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Procedia Engineering 117 (2015) 246 – 251

International Scientific Conference Urban Civil Engineering and Municipal Facilities,

SPbUCEMF-2015

Environmental Ethics as a Social, Professional and Personal Value

of the Students of Civil Engineering University
Nadezda Miloradova*, Alexander Ishkov
Moscow State University of Civil Engineering (MGSU), Yaroslavskoe highway, 26, Moscow, 129337, Russian Federation

Abstract

The article discusses the results of social-psychological research conducted with the students of Moscow State University of Civil
Engineering (MGSU). Students understand the principles of environmental ethics as a social value. However, social values begin
to work only when they move into the category of professional values and psychological setting.
©2015
© 2015TheThe Authors.
Authors. Published
Published by Elsevier
by Elsevier Ltd.
Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of SPbUCEMF-2015.
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of SPbUCEMF-2015
Keywords: Environmental ethics, social values, professional values, psychological setting.

1. Introduction

We observe rapid changes in the construction: new mega cities, inside and centered around which are focuses in
the country's population. New phenomenon’s: architecture of bioshere, "green architecture and others. In the mass
consciousness emerged the concept of "environmental ethics" [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Certainly, the problems of human
relationships with nature have always existed, and this attracted a lot of attention, as evidenced by the presence of
various public organizations in different countries of the world. But in order to social value will be the real
mechanism for the behavior of individual people, needed time and hard work with the population at all stages of
human development. The changed social situation forces people to accept the new values, to establish priorities and
attitudes that would enable them to find his place in different systems of interaction and self-determination.
Moreover, it's very hard for people. [5, 6, 7, 8]. In the process of learning in the system of vocational education

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +7-(926) 542-76-30; fax: +7 (499) 183-44-38

E-mail address: milordos@gmail.com

1877-7058 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of SPbUCEMF-2015
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2015.08.158
 Nadezda Miloradova and Alexander Ishkov / Procedia Engineering 117 (2015) 246 – 251 247

formed a professional value system, in which social ideals (values) inevitably will be adjusted in accordance with
the real possibilities and the needs of specific production sites. Professional values, in turn, a person acquires
through the prism of individual interests, views, psychological setting. Thus, individual values and relationships
become personal.
In many Russian universities, research was conducted among students on issues of social values, including
environmental ethics [9, 10, 11, 12]. Teachers of the Departments of psychology, political science and sociology
Moscow Civil Engineering University in 11 regions of Russia in November-December 2011 conducted large-scale
studies. The survey results showed that students of architectural institutions among the values in the first place put
the "ability to acquire new knowledge and skills". More than 80% of all students surveyed have given this
competence of the highest scores. Social competences: "the ability to find solutions in non-standard situations,
ability to work in a team, ability to take initiative and responsibility, the ability to set and achieve goals" also
received high scores [9, p.126].
Value is a sociological term to refer to objects that embody social ideals, as the standards of proper [13]. Values
can be defined as a set of standards and criteria that people use in their lives, to assess the reality of the phenomena,
processes and people. Values define the behavior of a person when he makes a choice and take a decision. Values
are the basis for the formation of psychological setting. Social, professional and personal values are rarely coincide
completely [14, 15]. Professional community and the organization in which he works are of particular importance to
humans. A large part of the life of a person dedicates the work that shaped his personality and implemented its
ability. For a man it is important that the work is useful and correspond to social and individual values. Professional
community and specific organizations have their own values, rules and norms. It is important that it takes their
employees. [14, 15, 16, 17].
Psychological setting: readiness to perceive and act, understand and interpret the object of perception or thinking
a certain way. It develops in individuals as result of their past life experiences. Distinguish between semantic, target
and operational setting, respectively, reflecting of the three levels of regulation of human activity (meaning, purpose
and methods). In situations of stability, psychological setting is very important for humans, because "frees one from
having to make decisions and to consciously control the activities of, in standard of, previously encountered
situations" [6]. Another thing, when there is a change in social values, and people must act in accordance with the
new requirements. In this case, psychological install "slow" activity prevents the adaptation and development of new
forms of behavior.
The hypothesis. Social values accepted in society, can be a real basis for a decision in favor of the social and
humanitarian values, if in the process of learning and further action they would not be contrary to professional
values.
We use the concept of "environmental ethics" as a social and humanitarian value. This is one of the important
directions of our time, the development of which has involved not only the representatives of the social Sciences and
Humanities. The main message of environmental ethics is that "as a moral human problems are not only the well-
being and social relationships of people, but the responsibility for the welfare of future people, animals and other life
forms" [3]

2. Tasks and stages of the research

The purpose of this research was to identify the level of understanding of environmental ethics students of
University of Civil Engineering studying in the areas of "Urban development» "Construction" and "Management".
1. The Study of the Federal state educational standard of Higher professional education (FSES HPE) in areas of
training 270900 "Urban development" [18], 270800 "Construction" [19], 080200 "Management" [20]. The level of
training was "bachelor".
2. A sociological study "Social values in construction".
3. Conducting research using the selection decision “For themselves and For others."
The study involved students of the fourth year who study in the fields of "Urban development", "Construction"
and "Management".
The first stage of the research is the study of the GEF for the preparation of specialists in “Urban development "
"Construction" and "Management". The choice of these three areas is not accidental.
248 Nadezda Miloradova and Alexander Ishkov / Procedia Engineering 117 (2015) 246 – 251

Modern construction is extremely complex activity, involving representatives of different professions. But city
planners, builders and managers decide on the most complex and fundamental issues. City planners solve large-scale
problems about "spatial planning and the organization of the territory, architectural design ..." [18]. Builders provide
the implementation performs the construction, operation, evaluation, and reconstruction of buildings and structures
..." [19]. It may seems unnecessary inclusion in this list of training "Management". However, the construction
cannot be done without the coordination of human and other resources for solve organizational tasks, that is, without
management activities.
Of course, as before, the training of urban planners (builders) calls for the development of management activities
along with other types of professional activity. However, as elsewhere in the world, management became the
responsibility of specially trained people.
In the Moscow State University of Civil Engineering prepares managers from the bachelor's level, master's
degrees to MBA for construction sector. Area of professional activity of bachelors includes "organization of any
organizational-legal form (commercial, non-profit, state, municipal), in which graduates work as performers or
managers Junior level in different services administration" [20].
The requirements for the qualifications of the employee performing a certain type of professional activity, are
recorded in the relevant professional standards. That is why we use these standards to identify the actual
requirements for training for the construction industry. We reviewed the requirements formulated in the form of
General cultural and professional competences (environmental problems), the GEF VPO in the areas of " Urban
development ", "Construction", "Management". In this article we imagine a comparative analysis of selected
competencies.
Cultural competence is usually described by using the concept of "awareness", "ready", "ability".
Comprehension is a complex psychological process of understanding meaning. The formation of semantic
installation begins with understanding the meaning. Knowledge is interacting with emotional acceptance and,
therefore, you receive a willingness to appropriate behavior. In the learning process, the student should be aware of
the social significance of their professional activities, and "to acquire the ability to analyze social problems". This
competence is universal, it meets all the requirements of the GEF VPO [18, 19, 20].
Bachelor in the process education must acquire the readiness to certain activities. In psychology, the readiness is
defined as "a state of mobilization of all physiological systems to ensure the effective implementation of certain
actions" [13]. In other words, readiness means that a person understands what he may do, but he may not to do. If
readiness review is carried out on the pedagogical level, this is a level of knowledge: a person must know and be
prepared. Cultural competence involves readiness "to social interaction on the basis of socially accepted moral and
legal standards ..." [18, 19, 20].
The ability is a complex psychological phenomenon, which include individual knowledge, skills, and willingness
to learn new ways and techniques of activity [13]. The requirement as "the ability to adhere to ethical values and a
healthy lifestyle" is found only in the GEF VPO preparation in the direction of "Management" [20]

3. The results of the first phase of the study

In GEF training in the areas of «Urban development ", "Construction", "Management" cultural competence
contain requirements awareness of the social importance of professional activity, readiness for social interaction.
Competence as "the ability to adhere to ethical values ..." were appears only in the GEF preparation in the direction
of "Management". Professional competence, as the importance of environmental, ethical or other social values, the
GEF under the areas of training, are explicitly absent.
The second stage was conducted in the form of socio-psychological research, in which students completed two
tasks.
The study took place during the training sessions.
Participated students of the 4th course: «Urban development» 2 groups (45 people); «Construction» 2 groups (47
people); «Management» – 2 groups (39 people).
The first task.
Students were asked to write free form, as they understand what is the «environmental ethics». Indicate whether
 Nadezda Miloradova and Alexander Ishkov / Procedia Engineering 117 (2015) 246 – 251 249

there is a relationship between environmental ethics and their future careers. Your answer is to justify.
Run time is 10 minutes.
After completion, the students exchanged opinions.
The second task.
Students were asked to rank a list of criteria by which they would be selected construction and finishing materials
for construction. The first number should stand the criteria that they deem most important. The latter will prove to
be the least important criterion.
The list of criteria: Impact on health; Durability; Quality; The complexity of the operation; Country of origin;
The complexity of the work; Price; Aesthetic appeal (nicely)

4. The results of the second phase of the study

Students know what is the environmental ethics. In their responses they wrote: "nature must be saved"; "each
person is responsible for life on Earth", etc. The second question is the relationship of environmental ethics and their
professional activity, showed a difference of opinions.
All participating in the survey students planners wrote that their professional activities are directly related to
environmental ethics. But, responsible for the ecological building of the materials, feel responsible is only 42%.
Student planners accused builders. They believe that the builders are responsible for the environment and they do it
very bad.
The opinion of students-builders were divided. The vast majority (87%) believe that direct environmental ethics
and their professional activities not related. For this purpose there are environmentalists - "let them work".
Discussion as such in these groups was not. The students complained: "builders accused of not deserved", They
tried to justify the fact that "in the construction of many unskilled workers; supply of poor quality of construction
material, etc. It's hard not to agree [21].
Students-managers approached the question of their professional activities with the environmental ethics
approached carefully. "Not directly related" answered 92% of the respondents. Discussion in these groups took place
rapidly. They concluded that the requirements of environmental ethics should be spelled out in their labour duties.
The ranking results are presented in table 1.

Table 1. Ranking of construction and finishing materials

Urban development – 4th course Construction – 4th course Management – 4th course

1. Aesthetic appeal. 1. The complexity of the work. 1. Price.

2. Quality. 2. Country of origin. 2-3. Quality / Country of origin.
3. Environmentally friendly. 3. Price. 4. The complexity of the work.
4. Country of origin. 4. Quality. 5. Environmentally friendly.
5. The complexity of the operation. 5. Environmentally friendly. 6. The complexity of the operation.
6. The complexity of the work. 6. The complexity of the operation. 7. Durability.
7. Durability. 7. Durability. 8. Aesthetic appeal.
8. Price. 8. Aesthetic appeal.

The obtained results are not unexpected. Students of the 4th course (bachelor degree) already feel like a
professional and they can use the criteria adopted in their professional environment. So the first place for students,
urban planners took the "aesthetic appeal", and for students builders main criterion is the complexity of the work. It
is known that from time to time, various studies conducted in the framework of construction exhibitions [22]. The
main criterion for the consumer is the ratio price/quality, the country of origin. Environmentally friendly materials
are the third-fourth place. These same criteria were used and future managers.
The third phase of research was conducted with the same students through the month.
First, students were asked to perform a task: to find construction & decoration "for themselves" as if they are the
builders of a house for himself personally. The students were given a detailed list of materials, which indicate their
main characteristics, including indicators of environmental (impact on health), aesthetic appeal, durability,
250 Nadezda Miloradova and Alexander Ishkov / Procedia Engineering 117 (2015) 246 – 251

mentioned the country of origin and price.

A month later, students were offered the same list, but the task was different. It was assumed that this time they
should pick up the materials for mass building, in other words for others.

4. The results of the second phase of the study

Choosing for myself was very difficult for students. They worked 30 to 40 minutes. Regardless of the direction of
preparation, the students ' choice of young men lying in the plane of three criteria: (1) aesthetic appeal ("the house
must be beautiful"), (2) country of origin ("everything must be of high quality"), (3) the complexity of the operation
("everything must be just so as not to waste time"). The selection of students-girls also lay in three areas: (1)
aesthetic appeal, (2) environmental (impact on health), (3) country of origin.
Column "Price" was left students without attention, because they believed that when one decides to build a house
for themselves, the money that they have, will be enough. The complexity of the work was not considered, because
it is only a problem of money." Not was of interest and such option as "durability".
Select for "other" students did very quickly. The first place students-builders and students – managers came
criterion "Price", "Complexity" and "Country of origin". Student planners also the first place left a criterion "Price",
on the second place came the criterion "Sustainability", "Aesthetic appeal" was in third place.
Thus, the study showed the following. The adoption of the principles of environmental ethics among the students
of University of Civil Engineering is at the very first stage of awareness – as a kind of abstract social value, which
say in society and in the classroom for social and humanitarian disciplines".
However, as a professional and personal value (psychological setting) when the person is acting in accordance
with these principles and takes responsibility, not formed. Construction is collectively organized activity with
collective responsibility. In such situations the zone of irresponsibility arises extensive unfortunately and inevitably
" [23]. Certainly, it is in the construction and in the training of construction personnel research [24, 25, 26].
However, environmental ethics for builders must become a system of principles that defines the rules of conduct and
professional and personal responsibility. This should be of professional competence, and not only cultural [27].
This article is written within the framework of the Project Tempus CENEAST “Reformation of the Curricula on
Built Environment in the Eastern Neighboring Area”

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