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Martin DA, Bombaerts G, Horst M, Papageorgiou K, Viscusi G. Pedagogical Orientations and Evolving Responsibilities of Technological Universities: A Literature Review of the History of Engineering Education. Sci Eng Ethics 2023; 29:40. [PMID: 38051421 PMCID: PMC10698075 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-023-00460-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Current societal changes and challenges demand a broader role of technological universities, thus opening the question of how their role evolved over time and how to frame their current responsibility. In response to urgent calls for debating and redefining the identity of contemporary technological universities, this paper has two aims. The first aim is to identify the key characteristics and orientations marking the development of technological universities, as recorded in the history of engineering education. The second aim is to articulate the responsibility of contemporary technological universities given their different orientations and characteristics. For this, we first provide a non-systematic literature review of the key pedagogical orientations of technological universities, grounded in the history of engineering education. The five major orientations of technological universities presented in the paper are technical, economic, social, political, and ecological. We then use this historical survey to articulate the responsibilities of contemporary technological universities reflecting the different orientations. Technological universities can promote and foster the development of scientific, professional, civic, legal, or intra- and inter- generational responsibility. We argue that responsibility is not specific to any particular orientation, such that the concept is broadened to complement each orientation or mix of orientations of a technological university. Our contribution thus serves as a call for technological universities to self-reflect on their mission and identity, by offering a lens for identifying the orientations they currently foster and making explicit the responsibility arising from their current orientation or the ones they strive to cultivate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Adela Martin
- Philosophy and Ethics, Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
- Centre for Engineering Education, University College London, London, UK.
| | - Gunter Bombaerts
- Philosophy and Ethics, Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Maja Horst
- Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University, Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kyriaki Papageorgiou
- Fusion Point, Esade Business and Law School, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Gianluigi Viscusi
- Business School, Imperial College London, London, UK
- Department of Management and Engineering, Information Systems and Digitalization, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Astola M, Laes E, Bombaerts G, Ryszawska B, Rozwadowska M, Szymanski P, Ruess A, Nyborg S, Hansen M. Correction: Community Heroes and Sleeping Members: Interdependency of the Tenets of Energy Justice. Sci Eng Ethics 2022; 28:53. [PMID: 36322207 PMCID: PMC9630181 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-022-00413-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mandi Astola
- Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628BX Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Laes
- Eindhoven University of Technology, VITO, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Gunter Bombaerts
- Eindhoven University of Technology, VITO, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Anja Ruess
- Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Astola M, Laes E, Bombaerts G, Ryszawska B, Rozwadowska M, Szymanski P, Ruess A, Nyborg S, Hansen M. Community Heroes and Sleeping Members: Interdependency of the Tenets of Energy Justice. Sci Eng Ethics 2022; 28:45. [PMID: 36103058 PMCID: PMC9474602 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-022-00384-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Energy justice literature generally treats its three tenets, distributional justice, procedural justice and recognition justice, as separate and independent issues. These are seen as separate dimensions by which criteria can be formulated for a just state of affairs. And a just state of affairs regarding energy should fulfill all criteria. However, we show, using empirical research on six European energy communities that the tenets of energy justice are interdependent and negotiated in practice. We show this interdependency using three core concerns of justice-risk, effort and power-which we identified through our empirical work. Our findings reveal that community members are often willing to take risks and put in effort, if they are compensated with more power within the community. Similarly, members are willing to compromise power if no effort or risk-taking is required from them. This demonstrates the interdependency of the tenets "procedural justice" and "distributional justice" within energy communities. We reflect on the need for energy justice theory and policymakers to recognize the significance of this interdependency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandi Astola
- Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628BX Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Laes
- Eindhoven University of Technology, VITO, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Gunter Bombaerts
- Eindhoven University of Technology, VITO, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | - Anja Ruess
- Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
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Laes E, Bombaerts G. Correction to: Energy Communities and the Tensions Between Neoliberalism and Communitarianism. Sci Eng Ethics 2022; 28:5. [PMID: 35083569 PMCID: PMC9172843 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-022-00361-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Laes
- IE&IS School of Innovation Sciences, Philosophy and Ethics Research Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, De Rondom 70, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- VITO Transition Platform, VITO Vision On Technology, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Gunter Bombaerts
- IE&IS School of Innovation Sciences, Philosophy and Ethics Research Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, De Rondom 70, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- VITO Transition Platform, VITO Vision On Technology, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
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Laes E, Bombaerts G. Energy Communities and the Tensions Between Neoliberalism and Communitarianism. Sci Eng Ethics 2022; 28:3. [PMID: 34988749 PMCID: PMC8732840 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-021-00359-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The convergent development of (renewable) distributed electricity sources, storage technologies (e.g., batteries), 'big data' devices (e.g., sensors, smart meters), and novel ICT infrastructure matching energy supply and demand (smart grids) enables new local and collective forms of energy consumption and production. This socio-technical evolution has been accompanied by the development of citizen energy communities that have been supported by EU energy governance and directives, adopting a political narrative of placing the citizen central in the ongoing energy transition. But to what extent are the ideals that motivate the energy community movement compatible with those of neoliberalism that have guided EU energy policy for the last four decades? Using a framework inspired by Michel Foucault's idea of governmentality, we analyze the two political forms from three dimensions: ontological, economic and power politics. For the ontological and the economic dimensions, neoliberal governmentality is flexible enough to accommodate the tensions raised by the communitarians. In the dimension of power politics however, the communitarian logic does raise a fundamental challenge to neoliberal governmentality in the sense that it explicitly aims for a redefinition of the 'common good' of society's energy supply based on democratic premises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Laes
- IE&IS School of Innovation Sciences, Philosophy and Ethics Research Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, De Rondom 70, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- VITO Transition Platform, VITO Vision On Technology, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Gunter Bombaerts
- IE&IS School of Innovation Sciences, Philosophy and Ethics Research Group, Eindhoven University of Technology, De Rondom 70, 5612 AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- VITO Transition Platform, VITO Vision On Technology, Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
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Bombaerts G, Doulougeri K, Tsui S, Laes E, Spahn A, Martin DA. Engineering Students as Co-creators in an Ethics of Technology Course. Sci Eng Ethics 2021; 27:48. [PMID: 34297187 PMCID: PMC8302512 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-021-00326-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Research on the effectiveness of case studies in teaching engineering ethics in higher education is underdeveloped. To add to our knowledge, we have systematically compared the outcomes of two case approaches to an undergraduate course on the ethics of technology: a detached approach using real-life cases and a challenge-based learning (CBL) approach with students and stakeholders acting as co-creators (CC). We first developed a practical typology of case-study approaches and subsequently tested an evaluation method to assess the students' learning experiences (basic needs and motivation) and outcomes (competence development) and staff interpretations and operationalizations, seeking to answer three questions: (1) Do students in the CBL approach report higher basic needs, motivation and competence development compared to their peers in the detached approach? (2) What is the relationship between student-perceived co-creation and their basic needs, motivation and competence development? And (3) what are the implications of CBL/CC for engineering-ethics teaching and learning? Our mixed methods analysis favored CBL as it best supported teaching and research goals while satisfying the students' basic needs and promoting intrinsic motivation and communication competences. Competence progress in other areas did not differ between approaches, and motivation in terms of identified regulation was lower for CBL, with staff perceiving a higher workload. We propose that our case typology model is useful and that as a method to engage students as co-creators, CBL certainly merits further development and evaluation, as does our effectiveness analysis for engineering ethics instruction in general and for case-study approaches in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunter Bombaerts
- Philosophy and Ethics, Department IE&IS, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
| | - Karolina Doulougeri
- Eindhoven School of Education (ESoE), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Shelly Tsui
- Philosophy and Ethics, Department IE&IS, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Erik Laes
- Philosophy and Ethics, Department IE&IS, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- VITO - Vision on Technology, Boeretang 200, 2400, Mol, Belgium
| | - Andreas Spahn
- Philosophy and Ethics, Department IE&IS, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Diana Adela Martin
- Philosophy and Ethics, Department IE&IS, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
- College of Engineering and Built Environment, Technological University Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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Pesch U, Huijts NMA, Bombaerts G, Doorn N, Hunka A. Creating 'Local Publics': Responsibility and Involvement in Decision-Making on Technologies with Local Impacts. Sci Eng Ethics 2020; 26:2215-2234. [PMID: 32067183 PMCID: PMC7417395 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-020-00199-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2018] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This paper makes a conceptual inquiry into the notion of 'publics', and forwards an understanding of this notion that allows more responsible forms of decision-making with regards to technologies that have localized impacts, such as wind parks, hydrogen stations or flood barriers. The outcome of this inquiry is that the acceptability of a decision is to be assessed by a plurality of 'publics', including that of a local community. Even though a plurality of 'publics' might create competing normative demands, its acknowledgment is necessary to withstand the monopolization of the process of technology appraisal. The paper presents four ways in which such an appropriation of publicness takes place. The creation of dedicated 'local publics', in contrast, helps to overcome these problems and allows for more responsible forms of decision-making. We describe 'local publics' as those in which stakeholders from the different publics that are related to the process of technology implementation are brought together, and in which concerns and issues from these publics are deliberated upon. The paper will present eight conditions for increasing the effectiveness of such 'local publics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Udo Pesch
- Department of Values, Technology and Innovation, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Nicole M. A. Huijts
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Section for Human-Technology-Interaction, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Gunter Bombaerts
- Department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, Section of Philosophy and Ethics, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Neelke Doorn
- Department of Values, Technology and Innovation, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Agnieszka Hunka
- Division ICT – RISE Viktoria, Sustainable Business, RISE Research Institute of Sweden, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Bekkers R, Bombaerts G. Introducing Broad Skills in Higher Engineering Education: The Patents and Standards Courses at Eindhoven University of Technology. technol innov 2017. [DOI: 10.21300/19.2.2017.493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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Turcanu C, Carlé B, Hardeman F, Bombaerts G, Van Aeken K. Food safety and acceptance of management options after radiological contaminations of the food chain. Food Qual Prefer 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2007.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Bombaerts G, Laes E. Comparison and analysis of expert and student views on the use of energy scenarios in communication on fusion research. Fusion Engineering and Design 2007. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2007.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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