This module is a resource for lecturers
Possible class structure
This section contains recommendations for a teaching sequence and timing intended to achieve learning outcomes through a three-hour class. The lecturer may wish to disregard or shorten some of the segments below in order to give more time to other elements, including introduction, icebreakers, conclusion or short breaks. The structure could also be adapted for shorter or longer classes, given that the class durations vary across countries.
Introduction to the concept of ethics (20 minutes)
- Individually or in small groups, students provide a definition of ethics.
- Lecturers should give students a chance to define the concept on their own, and if they have difficulty then refer to online or hard copy definitions.
- Students provide public examples of ethical behaviour as well as unethical behaviour, e.g. by public officials or employees of companies, as opposed to private examples involving students or known to them.
- Students can also conduct internet searches for pictures of ethics, although lecturers should view the picture before sharing with the class. The pictures or photographs can be evocative illustrations of behaviour that upholds or falls short of ethical principles, and they are an alternative way of prompting a discussion of real life examples.
- Key point to include: as used in this Module, ethics is understood to be a system of principles that guide how people make decisions and lead their lives.
- If students are raising ideas about the concepts of integrity and law, rather than ethics, take note of those ideas but develop them later, after the definitions of all three concepts are clearer.
Introduction to the concept of integrity (20 min)
- Individually or in small groups, students provide a definition of integrity.
- Lecturers should give students a chance to define the concept on their own, and if they have difficulty then refer to online or hard copy definitions.
- Students provide public examples of integrity as well as a lack of integrity, e.g. by public officials or company employees.
- Students can also conduct internet searches for pictures of integrity, although lecturers should view the pictures before sharing with the class.
- In discussing integrity, if students have not tried to compare it with ethics, ask them what the difference is between integrity and ethics.
- Key point to include: compared to ethics, integrity can be understood as a consistent application of ethical principles, particularly honesty.
- If students are raising ideas about the concept of law, take note of those ideas but develop them later, after discussing the definition of law.
Introduction to the concept of law (20 min)
- Individually or in small groups, students provide a definition of law.
- Lecturers should give students a chance to define the concept on their own, and if they have difficulty then refer to online or hard copy definitions.
- Then students provide public examples of compliance with law, and non-compliance or lawlessness.
- Key point to include: law is a system of rules recognized by society and enforced via sanctions of some sort.
As an alternative to running three separate discussions, give small groups the opportunity to discuss all three concepts for 30 minutes, and then return to plenary discussion to provide definitions and examples, during which the lecturer can also share some formal definitions and content with the class. In the first 30 minutes, the lecturer should circulate among the groups to provide ideas and encouragement and ensure that students are on task.
Comparing and considering the concepts (15 min)
Discuss the following questions:
- How are integrity and ethics different from law? (Law embodies rules regarding certain behaviour, which is enforced by formal sanctions, while integrity and ethics are more personal guides to the entirety of people's behaviour.)
- Why should people be ethical? Have integrity? Follow the law? Why do people have difficulty with this? (These last questions are intended to raise issues that will be discussed in the following segments, so the discussion can leave questions unanswered at this point.)
Case study (60 min)
- Give students 5 minutes to review the case study.
- Start by asking students to describe what happened in the case study.
- Ideally, break students into three groups, following one of the structures listed below:
- Option 1: Assign integrity, ethics and law to separate groups, and have each group state (1) how people in the case uphold and do not uphold that concept in the case study, and (2) why people in the case study might want to uphold or not uphold that concept. Then have each group report in turn, and facilitate a discussion with all students.
- Option 2: Have all groups work through each of the three ideas one after the other, and facilitate their discussion of (1) how people uphold and do not uphold that concept in the case study, and (2) why people in the case study might want to uphold or not uphold that concept.
- Resolving the case study: With all students, discuss what students would do in this case study, and why? In this discussion, highlight any tensions between integrity, ethics and law, and ask students to observe how some solutions resolve these tensions more successfully.
Applying the concepts to students' lives (45 min)
- Ask students to think of an example of someone they know personally, who had difficulty with one of these concepts. The example does not have to be about the student, but it should be about someone they know.
- If the lecturer can share a more personal example first, that should encourage the students to share as well.
- In a small group ask students to discuss their respective examples, then choose one example that the group will share with the entire class. This sharing should be done via an informal discussion, not PowerPoint, to facilitate easier discussion of more personal issues.
- Each group presents its example, and then the lecturer facilitates a discussion of the challenges presented by the example and ways of resolving the challenges.
- Suggested wrap-up question to students: do you think you will run into challenges of integrity, ethics and law in the future? If yes, what kind of challenges do you expect, and what strategies can you use to resolve them?
Next page
Back to top