Teaching ethics in a technology regulation module: exploring the pedagogical method

Abstract

ABSTRACT Technology and regulation exert significant impacts on business decision-making; as such, technology law has become an indispensable part of business education. The ethical components embedded in technology regulation modules are designed to equip future business professionals with fundamental values and rules that both guide and facilitate their decision-making. However, owing to the interdisciplinary nature of such a module and because it is frequently offered as a service module, unique instructional challenges arise. This paper identifies problem-based learning (PBL) as the main suitable pedagogical method for teaching ethical content in such a module, supplemented by scenario-based learning (SBL), because they effectively contextualise the relevant module content, create an environment that simulates real-life scenarios where moral dilemmas reside, and contribute to the module learning outcome in fostering a sustainability competency in students. Through a theoretical discussion based on concrete examples (a bitcoin transaction’s ethical issues in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) context and ethical dilemmas related to abortion rights), this paper aims to guide future studies on how to deliver ethical content within a technology law module.