Strengthening ethics training in civil engineering: an approach based on real dilemmas

Abstract

Civil engineering education faces the challenge of incorporating ethical dimensions into technical courses without diverting their disciplinary focus—an essential aspect for developing responsible professionals. This study presents an innovative pedagogical strategy implemented in the Soils and Construction Materials Laboratory course at a Colombian university during the 2024-II semester, involving 34 undergraduate students. The goal was to foster critical judgment and professional responsibility through the analysis of contextualized ethical dilemmas. The methodology focused on designing and implementing activities that integrate technical and ethical decision-making, using real-world cases to encourage reflection and well-founded argumentation. Students analyzed situations such as signing technical reports on behalf of others and presenting results in cases of laboratory failures. Their work was guided by rubrics assessing the identification of ethical principles and consistency in decision-making. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the results revealed that participants successfully recognized key ethical criteria, such as integrity and transparency, aligning their decisions with professional civil engineering standards. Additionally, an increased level of self-reflection and awareness of the social impact of engineering was observed. These findings demonstrate that integrating ethical dilemmas into technical courses is both feasible and effective, strengthening the training of engineers with a humanistic vision and a commitment to social well-being. The strategy proved adaptable to other curricular contexts, contributing to a more holistic civil engineering education model aligned with professional responsibility demands in a globalized environment. This approach not only enhances critical judgment but also positions future engineers as ethical change agents in society, providing a scalable foundation for further research and applications in higher technical education.