CODE | EDE5025 | ||||||||
TITLE | Navigating Ethical Dilemmas: Teaching Controversial Issues in the Ethics Classroom | ||||||||
UM LEVEL | 05 - Postgraduate Modular Diploma or Degree Course | ||||||||
MQF LEVEL | 7 | ||||||||
ECTS CREDITS | 5 | ||||||||
DEPARTMENT | Education Studies | ||||||||
DESCRIPTION | This study-unit is designed to empower students with the skills and knowledge required to effectively navigate and teach controversial issues within the Ethics syllabus. They will engage with a rich blend of theoretical frameworks and pedagogical strategies, enabling them to confidently address and facilitate discussions on ethically charged topics. The study-unit will cover a wide range of issues from the Ethics middle and secondary school syllabi, including the following controversial issues: 鈥 Life and death issues: murder, suicide, euthanasia, self-defense, abortion, capital punishment, war, biotechnologies, religious and secular issues towards life and death 鈥 Issues related to sexuality and relationships: pornography and revenge porn, different kinds of love, relationships of dependence, abusive relationships, responsibilities towards sexual partners, ethical/legal limits on sexual freedom and vulnerability 鈥 Issues related to social media: fake news, misinformation, extremism, radicalisation, oversharing and self-exposure on social media Students will develop the ability to create a classroom environment that encourages critical thinking, open dialogue, and respectful debate. The study-unit will emphasise the importance of fostering a culture of inquiry and reflection, where students feel safe to explore diverse perspectives and articulate their own ethical viewpoints. The study-unit will utilise case studies to provide practical examples of ethical dilemmas. Students will analyse these cases, develop discussion questions, and formulate strategies for presenting these cases in the Ethics classroom. This approach will help students learn how to break down complex issues into manageable and teachable segments. Students will learn and practice various facilitation techniques that promote an inclusive and respectful classroom environment. These techniques will include methods for encouraging student engagement, managing diverse opinions, and maintaining a balanced discussion. Practical sessions will allow students to test and refine these techniques with peer feedback. The study-unit will provide access to a variety of teaching resources, including multimedia materials, discussion guides, and ethical frameworks. Students will have the opportunity to create their own resources tailored to their specific classroom needs. These resources will be shared and critiqued in peer review sessions, allowing for the exchange of ideas and best practices. Through collaborative planning sessions, students will develop lesson plans and activities that incorporate these topics in a structured and pedagogically sound manner. This will include aligning lesson objectives with learning outcomes and assessment criteria. Study-Unit Aims: This study-unit is designed with the following aims: - Equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively navigate and teach controversial issues within the Ethics syllabus, ensuring they are confident in addressing and facilitating discussions on ethically charged topics; - Provide a rich blend of theoretical frameworks and practical strategies to enable students to confidently handle a wide range of issues from the Ethics middle and secondary school syllabi, including life and death issues, issues related to sexuality and relationships, and issues related to social media and technology; - Foster the ability to create a classroom environment based on the Community of Inquiry approach, which encourages critical thinking, open dialogue, and respectful debate among students, emphasizing the importance of inquiry and reflection; - Use case studies to provide practical examples of ethical dilemmas, allowing students to analyse these cases, develop discussion questions, and formulate strategies for presenting these issues to students in a manageable and teachable manner; - Teach and practise various facilitation techniques, including the Philosophy for Children methodology, that promote an inclusive and respectful classroom environment, including methods for encouraging student engagement, managing diverse opinions, and maintaining balanced discussions; - Offer access to a variety of teaching resources, including multimedia materials, discussion guides, and ethical frameworks, and provide opportunities for educators to create and tailor their own resources to meet specific classroom needs; - Engage students in collaborative planning sessions to develop lesson plans and activities that incorporate controversial topics in a structured and pedagogically sound manner, aligning lesson objectives with learning outcomes and assessment criteria; - Facilitate peer review sessions where students can share and critique their teaching resources and strategies, fostering an exchange of ideas and best practices to continuously improve their approach to teaching controversial ethical issues. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Identify key controversial issues within the ethics syllabus, including life and death issues, issues related to sexuality and relationships, and issues related to social media; - Apply ethical theoretical frameworks to analyse and understand ethically charged topics; - Explain the role of the Philosophy for Children methodology, critical thinking, open dialogue, and respectful debate in the Ethics classroom; - Analyse case studies to identify key ethical dilemmas and develop discussion questions; - Utilise various facilitation techniques, such as the Community of Inquiry, which promote inclusivity and respect in classroom discussions; - Access and utilise a variety of teaching resources, including multimedia materials, discussion guides, and ethical frameworks; - Plan and structure lessons that incorporate controversial topics in a pedagogically sound manner, aligning lesson objectives with learning outcomes and assessment criteria. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Facilitate ethical discussions on controversial ethical issues, ensuring balanced and respectful debate; - Create a safe classroom environment that encourages critical thinking, open dialogue, and respectful exploration of diverse perspectives; - Develop and present case studies to students, breaking down complex issues into manageable and teachable segments; - Utilise facilitation techniques to encourage student engagement, manage diverse opinions, and maintain a balanced discussion; - Create teaching resources tailored to specific classroom needs and share these resources in peer review sessions for feedback and improvement; - Collaborate with peers in planning sessions to develop lesson plans and activities that incorporate controversial topics effectively; - Engage in peer review sessions, providing and receiving constructive feedback to enhance teaching strategies and resource development. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Belshaw, C. (2005). Ten Good Questions About Life and Death. Blackwell Publishers. - Cassar, C., Oosterheert, I., & Meijer, P. C. (2023). Why teachers address unplanned controversial issues in the classroom. Theory & Research in Social Education, 51(2), 233-263. - Cowan, P., & Maitles, H. (Eds.). (2012). Teaching controversial issues in the classroom: Key issues and debates. A&C Black. - Fried, Simone A. 鈥淭eaching Controversial Issues: The Case for Critical Thinking and Moral Commitment in the Classroom.鈥 Harvard educational review 88.2 (2018): 245鈥250. Web. - Noddings, N., & Brooks, L. (2016). Teaching controversial issues: The case for critical thinking and moral commitment in the classroom. Teachers College Press. - Kerr, D., & Huddleston, T. (2021). Teaching controversial issues through education for democratic citizenship and human rights: Training pack for teachers. Council of Europe. https://rm.coe.int/22122020-teaching-controversial-issues-final-web/1680a12735. - Yacek, D. (2018). Thinking controversially: The psychological condition for teaching controversial issues. Journal of philosophy of education, 52(1), 71-86. Supplementary Readings: - Hand, M., & Levinson, R. (2012). Discussing controversial issues in the classroom. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 44(6), 614-629. - Bleazby, J., Thornton, S., Burgh, G., & Graham, M. (2023). Responding to climate change 鈥榗ontroversy鈥檌n schools: Philosophy for Children, place-responsive pedagogies & Critical Indigenous Pedagogy. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 55(10), 1096-1108. - Parra, S. L., Wansink, B. G. J., Bakker, C., & Van Liere, L. M. (2023). Teachers stepping up their game in the face of extreme statements: A qualitative analysis of educational friction when teaching sensitive topics. Theory & Research in Social Education, 51(2), 201-232. - Singer, P (2011). Practical Ethics. Cambridge University Press. |
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STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture and Online Learning | ||||||||
METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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LECTURER/S | Joseph Giordmaina |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |