Collaborative Research: Normalizing Ethical Reasoning in Mathematics as a Foundation for Ethical STEM

数学家，除了一些例外，没有描述什么是道德实践和使用数学。这导致了一种文化，允许与数据相关的丑闻，可疑的专业实践，并降低了公众对科学的信任。通过将伦理推理（ER）融入到本科数学课程中，数学界可以开始改变这样一种看法，即如果数学具有抽象和理论的结构，那么数学从业者就没有伦理责任。考虑到“数学从业者”是用户，和贡献者，数学，这个建议旨在建立ER作为一个经常性的组成部分，数学实践。而不是等到从业者致力于研究的职业生涯，这个项目的目标教师，和学生，数学课程（如微积分，微分方程和线性代数），是不同的STEM领域的基础，并寻求引入一个可学习的，可提高的技能集（ER）。该项目建立在一个已出版的道德推理发展模型和一项全国性的数学从业者对来自数学、统计和计算的道德实践方面的看法的调查（我们将其结果称为“原始指南”）的基础上。该计划将邀请有兴趣的参与者参加一年级的工作坊，以开发在各自数学课程背景下具有ER的学习成果，并起草支持性教材。在整个第二年，参与者将分享他们的工作与利益相关者，包括非讲师利益相关者通过焦点小组与企业，行业和政府关于他们的看法建立ER能力的用户，和贡献者，数学。这种输入将有助于制定教师可以使用和改进的真实问题。在第三年，参与者将参加国家和区域研讨会，在那里其他基础数学课程的教师，并在不同的学生水平，可以适应测试ER教学材料，以促进更广泛的学习者之间的实施。收集的数据将包括材料实施的调查数据、与材料开发和实施有关的定性数据以及对项目利益相关者的调查和访谈。将使用限定变更算法分析数据。这个项目服务于国家利益的信念和信任，公众把在干研究的结果，包括数学的一部分和涉及数学的使用。该项目由改善本科生STEM教育和道德和负责任的研究计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

Mathematicians, with some exceptions, have not described what it means to practice and use mathematics ethically. This has contributed to a culture permissive of data-related scandals, questionable professional practices, and decreased public trust in science. By integrating ethical reasoning (ER) into undergraduate mathematics classes, the mathematics community can begin to alter the perception that, if mathematics features abstract and theoretical constructs, then the mathematics practitioner has no ethical responsibility. Considering the ‘mathematics practitioner’ to be both the user of, and the contributor to, mathematics, this proposal seeks to establish ER as a regular component of mathematical practice. Rather than wait until practitioners have committed to a career in research, this project target instructors of, and students in, math courses (such as Calculus, Differential Equations, and Linear Algebra) that are foundational for diverse STEM fields and seek to introduce a learnable, improvable skill set (ER). The project builds on a published, developmental model of ethical reasoning and a national survey of mathematics practitioners’ perceptions of aspects of ethical practice that were derived from mathematics, statistics, and computing (the results of which we refer to as the “proto-guidelines”) Using this foundation, the project seeks to foster integrity in both the use of, and contribution to, mathematics. The project will invite interested participants to a workshop in Year 1 to develop learning outcomes featuring ER in their respective mathematics course contexts and to draft supportive teaching materials. Throughout Year 2, participants will share their work with stakeholders, including non-instructor stakeholders through focus groups with business, industry, and government about their perceptions of building ER capabilities in users of, and contributors to, mathematics. This input will be useful in formulating authentic problems that instructors can use and refine. In Year 3, participants will attend national and regional workshops where instructors of other foundational mathematics courses, and at different student levels, can adapt the tested ER instruction materials to promote implementation among a broader set of learners. Data collected will include survey data from materials implementation, qualitative data related to the development and implementation of the materials, and surveys and interviews of project stakeholders. Data will be analyzed using a Qualified Change algorithm. This project serves the national interest in the faith and trust the public puts in the results of STEM research, including both that which is part of mathematics and that which involves the use of mathematics.This project is jointly funded by the Improving Undergraduate STEM Education and Ethical and Responsible Research Programs.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.