IPEC Domain/Competency 

Values and Ethics: Work with team members to maintain a climate of shared values, ethical conduct, and mutual respect.

Goals and objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

1. Identify personal values that influence their interactions and decision-making within a team.
2. Recognize how differences in values, beliefs, identities, and perspectives can shape team dynamics and collaboration.
3. Demonstrate respect for diverse viewpoints through reflective dialogue and active listening.
4. Explain the importance of shared values, ethical conduct, and mutual respect in creating an effective team environment.
5. Collaboratively establish shared values and behavioral expectations that support ethical and respectful teamwork.

Materials

• List of sample values (e.g., honesty, respect, accountability, inclusion, fairness, compassion) to support reflection (optional)

Activity Description

Pre-Discussion Activity:

Use Values Sort Activity from this IPE and IDE Instructional Toolkit, or follow instructions below.

Values in Action - Reflection & Share (15-20 minutes)

Purpose: to help students reflect on personal values related to teamwork, recognize and normalize differences in values and perspectives, build readiness for respectful, ethical collaboration, trust, and to set foundation to determine shared values required for teamwork.

Step 1: Individual Values Reflection (5 minutes). Ask students to work silently and respond in writing to the following prompts:

List 3 values that are most important to you when working with others (e.g., honesty, respect, accountability, inclusion, fairness, compassion).

Circle one value and briefly write: How does this value show up in your behavior during group work or teamwork?

Step 2: Paired or Small‑Group Sharing (5–7 minutes). In pairs or small groups, have students share: 1) One value they circled, and 2) One way they express that value when working with others. Listening guideline: Ask students to listen without interrupting and to notice similarities and differences, not to evaluate or debate.

Step 3: Values Differences Prompt (3–5 minutes). Pose the following prompt to the whole group or small groups: “Think about a time when someone’s values or approach to teamwork were different from yours. What made that experience easy or challenging?”  Discuss orally in small groups

Step 4: Transition to large group discussion of most meaningful learning from small groups. Close the activity by saying something like: “You’ve reflected on your own values and how differences can show up in team settings. Let’s now explore why shared values, ethical conduct, and mutual respect matter—and how we can intentionally create that kind of team environment together.” Engage in small group discussion; questions below.

Main Activity: Small Group Discussion Questions

Use the following questions after students have completed Lesson 5 of the IPE and IDE Introductory Module.

1. What personal values are most important to you? How do you typically express one of those values when participating in group work or teamwork?
2. When you think about working with team members who may hold different values, beliefs, or professional identities than your own, what thoughts or feelings come up for you?
3. Why do shared values, ethical conduct, and mutual respect play an important role in the success of interdisciplinary and interprofessional teams?
4. What values or ethical practices would you like to strengthen or intentionally bring into your teamwork to help create a respectful and collaborative team climate?

Closing Activity

Ask each group to agree on:

• 1 shared team value
• 1 behavior that demonstrates respect
• 1 strategy for addressing value differences constructively

Use

Designed for use after the completion of Lesson 5 of the IPE and IDE Introductory Module, this activity is best completed in small groups—ideally interprofessional or interdisciplinary teams—as participants begin forming their project teams.

Variation for IPE or IDE Learning Experience

Designed for flexibility, this activity can be implemented in either interprofessional or interdisciplinary learning experiences.

Source

IPE and IDE at JMU’s College of Health and Behavioral Studies (CHBS): An Introduction ©2023 by Linda Plitt Donaldson, Shiree Harbick, Jill Lassiter, Chris Fasching-Maphis, Anne Stewart, Alyssa Decker, & Anna Maria Johnson. James Madison University. Retrieved July 2026 from https://www.jmu.edu/chbs/ipe-ide/module.shtml.

Created by: Vesna Hart
Suggested Citation: CHBS IPE and IDE Council. (2026). IPE and IDE Introductory Module – Lesson 5: Values and Ethics Activity. CHBS IPE & IDE Instructional Toolkit. James Madison University.