Exploring Micro-, Meso-, and Macro- thriving in engineering: Implications for engineering education and engineering ethics
Abstract
This research explores and advocates for including engineering thriving as a crucial component of engineering ethics education with implications at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Engineering directly impacts the thriving of society (at the macro-level) and organizations (at the meso-level), yet the education of engineering students is not known for thriving (yet). To design products that serve to improve the thriving of diverse populations and societies, it is an ethical necessity to provide an education that strives for thriving at the micro-level to maintain the integrity of engineering at the macro and meso-levels.
Prior work on engineering thriving has largely focused on the micro-level (individual) and meso-level (organizations) with little focus on the macro-level (social institutions). However, governments are increasingly evaluating societal progress through not just measures of economic growth (gross domestic product) but also sustainable development (gross happiness index). This research focuses on key considerations when educating engineering students to become moral agents of technological change that drive wealth and wellbeing.
Overall, this research will serve several purposes: 1) introduces the boundaries and key considerations between micro-thriving, meso-thriving, and macro-thriving; 2) advocates for the importance of engineering thriving considerations within engineering ethics education at each of the three levels.
Exploring Micro-, Meso-, and Macro- thriving in engineering: Implications for engineering education and engineering ethics
This research explores and advocates for including engineering thriving as a crucial component of engineering ethics education with implications at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Engineering directly impacts the thriving of society (at the macro-level) and organizations (at the meso-level), yet the education of engineering students is not known for thriving (yet). To design products that serve to improve the thriving of diverse populations and societies, it is an ethical necessity to provide an education that strives for thriving at the micro-level to maintain the integrity of engineering at the macro and meso-levels.
Prior work on engineering thriving has largely focused on the micro-level (individual) and meso-level (organizations) with little focus on the macro-level (social institutions). However, governments are increasingly evaluating societal progress through not just measures of economic growth (gross domestic product) but also sustainable development (gross happiness index). This research focuses on key considerations when educating engineering students to become moral agents of technological change that drive wealth and wellbeing.
Overall, this research will serve several purposes: 1) introduces the boundaries and key considerations between micro-thriving, meso-thriving, and macro-thriving; 2) advocates for the importance of engineering thriving considerations within engineering ethics education at each of the three levels.