Teaching Cyberethics: Value Orientations as Predictors of the Acquisition of Moral Competence in a Course on the Social Consequences of Information Technology

Abstract

The discussion of moral dilemmas is often proposed as one way to teach ethics. But can ethics be taught to everyone? Do participants' value orientations predict the acquisition of moral competence in an educational context? This study presents data from an evaluation of a course on the social consequences of information technology IT. IT-related dilemma discussions were used extensively in the course. The participants answered questionnaires at the beginning of the course and before their final exam at the end of term. Moral competence was measured with the Moral Judgment Test MJT. A questionnaire on individual reflexive values was used for the assessment of value orientations. Although the participants' average level of moral competence did not change significantly, there was evidence that participants with a high degree of materialistic values were less likely to acquire moral competence during the course.