Bioethics and Informatics

The aim of the course in Bioethics and Informatics is for students to:
Bioethics Module: to develop knowledge and understanding of bioethics, particularly as it applies to non-human animals and the relationship between non-human animals and humans. Students will be given the opportunity to become familiar with and aware of key ethical principles, thereby laying the foundation for the acquisition of ethical competence in professional practice and where ethical self-assessment is required.
IT Module: to acquire basic knowledge in the IT field; students will be able to be aware users of IT tools and the Internet.

1. Knowledge and understanding: the student, at the end of the course, for the Bioethics module, will have to demonstrate basic theoretical knowledge of bioethics and an understanding of the role of ethics in scientific disciplines, particularly in animal science.
For the Informatics module, the student will have to demonstrate knowledge of basic IT (main components, operation, spreadsheets and main functions, logic, basic programming elements, regulatory elements), illustrating its relevance with concrete examples to be able to solve simple exercises.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding: For the Bioethics module, the student will have to demonstrate knowledge and understanding useful for basic bioethical competence. He/she will have to demonstrate the ability to carry out ethical evaluations and self-assessments and to formulate ethical opinions.
For the Informatics module, the student must be able to apply what has been learnt to simple exercises taken from reality.
3. Making judgments: The student must demonstrate the ability to critically present the information acquired. To this aim, for the Bioethics module, the examination and discussion of case studies relating to bioethical issues and questions of interest to the profession, will be proposed, including the identification of links with current legislation and the responsibilities arising from it, and the drafting of a brief ethical opinion; for the Informatics module, specific analyses of real cases and exercises to develop the solutions required, with particular attention to the syntax of formulae and programmes, will be proposed.
4. Communication: For the Bioethics module, the student is expected to demonstrate the ability to express and adequately argue an opinion on ethically sensitive issues and to propose solutions. Class discussions and the preparation of a short ethical opinion are designed to stimulate the ability to use appropriate language and to discuss with peers; for the Informatics module, the student must be able to communicate what has been learnt with appropriate technical terms. They will also have to master the proposed topics in order to be able to adapt them to different situations. The exercises are designed to stimulate the ability to use specific terminology and the ability to discuss scientifically with peers.
5. Lifelong learning skills: For the Bioethics module, the student must gain the ability to use the acquired knowledge to reason and deliberate on ethical issues concerning animals, as well as to interpret the new, complex theoretical and practical scenarios opened up by animal sciences and the legal recognition of animals as sentient beings, with the help of available sources of knowledge and and critically organising new information. For the Informatics module, the student, through what he/she has learned, will be able to solve basic problems; by adapting functions, formulas and applications, he/she will be able to develop further skills in the IT field, with the help of available sources of knowledge and critically organising new information.