The emergence of educational technologies in ethics education

Exploring the Values Exchange decision making software

Abstract

The Values Exchange decision making software offers a unique way to deliver ethics education to health care professionals. It does not attempt to objectify ethics nor does it use traditional ethics terminology. Reflecting a changing direction, it places emphasis on a student's existing knowledge, experience and ability to reason. This ability is seen as an inherent characteristic of all students but can remain latent if ethical decision-making is only valued if undertaken by ethics 'experts'. A case study, with five participants explored the ways in which the software facilitated users to think about ethical issues. The online environment created space that facilitated decision- making. Learning about oneself and others enabled users to arrive at new ways of seeing practice based issues, and new ways of seeing themselves. The findings from this small scale study suggest that the Values Exchange encourages thoughtful reflection that has the potential to manifest itself in benefits for both patient and practitioner.