Introducing Ethics To Your Students: What Ethics Is

It is always easier in hindsight to see how we might have done things differently. So, how can ethical reasoning help us identify what our options might be before we act and evaluate which of those options might be the most appropriate course of action?

Ethical awareness, reasoning skills and principles determine the standards of behavior which guide us in our daily life. They shape our relationships at home, at work, within our chosen profession, our community and society at large. Ethical considerations are at the heart of how we structure our social organizations: our schools, our businesses, our community and non-profit groups, our places of worship as well as our governments, the laws we enact and the systems we provide our citizenry such as health care, energy, transportation, and taxation.

Ethical practice relies on rational thought to inform us as to how we “ought to act” in such matters as fulfilling our obligations and duties, being compassionate and fair, respecting the rights of others and contributing to the greater good of society. Ethics is a practical wisdom we gain from experience in daily life. But, can this practical wisdom be nurtured in the young mind, the student who is on the verge of entering a career path? The student who is inexperienced?

One way this can be done is by having students think about what ethics is not. Come back next Monday to read about how you can do this in your course.

To see how Capsim has integrated ethics into its business simulations, watch this video. In addition, to learn how Capsim can help you develop ethical decision-making skills in your students, access your free eBook – Assessing and Developing Ethical Decision-Making Skills.