It has become a habit of our time to lament about the state of the world and simultaneously profess that there is not really anything we, as individuals, can do about it because there is just too much that needs fixing. In this thesis, I challenge this view on the basis that science teachers in particular are in a unique position to raise students' awareness of problematic issues in relation to the world around them by providing students with necessary knowledge. However, sound knowledge does not equate with a positive attitude, this is why I contend that providing students with factual knowledge might not be enough to enable them to participate in the public discourse on making the world a 'better place' in which to live. Given the pervading influence of science on our daily lives, this discourse necessarily includes a focus on science, scientific research and its uses. However, many science educators traditionally have taught science without addressing ethical questions. I argue that the inclusion of a discourse on ethical science-related issues into science teaching might open an avenue for science educators to offer students opportunity for practising their future engagement in the public discourse about science by learning to reflect critically and collaboratively on their attitudes, beliefs and values. This thesis presents an interpretive case study, situated in the 7th Moment of Qualitative Research, which investigated the planning and implementation of a specially designed 'Ethics in Science' curriculum, in the context of national curriculum reform in Austria. The 'Ethics in Science' curriculum was implemented in two science classes in a public senior high school in Austria by a biology teacher and a mathematics/physics teacher. / The study explored the appropriateness of a science teaching approach that uses dilemma stories as a pedagogical tool for initiating individual reflection and classroom discourse on ethical issues. The study was designed as a 'bricolage', drawing from ethnography, hermeneutic-phenomenology, feminism and biographical research. Autobiography caused me to engage in critical self-reflection on my own attitudes, beliefs and values, bringing to the fore the relationship between my personal history and my own ethical sensitivities. This was helpful as a 'primer' before engaging students in the act of reflection. The use of multiple methods for data-generation served the purpose of crystallisation. Integral philosophy and critical constructivism were theoretical referents for my research on the teaching and learning. The Theory of Transformative Learning and a perspective on moral learning that combines several types of ethics served as a referent for interpreting the analysis of student learning. I have drawn on the multiple perspectives of the students, teachers and myself as the researcher. It was very important to me to maintain the participants' original voices as often as possible in order to establish 'polyvocality'. Findings indicate that the teaching approach using dilemmas led to critical thinking, in some cases to critical self-reflection, and seemed to help with initiating a classroom discourse. Overall, it appears that the dilemma teaching approach can promote rational, social and emotional learning. On the teachers' side, this type of teaching seemed to challenge the teachers' existing skills with regard to facilitation and moderation of class discussion and the self-restraint needed to avoid imposing their opinion on students. / An issue for the teachers concerned their uncertainty about when to intervene in group-processes. The data-analysis also led to seemingly contradictory results which I interpreted using a dialectical 'dilemma' framework wherein the synthesis of two contradictory poles serves as a starting point for a higher level of understanding. I identified seven 'pedagogical dilemmas' - pedagogical because they are related to teaching and learning in the context of a dilemma teaching approach, and 'dilemma' because they require a choice on the side of the educator who intends to use a dilemma teaching approach. These pedagogical dilemmas were related to the dilemma stories, the individual reflection phases, the collaborative discourse phases, the ideal frequency of dilemma units, the teachers' skills, so-called problem students, and the time-requirements in relation to the dilemma units.

Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

This study examined the effects of communication mode, both face-to-face (FTF) and computer-mediated communication (CMC), and polling on cooperation in a commons dilemma. Sixty-seven six-person groups used FISH, a computer program that uses a fishing metaphor to simulate a commons dilemma. Next, groups had a 10-minute discussion period, either FTF or via CMC, in which they devised a strategy for the second FISH session. Groups were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: FTF, no-poll CMC, end-poll CMC, and two-poll CMC. The polls allowed members to determine others' intended behavior, thus enhancing perceived consensus. Finally, groups used the FISH program again. Results indicted that experimental condition influenced consensus, with end-poll CMC groups reaching consensus most often, followed by FTF, two-poll CMC, and no-poll CMC groups. However, groups did not differ across experimental condition on resource pool sustainability or group profit. FTF groups were more satisfied with group performance than no-poll CMC groups and two-poll CMC and FTF groups had similar levels of satisfaction. The strategy the group decided to implement in the second FISH session had a significant effect on group profit but not resource pool sustainability. Thus, the harvest strategy implemented by the group may have been a stronger predictor of performance than experimental condition.

According to the gunman theory many revolutions do not take place, in spite of the fact that the majority stands to gain if they can put an end to the oppression exercised over it, since a gunman can see to it that egoistic individuals have no incentive to take part in the revolution. Champions of the idea that there is a paradox of revolution go further: Even if individuals care about the common good, they will not take action. This is wrong. If they care about the common good revolution will take place. This is good news. The bad news is, however, that those conditions, as we find them in social psychological literature, that are helpful to the revolutionary cause tend to get undermined by the oppressive system when it is well functioning.

Background   The patient's rights to self-determine their own health care is described in Swedish legislation and guidelines. However, due to infancy, unconsciousness, severe brain damage or certain diseases, some patients might be unable to make such decisions. Ethically difficult situations do occur, not infrequently associated with culture. Since the patient is vulnerable, there is a risk that the patient in the treatment and care can not be bothered to maintain right to autonomy and that the nurse violates patient integrity. Aim                 The aim of this study was to illustrate the nurse's dilemma when the patient refuses vital caring efforts. Method           A literature review of eight scientific articles with a qualitative approach was performed. Results           The results revealed the following domains to describe the nurse's dilemma when the patient refuses vital care interventions: patients’ reasons for treatment refusal, the nurse's understanding of the patient's refusal of care and contradictory legislation Conclusion     More knowledge and discussion of the patient's decision-making competence is needed for both the nursing profession and those who make decisions on legislation.

This thesis is an examination of the traveler’s dilemma and its backward induction argument. I begin by explaining relevant terminology, the prisoner’s dilemma, and the iterated prisoner’s dilemma; the discussion of which aids my examination of the traveler’s dilemma and its backward induction argument. My evaluation of the traveler’s dilemma involves a dissection of the game into its different components, a presentation of the salient similarities and differences between the traveler’s dilemma and the prisoner’s dilemma, and the exploration of three possible solutions. The first two solutions are adapted from ones initially created to solve other backward induction argument problems. The third solution is original and its foundation rests on the unique structure of the traveler’s dilemma. I focus on this third solution and consider several objections to it. I end this thesis with some ancillary comments about the possibility of generalizing the third solution to other backward induction argument problems. / February 2008

The identifiability effect - the human tendency to help identified victims to a greater extent than unidentified - has been proved of being an important aspect of moral judgment. However, the endowment effect - the human tendency to overestimate our properties - is unexplored within this area, such as the impact of identifiability on the endowment effect. For the purpose of examining the impact of identifiability and endowment on moral dilemmas, an experiment with 192 participants was conducted, using a charity scenario concerning African children, framed as a trolley dilemma. The results showed that a majority of the participants choose to maximize the number of children saved. No significant effects of identifiability or endowment were found. The main conclusion of the study was that the dilemma affected men and women differently. Women felt stronger feelings of sympathy, were less confident in choosing and perceived the choice more difficult than men.

Syftet med denna undersökning är att studera hur förskollärare i förskoleklassen ser pålärande genom lek i verksamheten. Studien utgår från två problemformuleringar: hurbeskriver förskollärarna att lärande genom lek används i verksamheten? Vad beskriverförskollärarna i förskoleklassen som faktorer som påverkar möjligheten till lek iförskoleklassens verksamhet?Som ansats under bearbetningen av empirin är fenomenografin en inspirationskälla. Avsiktenmed undersökningen var att studera hur förskollärare talar kring lärande genom lek, därför ärintervjuerna av kvalitativ karaktär.I resultatet framkommer det att förskollärarna anser att lärande genom lek är viktigt, men attdet finns ett dilemma när det gäller förväntningarna på verksamheten och förskollärarenssynsätt. För att skapa möjlighet till lek kan förskolläraren antingen planera in lek på schemateller arbeta utan att följa schemat. Förskollärarna bör även planera verksamheten så att detfinns artefakter, det vill säga redskap och kunskap, för att barnen ska kunna utveckla sin lek.Det kan generellt uttydas som att förskollärare har ett klart synsätt av att det är viktigt medlärande genom lek, men talar om faktorer som påverkar möjligheten för lek i förskoleklassen.Även om förskollärarna vill arbeta med lek som metod, blir de påverkade av de förväntningarav en skolliknande verksamhet som barn, föräldrar och skolledning har.

The student dropout dilemma in the American educational system has remained unchanged for the past 30 years. Dropout figures show more than 6 million high school dropouts living in the United States today. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze potential dropout variables between two groups of senior students at a local high school. This study included 228 senior students who were identified within two groups: on-track for graduation and not-on-track for graduation based on state exit exam results. A student questionnaire and student records were used to gather data. The study included descriptive, multivariate, and analysis of variance to determine the relationship of variables between the two groups that may lead to increased probability of students belonging to either group. Findings from the study suggested the following: 1.Not-on-track students desired more assistance from their school in educational development and planning. 2.On-track students had higher mean averages in academic scores. 3.Not-on-track students had fewer mothers, more children, and more adults living in the family home and were less represented in extracurricular activities. 4.Not-on-track students endorsed more negative responses about themselves. Research suggests that state exit exam requirements for graduation most likely do not cause additional student dropouts; however, research shows that exit exams may be the tipping factor for many students to ultimately drop out. Thus, exit exams can possibly increase student dropouts. The not-on-track students in this study may be at their tipping point. The results from this study show on-track students have fewer dropout factors within their group and higher academic averages than students in the not-on-track group. The following recommendations are based on the study: 1. Further research should be conducted that uses a student need's assessment instrument but includes former students who dropped out. 2. A study that concentrates on student's feelings of their school should be conducted at the middle school grade levels. 3. A study comparing responses of students versus responses of teachers could shine light on the school environment.

This study examined the effects of communication mode, both face-to-face (FTF) and computer-mediated communication (CMC), and polling on cooperation in a commons dilemma. Sixty-seven six-person groups used FISH, a computer program that uses a fishing metaphor to simulate a commons dilemma. Next, groups had a 10-minute discussion period, either FTF or via CMC, in which they devised a strategy for the second FISH session. Groups were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: FTF, no-poll CMC, end-poll CMC, and two-poll CMC. The polls allowed members to determine others' intended behavior, thus enhancing perceived consensus. Finally, groups used the FISH program again. Results indicted that experimental condition influenced consensus, with end-poll CMC groups reaching consensus most often, followed by FTF, two-poll CMC, and no-poll CMC groups. However, groups did not differ across experimental condition on resource pool sustainability or group profit. FTF groups were more satisfied with group performance than no-poll CMC groups and two-poll CMC and FTF groups had similar levels of satisfaction. The strategy the group decided to implement in the second FISH session had a significant effect on group profit but not resource pool sustainability. Thus, the harvest strategy implemented by the group may have been a stronger predictor of performance than experimental condition.