Program vs. Moral Decision

Me with (Smart) Objects

5-6 years

20 min

Learning goal :

Learning to differentiate a human being from an "intelligent" machine

Pedagogical Intention :

Identify moral differences

Target skills :

Understanding the difference between moral freedom and executing a program.

Materials :

Instruction cards + simple dilemma

Detailed Procedure :

1. A robot follows instruction cards. 2. A dilemma is introduced (help or ignore). 3. The robot always executes the instruction. 4. Students debate: "If it were a human, could they have changed their mind?" 5. Highlighting moral freedom. 6. Summary.

Progress Indicators

The student explains that a human can change their mind based on moral values, but a robot cannot.

Research Foundations

Papert; Kohlberg.