For Schools, Faculty, and CE Providers AFMTE Annual Conference Tucson, AZ June 2012 Ethical Issues in the Classroom

Panel Nancy Dail, Moderator Patricia J. Benjamin Cherie Sohnen-Moe Terrie Yardley-Nohr

Responsibility

Responsibility The first rule of ethics is to: DO NO HARM! Hippocrates Hippocrates

Responsibility “Ethics concerns relationship. It is about the inner relationships of our values to actions. It is interaction between one belief and another, one desire and another, one fear and another. Ethics is the process by which we sort out what best creates inner and outer harmony in our lives.” Kylea Taylor from The Ethics of Caring

Responsibility Each practitioner upon entering a profession is invested with the responsibility to adhere to the standards of ethical practice and conduct set by the profession. ND

Responsibility

Character Traits Character traits are inherent attributes that influence how a person responds in a given situation.

Values Values  Beliefs that hold emotional worth, importance, and usefulness  Group of accepted principles or standards of a person or group

Value of Ethics The value of ethics must be a benefit for the client and will be the foundation of the practitioner’s success.

Value of Ethics Exploring the value of ethics  Brings meaning to the industry  Helps support professional character traits  Promotes clarity of practice.

Value of Ethics A code of ethics does not ensure ethical behavior nor does one ethics class.  Infuse ethics into the entire curriculum.  Use the classroom and clinic as labs for learning and reinforcing ethical behavior.

Ethics in the Classroom Ethical issues and dilemmas that occur in the classroom provide “teachable moments” for reinforcing the importance of ethical behavior.

PROCESS OF LEARNING ETHICAL BEHAVIOR - Educational Theory

Learning Ethical Behavior Motivation for ethical choices  Avoid punishment  Gain approval  Uphold standards  Right thing to do Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development (simplified)

Learning Ethical Behavior Examples of Motivation The price is too high if I get caught The price is too high if I get caught I want my colleagues to think well of me I want my colleagues to think well of me I would be embarrassed if my colleagues found out I would be embarrassed if my colleagues found out I uphold the code of ethics, standards of practice as a matter of principle (law & order) I uphold the code of ethics, standards of practice as a matter of principle (law & order) My moral sense tells me that it‘s the right thing to do – and I’ll do it because I’m an ethical person My moral sense tells me that it‘s the right thing to do – and I’ll do it because I’m an ethical person

Learning Ethical Behavior Affective Domain Outcomes  Receiving  Attending  Valuing  Conceptualizing  Characterization  Internalizing

Learning Ethical Behavior Example: Professional Boundaries Receives information about boundaries Receives information about boundaries Pays attention to boundaries Pays attention to boundaries Values boundaries Values boundaries Thinks about how to keep good boundaries Thinks about how to keep good boundaries Keeps good boundaries Keeps good boundaries Person with good professional boundaries Person with good professional boundaries

Learning Ethical Behavior Social Learning Theory - Individuals learn attitudes (ethics) by Individuals learn attitudes (ethics) by - Observing the behavior of others - Observing the behavior of others - Modeling or imitating others - Modeling or imitating others

ARENAS FOR MODELING ETHICAL BEHAVIOR

Arenas for Modeling Behavior  Modeling professionalism Demeanor in the classroom – students and teachers - Professional dress - Good manners - Proper speech

Arenas for Modeling Behavior  Modeling quality in education Quality course materials - Current, organized, accurate High teacher competence and effective instructional methods

Arenas for Modeling Behavior  Modeling integrity Valid assessment of students - Fair, transparent, consistent  Modeling confidence Dealing with sensitive topics - Open, honest, positive

Arenas for Modeling Behavior  Modeling confidentiality Keep students’ information confidential  Grades, attendance, private communications  Modeling respect for copyright laws Know and obey copyright laws

Arenas for Modeling Behavior  Modeling respectful behavior Teachers show respect for peers - Other teachers and school staff - Graduates - Continuing education instructors - Others in the profession

Arenas for Modeling Behavior  Ensure that students model ethical behavior towards their classmates Respectful attitude and behavior Respectful attitude and behavior Respect for privacy of classmates Respect for privacy of classmates Keep classmates’ information confidential Keep classmates’ information confidential Keep good boundaries with classmates Keep good boundaries with classmates

Arenas for Modeling Behavior  Ensure that teachers and staff model ethical behavior towards students Respectful attitude and behavior Respectful attitude and behavior Keep clear boundaries Keep clear boundaries Avoid dual relationships Avoid dual relationships

DEALING WITH UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR - IN SCHOOL AND IN THE CLASSROOM

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  State expectations clearly  School policies  Classroom rules  Boundaries that should be kept

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  Make students aware of expectations and why these expectations are set  Respect for other students  Respect for faculty and staff  Respect for clients

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  Boundaries  Set boundaries for safe keeping and maintaining respect for students and staff  Train students in appropriate use of boundaries as an important part of the education process

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  Students  May not understand where their boundaries come from  May not have boundaries at all  Need to learn the consequences when rules, policies and boundaries are broken

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  Policies and rules for the massage therapy classroom often need to be more defined than in a regular classroom setting Examples: joking around, touching Examples: joking around, touching

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  Empower teachers and staff Instructors need to trust that they will have the support of administrators Instructors need to trust that they will have the support of administrators Instructors and administrators discuss potential ethical issues and process for handling them before an event happens Instructors and administrators discuss potential ethical issues and process for handling them before an event happens Create a plan together for handling ethical situations that come up Create a plan together for handling ethical situations that come up

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  Changing behavior  Set the example  Discuss openly with students about potential ethical issues in the classroom and in their future practices

Dealing with Unethical Behavior Instructors face different ethical issues in the classroom than in their private practices Instructors face different ethical issues in the classroom than in their private practices The group setting can lend itself to more ethical infractions The group setting can lend itself to more ethical infractions

Dealing with Unethical Behavior Have open and honest communication with students Have open and honest communication with students Ensure that students graduate with a good understanding of what can happen if rules, laws and boundaries are not kept Ensure that students graduate with a good understanding of what can happen if rules, laws and boundaries are not kept

Dealing with Unethical Behavior  Tools to help students learn how to handle ethical situations Guest speakers Guest speakers Role playing Role playing Discussion of different scenarios Discussion of different scenarios

Small Group Discussion Four Groups FacultyAdministrators CE Providers Employers

Small Group Discussion Discussion Focus Share examples of ethical issues from your own experience in massage education How it was handled at the time How it was handled at the time How it might have been prevented How it might have been prevented How to better manage similar situations in the future How to better manage similar situations in the future

Panel Feedback Ask the panel for feedback about ethics in the massage therapy classroom Handling specific ethical situations Handling specific ethical situations Policies and classroom rules Policies and classroom rules Preventing ethical problems Preventing ethical problems Dealing with ethical problems Dealing with ethical problems Fostering ethical behavior Fostering ethical behavior

Professional Identity Defining one’s role is important to all who seek meaning and self-respect in their work. If one’s professional identity is unclear the work is more stressful and less satisfying, and ethical dilemmas are more frequent and more difficult to resolve. Ethical Dimensions in the Health Professions by Purtilo & Cassel (W. B. Saunders) Ethical Dimensions in the Health Professions by Purtilo & Cassel (W. B. Saunders)

Constructing Ethical Culture Constructing an ethical culture for our industry starts with our investment and commitment to massage therapy and bodywork. Constructing an ethical culture for our industry starts with our investment and commitment to massage therapy and bodywork. The value of ethics must be infused in all of our classroom experiences.