Integrating Macroethics into Engineering Education: A Case Study of a Challenge-Based Learning Course on Brain on Chip Technology

There is a growing body of research suggesting that ethics education should be more aligned with engineering practice. A promising pedagogical approach that has been gaining traction recently is Challenge Based Learning. It combines real-world problem-solving with collaborative and interdisciplinary thinking. This study further elaborates the concept of macroethics and examines the ethical attitudes of engineering students who participated in a 10-week Challenge Based Learning course on Brain-on-Chip technology. The study draws on ethical reflections collected from 18 students to explore their perspectives on responsibility, technological innovation, values, professional identity, and power relations in engineering practice. Findings suggest that students developed a nuanced understanding of responsibility and technological innovation, engaged critically with ethical dilemmas related to their project, and recognized the need to balance corporate, societal, and user-centered concerns in engineering practice. The insights may support educators seeking to integrate ethics into engineering curricula through partnerships with research teams and real-world projects.