Case Based Knowledge and Ethics Education: Improving Learning and Transfer Through Emotionally Rich Cases
Case based instruction is a stable feature of ethics education, however, little is known about the attributes of the cases that make them effective. Emotions are an inherent part of ethical decision making and one source of information actively stored in case based knowledge, making them an attribute of cases that likely facilitates case based learning. Emotions also make cases more realistic, an essential component for effective case based instruction. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of emotional case content, and complementary socio relational case content, on case based knowledge acquisition and transfer on future ethical decision making tasks. Study findings suggest that emotional case content stimulates retention of cases and facilitates transfer of ethical decision making principles demonstrated in cases.
Sci. Eng. Ethics