Abstract
The practical implications of teaching public service values are of growing importance to educational programs across the country. Helping students understand ethics not only as abstract concepts but as key criteria in decision-making requires an innovative approach. Because students are accustomed to seeing human dilemmas dramatically illustrated on film, using this familiar medium as a tool for ethics instruction seems a natural step. By selecting films with engrossing yet relevant plots and characterizations and applying systematic pedagogical guidance, students can attain a level of understanding not possible using other instructional techniques. Whether films are used as part of a semester devoted to public service ethics or as an exercise to complement the theoretical foundations of public affairs, this article provides a description of how to transform a natural interest in watching films into a potentially profound understanding of incorporating public service values into the decision-making process. An outline of the specific steps as well as possible variations of the exercise are provided, along with a list of applicable films.
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