Abstract
Persistent efforts have been displayed in proposing a diversity of teaching methods in bioethics, presenting curricula, and pedagogical methods that emphasize active student participation, but are often inapplicable due to limitations of available teaching resources. Scarce financial support, reduced space in curricular programs, insufficient number of well-prepared teachers to tutor small working groups are obstacles to fulfill the needs for adequate training in bioethics. Time and again the Socratic method is hailed as especially appropriate for the teaching of bioethics. The present article intends a critical revision of some participative methods such as the Socratic and Neo-Socratic approaches, as well as casuism and problem solving learning, identifying certain limitations in their usefulness for medical ethics and bioethics teaching. Rather than substituting theoretical teaching, active participation should complement it.
Teaching-Bioethics; Methods; Problem-based learning; Case reports