This assignment corresponds to some of the requirements of ethics courses taught at Champlain College Saint-Lambert.
DESCRIPTION:
Throughout the semester you will engage in discussions through an on-line forum called NewsActivist. Through the use of this site you will be able to present, reflect on and defend your
positions on ethical issues and current events. You will also be asked to respond and engage with the ideas of other student users of the site. These students will include your classmates, other
Champlain students as well as students from colleges across Quebec, United States and around the world.
OBJECTIVES:
1. Be familiar with terminology pertinent to the discussion of ethical issues
2. Be able to recognize an ethical problem and its significant elements
PART 1 : NEWS SUMMARY & ANALYSIS
Your first task will be to choose and summarize a news article on an ethical issue and analyze it
according to the elements of moral reasoning. Your article can come from a print newspaper or you
can find one on-line through the Champlain College Library website (look in Articles- Proquest
databases or Points of View ). If you are uncertain if the article is from a reputable newspaper,
please e-mail me the link for verification.
Your post should summarize the article and identify the ethical principles and values that represent
both sides of the debate. The title of the article should identify the ethical issue being addressed.
You should conclude with your opinion on the issue. Your post should be approximately 500
words. You should end with a question about the issue.
How to post on News Activist:
1. Once I have accepted your membership, you will be able to “add content to my blog”
2. Click on “news summary”
3. Enter a title, cut and paste your summary and analysis and link or reference to the article
you are summarizing
4. Under “Related Issues” choose the most relevant category
5. Save and then post
MARKING GRID:
SUMMARY OF NEWS ARTICLE: /10
• The central idea or author's position is identified
• The facts/ relevant supporting ideas are clearly presented/ minor details are omitted
MORAL REASONING: /10
The ethical principles and values which inform the arguments on both sides of the issue are
clearly identified and discussed
STATEMENT OF OPINION: /5
The statement of opinion makes reference to the arguments, values, rights and/or principles
that make, in your opinion, one side stronger than another
STRUCTURE & LANGUAGE: /10
• The title is phrased as a question and represents the central ethical issue being addressed
• The post follows a clear structure
• The post uses appropriate verb tenses, vocabulary and terminology
• The news article is correctly referenced, using MLA format, at the bottom of the post
TOTAL / 35
PART 2: RESPONSES
The second part of your task is to make substantial and useful comments on 3 recent blog posts
ideally in either XXXX class or XXXX.
• Please make an effort to seek out articles that have not been responded to. It is important that everyone gets a chance to get feedback on their posts.
• When people respond to your posts you should acknowledge them by agreeing, disagreeing, asking for clarification, etc.
MARKING GRID:
Responses should include:
A positive reason explaining why you are commenting on the post (title, topic, writing style, etc.)
An explanation of your position. Your position may or may not differ from the one given. You should justify your position by
referring to your values and/or the ethical principles that you think are important.
Conclude with a question regarding the issue that can help continue the conversation and/or see the issue from a different perspective
TOTAL /15 (5 per response)
Thank you for posting this! It really helps to see what other teachers are doing.
Nicole -
Thanks for sharing this