First scenario:
The ethical issue in scenario "The e- generation" connects to the fact even though Marta's record of accomplishment as "a very good teacher" in her 30-year career she has failed to keep abreast of changing methods of teaching connected to the technological aspects of the 21st century Western cultural educational framework.
There exists the unfortunate reality, as in the case of Marta, that many teachers do not have the necessary instruction for integrating technology in the delivery of instruction. This exists in particular to school district administrations' failure to implement new technology as part of the educational curriculum, teaching, and learning tools. Organizations such as "the National Educational Technology Standards for Teachers (NETS•T) is to provide guidelines to assist in addressing the Essential Conditions" integrated with work for implementing "effective use of technology as a tool for teaching and learning (Brooks-Young, 2007, p. 1)"
Consequently, as part of the Australia's National Quality (ACEQA) Standards, ethical underpinnings the focus ensuring children receive effective learning instruction requires educators continue improving the quality of their instruction. This in areas that include increased skills as aligned to technological educational tools akin to the NQF guidelines provided (2013; Early Childhood Australia, 2013). Schemer (1970) advises, "To say that computer-based instructions are valuable because they help students to achieve stated performance objectives is to give a reason why they are used and not a justification (as cited by Mumba, Chabalengula, & Bassoppo-Moyo, 2006, p. 405)."
Second Scenario:
The ethical issue in the second scenario connected with student teacher Maria aligns to her failure to complete the practicum which bridges "theory and practice" in teaching. Further, the practicum experience underpins student teacher developing professional knowledge themselves, people, interpersonal sensitivity, and self-regulation as fundamental traits established for their future as a professional educator. According to Rhodes (1995), attention has to be given to the educational end (in this case, the practicum) as a valuable means for ethically based educational practices (as cited by Mumba, Chabalengula, & Bassoppo-Moyo, 2006, p. 405).
Schemer (1970) explains, "Teaching is thus conceived as an educational and moral enterprise as well as an instructional one." In the case of the value of practicum, the process clearly establishes how this assists achieving ethical and end-based educational outcomes benefiting both the educator and the learner. Understanding this answers any questions aligned to performance objectives as outlined in a well-developed practicum and its relationship to "any valuable educational and moral ends and to why those ends are valuable." The justification of this aspect of instructional procedures means Maria need come "to grips with these questions of why use it and why not (as cited by Mumba, Chabalengula, & Bassoppo-Moyo, 2006, p. 405)."
Third Scenario:
The ethical issue in the third scenario again, connected to student teacher Maria connects to the meeting with Jiao-Li who monitors Maria's practicum in writing progress. When Maria asks for feedback to the correctness of her work, she gets an unprofessional response from Jiao-Li that does not tell Maria anything about the work. Already confused, and feeling inadequate, this kind of non-committal feedback of "not about right or wrong and "We'll have a better look again after you've done the frog song with the children. Okay?" fails to provide ethical representation of the critical position Jiao-Li holds as Maria's advisor on the issue.
Personal Journal
As an educator and lifelong learner, there exists an understanding about ethics in education that I continue developing. Taking into consideration the exercises completed for this academic learning task, it becomes apparent that without having specific standards and professional codes of ethics, the outcomes of dealing with different situations could be disastrous for the student. I see this from the perspective of a student because as an educator it remains my responsibility to look at the greater picture of the students entrusted to my instruction and how even the slightest of ethical slips may affect a child or group of children in adverse ways.
This becomes particularly sensitive when considering the diversity of learning groups on the 21st century. The diversity of race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic backgrounds, and culture represented in the demographic makeup of classrooms today, impels a continual analysis of my belief systems in relations to these realistic dynamics challenging ethical behavior as an educational profession. Ethically, instruction has to engage each child's individual characteristics related to his/her culture and how this relates to the oneness of the diverse global community we all live today (Reagan, 2000, p. xiii). Peel (2000) organizes my thoughts about the ethical underpinnings of instructing a student population and considering each learner's individuality with the lens of understanding diversity and doing the ethical thing always (p. 138). In part, the growth in understanding the importance of being an ethical teacher grows from discussions with peers as well as having learning opportunities that ask what would, I do in cases where ethics and education are the focus of the learning exercise. My discussions with my professional peers both at work and in the classroom as students about what is the important about being an ethical teacher surmises that skill in teaching is definitely a part of teaching ethics. Therefore, I see the ethics behind growing professionally as an ongoing process gaining and honing my educational skills remains a part of my commitment to my students. Skilled and ethical teachers care about their students (Kienzler, 2004; Williamson, 1999; Kittridge, 2012; Primary Teacher's Network, 2013; Reagan, 2000).
I increasingly understand professional development from an ethical based perspective means discerning what is effective and what are fads (Kienzler, 2004). I also comprehend that basing instruction on content knowledge, research, and theory is another form of desirable ethical behavior as an educator as I continue honing my teaching skills. In this, I must always regard myself as learner who reflects about the new information. I have learned that critical self-study enhances the opportunities to grow as a person and as importantly as an effective instructor does. As part of this process, I also realize that skilled and ethical teaching enables each student to learn the importance and appreciation of his/her ability for self-regulation in the learning process. Imparting a sense of value for cooperative learning in students provides the kinds of social tools needed when they finish their formal education and enter the world as a contributing part of society. Gauging this looks at when students move on to other classes they apply principles I instructed them with a sense of intelligence, conviction, and confidence.
The ethical underpinnings I have learned about instruction means demonstrating willingness for tailoring my instruction so it always meets the individual and group needs of the class based on ethically based assessment of the instruction. In turn, encouraging student feedback (Brant & Unwin, 2003, p. 21) provides opportunities enhancing assessment from the learner perspective and instills how competence builds upon the cooperation and growth of one another as part of an ethical society of stakeholders.
Extending ethical values into professional practice means continually assessing my own personal ethical values as pragmatically intertwined. My ethical values seek doing what is right as connected first to valuing my own life and in turn valuing the life of others because human life has its own sanctity. I use ethical reasoning as an individual and in understanding its application to the role of teaching. In using ethical reasoning, I determine that right action means clarifying facts as well as determining missing information. This process assesses identifying the ethical dilemmas of situations so the ethical question emerges allowing identifying the ethical principles and applying them as the means for resolving the conflict. Should more than one ethical principle apply to the situation then I look at which as precedence connected to the situation. In turn, stating the ethical decision in my mind or however the situation calls for leads to my formulating the course of ethical action addressing who, what, when, and where (Randall, Mitstifer, Brandes, & Collins, 2007, p. 48)
In today's society, my understanding of too often of the lack of ethical norms becomes an easy trap, particularly as an educator. Too often, people do what is easy, and not what is the right thing and that is something I never intend being knowingly guilty. I agree with the thoughts offered by Kienzler (2004), who suggests that as an ethical teacher this connection to professional aptitude should make me not only ask myself, but my fellow teachers, "why don’t we more often explicitly consider ethics in our own teaching (p. 292).
Again, agreeing with Kienzler (2004) looks at the difficulty for me, and my peers for unjustly leaving out any ongoing ethical thinking connected to teaching students remains the fact ethics aligned to its theory is a very difficult enterprise in teaching. Nonetheless, even though I fully know the task of employing ethics theories in my instructional practices remains difficult at best, and that goes for any educator specifically teaching ethics courses as well, this connects to the ethical behavior I want to exhibit as a teaching professional. It should be the same for all educator instructors. Just because I realize ethical dilemmas will always be a struggle, despite codes and standards of the profession, this must remain fundamental to the underpinnings of who I am as a person and as an educator (p. 292).
My final thoughts about my personal and professional ethical values speak of my commitment for cognitively approaching my personal life from a more ethically centered perspective. This is not to confuse my morals with ethics and in turn not to confuse the two. My morals are the values I have embedded from my upbringing focused on being a good citizen, a kind person, a person who earns my place in society. What I have come to understand about ethics and doing the right thing does not always call for being "nice." To the contrary, when an ethical dilemma stands in front of me both privately or professionally I now understand the difference between doing what is right and not doing what is easy. "That" is an epiphany I have experienced. Looking around me and looking at history shows nice people, moral people stood by when unethical practices committed against other human beings took place.
References
Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority. (2013). The National Quality Standard. Retrieved from http://www.acecqa.gov.au/families/the-national-quality-standard
Brant, J., & Unwin, A. (2003, Spring). Beyond the Lesson Plan: Developing a Global Dimension in Initial Teacher Education. Teaching Business & Economics, 7(1), 21.
Brooks-Young, S. (2007). Digital-Age Literacy for Teachers: Applying Technology Standards in Everyday Practice. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
Early Childhood Australia. (2013). The Code of Ethics. Retrieved from
http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/code_of_ethics/early_childhood_australias_code_of_ethics.html
Kienzler, D. S. (2004). Teaching Ethics Isn't Enough: The Challenge of Being Ethical Teachers. The Journal of Business Communication, 41(3), 292
Kittridge, L. (2012, November/December). Equipping Students to Live Life Wisely. Momentum, 43(4), 35.
Mumba, F., Chabalengula, V. M., & Bassoppo-Moyo, T. C. (2006). Ethical and Educational Justification for Computer-Based Instructions: A Case of Simulations in Science Teaching. International Journal of Instructional Media, 33(4), 405+.
Peel, R. (2000). 3: Beliefs About ‘english’ in England. In R. Peel, A. Patterson, & J. Gerlach (Authors), Questions of English: Ethics, Aesthetics, Rhetoric, and the Formation of the Subject in England, Australia, and the United States (pp. 116-188). London: Routledge.
Primary Teacher's Network. (2013). NSW Institute of Teachers' Professional Teaching *Standards. Retrieved from
http://www.ptn.org.au/teaching-standards/nsw-institute-of-teachers-professional-teaching-standards
Randall, G. K., Mitstifer, D. I., Brandes, K., & Collins, N. (2007). A Tool for Educators and Students: Personal Ethics in the FCS Classroom. Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, 99(4), 48+.
Reagan, T. (2000). Non-Western Educational Traditions: Alternative Approaches to Educational Thought and Practice (2nd ed.). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Williamson, L. L. (1999). Colorado Counselor Exchanges Job with Australian School Psychologist. Professional School Counseling, 2(3), 189
