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ERiA Newsletter: Winter 2025

ERiA Newsletter: Winter 2025

Elevating Ethical Reasoning

News
 

In this photo edition ...

 

ELEV8 Ethics at JMU

 

Applying ethical reasoning to our personal, professional and civic lives works best when you invite people with different perspectives to the conversation. 

Elev8 Ethics is designed to open the door to collaboration and partnerships with other programs here at JMU and beyond, to bring awareness to ethical issues that we all face in our daily and professional lives. 

This new initiative by ERiA includes the Elev8 Ethics Podcast, a lecture series, and other special events on campus. Our special guests for the fall semester included ethical discussions around the law, the constitution and the environment.  

The events explored the difference that shifting or broadening our perspectives make. What happens to our ethical reasoning when we consider the more-than-human world? What are our responsibilities with respect to plants and trees? Whose voices are included and held in mind when we read the Constitution? Who do we become when we practice law? 

October 15th, 2024
 Ethics and the More-Than-Human World: A Conservation Photographer's Perspective - Steven Johnson

A speaker presenting on ethics and the more-than-human world, with a slideshow featuring wildlife photography.An engaged audience at a presentation, featuring individuals attentively observing and listening.

October 24th, 2024
In partnership with Eunoia Theatre What the Constitution Means to Me - A play by Heidi Schreck

A gathering of people sitting on a lawn in front of a classical-style building with columns.A speaker addressing an audience outdoors, with an American flag displayed on a decorative stage.

November 14th, 2024
The Lives of Plants: Care Ethics and the More-Than-Human world - Dr. Katherine Brelje 

A group of students gathered around tables in a classroom setting, focused on a presentation taking place in the background.A group of people engaged in a discussion in a meeting room, with one person presenting in front of a screen. 

November 18th, 2024
In partnership with JMU Justice Studies
Navigating the Legal Landscape: Ethics, Careers, and Realities - Paulo Franco

Elev8 Ethics with Paulo Franco

The Elev8 Ethics Podcast

The first three episodes of the new Elev8 Ethics Podcast are available now! Listen here and on iTunes:

QuadFest 2024

Ethical Reasoning in Action joined JMU Alumni, Faculty, Staff, Parents and Students for this year's QuadFest. Over 300 people stopped by to talk with Ethical Reasoning Educators and ERiA faculty about how to use the Eight Key Questions to make more informed decisions and grab free ERiA swag!

A lively outdoor event scene featuring a purple tent with various logos, people interacting at booths, and attendees enjoying the festivities.A group of people stands in line at an outdoor event, with musicians in white shirts and a festive atmosphere.Tent at a community event featuring purple branding and icons representing various themes, with people gathered around on a lawn.

 

ERiA at SACSCOC 

A booth featuring representatives from James Madison University, showcasing the "Ethical Reasoning in Action" program with promotional materials and signage.The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) is the body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. Its members consist of diverse institutions from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and certain other international sites approved by the SACSCOC Board of Trustees that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, or doctoral degrees.

The theme for this year’s annual conference was Balancing Innovation and Compliance, a concept that certainly encapsulates some of the ethical dilemmas that the Eight Key Questions can help us all address.

What better year than this for ERiA to join JMU's Center for Assessment and Research Studies in hosting a table to invite leaders in higher education to discover the power of using ethical reasoning as their next Quality Enhancement Plan?

ERiA will continue to attend SACSCOC's annual meetings in an effort to bring ethical decision-making to the forefront of the conversation about improving institutions across the southern states and beyond.

 

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James Madison University
Wilson Hall
951 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807

It's Complicated Online

Ethical Reasoning in Action continues to teach the Eight Key Questions ethical reasoning strategy to incoming students through a self-directed online course while learning more about instructional design and how technology can be used to support our newest JMU Dukes! 64% of the over 5700 students completed the exit survey and the results are in. When asked how much they agree with the following statements, the responses were overwhelmingly positive:

Ethical reasoning skills are important to me. 90% agree or strongly agree         

Having good ethical reasoning skills will be useful in my future jobs. 91% agree or strongly agree

Every university should teach ethical reasoning. 84% agree or strongly agree    

I believe ethical reasoning is a valuable skillset. 90% agree or strongly agree    

Ethical reasoning skills are beneficial to making difficult life choices. 92% agree or strongly agree

When faced with an ethical dilemma, I feel confident in making an appropriate decision. 86% agree or strongly agree     

I feel prepared to deal with complex life situations that involve ethics. 84% agree or strongly agree

I am comfortable applying my ethical reasoning skills to real life situations. 87% agree or strongly agree    

I can actively participate in a discussion about ethics. 78% agree or strongly agree    

I am capable of evaluating my options using an ethical reasoning process. 87% agree or strongly agree     

To ensure that these students carry these new skills confidently into the rest of their academic carreer here at JMU, Ethical Reasoning in Action provides multiple opportunities for students to practice their ethical reasoning skills at tables around campus, Wellness Passport events, and curricular support for their instructors in various disciplines including Nursing, Justice Studies, Education, Engineering, Cybersecurity, Biology, Computer Science, Foreign Languages, Psychology, Art History, and Philosophy (to name just a few!).

 

What's Ahead...

 

March 12th, 2025 - Ethical Reasoning Educators Interest Meeting and Training

March 24th, 2025 - It's Complicated Workshop - presented by the Ethical Reasoning Educators

April 2nd, 2025 - Elev8 Ethics: Ethics After War with Venerable Professor Dr. Mahinda Deegalle

April 17th, 2025 -Elev8 Ethics: Improving Ethical Motivation with Dr. Mark Piper

April 25th, 2025 -Elev8 Ethics: Ethics in Art History with Dr. Maureen Shanahan

For information on these and future Elev8 Ethics events, visit https://www.jmu.edu/ethicalreasoning/elev8ethics.shtml

May 22nd & 23rd, 2025 -Ethical Reasoning Essay Rating: This is an important year for assessing ethical reasoning here at JMU and raters are needed! Sign up to be an essay rater today. Seats are limited: https://jmu.questionpro.com/errt

Are you interested in:

  • integrating the 8KQ into your ethics instruction?  
  • learning how to turn case studies into scenarios? 
  • understanding why you practice ethical reasoning every day? 

Does your course have an ethics component, but you are in need of fresh ideas for an ethics-based classroom activity? Contact us. We can schedule a time to talk about how to tailor the Eight Key Questions strategy to meet your classroom needs.

Already using the 8KQ? Tell us!
 
How are you using the 8KQ in your classes, programs, work, research, professional and daily life? Hearing your stories and, with your permission, reading them in an upcoming ERiA newsletter helps to nurture the JMU academic community into a culture where ethical reasoning flourishes! 

Send your experiences, ideas, and insights to ethicalreasoning@jmu.edu. 

by Ethical Reasoning in Action

Published: Friday, January 31, 2025

Last Updated: Monday, February 24, 2025

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