mathematics problem solving proved to the less effective of a learning process in the classroom. Effective learning was a learning that affects student’s math skills, one of which is problem-solving abilities. Problem-solving capability consisted of several stages: understanding the problem, planning the settlement, solving the problem as planned, re-examining the procedure and the outcome. The purpose of this research was to know: (1) was there any influence of PBL model in improving ability Problem solving of student math in a subject of vector analysis?; (2) was the PBL model effective in improving students’ mathematical problem-solving skills in vector analysis courses? This research was a quasi-experiment research. The data analysis techniques performed from the test stages of data description, a prerequisite test is the normality test, and hypothesis test using the ANCOVA test and Gain test. The results showed that: (1) there was an influence of PBL model in improving students’ math problem-solving abilities in vector analysis courses; (2) the PBL model was effective in improving students’ problem-solving skills in vector analysis courses with a medium category.

Effects of Training in Problem Solving on the Problem-Solving Abilities of Gifted Fourth Graders: A Comparison of the Future Problem Solving and Instrumental Enrichment Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dufner, Hillrey A.; Alexander, Patricia A.

The differential effects of two different types of problem-solving training on the problem-solving abilities of gifted fourth graders were studied. Two successive classes of gifted fourth graders from Weslaco Independent School District (Texas) were pretested with the Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM) and Thinking Creatively With Pictures…

Social problem-solving among adolescents treated for depression.

PubMed

Becker-Weidman, Emily G; Jacobs, Rachel H; Reinecke, Mark A; Silva, Susan G; March, John S

2010-01-01

Studies suggest that deficits in social problem-solving may be associated with increased risk of depression and suicidality in children and adolescents. It is unclear, however, which specific dimensions of social problem-solving are related to depression and suicidality among youth. Moreover, rational problem-solving strategies and problem-solving motivation may moderate or predict change in depression and suicidality among children and adolescents receiving treatment. The effect of social problem-solving on acute treatment outcomes were explored in a randomized controlled trial of 439 clinically depressed adolescents enrolled in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS). Measures included the Children's Depression Rating Scale-Revised (CDRS-R), the Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire--Grades 7-9 (SIQ-Jr), and the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R). A random coefficients regression model was conducted to examine main and interaction effects of treatment and SPSI-R subscale scores on outcomes during the 12-week acute treatment stage. Negative problem orientation, positive problem orientation, and avoidant problem-solving style were non-specific predictors of depression severity. In terms of suicidality, avoidant problem-solving style and impulsiveness/carelessness style were predictors, whereas negative problem orientation and positive problem orientation were moderators of treatment outcome. Implications of these findings, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Step by Step: Biology Undergraduates’ Problem-Solving Procedures during Multiple-Choice Assessment

PubMed Central

Prevost, Luanna B.; Lemons, Paula P.

2016-01-01

This study uses the theoretical framework of domain-specific problem solving to explore the procedures students use to solve multiple-choice problems about biology concepts. We designed several multiple-choice problems and administered them on four exams. We trained students to produce written descriptions of how they solved the problem, and this allowed us to systematically investigate their problem-solving procedures. We identified a range of procedures and organized them as domain general, domain specific, or hybrid. We also identified domain-general and domain-specific errors made by students during problem solving. We found that students use domain-general and hybrid procedures more frequently when solving lower-order problems than higher-order problems, while they use domain-specific procedures more frequently when solving higher-order problems. Additionally, the more domain-specific procedures students used, the higher the likelihood that they would answer the problem correctly, up to five procedures. However, if students used just one domain-general procedure, they were as likely to answer the problem correctly as if they had used two to five domain-general procedures. Our findings provide a categorization scheme and framework for additional research on biology problem solving and suggest several important implications for researchers and instructors. PMID:27909021

Ethical dilemmas in personality assessment courses: using the classroom for in vivo training.

PubMed

Yalof, J; Brabender, V

2001-10-01

In this article, we argue that the student's first lessons in ethical decision making in personality assessment are in those assessment courses that have a practice component. In these courses, the student has an opportunity to experience in vivo how ethical problems are identified, addressed, and resolved. The faculty member's demonstration of a process wherein the ethical principles activated are highlighted and explored, will enable students to internalize a model for addressing future dilemmas. Four particular ethical situations are considered: (a) the students' procurement of personal experience with personality testing, (b) the identification of assessment participants, (c) the development of informed consent procedures for assessment participants, and (d) classroom presentations. This discussion does not provide concrete solutions to ethical problems but offers a consideration of the relevant ethical principles that any adequate solution must encompass.

WE-D-303-01: Development and Application of Digital Human Phantoms

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Segars, P.

2015-06-15

Modern medical physics deals with complex problems such as 4D radiation therapy and imaging quality optimization. Such problems involve a large number of radiological parameters, and anatomical and physiological breathing patterns. A major challenge is how to develop, test, evaluate and compare various new imaging and treatment techniques, which often involves testing over a large range of radiological parameters as well as varying patient anatomies and motions. It would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, both ethically and practically, to test every combination of parameters and every task on every type of patient under clinical conditions. Computer-based simulation using computationalmore » phantoms offers a practical technique with which to evaluate, optimize, and compare imaging technologies and methods. Within simulation, the computerized phantom provides a virtual model of the patient’s anatomy and physiology. Imaging data can be generated from it as if it was a live patient using accurate models of the physics of the imaging and treatment process. With sophisticated simulation algorithms, it is possible to perform virtual experiments entirely on the computer. By serving as virtual patients, computational phantoms hold great promise in solving some of the most complex problems in modern medical physics. In this proposed symposium, we will present the history and recent developments of computational phantom models, share experiences in their application to advanced imaging and radiation applications, and discuss their promises and limitations. Learning Objectives: Understand the need and requirements of computational phantoms in medical physics research Discuss the developments and applications of computational phantoms Know the promises and limitations of computational phantoms in solving complex problems.« less

Disciplinary Foundations for Solving Interdisciplinary Scientific Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Dongmei; Shen, Ji

2015-01-01

Problem-solving has been one of the major strands in science education research. But much of the problem-solving research has been conducted on discipline-based contexts; little research has been done on how students, especially individuals, solve interdisciplinary problems. To understand how individuals reason about interdisciplinary problems, we…

Engineering students' experiences and perceptions of workplace problem solving

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Rui

In this study, I interviewed 22 engineering Co-Op students about their workplace problem solving experiences and reflections and explored: 1) Of Co-Op students who experienced workplace problem solving, what are the different ways in which students experience workplace problem solving? 2) How do students perceive a) the differences between workplace problem solving and classroom problem solving and b) in what areas are they prepared by their college education to solve workplace problems? To answer my first research question, I analyzed data through the lens of phenomenography and I conducted thematic analysis to answer my second research question. The results of this study have implications for engineering education and engineering practice. Specifically, the results reveal the different ways students experience workplace problem solving, which provide engineering educators and practicing engineers a better understanding of the nature of workplace engineering. In addition, the results indicate that there is still a gap between classroom engineering and workplace engineering. For engineering educators who aspire to prepare students to be future engineers, it is imperative to design problem solving experiences that can better prepare students with workplace competency.

Problem-Solving Deficits in Iranian People with Borderline Personality Disorder

PubMed Central

Akbari Dehaghi, Ashraf; Kaviani, Hossein; Tamanaeefar, Shima

2014-01-01

Objective: Interventions for people suffering from borderline personality disorder (BPD), such as dialectical behavior therapy, often include a problem-solving component. However, there is an absence of published studies examining the problem-solving abilities of this client group in Iran. The study compared inpatients and outpatients with BPD and a control group on problem-solving capabilities in an Iranian sample. It was hypothesized that patients with BPD would have more deficiencies in this area. Methods: Fifteen patients with BPD were compared to 15 healthy participants. Means-ends problem-solving task (MEPS) was used to measure problem-solving skills in both groups. Results: BPD group reported less effective strategies in solving problems as opposed to the healthy group. Compared to the control group, participants with BPD provided empirical support for the use of problem-solving interventions with people suffering from BPD. Conclusions: The findings supported the idea that a problem-solving intervention can be efficiently applied either as a stand-alone therapy or in conjunction with other available psychotherapies to treat people with BPD. PMID:25798169

Enhancing memory and imagination improves problem solving among individuals with depression.

PubMed

McFarland, Craig P; Primosch, Mark; Maxson, Chelsey M; Stewart, Brandon T

2017-08-01

Recent work has revealed links between memory, imagination, and problem solving, and suggests that increasing access to detailed memories can lead to improved imagination and problem-solving performance. Depression is often associated with overgeneral memory and imagination, along with problem-solving deficits. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that an interview designed to elicit detailed recollections would enhance imagination and problem solving among both depressed and nondepressed participants. In a within-subjects design, participants completed a control interview or an episodic specificity induction prior to completing memory, imagination, and problem-solving tasks. Results revealed that compared to the control interview, the episodic specificity induction fostered increased detail generation in memory and imagination and more relevant steps on the problem-solving task among depressed and nondepressed participants. This study builds on previous work by demonstrating that a brief interview can enhance problem solving among individuals with depression and supports the notion that episodic memory plays a key role in problem solving. It should be noted, however, that the results of the interview are relatively short-lived.

Measuring Family Problem Solving: The Family Problem Solving Diary.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kieren, Dianne K.

The development and use of the family problem-solving diary are described. The diary is one of several indicators and measures of family problem-solving behavior. It provides a record of each person's perception of day-to-day family problems (what the problem concerns, what happened, who got involved, what those involved did, how the problem…

Clinical ethics revisited

PubMed Central

Singer, Peter A; Pellegrino, Edmund D; Siegler, Mark

2001-01-01

A decade ago, we reviewed the field of clinical ethics; assessed its progress in research, education, and ethics committees and consultation; and made predictions about the future of the field. In this article, we revisit clinical ethics to examine our earlier observations, highlight key developments, and discuss remaining challenges for clinical ethics, including the need to develop a global perspective on clinical ethics problems. PMID:11346456

Six Challenges for Ethical Conduct in Science.

PubMed

Niemi, Petteri

2016-08-01

The realities of human agency and decision making pose serious challenges for research ethics. This article explores six major challenges that require more attention in the ethics education of students and scientists and in the research on ethical conduct in science. The first of them is the routinization of action, which makes the detection of ethical issues difficult. The social governance of action creates ethical problems related to power. The heuristic nature of human decision making implies the risk of ethical bias. The moral disengagement mechanisms represent a human tendency to evade personal responsibility. The greatest challenge of all might be the situational variation in people's ethical behaviour. Even minor situational factors have a surprisingly strong influence on our actions. Furthermore, finally, the nature of ethics itself also causes problems: instead of clear answers, we receive a multitude of theories and intuitions that may sometimes be contradictory. All these features of action and ethics represent significant risks for ethical conduct in science. I claim that they have to be managed within the everyday practices of science and addressed explicitly in research ethics education. I analyse them and suggest some ways in which their risks can be alleviated.

Goal specificity and knowledge acquisition in statistics problem solving: evidence for attentional focus.

PubMed

Trumpower, David L; Goldsmith, Timothy E; Guynn, Melissa J

2004-12-01

Solving training problems with nonspecific goals (NG; i.e., solving for all possible unknown values) often results in better transfer than solving training problems with standard goals (SG; i.e., solving for one particular unknown value). In this study, we evaluated an attentional focus explanation of the goal specificity effect. According to the attentional focus view, solving NG problems causes attention to be directed to local relations among successive problem states, whereas solving SG problems causes attention to be directed to relations between the various problem states and the goal state. Attention to the former is thought to enhance structural knowledge about the problem domain and thus promote transfer. Results supported this view because structurally different transfer problems were solved faster following NG training than following SG training. Moreover, structural knowledge representations revealed more links depicting local relations following NG training and more links to the training goal following SG training. As predicted, these effects were obtained only by domain novices.

Quality of life and ethics.

PubMed

Fumincelli, Laís; Mazzo, Alessandra; Martins, José Carlos Amado; Mendes, Isabel Amélia Costa

2017-01-01

In health, ethics is an essential aspect of practice and care and guarantees a better quality of life for patients and their caregivers. To outline a conceptual analysis of quality of life and ethics, identifying attributes, contexts and magnitudes for health. A qualitative design about quality of life and ethics in health, considering the evolutionary approach in order to analyse the concept. To collect the data, a search was done using the keywords ethic*, quality of life and health. After, in total, 152 studies were found, finalizing seven relevant studies for the proposed concept analysis. Of seven studies analysed, their main results were shown by means of antecedents, consequences and attributes of the concepts. The three final attributes that synthesize the concept of quality of life and ethics in health were highlighted: Ethics dilemmas and quality of life; Human ethics and quality of life; and Ethics of care and quality of life. In fact, the attributes and context clearly reveal that ethics and quality of life influence the ability to solve ethical dilemmas, guarantee human ethics in healthcare and impact ethics in healthcare for the production of effective health policies and care that encompasses professional quality of life as well. The magnitude of ethical knowledge in each professional discipline permits cultivating a solidary attitude and developing the willingness to improve healthcare. The right to access, dignity and respect in care delivery are rooted in behaviours and are spontaneously applied in practice to the extent that they play an ethical role.

Problem-Solving After Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescence: Associations With Functional Outcomes

PubMed Central

Wade, Shari L.; Cassedy, Amy E.; Fulks, Lauren E.; Taylor, H. Gerry; Stancin, Terry; Kirkwood, Michael W.; Yeates, Keith O.; Kurowski, Brad G.

2017-01-01

Objective To examine the association of problem-solving with functioning in youth with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Cross-sectional evaluation of pretreatment data from a randomized controlled trial. Setting Four children’s hospitals and 1 general hospital, with level 1 trauma units. Participants Youth, ages 11 to 18 years, who sustained moderate or severe TBI in the last 18 months (N=153). Main Outcome Measures Problem-solving skills were assessed using the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI) and the Dodge Social Information Processing Short Stories. Everyday functioning was assessed based on a structured clinical interview using the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) and via adolescent ratings on the Youth Self Report (YSR). Correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to examine associations among measures. Results The TBI group endorsed lower levels of maladaptive problem-solving (negative problem orientation, careless/impulsive responding, and avoidant style) and lower levels of rational problem-solving, resulting in higher total problem-solving scores for the TBI group compared with a normative sample (P<.001). Dodge Social Information Processing Short Stories dimensions were correlated (r=.23–.37) with SPSI subscales in the anticipated direction. Although both maladaptive (P<.001) and adaptive (P=.006) problem-solving composites were associated with overall functioning on the CAFAS, only maladaptive problem-solving (P<.001) was related to the YSR total when outcomes were continuous. For the both CAFAS and YSR logistic models, maladaptive style was significantly associated with greater risk of impairment (P=.001). Conclusions Problem-solving after TBI differs from normative samples and is associated with functional impairments. The relation of problem-solving deficits after TBI with global functioning merits further investigation, with consideration of the potential effects of problem-solving interventions on functional outcomes. PMID:28389109

Problem-Solving After Traumatic Brain Injury in Adolescence: Associations With Functional Outcomes.

PubMed

Wade, Shari L; Cassedy, Amy E; Fulks, Lauren E; Taylor, H Gerry; Stancin, Terry; Kirkwood, Michael W; Yeates, Keith O; Kurowski, Brad G

2017-08-01

To examine the association of problem-solving with functioning in youth with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cross-sectional evaluation of pretreatment data from a randomized controlled trial. Four children's hospitals and 1 general hospital, with level 1 trauma units. Youth, ages 11 to 18 years, who sustained moderate or severe TBI in the last 18 months (N=153). Problem-solving skills were assessed using the Social Problem-Solving Inventory (SPSI) and the Dodge Social Information Processing Short Stories. Everyday functioning was assessed based on a structured clinical interview using the Child and Adolescent Functional Assessment Scale (CAFAS) and via adolescent ratings on the Youth Self Report (YSR). Correlations and multiple regression analyses were used to examine associations among measures. The TBI group endorsed lower levels of maladaptive problem-solving (negative problem orientation, careless/impulsive responding, and avoidant style) and lower levels of rational problem-solving, resulting in higher total problem-solving scores for the TBI group compared with a normative sample (P<.001). Dodge Social Information Processing Short Stories dimensions were correlated (r=.23-.37) with SPSI subscales in the anticipated direction. Although both maladaptive (P<.001) and adaptive (P=.006) problem-solving composites were associated with overall functioning on the CAFAS, only maladaptive problem-solving (P<.001) was related to the YSR total when outcomes were continuous. For the both CAFAS and YSR logistic models, maladaptive style was significantly associated with greater risk of impairment (P=.001). Problem-solving after TBI differs from normative samples and is associated with functional impairments. The relation of problem-solving deficits after TBI with global functioning merits further investigation, with consideration of the potential effects of problem-solving interventions on functional outcomes. Copyright © 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Value of Environmental Ethics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hargrove, Eugene C.

1987-01-01

Discusses some of the views of environmentalists toward the study of environmental ethics. Addresses the problem that environmental ethics literature is difficult to read and argues that certain opinions about the value of the study of environmental ethics are rooted in misconceptions. (TW)

Health impacts and research ethics in female trafficking.

PubMed

Dhital, S R; Aro, R A; Sapkota, K

2011-04-01

Female trafficking is a social and public health problem, associated with physical and sexual abuse, psychological trauma, injuries from violence, sexually transmitted infections, adverse reproductive outcomes and substance misuse. It faces several challenges ranging from the hidden nature of the problem to ethical and human rights issues. The objectives of this paper are to analyze health impact of trafficking; ethical and research issues and anti-trafficking strategies in the Nepalese context. We collected published and unpublished data assessing the public health, ethical burden and research needs from different sources. Trafficked female involved in sex-industry that face grave situation as depicted and it might a reservoir of sexually transmitted diseases. Ethical issues related to survey of assessing the burden are difficult to carry out. The best ways to prevent and control these problems are to enhance anti- trafficking laws and raise awareness, empower and mobilize females and establish organizational capacity.

It's not all about moral reasoning: Understanding the content of Moral Case Deliberation.

PubMed

Svantesson, Mia; Silén, Marit; James, Inger

2018-03-01

Moral Case Deliberation is one form of clinical ethics support described as a facilitator-led collective moral reasoning by healthcare professionals on a concrete moral question connected to their practice. Evaluation research is needed, but, as human interaction is difficult to standardise, there is a need to capture the content beyond moral reasoning. This allows for a better understanding of Moral Case Deliberation, which may contribute to further development of valid outcome criteria and stimulate the normative discussion of what Moral Case Deliberation should contain. To explore and compare the content beyond moral reasoning in the dialogue in Moral Case Deliberation at Swedish workplaces. A mixed-methods approach was applied for analysing audio-recordings of 70 periodic Moral Case Deliberation meetings at 10 Swedish workplaces. Moral Case Deliberation facilitators and various healthcare professions participated, with registered nurses comprising the majority. Ethical considerations: No objection to the study was made by an Ethical Review Board. After oral and written information was provided, consent to be recorded was assumed by virtue of participation. Other than 'moral reasoning' (median (md): 45% of the spoken time), the Moral Case Deliberations consisted of 'reflections on the psychosocial work environment' to a varying extent (md: 29%). Additional content comprised 'assumptions about the patient's psychosocial situation' (md: 6%), 'facts about the patient's situation' (md: 5%), 'concrete problem-solving' (md: 6%) and 'process' (md: 3%). The findings suggest that a restorative function of staff's wellbeing in Moral Case Deliberation is needed, as this might contribute to good patient care. This supports outcome criteria of improved emotional support, which may include relief of moral distress. However, facilitators need a strategy for how to proceed from the participants' own emotional needs and to develop the use of their emotional knowing to focus on the ethically difficult patient situation.

Summoning compassion to address the challenges of conservation.

PubMed

Wallach, Arian D; Bekoff, Marc; Batavia, Chelsea; Nelson, Michael P; Ramp, Daniel

2018-04-27

Conservation practice is informed by science, but also reflects ethical beliefs about how we ought to value and interact with the Earth's biota. As human activities continue to drive extinctions and diminish critical life-sustaining ecosystem processes, achieving conservation goals becomes increasingly urgent. In our determination to react decisively, conservation challenges can be handled without due deliberation, particularly when wildlife individuals are sacrificed "for the greater good" of wildlife collectives (populations, species, ecosystems). With growing recognition of the widespread sentience and sapience of many nonhuman animals, standard conservation practices that categorically prioritize collectives without due consideration for the wellbeing of individuals are ethically untenable. Here we highlight three overarching ethical orientations characterizing current and historical practices in conservation that suppress compassion: instrumentalism, collectivism, and nativism. We illustrate how establishing a commitment to compassion could re-orient conservation in more ethically expansive directions, which incorporate recognition of the intrinsic value of wildlife, the sentience of nonhuman animals, and the values of novel ecosystems, introduced species and their members. A compassionate conservation approach allays practices that intentionally and unnecessarily harm wildlife individuals, while aligning with critical conservation goals. Although the urgency of achieving effective outcomes for solving major conservation problems may enhance the appeal of quick and harsh measures, the costs are too high. Continuing to justify moral indifference when causing the suffering of wildlife individuals, particularly those who possess sophisticated capacities for emotion, consciousness, and sociality, risks estranging conservation practice from prevailing, and appropriate, social values. As conservationists and compassionate beings, we must demonstrate concern for both the long-term persistence of collectives and the wellbeing of individuals, prioritizing strategies that do both. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Ensuring respect for persons in COMPASS: a cluster randomised pragmatic clinical trial.

PubMed

Andrews, Joseph E; Moore, J Brian; Weinberg, Richard B; Sissine, Mysha; Gesell, Sabina; Halladay, Jacquie; Rosamond, Wayne; Bushnell, Cheryl; Jones, Sara; Means, Paula; King, Nancy M P; Omoyeni, Diana; Duncan, Pamela W

2018-05-02

Cluster randomised clinical trials present unique challenges in meeting ethical obligations to those who are treated at a randomised site. Obtaining informed consent for research within the context of clinical care is one such challenge. In order to solve this problem it is important that an informed consent process be effective and efficient, and that it does not impede the research or the healthcare. The innovative approach to informed consent employed in the COMPASS study demonstrates the feasibility of upholding ethical standards without imposing undue burden on clinical workflows, staff members or patients who may participate in the research by virtue of their presence in a cluster randomised facility. The COMPASS study included 40 randomised sites and compared the effectiveness of a postacute stroke intervention with standard care. Each site provided either the comprehensive postacute stroke intervention or standard care according to the randomisation assignment. Working together, the study team, institutional review board and members of the community designed an ethically appropriate and operationally reasonable consent process which was carried out successfully at all randomised sites. This achievement is noteworthy because it demonstrates how to effectively conduct appropriate informed consent in cluster randomised trials, and because it provides a model that can easily be adapted for other pragmatic studies. With this innovative approach to informed consent, patients have access to the information they need about research occurring where they are seeking care, and medical researchers can conduct their studies without ethical concerns or unreasonable logistical impediments. NCT02588664, recruiting. This article covers the development of consent process that is currentlty being employed in the study. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

New Ideas on the Design of the Web-Based Learning System Oriented to Problem Solving from the Perspective of Question Chain and Learning Community

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Yin; Chu, Samuel K. W.

2016-01-01

In recent years, a number of models concerning problem solving systems have been put forward. However, many of them stress on technology and neglect the research of problem solving itself, especially the learning mechanism related to problem solving. In this paper, we analyze the learning mechanism of problem solving, and propose that when…

Perceived problem solving, stress, and health among college students.

PubMed

Largo-Wight, Erin; Peterson, P Michael; Chen, W William

2005-01-01

To study the relationships among perceived problem solving, stress, and physical health. The Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), Personal Problem solving Inventory (PSI), and a stress-related physical health symptoms checklist were used to measure perceived stress, problem solving, and health among undergraduate college students (N = 232). Perceived problem-solving ability predicted self-reported physical health symptoms (R2 = .12; P < .001) and perceived stress (R2 = .19; P < .001). Perceived problem solving was a stronger predictor of physical health and perceived stress than were physical activity, alcohol consumption, or social support. Implications for college health promotion are discussed.

Problem-solving rubrics revisited: Attending to the blending of informal conceptual and formal mathematical reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Michael M.; Kuo, Eric; Gupta, Ayush; Elby, Andrew

2013-06-01

Much research in engineering and physics education has focused on improving students’ problem-solving skills. This research has led to the development of step-by-step problem-solving strategies and grading rubrics to assess a student’s expertise in solving problems using these strategies. These rubrics value “communication” between the student’s qualitative description of the physical situation and the student’s formal mathematical descriptions (usually equations) at two points: when initially setting up the equations, and when evaluating the final mathematical answer for meaning and plausibility. We argue that (i) neither the rubrics nor the associated problem-solving strategies explicitly value this kind of communication during mathematical manipulations of the chosen equations, and (ii) such communication is an aspect of problem-solving expertise. To make this argument, we present a case study of two students, Alex and Pat, solving the same kinematics problem in clinical interviews. We argue that Pat’s solution, which connects manipulation of equations to their physical interpretation, is more expertlike than Alex’s solution, which uses equations more algorithmically. We then show that the types of problem-solving rubrics currently available do not discriminate between these two types of solutions. We conclude that problem-solving rubrics should be revised or repurposed to more accurately assess problem-solving expertise.

Ethical challenges in nursing homes--staff's opinions and experiences with systematic ethics meetings with participation of residents' relatives.

PubMed

Bollig, Georg; Schmidt, Gerda; Rosland, Jan Henrik; Heller, Andreas

2015-12-01

Many ethical problems exist in nursing homes. These include, for example, decision-making in end-of-life care, use of restraints and a lack of resources. The aim of the present study was to investigate nursing home staffs' opinions and experiences with ethical challenges and to find out which types of ethical challenges and dilemmas occur and are being discussed in nursing homes. The study used a two-tiered approach, using a questionnaire on ethical challenges and systematic ethics work, given to all employees of a Norwegian nursing home including nonmedical personnel, and a registration of systematic ethics discussions from an Austrian model of good clinical practice. Ninety-one per cent of the nursing home staff described ethical problems as a burden. Ninety per cent experienced ethical problems in their daily work. The top three ethical challenges reported by the nursing home staff were as follows: lack of resources (79%), end-of-life issues (39%) and coercion (33%). To improve systematic ethics work, most employees suggested ethics education (86%) and time for ethics discussion (82%). Of 33 documented ethics meetings from Austria during a 1-year period, 29 were prospective resident ethics meetings where decisions for a resident had to be made. Agreement about a solution was reached in all 29 cases, and this consensus was put into practice in all cases. Residents did not participate in the meetings, while relatives participated in a majority of case discussions. In many cases, the main topic was end-of-life care and life-prolonging treatment. Lack of resources, end-of-life issues and coercion were ethical challenges most often reported by nursing home staff. The staff would appreciate systematic ethics work to aid decision-making. Resident ethics meetings can help to reach consensus in decision-making for nursing home patients. In the future, residents' participation should be encouraged whenever possible. © 2015 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Nordic College of Caring Science.

[Medical ethics and patient responsibility].

PubMed

Gajda, Z

1998-01-01

When we say "medical ethics" we understand the responsibility of the physician for his medical education and his attitude to his patient. But Hippocrates is known to have said that the efficiency and good results of the treatment depends not only on the physician but on the patient and his engagement, his observance of the doctors' advice, his attitude to his own psyche and body, both in health as in illness. This is an ethical problem known to every practitioner, the problem of ethics of the patient, which ought to be more widely disseminated in society.

Examining Tasks that Facilitate the Experience of Incubation While Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Both, Lilly; Needham, Douglas; Wood, Eileen

2004-01-01

The three studies presented here contrasted the problem-solving outcomes of university students when a break was provided or not provided during a problem-solving session. In addition, two studies explored the effect of providing hints (priming) and the placement of hints during the problem-solving session. First, the ability to solve a previously…

Evaluating moral reasoning in nursing education.

PubMed

McLeod-Sordjan, Renee

2014-06-01

Evidence-based practice suggests the best approach to improving professionalism in practice is ethics curricula. However, recent research has demonstrated that millennium graduates do not advocate for patients or assert themselves during moral conflicts. The aim of this article is the exploration of evaluation techniques to evaluate one measurable outcome of ethics curricula: moral reasoning. A review of literature, published between 1995 and 2013, demonstrated that the moral orientations of care and justice as conceptualized by Gilligan and Kohlberg are utilized by nursing students to solve ethical dilemmas. Data obtained by means of reflective journaling, Ethics of Care Interview (ECI) and Defining Issues Test (DIT), would objectively measure the interrelated pathways of care-based and justice-based moral reasoning. In conclusion, educators have an ethical responsibility to foster students' ability to exercise sound clinical judgment, and support their professional development. It is recommended that educators design authentic assessments to demonstrate student's improvement of moral reasoning. © The Author(s) 2013.

The potential of crowdsourcing to improve patient-centered care.

PubMed

Weiner, Michael

2014-01-01

Crowdsourcing (CS) is the outsourcing of a problem or task to a crowd. Although patient-centered care (PCC) may aim to be tailored to an individual's needs, the uses of CS for generating ideas, identifying values, solving problems, facilitating research, and educating an audience represent powerful roles that can shape both allocation of shared resources and delivery of personalized care and treatment. CS can often be conducted quickly and at relatively low cost. Pitfalls include bias, risks of research ethics, inadequate quality of data, inadequate metrics, and observer-expectancy effect. Health professionals and consumers in the US should increase their attention to CS for the benefit of PCC. Patients' participation in CS to shape health policy and decisions is one way to pursue PCC itself and may help to improve clinical outcomes through a better understanding of patients' perspectives. CS should especially be used to traverse the quality-cost curve, or decrease costs while preserving or improving quality of care.

The profile of students’ problem-solving skill in physics across interest program in the secondary school

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jua, S. K.; Sarwanto; Sukarmin

2018-05-01

Problem-solving skills are important skills in physics. However, according to some researchers, the problem-solving skill of Indonesian students’ problem in physics learning is categorized still low. The purpose of this study was to identify the profile of problem-solving skills of students who follow the across the interests program of physics. The subjects of the study were high school students of Social Sciences, grade X. The type of this research was descriptive research. The data which used to analyze the problem-solving skills were obtained through student questionnaires and the test results with impulse materials and collision. From the descriptive analysis results, the percentage of students’ problem-solving skill based on the test was 52.93% and indicators respectively. These results indicated that students’ problem-solving skill is categorized low.

Between universalism and relativism: a conceptual exploration of problems in formulating and applying international biomedical ethical guidelines.

PubMed

Tangwa, G B

2004-02-01

In this paper, the author attempts to explore some of the problems connected with the formulation and application of international biomedical ethical guidelines, with particular reference to Africa. Recent attempts at revising and updating some international medical ethical guidelines have been bedevilled by intractable controversies and wrangling regarding both the content and formulation. From the vantage position of relative familiarity with both African and Western contexts, and the privilege of having been involved in the revision and updating of one of the international ethical guidelines, the author reflects broadly on these issues and attempts prescribing an approach from both the theoretical and practical angles liable to mitigate, if not completely eliminate, some of the problems and difficulties.

Consequences Identification in Forecasting and Ethical Decision-making

PubMed Central

Stenmark, Cheryl K.; Antes, Alison L.; Thiel, Chase E.; Caughron, Jared J.; Wang, Xiaoqian; Mumford, Michael D.

2015-01-01

Forecasting involves predicting outcomes based on observations of the situation at hand. We examined the impact of the number and types of consequences considered on the quality of ethical decision-making. Undergraduates role-played several ethical problems in which they forecast potential outcomes and made decisions. Performance pressure (difficult demands placed on the situation) and interpersonal conflict (clashes among people in the problem situation) were manipulated within each problem scenario. The results indicated that the identification of potential consequences was positively associated with both higher quality forecasts and more ethical decisions. Neither performance pressure nor interpersonal conflict affected the quality of forecasts or decisions. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and the use of this research approach are discussed. PMID:21460584

A New Problem-Posing Approach Based on Problem-Solving Strategy: Analyzing Pre-Service Primary School Teachers' Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kiliç, Çigdem

2017-01-01

This study examined pre-service primary school teachers' performance in posing problems that require knowledge of problem-solving strategies. Quantitative and qualitative methods were combined. The 120 participants were asked to pose a problem that could be solved by using the find-a-pattern a particular problem-solving strategy. After that,…

Case of Two Electrostatics Problems: Can Providing a Diagram Adversely Impact Introductory Physics Students' Problem Solving Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maries, Alexandru; Singh, Chandralekha

2018-01-01

Drawing appropriate diagrams is a useful problem solving heuristic that can transform a problem into a representation that is easier to exploit for solving it. One major focus while helping introductory physics students learn effective problem solving is to help them understand that drawing diagrams can facilitate problem solution. We conducted an…

School Leaders' Problem Framing: A Sense-Making Approach to Problem-Solving Processes of Beginning School Leaders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sleegers, Peter; Wassink, Hartger; van Veen, Klaas; Imants, Jeroen

2009-01-01

In addition to cognitive research on school leaders' problem solving, this study focuses on the situated and personal nature of problem framing by combining insights from cognitive research on problem solving and sense-making theory. The study reports the results of a case study of two school leaders solving problems in their daily context by…

The Place of Problem Solving in Contemporary Mathematics Curriculum Documents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stacey, Kaye

2005-01-01

This paper reviews the presentation of problem solving and process aspects of mathematics in curriculum documents from Australia, UK, USA and Singapore. The place of problem solving in the documents is reviewed and contrasted, and illustrative problems from teachers' support materials are used to demonstrate how problem solving is now more often…

Translation among Symbolic Representations in Problem-Solving. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shavelson, Richard J.; And Others

This study investigated the relationships among the symbolic representation of problems given to students to solve, the mental representations they use to solve the problems, and the accuracy of their solutions. Twenty eleventh-grade science students were asked to think aloud as they solved problems on the ideal gas laws. The problems were…

Using Students' Representations Constructed during Problem Solving to Infer Conceptual Understanding

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Domin, Daniel; Bodner, George

2012-01-01

The differences in the types of representations constructed during successful and unsuccessful problem-solving episodes were investigated within the context of graduate students working on problems that involve concepts from 2D-NMR. Success at problem solving was established by having the participants solve five problems relating to material just…

Errors and Understanding: The Effects of Error-Management Training on Creative Problem-Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robledo, Issac C.; Hester, Kimberly S.; Peterson, David R.; Barrett, Jamie D.; Day, Eric A.; Hougen, Dean P.; Mumford, Michael D.

2012-01-01

People make errors in their creative problem-solving efforts. The intent of this article was to assess whether error-management training would improve performance on creative problem-solving tasks. Undergraduates were asked to solve an educational leadership problem known to call for creative thought where problem solutions were scored for…

Encouraging Sixth-Grade Students' Problem-Solving Performance by Teaching through Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bostic, Jonathan D.; Pape, Stephen J.; Jacobbe, Tim

2016-01-01

This teaching experiment provided students with continuous engagement in a problem-solving based instructional approach during one mathematics unit. Three sections of sixth-grade mathematics were sampled from a school in Florida, U.S.A. and one section was randomly assigned to experience teaching through problem solving. Students' problem-solving…

King Oedipus and the Problem Solving Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borchardt, Donald A.

An analysis of the problem solving process reveals at least three options: (1) finding the cause, (2) solving the problem, and (3) anticipating potential problems. These methods may be illustrated by examining "Oedipus Tyrannus," a play in which a king attempts to deal with a problem that appears to be beyond his ability to solve, and…

Problem Solving with the Elementary Youngster.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Swartz, Vicki

This paper explores research on problem solving and suggests a problem-solving approach to elementary school social studies, using a culture study of the ancient Egyptians and King Tut as a sample unit. The premise is that problem solving is particularly effective in dealing with problems which do not have one simple and correct answer but rather…

The Effect of Learning Environments Based on Problem Solving on Students' Achievements of Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karatas, Ilhan; Baki, Adnan

2013-01-01

Problem solving is recognized as an important life skill involving a range of processes including analyzing, interpreting, reasoning, predicting, evaluating and reflecting. For that reason educating students as efficient problem solvers is an important role of mathematics education. Problem solving skill is the centre of mathematics curriculum.…

The needs analysis of learning Inventive Problem Solving for technical and vocational students

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sai'en, Shanty; Tze Kiong, Tee; Yunos, Jailani Md; Foong, Lee Ming; Heong, Yee Mei; Mohaffyza Mohamad, Mimi

2017-08-01

Malaysian Ministry of Education highlighted in their National Higher Education Strategic plan that higher education’s need to focus adopting 21st century skills in order to increase a graduate’s employability. Current research indicates that most graduate lack of problem solving skills to help them securing the job. Realising the important of this skill hence an alternative way suggested as an option for high institution’s student to solve their problem. This study was undertaken to measure the level of problem solving skills, identify the needs of learning inventive problem solving skills and the needs of developing an Inventive problem solving module. Using a questionnaire, the study sampled 132 students from Faculty of Technical and Vocational Education. Findings indicated that majority of the students fail to define what is an inventive problem and the root cause of a problem. They also unable to state the objectives and goal thus fail to solve the problem. As a result, the students agreed on the developing Inventive Problem Solving Module to assist them.

Automation and adaptation: Nurses' problem-solving behavior following the implementation of bar coded medication administration technology.

PubMed

Holden, Richard J; Rivera-Rodriguez, A Joy; Faye, Héléne; Scanlon, Matthew C; Karsh, Ben-Tzion

2013-08-01

The most common change facing nurses today is new technology, particularly bar coded medication administration technology (BCMA). However, there is a dearth of knowledge on how BCMA alters nursing work. This study investigated how BCMA technology affected nursing work, particularly nurses' operational problem-solving behavior. Cognitive systems engineering observations and interviews were conducted after the implementation of BCMA in three nursing units of a freestanding pediatric hospital. Problem-solving behavior, associated problems, and goals, were specifically defined and extracted from observed episodes of care. Three broad themes regarding BCMA's impact on problem solving were identified. First, BCMA allowed nurses to invent new problem-solving behavior to deal with pre-existing problems. Second, BCMA made it difficult or impossible to apply some problem-solving behaviors that were commonly used pre-BCMA, often requiring nurses to use potentially risky workarounds to achieve their goals. Third, BCMA created new problems that nurses were either able to solve using familiar or novel problem-solving behaviors, or unable to solve effectively. Results from this study shed light on hidden hazards and suggest three critical design needs: (1) ecologically valid design; (2) anticipatory control; and (3) basic usability. Principled studies of the actual nature of clinicians' work, including problem solving, are necessary to uncover hidden hazards and to inform health information technology design and redesign.

Automation and adaptation: Nurses’ problem-solving behavior following the implementation of bar coded medication administration technology

PubMed Central

Holden, Richard J.; Rivera-Rodriguez, A. Joy; Faye, Héléne; Scanlon, Matthew C.; Karsh, Ben-Tzion

2012-01-01

The most common change facing nurses today is new technology, particularly bar coded medication administration technology (BCMA). However, there is a dearth of knowledge on how BCMA alters nursing work. This study investigated how BCMA technology affected nursing work, particularly nurses’ operational problem-solving behavior. Cognitive systems engineering observations and interviews were conducted after the implementation of BCMA in three nursing units of a freestanding pediatric hospital. Problem-solving behavior, associated problems, and goals, were specifically defined and extracted from observed episodes of care. Three broad themes regarding BCMA’s impact on problem solving were identified. First, BCMA allowed nurses to invent new problem-solving behavior to deal with pre-existing problems. Second, BCMA made it difficult or impossible to apply some problem-solving behaviors that were commonly used pre-BCMA, often requiring nurses to use potentially risky workarounds to achieve their goals. Third, BCMA created new problems that nurses were either able to solve using familiar or novel problem-solving behaviors, or unable to solve effectively. Results from this study shed light on hidden hazards and suggest three critical design needs: (1) ecologically valid design; (2) anticipatory control; and (3) basic usability. Principled studies of the actual nature of clinicians’ work, including problem solving, are necessary to uncover hidden hazards and to inform health information technology design and redesign. PMID:24443642

Do problem-solving skills affect success in nursing process applications? An application among Turkish nursing students.

PubMed

Bayindir Çevik, Ayfer; Olgun, Nermin

2015-04-01

This study aimed to determine the relationship between problem-solving and nursing process application skills of nursing. This is a longitudinal and correlational study. The sample included 71 students. An information form, Problem-Solving Inventory, and nursing processes the students presented at the end of clinical courses were used for data collection. Although there was no significant relationship between problem-solving skills and nursing process grades, improving problem-solving skills increased successful grades. Problem-solving skills and nursing process skills can be concomitantly increased. Students were suggested to use critical thinking, practical approaches, and care plans, as well as revising nursing processes in order to improve their problem-solving skills and nursing process application skills. © 2014 NANDA International, Inc.

Lecture-based versus problem-based learning in ethics education among nursing students.

PubMed

Khatiban, Mahnaz; Falahan, Seyede Nayereh; Amini, Roya; Farahanchi, Afshin; Soltanian, Alireza

2018-01-01

Moral reasoning is a vital skill in the nursing profession. Teaching moral reasoning to students is necessary toward promoting nursing ethics. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of problem-based learning and lecture-based methods in ethics education in improving (1) moral decision-making, (2) moral reasoning, (3) moral development, and (4) practical reasoning among nursing students. This is a repeated measurement quasi-experimental study. Participants and research context: The participants were nursing students in a University of Medical Sciences in west of Iran who were randomly assigned to the lecture-based (n = 33) or the problem-based learning (n = 33) groups. The subjects were provided nursing ethics education in four 2-h sessions. The educational content was similar, but the training methods were different. The subjects completed the Nursing Dilemma Test before, immediately after, and 1 month after the training. The data were analyzed and compared using the SPSS-16 software. Ethical considerations: The program was explained to the students, all of whom signed an informed consent form at the baseline. The two groups were similar in personal characteristics (p > 0.05). A significant improvement was observed in the mean scores on moral development in the problem-based learning compared with the lecture-based group (p < 0.05). Although the mean scores on moral reasoning improved in both the problem-based learning and the lecture-based groups immediately after the training and 1 month later, the change was significant only in the problem-based learning group (p < 0.05). The mean scores on moral decision-making, practical considerations, and familiarity with dilemmas were relatively similar for the two groups. The use of the problem-based learning method in ethics education enhances moral development among nursing students. However, further studies are needed to determine whether such method improves moral decision-making, moral reasoning, practical considerations, and familiarity with the ethical issues among nursing students.

Curriculum Guidelines on Ethics and Professionalism in Dentistry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journal of Dental Education, 1989

1989-01-01

Guidelines developed by the American Association of Dental Schools for curriculum development aids are presented. The dental ethics curriculum should provide opportunities for refining skills of ethical analysis so students are able to apply ethical principles to problems in the profession. (MLW)

Clinical wisdom: the essential foundation of "good" nursing care.

PubMed

Haggerty, Lois A; Grace, Pamela

2008-01-01

Clinical wisdom, an essential foundation of nursing care that provides for the "good" of individual patients while taking into account the common good, is a concept that is difficult to define and comprehend. However, understanding what constitutes clinical wisdom is essential for the education of the types of nurses who are most likely to provide leadership that is consistent with the goals of nursing as outlined in the 2005 Code of Ethics for Nurses of the International Council of Nurses and the 2001 Code of Ethics for Nurses With Interpretive Statements of the American Nurses Association. The three key elements of wisdom, derived from the psychology and philosophy literature, are (1) balancing and providing for the good of another and the common good, (2) the use of intellect and affect in problem solving, and (3) the demonstration of experience-based tacit knowing in problematic situations. We conceptualized clinical wisdom as a more specific variant of general wisdom by examining how the core elements described can be linked to wisdom for nursing practice. In doing so, the nature of clinical wisdom is clarified and strategies are suggested to assist nurse educators in developing wise nurses.

The brain-life theory: towards a consistent biological definition of humanness.

PubMed Central

Goldenring, J M

1985-01-01

This paper suggests that medically the term a 'human being' should be defined by the presence of an active human brain. The brain is the only unique and irreplaceable organ in the human body, as the orchestrator of all organ systems and the seat of personality. Thus, the presence or absence of brain life truly defines the presence or absence of human life in the medical sense. When viewed in this way, human life may be seen as a continuous spectrum between the onset of brain life in utero (eight weeks gestation), until the occurrence of brain death. At any point human tissue or organ systems may be present, but without the presence of a functional human brain, these do not constitute a 'human being', at least in a medical sense. The implications of this theory for various ethical concerns such as in vitro fertilisation and abortion are discussed. This theory is the most consistent possible for the definition of a human being with no contradictions inherent. However, having a good theory of definition of a 'human being' does not necessarily solve the ethical problems discussed herein. PMID:4078859

[The dentist between medicine and cosmetology. Ethical shortcomings of the esthetics boom in dentistry].

PubMed

Maio, Giovanni

2009-01-01

Dentistry has evolved from a genuine medical practice to a mere business. From an ethical point of view it is asked whether this evolution creates more problems than it solves. The paper elaborates four arguments against this evolution and shows that aesthetics in dentistry which works only according to market categories runs the risk of loosing the view for the real need of patients. Dentistry which comprehends itself as part of a market will be nothing else than a part of a beauty industry which has the only aim to sell something, but not the aim to help people. Such a dentistry makes profit from the ideology of a society which serves only vanity, youthfulness and personal success and which is losing the sight for real values. The real value of man cannot be reduced to his appearance and medicine as an art should feel the obligation to resist these modern ideologies and should help people to get a more authentic attitude to themselves. If modern dentistry fails to think about these implications it will lose its identity as medicine, which would be too great a loss.

[Is aesthetic surgery still really medicine? An ethical critique].

PubMed

Maio, G

2007-06-01

Aesthetic surgery has evolved in the past years from a genuine medical practice to a mere commodity. From an ethical point of view one must ask whether this evolution creates more problems than it solves. The present paper elaborates four arguments against this evolution and shows that an aesthetic surgery which works only according to market categories runs the risk of losing the view for the real need of patients. An aesthetic surgery that understands itself as part of a market will be nothing else than a part of a beauty industry which has the only aim to sell something, but not the aim to help people. Such an aesthetic surgery makes profit from the ideology of a society that serves only vanity, youthfulness and personal success and which is losing the sight for real values. The real value of man cannot be reduced to its appearance and medicine as an art should feel the obligation to resist these modern ideologies and should help people to get a more authentic attitude to themselves. If aesthetic surgery fails to think about these implications it will lose its identity as medicine which would be a too great loss.

Editorial Comments, 1974-1986: The Case For and Against the Use of Computer-Assisted Decision Making

PubMed Central

Weaver, Robert R.

1987-01-01

Journal editorials are an important medium for communicating information about medical innovations. Evaluative statements contained in editorials pertain to the innovation's technical merits, as well as its probable economic, social and political, and ethical consequences. This information will either promote or impede the subsequent diffusion of innovations. This paper analyzes the evaluative information contained in thirty editorials that pertain to the topic of computer-assisted decision making (CDM). Most editorials agree that CDM technology is effective and economical in performing routine clinical tasks; controversy surrounds the use of more sophisticated CDM systems for complex problem solving. A few editorials argue that the innovation should play an integral role in transforming the established health care system. Most, however, maintain that it can or should be accommodated within the existing health care framework. Finally, while few editorials discuss the ethical ramifications of CDM technology, those that do suggest that it will contribute to more humane health care. The editorial analysis suggests that CDM technology aimed at routine clinical task will experience rapid diffusion. In contrast, the diffusion of more sophisticated CDM systems will, in the foreseeable future, likely be sporadic at best.

Sensemaking Strategies for Ethical Decision-making.

PubMed

Caughron, Jay J; Antes, Alison L; Stenmark, Cheryl K; Thiel, Chaise E; Wang, Xiaoqian; Mumford, Michael D

2011-01-01

The current study uses a sensemaking model and thinking strategies identified in earlier research to examine ethical decision-making. Using a sample of 163 undergraduates, a low fidelity simulation approach is used to study the effects personal involvement (in causing the problem and personal involvement in experiencing the outcomes of the problem) could have on the use of cognitive reasoning strategies that have been shown to promote ethical decision-making. A mediated model is presented which suggests that environmental factors influence reasoning strategies, reasoning strategies influence sensemaking, and sensemaking in turn influences ethical decision-making. Findings were mixed but generally supported the hypothesized model. Interestingly, framing the outcomes of ethically charged situations in terms of more global organizational outcomes rather than personal outcomes was found to promote the use of pro-ethical cognitive reasoning strategies.

Sensemaking Strategies for Ethical Decision-making

PubMed Central

Caughron, Jay J.; Antes, Alison L.; Stenmark, Cheryl K.; Thiel, Chaise E.; Wang, Xiaoqian; Mumford, Michael D.

2015-01-01

The current study uses a sensemaking model and thinking strategies identified in earlier research to examine ethical decision-making. Using a sample of 163 undergraduates, a low fidelity simulation approach is used to study the effects personal involvement (in causing the problem and personal involvement in experiencing the outcomes of the problem) could have on the use of cognitive reasoning strategies that have been shown to promote ethical decision-making. A mediated model is presented which suggests that environmental factors influence reasoning strategies, reasoning strategies influence sensemaking, and sensemaking in turn influences ethical decision-making. Findings were mixed but generally supported the hypothesized model. Interestingly, framing the outcomes of ethically charged situations in terms of more global organizational outcomes rather than personal outcomes was found to promote the use of pro-ethical cognitive reasoning strategies. PMID:26257505

Phronesis: Beyond the Research Ethics Committee-A Crucial Decision-Making Skill for Health Researchers During Community Research.

PubMed

Greeff, Minrie; Rennie, Stuart

2016-04-01

Health researchers conducting research in the community are often faced with unanticipated ethical issues that arise in the course of their research and that go beyond the scope of ethical approval by the research ethics committee. Eight expert researchers were selected through extreme intensity purposive sampling, because they are representative of unusual manifestations of the phenomenon related to their research in the community. They were selected to take part in a semi-structured focus group discussion on whether practical wisdom (phronesis) is used as a decision-making skill to solve unanticipated ethical issues during research in the community. Although the researchers were not familiar with the concept phronesis, it became obvious that it formed an integral part of their everyday existence and decision making during intervention research. They could balance research ethics with practical considerations. The capacity of practical wisdom as a crucial decision-making skill should be assimilated into a researcher's everyday reality, and also into the process of mentoring young researchers to become phronimos. Researchers should be taught this skill to handle unanticipated ethical issues. © The Author(s) 2016.

Heading off boundary problems: clinical supervision as risk management.

PubMed

Walker, R; Clark, J J

1999-11-01

The effective management of risk in clinical practice includes steps to limit harm to clients resulting from ethical violations or professional misconduct. Boundary problems constitute some of the most damaging ethical violations. The authors propose an active use of clinical supervision to anticipate and head off possible ethical violations by intervening when signs of boundary problems appear. The authors encourage a facilitative, Socratic method, rather than directive approaches, to help supervisees maximize their learning about ethical complexities. Building on the idea of a slippery slope, in which seemingly insignificant acts can lead to unethical patterns of behavior, the authors discuss ten cues to potential boundary problems, including strong feelings about a client; extended sessions with clients; gift giving between clinician and client; loans, barter, and sale of goods; clinician self-disclosures; and touching and sex. The authors outline supervisory interventions to be made when the cues are detected.

Ethical issues involved with in vitro fertilization.

PubMed

Shannon, T A

1990-09-01

There are three elements to consider with in vitro fertilization. First, the paramount concern needs to be the well-being and best interests of the child, even though he or she may be an embryo at the time. Second, some people think a child will solve their marital problems. Although couples seeking in vitro fertilization should not be subjected to more scrutiny than couples conceiving in the traditional way, the stresses and uncertainties of in vitro fertilization can further strain a marriage. Clinic staff members should be sensitive to this issue as a way of helping to avoid complications later. Third, how we resolve the status and fate of the frozen embryo and who has disposition over it surely will reflect how we consider abortion rights. For example, if the standards of Roe vs Wade were applied, one could argue that the woman should have total disposition over the frozen embryo. On the other hand, if the father receives a say in the matter, what impact would this have? Given the nature of our society and the tenuous state of marriage, the problem of disposing frozen embryos is a critical one that has no satisfactory solution. Finally, there is the stress factor. Although this is not an issue of direct ethical concern, it is related to the necessity of the couple receiving accurate information. If the couple receives an incorrect impression of a clinic's success rates, they may be exposed unnecessarily to further stress and frustration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The agency problem and medical acting: an example of applying economic theory to medical ethics.

PubMed

Langer, Andreas; Schröder-Bäck, Peter; Brink, Alexander; Eurich, Johannes

2009-03-01

In this article, the authors attempt to build a bridge between economic theory and medical ethics to offer a new perspective to tackle ethical challenges in the physician-patient encounter. They apply elements of new institutional economics to the ethically relevant dimensions of the physician-patient relationship in a descriptive heuristic sense. The principal-agent theory can be used to analytically grasp existing action problems in the physician-patient relationship and as a basis for shaping recommendations at the institutional level. Furthermore, the patients' increased self-determination and modern opportunities for the medical laity to inform themselves lead to a less asymmetrical distribution of information between physician and patient and therefore require new interaction models. Based on the analysis presented here, the authors recommend that, apart from the physician's necessary individual ethics, greater consideration should be given to approaches of institutional ethics and hence to incentive systems within medical ethics.

Collis-Romberg Mathematical Problem Solving Profiles.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Collis, K. F.; Romberg, T. A.

Problem solving has become a focus of mathematics programs in Australia in recent years, necessitating the assessment of students' problem-solving abilities. This manual provides a problem-solving assessment and teaching resource package containing four elements: (1) profiles assessment items; (2) profiles diagnostic forms for recording individual…

Tracing for the problem-solving ability in advanced calculus class based on modification of SAVI model at Universitas Negeri Semarang

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pujiastuti, E.; Waluya, B.; Mulyono

2018-03-01

There were many ways of solving the problem offered by the experts. The author combines various ways of solving the problem as a form of novelty. Among the learning model that was expected to support the growth of problem-solving skills was SAVI. The purpose, to obtain trace results from the analysis of the problem-solving ability of students in the Dual Integral material. The research method was a qualitative approach. Its activities include tests was filled with mathematical connections, observation, interviews, FGD, and triangulation. The results were: (1) some students were still experiencing difficulties in solving the problems. (2) The application of modification of SAVI learning model effective in supporting the growth of problem-solving abilities. (3) The strength of the students related to solving the problem, there were two students in the excellent category, there were three students in right classes and one student in the medium group.

Flexibility in Mathematics Problem Solving Based on Adversity Quotient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dina, N. A.; Amin, S. M.; Masriyah

2018-01-01

Flexibility is an ability which is needed in problem solving. One of the ways in problem solving is influenced by Adversity Quotient (AQ). AQ is the power of facing difficulties. There are three categories of AQ namely climber, camper, and quitter. This research is a descriptive research using qualitative approach. The aim of this research is to describe flexibility in mathematics problem solving based on Adversity Quotient. The subjects of this research are climber student, camper student, and quitter student. This research was started by giving Adversity Response Profile (ARP) questioner continued by giving problem solving task and interviews. The validity of data measurement was using time triangulation. The results of this research shows that climber student uses two strategies in solving problem and doesn’t have difficulty. The camper student uses two strategies in solving problem but has difficulty to finish the second strategies. The quitter student uses one strategy in solving problem and has difficulty to finish it.

Analogy as a strategy for supporting complex problem solving under uncertainty.

PubMed

Chan, Joel; Paletz, Susannah B F; Schunn, Christian D

2012-11-01

Complex problem solving in naturalistic environments is fraught with uncertainty, which has significant impacts on problem-solving behavior. Thus, theories of human problem solving should include accounts of the cognitive strategies people bring to bear to deal with uncertainty during problem solving. In this article, we present evidence that analogy is one such strategy. Using statistical analyses of the temporal dynamics between analogy and expressed uncertainty in the naturalistic problem-solving conversations among scientists on the Mars Rover Mission, we show that spikes in expressed uncertainty reliably predict analogy use (Study 1) and that expressed uncertainty reduces to baseline levels following analogy use (Study 2). In addition, in Study 3, we show with qualitative analyses that this relationship between uncertainty and analogy is not due to miscommunication-related uncertainty but, rather, is primarily concentrated on substantive problem-solving issues. Finally, we discuss a hypothesis about how analogy might serve as an uncertainty reduction strategy in naturalistic complex problem solving.

Interference thinking in constructing students’ knowledge to solve mathematical problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jayanti, W. E.; Usodo, B.; Subanti, S.

2018-04-01

This research aims to describe interference thinking in constructing students’ knowledge to solve mathematical problems. Interference thinking in solving problems occurs when students have two concepts that interfere with each other’s concept. Construction of problem-solving can be traced using Piaget’s assimilation and accommodation framework, helping to know the students’ thinking structures in solving the problems. The method of this research was a qualitative method with case research strategy. The data in this research involving problem-solving result and transcripts of interviews about students’ errors in solving the problem. The results of this research focus only on the student who experience proactive interference, where student in solving a problem using old information to interfere with the ability to recall new information. The student who experience interference thinking in constructing their knowledge occurs when the students’ thinking structures in the assimilation and accommodation process are incomplete. However, after being given reflection to the student, then the students’ thinking process has reached equilibrium condition even though the result obtained remains wrong.

Ethics, culture and nursing practice in Ghana.

PubMed

Donkor, N T; Andrews, L D

2011-03-01

This paper describes how nurses in Ghana approach ethical problems. The International Council of Nurses' (ICN) Code for Nurses (2006) that serves as the model for professional code of ethics worldwide also acknowledges respect for healthy cultural values. Using the ICN's Code and universal ethical principles as a benchmark, a survey was conducted in 2009 to ascertain how nurses in Ghana respond to ethical and cultural issues in their practice. The study was qualitative with 200 participant nurses. Data were obtained through anonymous self-administered questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Nurses' approaches to ethical problems in Ghana do not always meet expectations of the ICN Code for Nurses. They are also informed by local ethical practices related to the institutional setting and cultural environment in the country. While some cultural values complemented the ICN's Code and universal ethical principles, others conflicted with them. These data can assist nurses to provide culturally competent solutions to ethical dilemmas in their practice. Dynamic communication between nurses and patients/clients, intentional study of local cultural beliefs, and the development of ethics education will improve the conformity between universal ethical standards and local cultural values. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

"We are the best to stand in for patients": a qualitative study on nurses' advocacy characteristics in Ghana.

PubMed

Dadzie, Grace; Aziato, Lydia; Aikins, Ama de-Graft

2017-01-01

Patient advocacy has been identified as a core duty of the nurse, and certain nurse characteristics influence the performance of the role. However, these characteristics have not been adequately explored in Ghana. This study aimed to explore the perspectives of nurses about the characteristics of nurses that influence their role as patient advocates. An exploratory descriptive qualitative study was conducted among 15 nurses from a regional hospital in Ghana. Purposive sampling was used to select participants and individual in-depth interviews were conducted in English using a semi-structured interview guide. The interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Data analysis was done concurrently employing the principles of thematic analysis. Ethical approval was obtained for the study from the Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research and the Ghana Health Service Ethical Review Committee. Themes generated revealed nurse traits which enhanced the advocacy role of nurses such as being empathetic, nurturing, ethical, assertive and persistent and nurse states which hindered the performance of the role such as fatigue and frustration. However, "compassionate" emerged as an additional nurse trait from this study. Out of empathy, participants availed themselves for patients to share their problems with them. In their nurturing roles, spending more time with patients and providing personal care fostered closeness which helped in identifying patients' problems. Helping patients navigate the health system was also found. They perceived patient advocacy as a moral responsibility and identified good communication skills and determination to help patients get their problems solved as important in patient advocacy. Some participants also described compassion-based activities such as pleading on patients' behalf, providing material and financial assistance, facilitating care and providing emotional support in their advocacy. However, heavy workload and lack of appreciation from patients were found to hinder the performance of the advocacy role. We concluded that nurse characteristics that influence patient advocacy are comparable to those identified internationally such as being empathetic, assertiveness and fatigue. Enhancing these characteristics could help nurses overcome the negative states that undermine the patient advocacy role of nurses.

Insightful problem solving and emulation in brown capuchin monkeys.

PubMed

Renner, Elizabeth; Abramo, Allison M; Karen Hambright, M; Phillips, Kimberley A

2017-05-01

We investigated problem solving abilities of capuchin monkeys via the "floating object problem," a task in which the subject must use creative problem solving to retrieve a favored food item from the bottom of a clear tube. Some great apes have solved this problem by adding water to raise the object to a level at which it can be easily grabbed. We presented seven capuchins with the task over eight trials (four "dry" and four "wet"). None of the subjects solved the task, indicating that no capuchin demonstrated insightful problem solving under these experimental conditions. We then investigated whether capuchins would emulate a solution to the task. Seven subjects observed a human model solve the problem by pouring water from a cup into the tube, which brought the object to the top of the tube, allowing the subject to retrieve it. Subjects were then allowed to interact freely with an unfilled tube containing the object in the presence of water and objects that could be used to solve the task. While most subjects were unable to solve the task after viewing a demonstrator solve it, one subject did so, but in a unique way. Our results are consistent with some previous results in great ape species and indicate that capuchins do not spontaneously solve the floating object problem via insight.

Detecting math problem solving strategies: an investigation into the use of retrospective self-reports, latency and fMRI data.

PubMed

Tenison, Caitlin; Fincham, Jon M; Anderson, John R

2014-02-01

This research explores how to determine when mathematical problems are solved by retrieval versus computation strategies. Past research has indicated that verbal reports, solution latencies, and neural imaging all provide imperfect indicators of this distinction. Participants in the current study solved mathematical problems involving two distinct problem types, called 'Pyramid' and 'Formula' problems. Participants were given extensive training solving 3 select Pyramid and 3 select Formula problems. Trained problems were highly practiced, whereas untrained problems were not. The distinction between untrained and trained problems was observed in the data. Untrained problems took longer to solve, more often used procedural strategies and showed a greater activation in the horizontal intraparietal sulcus (HIPS) when compared to trained problems. A classifier fit to the neural distinction between trained-untrained problems successfully predicted training within and between the two problem types. We employed this classifier to generate a prediction of strategy use. By combining evidence from the classifier, problem solving latencies, and retrospective reports, we predicted the strategy used to solve each problem in the scanner and gained unexpected insight into the distinction between different strategies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Problem solving therapy - use and effectiveness in general practice.

PubMed

Pierce, David

2012-09-01

Problem solving therapy (PST) is one of the focused psychological strategies supported by Medicare for use by appropriately trained general practitioners. This article reviews the evidence base for PST and its use in the general practice setting. Problem solving therapy involves patients learning or reactivating problem solving skills. These skills can then be applied to specific life problems associated with psychological and somatic symptoms. Problem solving therapy is suitable for use in general practice for patients experiencing common mental health conditions and has been shown to be as effective in the treatment of depression as antidepressants. Problem solving therapy involves a series of sequential stages. The clinician assists the patient to develop new empowering skills, and then supports them to work through the stages of therapy to determine and implement the solution selected by the patient. Many experienced GPs will identify their own existing problem solving skills. Learning about PST may involve refining and focusing these skills.

Collection of solved problems in physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koupilová, ZdeÅka; Mandíková, Dana; Snětinová, Marie

2017-01-01

To solve physics problems is a key ability which students should reach during their physics education. Ten years ago we started to develop a Collection of fully solved problems. The structure of problems' solutions is specially designed to substitute tutor's help during lesson and encourage students to solve at least some parts of a problem independently. Nowadays the database contains about 770 fully solved problems in physics in Czech, more than 100 problems in Polish and more than 140 problems in English. Other problems are still being translated. Except for physics problems, the Collection has also a mathematical part, which contains more than 300 fully solved problems in mathematics. This paper follows the presentation of the Collection of solved problems from previous years and introduces a new interface of the Collection, its enhanced functionality, new topics, newly created interface for teachers, user feedback and plans for future development. The database is placed at the website of the Department of Physics Education, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, the links are: http://reseneulohy.cz/fyzika (Czech version); http://www.physicstasks.eu/ (English version).

Pre-service mathematics teachers’ ability in solving well-structured problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paradesa, R.

2018-01-01

This study aimed to describe the mathematical problem-solving ability of undergraduate students of mathematics education in solving the well-structured problem. The type of this study was qualitative descriptive. The subjects in this study were 100 undergraduate students of Mathematics Education at one of the private universities in Palembang city. The data in this study was collected through two test items with essay form. The results of this study showed that, from the first problem, only 8% students can solve it, but do not check back again to validate the process. Based on a scoring rubric that follows Polya strategy, their answer satisfied 2 4 2 0 patterns. But, from the second problem, 45% students satisfied it. This is because the second problem imitated from the example that was given in learning process. The average score of undergraduate students mathematical problem-solving ability in solving well-structured problems showed 56.00 with standard deviation was 13.22. It means that, from 0 - 100 scale, undergraduate students mathematical problem-solving ability can be categorized low. From this result, the conclusion was undergraduate students of mathematics education in Palembang still have a problem in solving mathematics well-structured problem.

An Investigation on Chinese Teachers' Realistic Problem Posing and Problem Solving Ability and Beliefs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Limin; Van Dooren, Wim; Chen, Qi; Verschaffel, Lieven

2011-01-01

In the present study, which is a part of a research project about realistic word problem solving and problem posing in Chinese elementary schools, a problem solving and a problem posing test were administered to 128 pre-service and in-service elementary school teachers from Tianjin City in China, wherein the teachers were asked to solve 3…

Problem-solving skills and perceived stress among undergraduate students: The moderating role of hardiness.

PubMed

Abdollahi, Abbas; Abu Talib, Mansor; Carlbring, Per; Harvey, Richard; Yaacob, Siti Nor; Ismail, Zanariah

2016-06-01

This study was designed to examine the relationships between problem-solving skills, hardiness, and perceived stress and to test the moderating role of hardiness in the relationship between problem-solving skills and perceived stress among 500 undergraduates from Malaysian public universities. The analyses showed that undergraduates with poor problem-solving confidence, external personal control of emotion, and approach-avoidance style were more likely to report perceived stress. Hardiness moderated the relationships between problem-solving skills and perceived stress. These findings reinforce the importance of moderating role of hardiness as an influencing factor that explains how problem-solving skills affect perceived stress among undergraduates.

The Effects of Thinking Aloud Pair Problem Solving on High School Students' Chemistry Problem-Solving Performance and Verbal Interactions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeon, Kyungmoon; Huffman, Douglas; Noh, Taehee

2005-10-01

This study investigated the effects of a thinking aloud pair problem solving (TAPPS) approach on students' chemistry problem-solving performance and verbal interactions. A total of 85 eleventh grade students from three classes in a Korean high school were randomly assigned to one of three groups; either individually using a problem-solving strategy, using a problem-solving strategy with TAPPS, or the control group. After instruction, students' problem-solving performance was examined. The results showed that students in both the individual and TAPPS groups performed better than those in the control group on recalling the related law and mathematical execution, while students in the TAPPS group performed better than those in the other groups on conceptual knowledge. To investigate the verbal behaviors using TAPPS, verbal behaviors of solvers and listeners were classified into 8 categories. Listeners' verbal behavior of "agreeing" and "pointing out", and solvers' verbal behavior of "modifying" were positively related with listeners' problem-solving performance. There was, however, a negative correlation between listeners' use of "point out" and solvers' problem-solving performance. The educational implications of this study are discussed.

Pedagogy and/or technology: Making difference in improving students' problem solving skills

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hrepic, Zdeslav; Lodder, Katherine; Shaw, Kimberly A.

2013-01-01

Pen input computers combined with interactive software may have substantial potential for promoting active instructional methodologies and for facilitating students' problem solving ability. An excellent example is a study in which introductory physics students improved retention, conceptual understanding and problem solving abilities when one of three weekly lectures was replaced with group problem solving sessions facilitated with Tablet PCs and DyKnow software [1,2]. The research goal of the present study was to isolate the effect of the methodology itself (using additional time to teach problem solving) from that of the involved technology. In Fall 2011 we compared the performance of students taking the same introductory physics lecture course while enrolled in two separate problem-solving sections. One section used pen-based computing to facilitate group problem solving while the other section used low-tech methods for one third of the semester (covering Kinematics), and then traded technologies for the middle third of the term (covering Dynamics). Analysis of quiz, exam and standardized pre-post test results indicated no significant difference in scores of the two groups. Combining this result with those of previous studies implies primacy of pedagogy (collaborative problem solving itself) over technology for student learning in problem solving recitations.

Working memory dysfunctions predict social problem solving skills in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Huang, Jia; Tan, Shu-ping; Walsh, Sarah C; Spriggens, Lauren K; Neumann, David L; Shum, David H K; Chan, Raymond C K

2014-12-15

The current study aimed to examine the contribution of neurocognition and social cognition to components of social problem solving. Sixty-seven inpatients with schizophrenia and 31 healthy controls were administrated batteries of neurocognitive tests, emotion perception tests, and the Chinese Assessment of Interpersonal Problem Solving Skills (CAIPSS). MANOVAs were conducted to investigate the domains in which patients with schizophrenia showed impairments. Correlations were used to determine which impaired domains were associated with social problem solving, and multiple regression analyses were conducted to compare the relative contribution of neurocognitive and social cognitive functioning to components of social problem solving. Compared with healthy controls, patients with schizophrenia performed significantly worse in sustained attention, working memory, negative emotion, intention identification and all components of the CAIPSS. Specifically, sustained attention, working memory and negative emotion identification were found to correlate with social problem solving and 1-back accuracy significantly predicted the poor performance in social problem solving. Among the dysfunctions in schizophrenia, working memory contributed most to deficits in social problem solving in patients with schizophrenia. This finding provides support for targeting working memory in the development of future social problem solving rehabilitation interventions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Calculators and Strategies for Problem Solving in Grade Seven: An Implementation Program and Study. Report No. 83:3.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Szetela, W.; Super, D.

A problem-solving program supplemented by calculators in one treatment group was conducted in 63 grade 7 classes with about 1350 students. Teachers were provided with problems correlated with textbooks, and instruction for teaching problem-solving strategies. School districts provided calculators and problem-solving materials. Pretest scores…

Assessing Student Written Problem Solutions: A Problem-Solving Rubric with Application to Introductory Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Docktor, Jennifer L.; Dornfeld, Jay; Frodermann, Evan; Heller, Kenneth; Hsu, Leonardo; Jackson, Koblar Alan; Mason, Andrew; Ryan, Qing X.; Yang, Jie

2016-01-01

Problem solving is a complex process valuable in everyday life and crucial for learning in the STEM fields. To support the development of problem-solving skills it is important for researchers and curriculum developers to have practical tools that can measure the difference between novice and expert problem-solving performance in authentic…

Problem Solving: How Can We Help Students Overcome Cognitive Difficulties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardellini, Liberato

2014-01-01

The traditional approach to teach problem solving usually consists in showing students the solutions of some example-problems and then in asking students to practice individually on solving a certain number of related problems. This approach does not ensure that students learn to solve problems and above all to think about the solution process in…

Step by Step: Biology Undergraduates' Problem-Solving Procedures during Multiple-Choice Assessment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Prevost, Luanna B.; Lemons, Paula P.

2016-01-01

This study uses the theoretical framework of domain-specific problem solving to explore the procedures students use to solve multiple-choice problems about biology concepts. We designed several multiple-choice problems and administered them on four exams. We trained students to produce written descriptions of how they solved the problem, and this…

Analog Processor To Solve Optimization Problems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duong, Tuan A.; Eberhardt, Silvio P.; Thakoor, Anil P.

1993-01-01

Proposed analog processor solves "traveling-salesman" problem, considered paradigm of global-optimization problems involving routing or allocation of resources. Includes electronic neural network and auxiliary circuitry based partly on concepts described in "Neural-Network Processor Would Allocate Resources" (NPO-17781) and "Neural Network Solves 'Traveling-Salesman' Problem" (NPO-17807). Processor based on highly parallel computing solves problem in significantly less time.

Ethical issues in surgical innovation.

PubMed

Miller, Megan E; Siegler, Mark; Angelos, Peter

2014-07-01

Innovation is responsible for most advances in the field of surgery. Innovative approaches to solving clinical problems have significantly decreased morbidity and mortality for many surgical procedures, and have led to improved patient outcomes. While innovation is motivated by the surgeon's expectation that the new approach will be beneficial to patients, not all innovations are successful or result in improved patient care. The ethical dilemma of surgical innovation lies in the uncertainty of whether a particular innovation will prove to be a "good thing." This uncertainty creates challenges for surgeons, patients, and the healthcare system. By its very nature, innovation introduces a potential risk to patient safety, a risk that may not be fully known, and it simultaneously fosters an optimism bias. These factors increase the complexity of informed consent and shared decision making for the surgeon and the patient. Innovative procedures and their associated technology raise issues of cost and resource distribution in the contemporary, financially conscious, healthcare environment. Surgeons and institutions must identify and address conflicts of interest created by the development and application of an innovation, always preserving the best interest of the patient above the academic or financial rewards of success. Potential strategies to address the challenges inherent in surgical innovation include collecting and reporting objective outcomes data, enhancing the informed consent process, and adhering to the principles of disclosure and professionalism. As surgeons, we must encourage creativity and innovation while maintaining our ethical awareness and responsibility to patients.

Hermeneutic application research - finding a common understanding and consensus on care and caring.

PubMed

Koskinen, Camilla; Nyström, Lisbet

2017-03-01

To clinically and contextually implement the theoretical and factual knowledge of care and caring that has been developed in the last 30 years is seen as a great challenge in caring science research. Emphasis has been put on problem-solving research methodologies and action research in hopes of narrowing the divide between caring theory and clinical practice. Thus, the intention is now to further action research towards a hermeneutic approach and to put emphasis on hermeneutic application where theory and praxis become one through human dialogue. This article highlights hermeneutic application research as an alternative methodology within participatory-oriented research which presents a new opportunity to unite clinical practice and caring theory. The aim is to contribute to the development of the hermeneutical application research design in its epistemological, ontological and ethical perspective, by articulating and clarifying the central foundations in the application. On the basis of Gadamer's hermeneutical thinking and Levinas ethical thinking, the central foundations in the application research are ethics, creation of a hermeneutical room, dialogue and common understanding and appropriation and action. When theoretical understanding turns into praxis, knowledge also becomes activity and theory and practice become one. Application thus realises the basic idea that praxis and theory are one, and thus, theory of caring can only become evident and implemented in a clinical practice through moments when the participants find a common understanding and consensus on the knowledge of care and caring. © 2015 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Campus Acquaintance Rape: An Ethical Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haggard, William K.

1992-01-01

Introduces idea of including ethics in acquaintance rape prevention programming. Applies education model for ethical analysis of sexual behavior to problem of acquaintance rape among college and university students to provide practitioners with new insights which will motivate inclusion of moral and ethical objectives in future prevention…

Ethics, Ricoeur And Philosophy: Ethical Teacher Workshops

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scott-Baumann, Alison

2006-01-01

This work is about the ethics of education, and about philosophy as a discipline that can help us to help children look at ethics afresh. The study and practice of ethics is about morals and uncertainties and, as such, poses problems for the research community. The philosopher Ricoeur challenges research as only one way to find meaning in the…

Problem Solving Appraisal of Delinquent Adolescents.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perez, Ruperto M.; And Others

The study investigated the following: (1) the relationship of problem solving appraisal to narcissistic vulnerability, locus of control, and depression; (2) the differences in problem solving appraisal, locus of control, and depression in first-time and repeat offenders; and (3) the prediction of problem solving appraisal by narcissistic…

Computer Programming: A Medium for Teaching Problem Solving.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Casey, Patrick J.

1997-01-01

Argues that including computer programming in the curriculum as a medium for instruction is a feasible alternative for teaching problem solving. Discusses the nature of problem solving; the problem-solving elements of discovery, motivation, practical learning situations and flexibility which are inherent in programming; capabilities of computer…

Perceived Problem Solving, Stress, and Health among College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Largo-Wight, Erin; Peterson, P. Michael; Chen, W. William

2005-01-01

Objective: To study the relationships among perceived problem solving, stress, and physical health. Methods: The Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ), Personal Problem solving Inventory (PSI), and a stress-related physical health symptoms checklist were used to measure perceived stress, problem solving, and health among undergraduate college…

THE CURRENT STATUS OF RESEARCH AND THEORY IN HUMAN PROBLEM SOLVING.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DAVIS, GARY A.

PROBLEM-SOLVING THEORIES IN THREE AREAS - TRADITIONAL (STIMULUS-RESPONSE) LEARNING, COGNITIVE-GESTALT APPROACHES, AND COMPUTER AND MATHEMATICAL MODELS - WERE SUMMARIZED. RECENT EMPIRICAL STUDIES (1960-65) ON PROBLEM SOLVING WERE CATEGORIZED ACCORDING TO TYPE OF BEHAVIOR ELICITED BY PARTICULAR PROBLEM-SOLVING TASKS. ANAGRAM,…

Developing Creativity through Collaborative Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Albert, Lillie R.; Kim, Rina

2013-01-01

This paper discusses an alternative approach for developing problem solving experiences for students. The major argument is that students can develop their creativity by engaging in collaborative problem solving activities in which they apply a variety of mathematical methods creatively to solve problems. The argument is supported by: considering…

The effects of expected reward on creative problem solving.

PubMed

Cristofori, Irene; Salvi, Carola; Beeman, Mark; Grafman, Jordan

2018-06-12

Creative problem solving involves search processes, and it is known to be hard to motivate. Reward cues have been found to enhance performance across a range of tasks, even when cues are presented subliminally, without being consciously detected. It is uncertain whether motivational processes, such as reward, can influence problem solving. We tested the effect of supraliminal and subliminal reward on participant performance on problem solving that can be solved by deliberate analysis or by insight. Forty-one participants attempted to solve 100 compound remote associate problems. At the beginning of each problem, a potential reward cue (1 or 25 cents) was displayed, either subliminally (17 ms) or supraliminally (100 ms). Participants earned the displayed reward if they solved the problem correctly. Results showed that the higher subliminal reward increased the percentage of problems solved correctly overall. Second, we explored if subliminal rewards preferentially influenced solutions that were achieved via a sudden insight (mostly processed below awareness) or via a deliberate analysis. Participants solved more problems via insight following high subliminal reward when compared with low subliminal reward, and compared with high supraliminal reward, with no corresponding effect on analytic solving. Striatal dopamine (DA) is thought to influence motivation, reinforce behavior, and facilitate cognition. We speculate that subliminal rewards activate the striatal DA system, enhancing the kinds of automatic integrative processes that lead to more creative strategies for problem solving, without increasing the selectivity of attention, which could impede insight.

Find the Dimensions: Students Solving a Tiling Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obara, Samuel

2018-01-01

Students learn mathematics by solving problems. Mathematics textbooks are full of problems, and mathematics teachers use these problems to test students' understanding of mathematical concepts. This paper discusses how problem-solving skills can be fostered with a geometric tiling problem.

The task of nursing ethics.

PubMed Central

Melia, K M

1994-01-01

This paper raises the questions: 'What do we expect from nursing ethics?' and 'Is the literature of nursing ethics any different from that of medical ethics?' It is suggested that rather than develop nursing ethics as a separate field writers in nursing ethics should take a lead in making the patient the central focus of health care ethics. The case is made for empirical work in health care ethics and it is suggested that a good way of setting about this is to ask practising nurses about the real ethical problems they encounter. PMID:8035446

Performance of subjects with and without severe mental illness on a clinical test of problem solving.

PubMed

Marshall, R C; McGurk, S R; Karow, C M; Kairy, T J; Flashman, L A

2006-06-01

Severe mental illness is associated with impairments in executive functions, such as conceptual reasoning, planning, and strategic thinking all of which impact problem solving. The present study examined the utility of a novel assessment tool for problem solving, the Rapid Assessment of Problem Solving Test (RAPS) in persons with severe mental illness. Subjects were 47 outpatients with severe mental illness and an equal number healthy controls matched for age and gender. Results confirmed all hypotheses with respect to how subjects with severe mental illness would perform on the RAPS. Specifically, the severely mentally ill subjects (1) solved fewer problems on the RAPS, (2) when they did solve problems on the test, they did so far less efficiently than their healthy counterparts, and (3) the two groups differed markedly in the types of questions asked on the RAPS. The healthy control subjects tended to take a systematic, organized, but not always optimal approach to solving problems on the RAPS. The subjects with severe mental illness used some of the problem solving strategies of the healthy controls, but their performance was less consistent and tended to deteriorate when the complexity of the problem solving task increased. This was reflected by a high degree of guessing in lieu of asking constraint questions, particularly if a category-limited question was insufficient to continue the problem solving effort.

Effects of performance feedback and coaching on the problem-solving process: Improving the integrity of implementation and enhancing student outcomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundahl, Allison A.

Schools implementing Response to Intervention (RtI) procedures frequently engage in team problem-solving processes to address the needs of students who require intensive and individualized services. Because the effectiveness of the problem-solving process will impact the overall success of RtI systems, the present study was designed to learn more about how to strengthen the integrity of the problem-solving process. Research suggests that school districts must ensure high quality training and ongoing support to enhance the effectiveness, acceptability, and sustainability of the problem-solving process within an RtI model; however, there is a dearth of research examining the effectiveness of methods to provide this training and support. Consequently, this study investigated the effects of performance feedback and coaching strategies on the integrity with which teams of educators conducted the problem-solving process in schools. In addition, the relationships between problem-solving integrity, teacher acceptability, and student outcomes were examined. Results suggested that the performance feedback increased problem-solving procedural integrity across two of the three participating schools. Conclusions about the effectiveness of the (a) coaching intervention and (b) interventions implemented in the third school were inconclusive. Regression analyses indicated that the integrity with which the teams conducted the problem-solving process was a significant predictor of student outcomes. However, the relationship between problem-solving procedural integrity and teacher acceptability was not statistically significant.

The Missing Curriculum in Physics Problem-Solving Education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Williams, Mobolaji

2018-05-01

Physics is often seen as an excellent introduction to science because it allows students to learn not only the laws governing the world around them, but also, through the problems students solve, a way of thinking which is conducive to solving problems outside of physics and even outside of science. In this article, we contest this latter idea and argue that in physics classes, students do not learn widely applicable problem-solving skills because physics education almost exclusively requires students to solve well-defined problems rather than the less-defined problems which better model problem solving outside of a formal class. Using personal, constructed, and the historical accounts of Schrödinger's development of the wave equation and Feynman's development of path integrals, we argue that what is missing in problem-solving education is practice in identifying gaps in knowledge and in framing these knowledge gaps as questions of the kind answerable using techniques students have learned. We discuss why these elements are typically not taught as part of the problem-solving curriculum and end with suggestions on how to incorporate these missing elements into physics classes.

Noticing relevant problem features: activating prior knowledge affects problem solving by guiding encoding

PubMed Central

Crooks, Noelle M.; Alibali, Martha W.

2013-01-01

This study investigated whether activating elements of prior knowledge can influence how problem solvers encode and solve simple mathematical equivalence problems (e.g., 3 + 4 + 5 = 3 + __). Past work has shown that such problems are difficult for elementary school students (McNeil and Alibali, 2000). One possible reason is that children's experiences in math classes may encourage them to think about equations in ways that are ultimately detrimental. Specifically, children learn a set of patterns that are potentially problematic (McNeil and Alibali, 2005a): the perceptual pattern that all equations follow an “operations = answer” format, the conceptual pattern that the equal sign means “calculate the total”, and the procedural pattern that the correct way to solve an equation is to perform all of the given operations on all of the given numbers. Upon viewing an equivalence problem, knowledge of these patterns may be reactivated, leading to incorrect problem solving. We hypothesized that these patterns may negatively affect problem solving by influencing what people encode about a problem. To test this hypothesis in children would require strengthening their misconceptions, and this could be detrimental to their mathematical development. Therefore, we tested this hypothesis in undergraduate participants. Participants completed either control tasks or tasks that activated their knowledge of the three patterns, and were then asked to reconstruct and solve a set of equivalence problems. Participants in the knowledge activation condition encoded the problems less well than control participants. They also made more errors in solving the problems, and their errors resembled the errors children make when solving equivalence problems. Moreover, encoding performance mediated the effect of knowledge activation on equivalence problem solving. Thus, one way in which experience may affect equivalence problem solving is by influencing what students encode about the equations. PMID:24324454

Conceptual and procedural knowledge community college students use when solving a complex science problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steen-Eibensteiner, Janice Lee

2006-07-01

A strong science knowledge base and problem solving skills have always been highly valued for employment in the science industry. Skills currently needed for employment include being able to problem solve (Overtoom, 2000). Academia also recognizes the need for effectively teaching students to apply problem solving skills in clinical settings. This thesis investigates how students solve complex science problems in an academic setting in order to inform the development of problem solving skills for the workplace. Students' use of problem solving skills in the form of learned concepts and procedural knowledge was studied as students completed a problem that might come up in real life. Students were taking a community college sophomore biology course, Human Anatomy & Physiology II. The problem topic was negative feedback inhibition of the thyroid and parathyroid glands. The research questions answered were (1) How well do community college students use a complex of conceptual knowledge when solving a complex science problem? (2) What conceptual knowledge are community college students using correctly, incorrectly, or not using when solving a complex science problem? (3) What problem solving procedural knowledge are community college students using successfully, unsuccessfully, or not using when solving a complex science problem? From the whole class the high academic level participants performed at a mean of 72% correct on chapter test questions which was a low average to fair grade of C-. The middle and low academic participants both failed (F) the test questions (37% and 30% respectively); 29% (9/31) of the students show only a fair performance while 71% (22/31) fail. From the subset sample population of 2 students each from the high, middle, and low academic levels selected from the whole class 35% (8/23) of the concepts were used effectively, 22% (5/23) marginally, and 43% (10/23) poorly. Only 1 concept was used incorrectly by 3/6 of the students and identified as a misconception. One of 21 (5%) problem-solving pathway characteristics was used effectively, 7 (33%) marginally, and 13 (62%) poorly. There were very few (0 to 4) problem-solving pathway characteristics used unsuccessfully most were simply not used.

Personal and parental problem drinking: effects on problem-solving performance and self-appraisal.

PubMed

Slavkin, S L; Heimberg, R G; Winning, C D; McCaffrey, R J

1992-01-01

This study examined the problem-solving performances and self-appraisals of problem-solving ability of college-age subjects with and without parental history of problem drinking. Contrary to our predictions, children of problem drinkers (COPDs) were rated as somewhat more effective in their problem-solving skills than non-COPDs, undermining prevailing assumptions about offspring from alcoholic households. While this difference was not large and was qualified by other variables, subjects' own alcohol abuse did exert a detrimental effect on problem-solving performance, regardless of parental history of problem drinking. However, a different pattern was evident for problem-solving self-appraisals. Alcohol-abusing non-COPDs saw themselves as effective problem-solvers while alcohol-abusing COPDs appraised themselves as poor problem-solvers. In addition, the self-appraisals of alcohol-abusing COPDs were consistent with objective ratings of solution effectiveness (i.e., they were both negative) while alcohol-abusing non-COPDs were overly positive in their appraisals, opposing the judgments of trained raters. This finding suggests that the relationship between personal alcohol abuse and self-appraised problem-solving abilities may differ as a function of parental history of problem drinking. Limitations on the generalizability of findings are addressed.

Social problem-solving deficits and hopelessness, depression, and suicidal risk in college students and psychiatric inpatients.

PubMed

D'Zurilla, T J; Chang, E C; Nottingham, E J; Faccini, L

1998-12-01

The Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised was used to examine the relations between problem-solving abilities and hopelessness, depression, and suicidal risk in three different samples: undergraduate college students, general psychiatric inpatients, and suicidal psychiatric inpatients. A similar pattern of results was found in both college students and psychiatric patients: a negative problem orientation was most highly correlated with all three criterion variables, followed by either a positive problem orientation or an avoidance problem-solving style. Rational problem-solving skills emerged as an important predictor variable in the suicidal psychiatric sample. Support was found for a prediction model of suicidal risk that includes problem-solving deficits and hopelessness, with partial support being found for including depression in the model as well.

An Exploration of Strategies Used by Students To Solve Problems with Multiple Ways of Solution.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos-Trigo, Manuel

1996-01-01

Describes a study that provides information about the extent to which students actually use their mathematical resources and strategies to solve problems. Interviews were used to analyze the problem solving abilities of high school students (N=35) as they solved five problems. (DDR)

Surveying Graduate Students' Attitudes and Approaches to Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mason, Andrew; Singh, Chandralekha

2010-01-01

Students' attitudes and approaches to problem solving in physics can profoundly influence their motivation to learn and development of expertise. We developed and validated an Attitudes and Approaches to Problem Solving survey by expanding the Attitudes toward Problem Solving survey of Marx and Cummings and administered it to physics graduate…

Facilitating Case Reuse during Problem Solving in Algebra-Based Physics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mateycik, Frances Ann

2010-01-01

This research project investigates students' development of problem solving schemata while using strategies that facilitate the process of using solved examples to assist with a new problem (case reuse). Focus group learning interviews were used to explore students' perceptions and understanding of several problem solving strategies. Individual…

Problem Solving. Research Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Mike

2004-01-01

No longer solely the domain of Mathematics, problem solving permeates every area of today's curricula. Ideally students are applying heuristics strategies in varied contexts and novel situations in every subject taught. The ability to solve problems is a basic life skill and is essential to understanding technical subjects. Problem-solving is a…

Solving Complex Problems: A Convergent Approach to Cognitive Load Measurement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Robert; Cook, Anne

2012-01-01

The study challenged the current practices in cognitive load measurement involving complex problem solving by manipulating the presence of pictures in multiple rule-based problem-solving situations and examining the cognitive load resulting from both off-line and online measures associated with complex problem solving. Forty-eight participants…

LEGO Robotics: An Authentic Problem Solving Tool?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castledine, Alanah-Rei; Chalmers, Chris

2011-01-01

With the current curriculum focus on correlating classroom problem solving lessons to real-world contexts, are LEGO robotics an effective problem solving tool? This present study was designed to investigate this question and to ascertain what problem solving strategies primary students engaged with when working with LEGO robotics and whether the…

Using Technology to Meet the Developmental Needs of Deaf Students To Improve Their Mathematical Word Problem Solving Skills.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Ronald R.

2003-01-01

Presents "Project Solve," a web-based problem-solving instruction and guided practice for mathematical word problems. Discusses implications for college students for whom reading and comprehension of mathematical word problem solving are difficult, especially learning disabled students. (Author/KHR)

Enhancing Students' Problem-Solving Skills through Context-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Kuang-Chao; Fan, Szu-Chun; Lin, Kuen-Yi

2015-01-01

Problem solving is often challenging for students because they do not understand the problem-solving process (PSP). This study presents a three-stage, context-based, problem-solving, learning activity that involves watching detective films, constructing a context-simulation activity, and introducing a project design to enable students to construct…

Preschoolers' Cooperative Problem Solving: Integrating Play and Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramani, Geetha B.; Brownell, Celia A.

2014-01-01

Cooperative problem solving with peers plays a central role in promoting children's cognitive and social development. This article reviews research on cooperative problem solving among preschool-age children in experimental settings and social play contexts. Studies suggest that cooperative interactions with peers in experimental settings are…

Kindergarten Students Solving Mathematical Word Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Nickey Owen

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore problem solving with kindergarten students. This line of inquiry is highly significant given that Common Core State Standards emphasize deep, conceptual understanding in mathematics as well as problem solving in kindergarten. However, there is little research on problem solving with kindergarten students.…

Factors Contributing to Problem-Solving Performance in First-Semester Organic Chemistry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Enrique J.; Shavelson, Richard J.; Nandagopal, Kiruthiga; Szu, Evan; Penn, John

2014-01-01

Problem solving is a highly valued skill in chemistry. Courses within this discipline place a substantial emphasis on problem-solving performance and tend to weigh such performance heavily in assessments of learning. Researchers have dedicated considerable effort investigating individual factors that influence problem-solving performance. The…

The Role of Expository Writing in Mathematical Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Craig, Tracy S.

2016-01-01

Mathematical problem-solving is notoriously difficult to teach in a standard university mathematics classroom. The project on which this article reports aimed to investigate the effect of the writing of explanatory strategies in the context of mathematical problem solving on problem-solving behaviour. This article serves to describe the…

Problem Solving Self-Appraisal and Coping Efforts in Distressed and Nondistressed Couples.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sabourin, Stephane; And Others

1990-01-01

Investigated relationship between problem-solving self-appraisal, specific coping efforts, and marital distress in 75 couples. Findings showed less problem-solving confidence, tendency to avoid different problem-solving activities, and poor strategies to control behavior in distressed spouses. Three coping efforts--optimistic comparisons,…

How Students Circumvent Problem-Solving Strategies that Require Greater Cognitive Complexity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niaz, Mansoor

1996-01-01

Analyzes the great diversity in problem-solving strategies used by students in solving a chemistry problem and discusses the relationship between these variables and different cognitive variables. Concludes that students try to circumvent certain problem-solving strategies by adapting flexible and stylistic innovations that render the cognitive…

The Just War Theory and the ethical governance of research.

PubMed

Malsch, Ineke

2013-06-01

This article analyses current trends in and future expectations of nanotechnology and other key enabling technologies for security as well as dual use nanotechnology from the perspective of the ethical Just War Theory (JWT), interpreted as an instrument to increase the threshold for using armed force for solving conflicts. The aim is to investigate the relevance of the JWT to the ethical governance of research. The analysis gives rise to the following results. From the perspective of the JWT, military research should be evaluated with different criteria than research for civil or civil security applications. From a technological perspective, the boundaries between technologies for civil and military applications are fuzzy. Therefore the JWT offers theoretical grounds for making clear distinctions between research for military, civil security and other applications that are not obvious from a purely technological perspective. Different actors bear responsibility for development of the technology than for resorting to armed force for solving conflicts or for use of weapons and military technologies in combat. Different criteria should be used for moral judgment of decisions made by each type of actor in each context. In addition to evaluation of potential consequences of future use of the weapons or military technologies under development, the JWT also prescribes ethical evaluation of the inherent intent and other foreseeable consequences of the development itself of new military technologies.

Effect of Tutorial Giving on The Topic of Special Theory of Relativity in Modern Physics Course Towards Students’ Problem-Solving Ability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hartatiek; Yudyanto; Haryoto, Dwi

2017-05-01

A Special Theory of Relativity handbook has been successfully arranged to guide students tutorial activity in the Modern Physics course. The low of students’ problem-solving ability was overcome by giving the tutorial in addition to the lecture class. It was done due to the limited time in the class during the course to have students do some exercises for their problem-solving ability. The explicit problem-solving based tutorial handbook was written by emphasizing to this 5 problem-solving strategies: (1) focus on the problem, (2) picture the physical facts, (3) plan the solution, (4) solve the problem, and (5) check the result. This research and development (R&D) consisted of 3 main steps: (1) preliminary study, (2) draft I. product development, and (3) product validation. The developed draft product was validated by experts to measure the feasibility of the material and predict the effect of the tutorial giving by means of questionnaires with scale 1 to 4. The students problem-solving ability in Special Theory of Relativity showed very good qualification. It implied that the tutorial giving with the help of tutorial handbook increased students problem-solving ability. The empirical test revealed that the developed handbook was significantly affected in improving students’ mastery concept and problem-solving ability. Both students’ mastery concept and problem-solving ability were in middle category with gain of 0.31 and 0.41, respectively.

Assertiveness and problem solving in midwives.

PubMed

Yurtsal, Zeliha Burcu; Özdemir, Levent

2015-01-01

Midwifery profession is required to bring solutions to problems and a midwife is expected to be an assertive person and to develop midwifery care. This study was planned to examine the relationship between assertiveness and problem-solving skills of midwives. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 201 midwives between July 2008 and February 2009 in the city center of Sivas. The Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (RAS) and Problem Solving Inventory (PSI) were used to determine the level of assertiveness and problem-solving skills of midwives. Statistical methods were used as mean, standard deviation, percentage, Student's T, ANOVA and Tukey HSD, Kruskal Wallis, Fisher Exact, Pearson Correlation and Chi-square tests and P < 0.05. The RAS mean scores and the PSI mean scores showed statistically significant differences in terms of a midwife's considering herself as a member of the health team, expressing herself within the health care team, being able to say "no" when necessary, cooperating with her colleagues, taking part in problem-solving skills training. A statistically significant negative correlation was found between the RAS and PSI scores. The RAS scores decreased while the problem-solving scores increased (r: -0451, P < 0.01). There were significant statistical differences between assertiveness levels and problem solving skills of midwives, and midwives who were assertive solved their problems better than did others. Assertiveness and problem-solving skills training will contribute to the success of the midwifery profession. Midwives able to solve problems, and display assertive behaviors will contribute to the development of midwifery profession.

Journey into Problem Solving: A Gift from Polya

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lederman, Eric

2009-01-01

In "How to Solve It", accomplished mathematician and skilled communicator George Polya describes a four-step universal solving technique designed to help students develop mathematical problem-solving skills. By providing a glimpse at the grace with which experts solve problems, Polya provides definable methods that are not exclusive to…

Association Between Anticipatory Grief and Problem Solving Among Family Caregivers of Persons with Cognitive Impairment

PubMed Central

Fowler, Nicole R.; Hansen, Alexandra S.; Barnato, Amber E.; Garand, Linda

2013-01-01

Objective Measure perceived involvement in medical decision making and determine if anticipatory grief is associated with problem solving among family caregivers of older adults with cognitive impairment. Method Retrospective analysis of baseline data from a caregiver intervention (n=73). Multivariable regression models testing the association between caregivers’ anticipatory grief, measured by the Anticipatory Grief Scale (AGS), with problem solving abilities, measured by the Social Problem Solving Inventory – Revised: Short Form (SPSI-R: S). Results 47/73 (64%) of caregivers reported involvement in medical decision making. Mean AGS was 70.1 (± 14.8) and mean SPSI-R:S was 107.2 (± 11.6). Higher AGS scores were associated with lower positive problem orientation (P=0.041) and higher negative problem orientation scores (P=0.001) but not other components of problem solving- rational problem solving, avoidance style, and impulsivity/carelessness style. Discussion Higher anticipatory grief among family caregivers impaired problem solving, which could have negative consequences for their medical decision making responsibilities. PMID:23428394

Analysis of students’ creative thinking level in problem solving based on national council of teachers of mathematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hobri; Suharto; Rifqi Naja, Ahmad

2018-04-01

This research aims to determine students’ creative thinking level in problem solving based on NCTM in function subject. The research type is descriptive with qualitative approach. Data collection methods which were used are test and interview. Creative thinking level in problem solving based on NCTM indicators consists of (1) Make mathematical model from a contextual problem and solve the problem, (2) Solve problem using various possible alternatives, (3) Find new alternative(s) to solve the problem, (4) Determine the most efficient and effective alternative for that problem, (5) Review and correct mistake(s) on the process of problem solving. Result of the research showed that 10 students categorized in very satisfying level, 23 students categorized in satisfying level and 1 students categorized in less satisfying level. Students in very satisfying level meet all indicators, students in satisfying level meet first, second, fourth, and fifth indicator, while students in less satisfying level only meet first and fifth indicator.

Analysing student written solutions to investigate if problem-solving processes are evident throughout

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Regina; McLoughlin, Eilish; Finlayson, Odilla E.

2016-07-01

An interdisciplinary science course has been implemented at a university with the intention of providing students the opportunity to develop a range of key skills in relation to: real-world connections of science, problem-solving, information and communications technology use and team while linking subject knowledge in each of the science disciplines. One of the problems used in this interdisciplinary course has been selected to evaluate if it affords students the opportunity to explicitly display problem-solving processes. While the benefits of implementing problem-based learning have been well reported, far less research has been devoted to methods of assessing student problem-solving solutions. A problem-solving theoretical framework was used as a tool to assess student written solutions to indicate if problem-solving processes were present. In two academic years, student problem-solving processes were satisfactory for exploring and understanding, representing and formulating, and planning and executing, indicating that student collaboration on problems is a good initiator of developing these processes. In both academic years, students displayed poor monitoring and reflecting (MR) processes at the intermediate level. A key impact of evaluating student work in this way is that it facilitated meaningful feedback about the students' problem-solving process rather than solely assessing the correctness of problem solutions.

Requisite for Honing the Problem Solving Skill of Early Adolescents in the Digital Era

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sumitha, S.; Jose, Rexlin

2016-01-01

Problems can be the cause of stress, tension, emotional instability and physical strain. Especially, adolescents should have the skill of solving a problem in order to reach his/her desired ambitions in life. The problem solving skill requires some abstract thinking to arrive at a clear solution. Problem solving ability helps them to meet their…

How To Solve Problems. For Success in Freshman Physics, Engineering, and Beyond. Third Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scarl, Donald

To expertly solve engineering and science problems one needs to know science and engineering as well as have a tool kit of problem-solving methods. This book is about problem-solving methods: it presents the methods professional problem solvers use, explains why these methods have evolved, and shows how a student can make these methods his/her…

Cognitive Backgrounds of Problem Solving: A Comparison of Open-Ended vs. Closed Mathematics Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bahar, Abdulkadir; Maker, C. June

2015-01-01

Problem solving has been a core theme in education for several decades. Educators and policy makers agree on the importance of the role of problem solving skills for school and real life success. A primary purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of cognitive abilities on mathematical problem solving performance of elementary…

Moving your eyes to solution: effects of movements on the perception of a problem-solving task.

PubMed

Werner, K; Raab, M

2014-01-01

There is ample evidence suggesting a bidirectional connection between bodily movements and cognitive processes, such as problem solving. Current research suggests that previous movements can influence the problem-solving process, but it is unclear what phase of this process is affected. Therefore, we investigated participants' gaze behaviour in the first phase of arithmetic problem solving with two groups (plus group, minus group) to explore a spatial bias toward the left or the right while perceiving a problem-solving task (the water-jar problem) after two different movements-that is, for the plus group, sorting marbles from two outer bowls into one in the middle, and for the minus group, sorting marbles from the middle bowl to the outer ones. We showed a right shift of spatial bias for the plus and to the left for the minus group in the perception and problem tasks. Although movements affected gaze, the groups did not differ in their overall problem-solving strategies; however, the first correct solutions did differ. This study provides further evidence of sensorimotor effects on problem solving and spatial bias and offers insight into how a two-phase problem-solving process is guided by sensorimotor information.

Effects of the SOLVE Strategy on the Mathematical Problem Solving Skills of Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Freeman-Green, Shaqwana M.; O'Brien, Chris; Wood, Charles L.; Hitt, Sara Beth

2015-01-01

This study examined the effects of explicit instruction in the SOLVE Strategy on the mathematical problem solving skills of six Grade 8 students with specific learning disabilities. The SOLVE Strategy is an explicit instruction, mnemonic-based learning strategy designed to help students in solving mathematical word problems. Using a multiple probe…

[Neuroethics: reflections on the latent principles of morals in medicine].

PubMed

Figueroa, Gustavo

2012-08-01

Ethical dilemmas resulting from neural sciences have promoted the emergence of a new discipline termed neuroethics. Researchers distinguish between ethics of neuroscience and neuroscience of ethics. The former deals with ethical problems arising from new forms of interventions into the brain. The latter investigates the neural mechanisms that may possibly underlie morality as such. This article presents a survey of the new empirical facts and directions, and a critical evaluation of the methodological and ontological problems underlying neuroethics as such. Conceptual analyses of research issues and the underlying implicit conceptions of human being are thoroughly investigated based on Heidegger's thought.

Researcher Perceptions of Ethical Guidelines and Codes of Conduct

PubMed Central

Giorgini, Vincent; Mecca, Jensen T.; Gibson, Carter; Medeiros, Kelsey; Mumford, Michael D.; Connelly, Shane; Devenport, Lynn D.

2014-01-01

Ethical codes of conduct exist in almost every profession. Field-specific codes of conduct have been around for decades, each articulating specific ethical and professional guidelines. However, there has been little empirical research on researchers’ perceptions of these codes of conduct. In the present study, we interviewed faculty members in six research disciplines and identified five themes bearing on the circumstances under which they use ethical guidelines and the underlying reasons for not adhering to such guidelines. We then identify problems with the manner in which codes of conduct in academia are constructed and offer solutions for overcoming these problems. PMID:25635845

Diagrams benefit symbolic problem-solving.

PubMed

Chu, Junyi; Rittle-Johnson, Bethany; Fyfe, Emily R

2017-06-01

The format of a mathematics problem often influences students' problem-solving performance. For example, providing diagrams in conjunction with story problems can benefit students' understanding, choice of strategy, and accuracy on story problems. However, it remains unclear whether providing diagrams in conjunction with symbolic equations can benefit problem-solving performance as well. We tested the impact of diagram presence on students' performance on algebra equation problems to determine whether diagrams increase problem-solving success. We also examined the influence of item- and student-level factors to test the robustness of the diagram effect. We worked with 61 seventh-grade students who had received 2 months of pre-algebra instruction. Students participated in an experimenter-led classroom session. Using a within-subjects design, students solved algebra problems in two matched formats (equation and equation-with-diagram). The presence of diagrams increased equation-solving accuracy and the use of informal strategies. This diagram benefit was independent of student ability and item complexity. The benefits of diagrams found previously for story problems generalized to symbolic problems. The findings are consistent with cognitive models of problem-solving and suggest that diagrams may be a useful additional representation of symbolic problems. © 2017 The British Psychological Society.

Between universalism and relativism: a conceptual exploration of problems in formulating and applying international biomedical ethical guidelines

PubMed Central

Tangwa, G

2004-01-01

In this paper, the author attempts to explore some of the problems connected with the formulation and application of international biomedical ethical guidelines, with particular reference to Africa. Recent attempts at revising and updating some international medical ethical guidelines have been bedevilled by intractable controversies and wrangling regarding both the content and formulation. From the vantage position of relative familiarity with both African and Western contexts, and the privilege of having been involved in the revision and updating of one of the international ethical guidelines, the author reflects broadly on these issues and attempts prescribing an approach from both the theoretical and practical angles liable to mitigate, if not completely eliminate, some of the problems and difficulties. PMID:14872078

Problem-Based Assignments as a Trigger for Developing Ethical and Reflective Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euler, Dieter; Kühner, Patrizia

2017-01-01

The following research question serves as the starting point of this research and development project: How, in the context of a didactic design, can problem-based assignments trigger learning activities for the development of ethical and reflective competencies in students in economics courses? This paper focuses on the design of problem-based…

Honor Code/Code of Conduct in International Institutions of Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alahmad, Ala'

2013-01-01

In today's society, students are faced with many ethical decisions about which they are uncertain. Unfortunately, many of these problems are rooted not only in their academic lives, but also in the workplace. These problems stem from a lack of knowledge concerning decision-making. This problem presents an actual global dilemma. Codifying ethics in…

Viewpoint of Science Council of Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Syunsuke

The Science Council of Japan (SCJ) is an academic body that represents Japanese 700,000 scientists. The activity of SCJ is changing rapidly, in which the science associated with society is increasingly important. In this context, the engineering education for ethics is treated at SCJ. The importance of engineering ethics was first recognized at the 5th division of 17th term (1999-2001) of SCJ, in which education for engineering ethics based on the analysis of ethical problems occurred in Japan is recommended and it asked the engineering societies to establish the code of ethics. Following this proposal, SCJ founded a committee to treat the problem at 18th and 19th terms. The committee proposed a procedure to prevent misconduct associated with scientific activities and the importance of education of science and engineering ethics especially for young students at tertiary education.

Decomposing intuitive components in a conceptual problem solving task.

PubMed

Reber, Rolf; Ruch-Monachon, Marie-Antoinette; Perrig, Walter J

2007-06-01

Research into intuitive problem solving has shown that objective closeness of participants' hypotheses were closer to the accurate solution than their subjective ratings of closeness. After separating conceptually intuitive problem solving from the solutions of rational incremental tasks and of sudden insight tasks, we replicated this finding by using more precise measures in a conceptual problem-solving task. In a second study, we distinguished performance level, processing style, implicit knowledge and subjective feeling of closeness to the solution within the problem-solving task and examined the relationships of these different components with measures of intelligence and personality. Verbal intelligence correlated with performance level in problem solving, but not with processing style and implicit knowledge. Faith in intuition, openness to experience, and conscientiousness correlated with processing style, but not with implicit knowledge. These findings suggest that one needs to decompose processing style and intuitive components in problem solving to make predictions on effects of intelligence and personality measures.

Self-Affirmation Improves Problem-Solving under Stress

PubMed Central

Creswell, J. David; Dutcher, Janine M.; Klein, William M. P.; Harris, Peter R.; Levine, John M.

2013-01-01

High levels of acute and chronic stress are known to impair problem-solving and creativity on a broad range of tasks. Despite this evidence, we know little about protective factors for mitigating the deleterious effects of stress on problem-solving. Building on previous research showing that self-affirmation can buffer stress, we tested whether an experimental manipulation of self-affirmation improves problem-solving performance in chronically stressed participants. Eighty undergraduates indicated their perceived chronic stress over the previous month and were randomly assigned to either a self-affirmation or control condition. They then completed 30 difficult remote associate problem-solving items under time pressure in front of an evaluator. Results showed that self-affirmation improved problem-solving performance in underperforming chronically stressed individuals. This research suggests a novel means for boosting problem-solving under stress and may have important implications for understanding how self-affirmation boosts academic achievement in school settings. PMID:23658751

The effects of monitoring environment on problem-solving performance.

PubMed

Laird, Brian K; Bailey, Charles D; Hester, Kim

2018-01-01

While effective and efficient solving of everyday problems is important in business domains, little is known about the effects of workplace monitoring on problem-solving performance. In a laboratory experiment, we explored the monitoring environment's effects on an individual's propensity to (1) establish pattern solutions to problems, (2) recognize when pattern solutions are no longer efficient, and (3) solve complex problems. Under three work monitoring regimes-no monitoring, human monitoring, and electronic monitoring-114 participants solved puzzles for monetary rewards. Based on research related to worker autonomy and theory of social facilitation, we hypothesized that monitored (versus non-monitored) participants would (1) have more difficulty finding a pattern solution, (2) more often fail to recognize when the pattern solution is no longer efficient, and (3) solve fewer complex problems. Our results support the first two hypotheses, but in complex problem solving, an interaction was found between self-assessed ability and the monitoring environment.

The Relationship between Functional Status and Judgment/Problem Solving Among Individuals with Dementia

PubMed Central

Mayo, Ann M.; Wallhagen, Margaret; Cooper, Bruce A.; Mehta, Kala; Ross, Leslie; Miller, Bruce

2012-01-01

Objective To determine the relationship between functional status (independent activities of daily living) and judgment/problem solving and the extent to which select demographic characteristics such as dementia subtype and cognitive measures may moderate that relationship in older adult individuals with dementia. Methods The National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Center Universal Data Set was accessed for a study sample of 3,855 individuals diagnosed with dementia. Primary variables included functional status, judgment/problem solving, and cognition. Results Functional status was related to judgment/problem solving (r= 0.66; p< .0005). Functional status and cognition jointly predicted 56% of the variance in judgment/problem solving (R-squared = .56, p <.0005). As cognition decreases, the prediction of poorer judgment/problem solving by functional status became stronger. Conclusions Among individuals with a diagnosis of dementia, declining functional status as well as declining cognition should raise concerns about judgment/problem solving. PMID:22786576

The semantic system is involved in mathematical problem solving.

PubMed

Zhou, Xinlin; Li, Mengyi; Li, Leinian; Zhang, Yiyun; Cui, Jiaxin; Liu, Jie; Chen, Chuansheng

2018-02-01

Numerous studies have shown that the brain regions around bilateral intraparietal cortex are critical for number processing and arithmetical computation. However, the neural circuits for more advanced mathematics such as mathematical problem solving (with little routine arithmetical computation) remain unclear. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), this study (N = 24 undergraduate students) compared neural bases of mathematical problem solving (i.e., number series completion, mathematical word problem solving, and geometric problem solving) and arithmetical computation. Direct subject- and item-wise comparisons revealed that mathematical problem solving typically had greater activation than arithmetical computation in all 7 regions of the semantic system (which was based on a meta-analysis of 120 functional neuroimaging studies on semantic processing). Arithmetical computation typically had greater activation in the supplementary motor area and left precentral gyrus. The results suggest that the semantic system in the brain supports mathematical problem solving. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Self-affirmation improves problem-solving under stress.

PubMed

Creswell, J David; Dutcher, Janine M; Klein, William M P; Harris, Peter R; Levine, John M

2013-01-01

High levels of acute and chronic stress are known to impair problem-solving and creativity on a broad range of tasks. Despite this evidence, we know little about protective factors for mitigating the deleterious effects of stress on problem-solving. Building on previous research showing that self-affirmation can buffer stress, we tested whether an experimental manipulation of self-affirmation improves problem-solving performance in chronically stressed participants. Eighty undergraduates indicated their perceived chronic stress over the previous month and were randomly assigned to either a self-affirmation or control condition. They then completed 30 difficult remote associate problem-solving items under time pressure in front of an evaluator. Results showed that self-affirmation improved problem-solving performance in underperforming chronically stressed individuals. This research suggests a novel means for boosting problem-solving under stress and may have important implications for understanding how self-affirmation boosts academic achievement in school settings.

The "Other Voices" in Contemporary Ethical Dilemmas: The Value of the New Scholarship on Women in the Teaching of Ethics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Joan Poliner; Smith-Rosenberg, Carroll

This paper indicates the need for women's studies ethics courses and the examination of student concepts of morality. It proposes the ethical study of social problems not usually considered in undergraduate classes and illustrates the importance of the study of historical perspectives and situational ethics in the teaching of complex contemporary…

Kinalizade's Views on the Moral Education of Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uysal, Enver

2007-01-01

Kinalizade (1510-1572) is an important moralist who lived in the sixteenth century Ottoman society. He details his views on ethics in his book "Ahlak-i Ala'i," which consists of three parts. The first part contains the problems of individual ethics and ethics in general, the second deals with family ethics and the third is about state ethics and…

Engaging science in a climate of values: tools for animal scientists tasked with addressing ethical problems.

PubMed

Croney, C C; Anthony, R

2010-04-01

In the United States, escalating concerns about current farm animal science and production methods have resulted not only in increased food animal protection policies, but also in animal welfare legislation. Animal scientists and industry leaders are apprehensive that such policies may be driven primarily by emotion and a lack of scientific understanding, and thus may have unforeseen consequences. However, decisions about animal care, and particularly animal welfare, cannot be made solely on the basis of science because the potential effects on producers, animals, and concerned citizens and the implications for the environment and on food prices must also be considered. Balancing the interests and values of all stakeholders in regard to animal welfare problems has presented a considerable challenge. Ethical accounting processes, such as the Ethical Matrix and the ethics assessment process by Campbell, offer models to combine socioethical concerns with relevant factual information, thereby facilitating decision making that is ethically responsible and that offers viable solutions. A case study is used to illustrate application of the ethics assessment process by Campbell that includes identification of the ethical problems, the embedded values, the relevant facts, and moral tests that can be applied. Awareness of these emerging ways of examining ethics that offer real solutions to conflicts of interests and not merely "one size fits all" answers should be an asset to animal and poultry scientists.

On the Analysis of Two-Person Problem Solving Protocols.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schoenfeld, Alan H.

Methodological issues in the use of protocol analysis for research into human problem solving processes are examined through a case study in which two students were videotaped as they worked together to solve mathematical problems "out loud." The students' chosen strategic or executive behavior in examining and solving a problem was…

The Development and Nature of Problem-Solving among First-Semester Calculus Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dawkins, Paul Christian; Epperson, James A. Mendoza

2014-01-01

This study investigates interactions between calculus learning and problem-solving in the context of two first-semester undergraduate calculus courses in the USA. We assessed students' problem-solving abilities in a common US calculus course design that included traditional lecture and assessment with problem-solving-oriented labs. We investigate…

Students' Dilemmas in Reaction Stoichiometry Problem Solving: Deducing the Limiting Reagent in Chemical Reactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandrasegaran, A. L.; Treagust, David F.; Waldrip, Bruce G.; Chandrasegaran, Antonia

2009-01-01

A qualitative case study was conducted to investigate the understanding of the limiting reagent concept and the strategies used by five Year 11 students when solving four reaction stoichiometry problems. Students' written problem-solving strategies were studied using the think-aloud protocol during problem-solving, and retrospective verbalisations…

Socially Shared Metacognition of Dyads of Pupils in Collaborative Mathematical Problem-Solving Processes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iiskala, Tuike; Vauras, Marja; Lehtinen, Erno; Salonen, Pekka

2011-01-01

This study investigated how metacognition appears as a socially shared phenomenon within collaborative mathematical word-problem solving processes of dyads of high-achieving pupils. Four dyads solved problems of different difficulty levels. The pupils were 10 years old. The problem-solving activities were videotaped and transcribed in terms of…

Problem Solving in the School Curriculum from a Design Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Toh, Tin Lam; Leong, Yew Hoong; Dindyal, Jaguthsing; Quek, Khiok Seng

2010-01-01

In this symposium, the participants discuss some preliminary data collected from their problem solving project which uses a design experiment approach. Their approach to problem solving in the school curriculum is in tandem with what Schoenfeld (2007) claimed: "Crafting instruction that would make a wide range of problem-solving strategies…

The Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of a Problem Solving Heuristic

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lorenzo, Mercedes

2005-01-01

Problem-solving is one of the main goals in science teaching and is something many students find difficult. This research reports on the development, implementation and evaluation of a problem-solving heuristic. This heuristic intends to help students to understand the steps involved in problem solving (metacognitive tool), and to provide them…

Sequenced Integration and the Identification of a Problem-Solving Approach through a Learning Process

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cormas, Peter C.

2016-01-01

Preservice teachers (N = 27) in two sections of a sequenced, methodological and process integrated mathematics/science course solved a levers problem with three similar learning processes and a problem-solving approach, and identified a problem-solving approach through one different learning process. Similar learning processes used included:…

Internet Computer Coaches for Introductory Physics Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu Ryan, Qing

2013-01-01

The ability to solve problems in a variety of contexts is becoming increasingly important in our rapidly changing technological society. Problem-solving is a complex process that is important for everyday life and crucial for learning physics. Although there is a great deal of effort to improve student problem solving skills throughout the…

An Examination of the Personality Constructs Underlying Dimensions of Creative Problem-Solving Style

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Isaksen, Scott G.; Kaufmann, Astrid H.; Bakken, Bjørn T.

2016-01-01

This study investigated the personality facets that underpin the construct of problem-solving style, particularly when approaching more creative kinds of problem-solving. Cattell's Sixteen Personality Factors Questionnaire and VIEW--An Assessment of Problem Solving Style were administered to 165 students from the Norwegian Business School. We…

Teaching Social Problem Solving to Individuals with Mental Retardation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crites, Steven A.; Dunn, Caroline

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine effectiveness of a problem-solving curriculum for transition-age students with mental retardation. The interactive training program Solving Your Problems (Browning, n.d.) was used to teach a five-step process for solving problems. Results indicate participants in the training group were able to use the…

The Microcomputer--A Problem Solving Tool.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoelscher, Karen J.

Designed to assist teachers in using the microcomputer as a tool to teach problem solving strategies, this document is divided into two sections: the first introduces the concept of problem solving as a thinking process, and suggests means by which a teacher can become an effective guide for the learning of problem solving skills; the second…

Working Memory Components as Predictors of Children's Mathematical Word Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zheng, Xinhua; Swanson, H. Lee; Marcoulides, George A.

2011-01-01

This study determined the working memory (WM) components (executive, phonological loop, and visual-spatial sketchpad) that best predicted mathematical word problem-solving accuracy of elementary school children in Grades 2, 3, and 4 (N = 310). A battery of tests was administered to assess problem-solving accuracy, problem-solving processes, WM,…

The Reliability and Construct Validity of Scores on the Attitudes toward Problem Solving Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zakaria, Effandi; Haron, Zolkepeli; Daud, Md Yusoff

2004-01-01

The Attitudes Toward Problem Solving Scale (ATPSS) has received limited attention concerning its reliability and validity with a Malaysian secondary education population. Developed by Charles, Lester & O'Daffer (1987), the instruments assessed attitudes toward problem solving in areas of Willingness to Engage in Problem Solving Activities,…

Using Digital Mapping Tool in Ill-Structured Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bai, Hua

2013-01-01

Scaffolding students' problem solving and helping them to improve problem solving skills are critical in instructional design courses. This study investigated the effects of students' uses of a digital mapping tool on their problem solving performance in a design case study. It was found that the students who used the digital mapping tool…

Independence Pending: Teacher Behaviors Preceding Learner Problem Solving

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roesler, Rebecca A.

2017-01-01

The purposes of the present study were to identify the teacher behaviors that preceded learners' active participation in solving musical and technical problems and describe learners' roles in the problem-solving process. I applied an original model of problem solving to describe the behaviors of teachers and students in 161 rehearsal frames…

77 FR 32138 - Agency Information Collection Agencies: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested Census of Problem...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-31

... Agencies: Proposed Collection; Comments Requested Census of Problem-Solving Courts 2012 ACTION: 30-Day...-Solving Courts (CPSC), 201 2. The title of the form/collection: Census of Problem-Solving Courts or CPSC... Abstract: Problem-solving courts at all levels of government. Abstract: The Bureau of Justice Statistics...

A TAPS Interactive Multimedia Package to Solve Engineering Dynamics Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sidhu, S. Manjit; Selvanathan, N.

2005-01-01

Purpose: To expose engineering students to using modern technologies, such as multimedia packages, to learn, visualize and solve engineering problems, such as in mechanics dynamics. Design/methodology/approach: A multimedia problem-solving prototype package is developed to help students solve an engineering problem in a step-by-step approach. A…

Prompting in Web-Based Environments: Supporting Self-Monitoring and Problem Solving Skills in College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kauffman, Douglas F.; Ge, Xun; Xie, Kui; Chen, Ching-Huei

2008-01-01

This study explored Metacognition and how automated instructional support in the form of problem-solving and self-reflection prompts influenced students' capacity to solve complex problems in a Web-based learning environment. Specifically, we examined the independent and interactive effects of problem-solving prompts and reflection prompts on…

Examining the Critical Thinking Dispositions and the Problem Solving Skills of Computer Engineering Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özyurt, Özcan

2015-01-01

Problem solving is an indispensable part of engineering. Improving critical thinking dispositions for solving engineering problems is one of the objectives of engineering education. In this sense, knowing critical thinking and problem solving skills of engineering students is of importance for engineering education. This study aims to determine…

Capturing Problem-Solving Processes Using Critical Rationalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chitpin, Stephanie; Simon, Marielle

2012-01-01

The examination of problem-solving processes continues to be a current research topic in education. Knowing how to solve problems is not only a key aspect of learning mathematics but is also at the heart of cognitive theories, linguistics, artificial intelligence, and computers sciences. Problem solving is a multistep, higher-order cognitive task…

[Investigation of problem solving skills among psychiatric patients].

PubMed

Póos, Judit; Annus, Rita; Perczel Forintos, Dóra

2008-01-01

According to our present knowledge depression and hopelessness play an important role in attempted suicide and the development of hopelessness seems to be closely associated with poor problem solving skills. In the present study we have used the internationally well-known MEPS (Means-Ends Problem Solving Test; a measure of social problem solving ability) in Hungary for the first time and combined with other tests. We intended to explore the cognitive risk factors that potentially play a role in the suicidal behavior in clinical population. In our study we compared a group of individuals who had attempted suicide to a nonsuicidal psychiatric control group and a normal control group (61 subjects in each group). Our results confirm the findings of others that psychiatric patients have difficulties in social problem solving compared to normal controls. Moreover, they generate less and poorer solutions. According to our data problem solving skills of the two clinical groups were similar. A strong positive correlation was found between poor problem solving skills, depression and hopelessness which may suggest that the development of problem solving skills could help to reduce negative mood.

The development and evaluation of a web-based programme to support problem-solving skills following brain injury.

PubMed

Powell, Laurie Ehlhardt; Wild, Michelle R; Glang, Ann; Ibarra, Summer; Gau, Jeff M; Perez, Amanda; Albin, Richard W; O'Neil-Pirozzi, Therese M; Wade, Shari L; Keating, Tom; Saraceno, Carolyn; Slocumb, Jody

2017-10-24

Cognitive impairments following brain injury, including difficulty with problem solving, can pose significant barriers to successful community reintegration. Problem-solving strategy training is well-supported in the cognitive rehabilitation literature. However, limitations in insurance reimbursement have resulted in fewer services to train such skills to mastery and to support generalization of those skills into everyday environments. The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate an integrated, web-based programme, ProSolv, which uses a small number of coaching sessions to support problem solving in everyday life following brain injury. We used participatory action research to guide the iterative development, usability testing, and within-subject pilot testing of the ProSolv programme. The finalized programme was then evaluated in a between-subjects group study and a non-experimental single case study. Results were mixed across studies. Participants demonstrated that it was feasible to learn and use the ProSolv programme for support in problem solving. They highly recommended the programme to others and singled out the importance of the coach. Limitations in app design were cited as a major reason for infrequent use of the app outside of coaching sessions. Results provide mixed evidence regarding the utility of web-based mobile apps, such as ProSolv to support problem solving following brain injury. Implications for Rehabilitation People with cognitive impairments following brain injury often struggle with problem solving in everyday contexts. Research supports problem solving skills training following brain injury. Assistive technology for cognition (smartphones, selected apps) offers a means of supporting problem solving for this population. This project demonstrated the feasibility of a web-based programme to address this need.