Week 28 - Influence of Law & Ethics in Practice
Professional and personal digital worlds are quickly becoming more and more blended and sharing of personal and professional information happens so quickly using digital tools - how much control do we really have in this process and where do we draw the line?
Recently I was on a school trip and a teacher suggested we should take a selfie and share this with a few of her students who were also on this school trip via an Instagram group. Before I knew it the picture was taken and shared by this teacher. After this occurred I felt quite uncomfortable about what had happened.
I will use a model from Ehrich et al. (2011) to try to explain the moral decision-making process involved in unpacking this ethical dilemma.
Step 1 (What): Step one starts by describing the critical event that has triggered the ethical dilemma which I have explained above.
Step 2 (So What): The next step involves exploring the key competing forces that impact decision making from their own bias viewpoint:
Organisational Culture - The teacher obviously thought this was a great way to connect with some of her students. The reasoning could include that connecting with students is part of our school's vision statement which includes being connected and community-minded and includes the importance of social and emotional aspects. The teacher probably genuinely thought that this was a great way to connect and share aspects of the trip with her students.
Public Interest - The public and school community including the caregivers might not be so supportive of a teacher sharing a picture with a private group with students and could see this as inappropriate and intimate in nature. Why was the picture not shared with all of the students involved in the trip and just a few select students?
Professional Standards - The Education Council (2017) outlines our standards which include ‘2.2 Engaging in ethical and professional relationships with learners that respect professional boundaries.’ An example of a possible breach is given which states fostering online connections with a learner outside the teaching context like ‘friending’ without a valid context. So this example could be interpreted by people as similar to the example and thus be crossing this professional and ethical relationship boundary line.
School Policy - I have also checked our Staff Social Media Policy which also provides guidelines that state that personal use of social media by staff must also be governed by confidentiality and professional standards. We are also warned to consider whether it is appropriate to extend or accept friend or connection requests with parents, students, or others involved in the school.
Step 3 (Now What): This step involves discussing how the Code and Standards should be interpreted to assist in the ethical decision-making process. In the future, as this type of digital sharing may be perceived by others as crossing a professional boundary next time I would state that I would prefer not to be in the photo and not to be shared with students. I would also explain why so the teacher who instigated this idea would also stop and consider this ethical dilemma for themselves. PPTA (2014) have also provided some guidance on the use of Social Media and also highlights the obligation to maintain appropriate student/teacher boundaries when using any social media.
Education Council (2017). Our Code Our Standards. Retrieved 21th June, 2018 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 Post Primary Teachers’ Association (2014). Digital Communication. Retrieved 21 June, 2018 from: https://www.ppta.org.nz/dmsdocument/139
I will use a model from Ehrich et al. (2011) to try to explain the moral decision-making process involved in unpacking this ethical dilemma.
Step 1 (What): Step one starts by describing the critical event that has triggered the ethical dilemma which I have explained above.
Step 2 (So What): The next step involves exploring the key competing forces that impact decision making from their own bias viewpoint:
Organisational Culture - The teacher obviously thought this was a great way to connect with some of her students. The reasoning could include that connecting with students is part of our school's vision statement which includes being connected and community-minded and includes the importance of social and emotional aspects. The teacher probably genuinely thought that this was a great way to connect and share aspects of the trip with her students.
Public Interest - The public and school community including the caregivers might not be so supportive of a teacher sharing a picture with a private group with students and could see this as inappropriate and intimate in nature. Why was the picture not shared with all of the students involved in the trip and just a few select students?
Professional Standards - The Education Council (2017) outlines our standards which include ‘2.2 Engaging in ethical and professional relationships with learners that respect professional boundaries.’ An example of a possible breach is given which states fostering online connections with a learner outside the teaching context like ‘friending’ without a valid context. So this example could be interpreted by people as similar to the example and thus be crossing this professional and ethical relationship boundary line.
School Policy - I have also checked our Staff Social Media Policy which also provides guidelines that state that personal use of social media by staff must also be governed by confidentiality and professional standards. We are also warned to consider whether it is appropriate to extend or accept friend or connection requests with parents, students, or others involved in the school.
Step 3 (Now What): This step involves discussing how the Code and Standards should be interpreted to assist in the ethical decision-making process. In the future, as this type of digital sharing may be perceived by others as crossing a professional boundary next time I would state that I would prefer not to be in the photo and not to be shared with students. I would also explain why so the teacher who instigated this idea would also stop and consider this ethical dilemma for themselves. PPTA (2014) have also provided some guidance on the use of Social Media and also highlights the obligation to maintain appropriate student/teacher boundaries when using any social media.
References:
Education Council (2017). Our Code Our Standards. Retrieved 21th June, 2018 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 Post Primary Teachers’ Association (2014). Digital Communication. Retrieved 21 June, 2018 from: https://www.ppta.org.nz/dmsdocument/139
Hello Sandra
ReplyDeleteThis is a good example of reflecting on our practice and something that may be thought of as harmless, yet perhaps that idea is naive. I have often taken snapshots of students in a group with myself in the photo as we are tramping or on a trip, but then share it with the whole staff and often on the school newsletter. Its great for the community to see photos of what we are doing.