Ethics and legalities in digital practice

Technology continues to open new ways for us to communicate and share information. Thoughts, photos, videos, ideas and more can be posted online both privately and publicly with a click of a button at anytime of the day or night. For many, this is a blessing, but for teachers, we have to be a little more cautious. With the advent of social media and the ease at which it is to communicate, boundaries can become a little blurred and grey areas emerge and our morality can become tested on what we post and who we communicate and share it with (Ehrich Kimber, Millwater & Cranston,  2011).

Descriptive

As a teacher, I am bound by the code of ethics and as such I'm in a trusted position in society, have influence on my learners and have to uphold high standards of ethical behaviour  (Education Council, 2017). Even though I have other roles in society, I am often judged by my profession and as such, I even have to be mindful of the teachers code of professional responsibility in the roles that I play in a personal capacity as a citizen in society.  Ethical dilemmas happen, it's part of my life as a teacher. But when an ethical dilemma arises, who takes priority? Myself, the student concerned, my students as a collective, my school, other teachers concerned, something/someone else or do I just ignore it? As Sumison, (2000) as cited in Ehrich et al. (2011) state that codes are important documents but they don't tend to acknowledge the constraints of competing priorities that a person faces.

Comparative

As much as I take a preventative approach, try and mitigate factors before they arise to eliminate risk, I can not eliminate everything and critical incidents will occur that create an ethical dilemma. However, when things do go wrong having a school wide plan in place would prove prudent (New Zealand, Ministry of Education, & NetSafe (Organization : N.Z.), 2015) so their are guidelines to follow. However, this document would need to be 'fluid' to keep pace with the changes in technology as it arises.

Each ethical dilemma needs to be judged on its on merits and it may impact only a few of your decisions or may have greater implications that have a far broader impact. Teachers face ethical dilemmas on a daily basis. It might be as simple as dealing with a student who has been using foul language on google hangouts in a closed group, or  more wide reaching, such as,  dealing with a parent who has been scathing of the school on Facebook. When faced with an ethical dilemma, Ehrich et al. (2011) provide a model that can guide our process and thinking so that we consider the implications and who our decisions might effect. Adding this model to the codes of responsibility as well as the safe and responsible use of  digital technology document put out by the ministry of education allows for more informed decisions to be made, particularly if they are backed up by a school policy that has kept pace with rapid technological change.

Decision making model proposed by Ehrich et al. (2011)

Critical Reflection

As much as there are codes of responsibilities, and models that can be used, the values that I have grown up with that form who I am serve as a basis to make my decisions. I know the decisions I make will not please everyone, but that is the nature of the beast with ethical dilemmas, they fall into that 'grey' area. Often looking back at previous decisions that have been made can provide some insight to make new decisions. Having read the paper by Ehrich et al. (2011) has bought about a new way of thinking when faced with an ethical dilemma and will prove beneficial for future situations for when, not if, they arise.

References

Education Council. (2017). Our Code Our Standards.Retrieved from: https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf

Ehrich, L. C. , Kimber M., Millwater, J. & Cranston, N. (2011). Ethical dilemmas: a model to understand teacher practice, Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice, 17:2, 173-185, DOI: 10.1080/13540602.2011.539794

New Zealand, Ministry of Education, & NetSafe (Organization : N.Z.). (2015). Digital technology: safe and responsible use in schools : a companion to the guidelines for the surrender and retention of property and searches. Retrieved from http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Managing-and-supporting-students/DigitalTechnologySafeAndResponsibleUseInSchs.pdf