1. ETHICS IN TEACHING AND LEARNING: Ethical reasoning and study materials
Prof EO Mashile
Executive Director (Tuition and Facilitation of Learning)

2. OUTLINE OF PRESENTATION
Some ethical perspectives in teaching and learning
Ethical reasoning
Ethical considerations with regards to study materials
Conclusion

3. ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES IN T&L

4. Ethical perspectives in T&L
Ethics involves engagement with complex situations and making hard choices
Rules & Regulations not sufficient
Professionalism affords an individual with a measure of autonomy
Professionals need to engage in moral debate and to think critically about their practice
(Haughey)

5. Ethical perspectives in T&L
ethics as a study of the underlying beliefs, assumptions, principles, and values that support a moral way of life
Ethical leadership is thus acting from the principles, beliefs, assumptions and values in the leader’s espoused system of ethics (Starrat in Haughey)
What is right and beneficial for Unisa and our society?

6. Ethical perspectives in T&L
Ethics may refer to the systematic exploration of questions about how we should act in relation to others
Educators – student interface
Those who design and deliver educational programs for adults are engaged in a process to change another person in some way and any effort to change a person has the potential to cause harm

7. Ethical perspectives in T&L
It is thus important to increase the ‘ethical sensitivity’ of lecturers
identify and discuss practices that may affect the welfare of others
Provide CPD in this aspect

8. Ethical perspectives in T&L
In environments (eg ODL) with no set rules practice is governed by
sanctions that are a usual part of organizational life
Practitioner’s own personal code of conduct

9. Ethical perspectives in T&L
Ethical problems arise when at least two principles become conflictual
Increasing student access vs allowing students to choose any course they wish and in any order
Being fair to all students vs responsiveness to individual student needs
Ethical problems also beset the area of study materials

10. Ethical Reasoning

11. Ethical reasoning
Does ethical reasoning occur spontaneously or does it require to be taught?
There is evidence that students taught to reason ethically are more equipped to solve ethical problems

12. Ethical reasoning
Professional qualifications often include modules on ethics
Is ethics education included in other learning programmes?
Four examples of implementation:

13. Ethical reasoning: example 1
Unisa Business Ethics course
Custom made method (describe, evaluate, consult, and act)
students required to:
demonstrate an understanding of the key concepts, problems, theories and arguments;
demonstrate the competence to analyse and evaluate complex normative arguments,
and develop a critical ethical attitude to assess others’ ethical choices as well as their own ethical position
(Kretzschmar & Bentley)

14. Ethical reasoning: example 2
Keefer’s problem solving method (SET):
Component 1 Identify the moral issue at stake
Component 2 Identify the relevant knowledge and unknown facts in a problem
Component 3 Offer a resolution
Component 4 Offer a moral justification
Component 5 Consider alternative scenarios that argue for different conclusions
Component 6 Identify and evaluate longer term moral consequences
Component 7 Offer alternative resolutions using interactive planning

15. Ethical reasoning: example 3
Pettifor’s ‘real-life’ method (Psychology)
Who are the individuals, groups, and organizations that are potentially affected by your decision, for whom do you have the greatest responsibility?
What is the nature of the dilemma, including the interests, rights, and characteristics of the persons and organizations involved, and relevant ethical principles and guidelines from the profession?
How might personal biases, stresses, or self-interest influence your choices?

16. Ethical reasoning: example 3
Pettifor’s ‘real-life’ method
Consider whether any external systemic issues have contributed to the problem and consider whether they can be addressed in a positive way.
Develop alternative courses of action and analyze the short-term, ongoing, and long-term risks and benefits of each course of action.
Choose and act on what appears to be the best value-based decision.

17. Ethical reasoning: example 3
Pettifor’s ‘real-life’ method
Evaluate the consequences of the course of action and assume responsibility for corrective action if it is needed
Choose and act on what appears to be the best value-based decision.

18. Ethical reasoning: example 4
Reid’s case study method (Engineering):
groups of students review case studies and then develop written reports and group oral presentations
multimedia rich scenarios based on actual, real-world problems
provide a cohort of students with a large case study and group students so that different groups assume different roles in the case study

19. Ethical reasoning
Other techniques proposed for teaching ethics include reflective practice, story telling, decision making, modelling, etc
In teaching students, we are not only focussing on acquiring knowledge and or learning skills but also starting a process where students “internalize new ways of being, doing, feeling, perceiving and thinking, and during this personal-professional evolution their sense of self and world-view can be reconfigured” (Humphrey)

20. Study Materials: ethical considerations

21. Nature and Role of Study Materials
Mediated communication in distance education can magnify weaknesses in course design
What are the obligations of course developers to design packages that reflect the diversity of thought and forms of knowledge in a field of study?
To what extent is the developer obligated to include exercises or provide delivery mechanisms that encourage the learner to be critical about knowledge and ideas?
What rights do students have to expect courses to contain up-to-date and balanced information?

22. Educational Theory & Instructional Design
Pedagogical principles impacting module design, based on a constructivist approach
Anchor curriculum and instruction within contexts that include authentic problems and case examples
Help students to appreciate and respond to complex problems that require multiple steps with different possible solutions
Challenge students to assess, revise and reflect on their own thinking and provide them with multiple opportunities to have their thinking challenged by other students, professionals, or other outside resources
Connect learning outcomes to relevant problems or cases that require realistic products or performance and that demonstrate knowledge
Use collaborative learning activities that provide opportunities for students to experience “distributed expertise” and shared social responsibility
(Keefer)

23. Educational Theory & Instructional Design
The effectiveness of an excellently designed courseware can be nullified by the kind and nature of assessment.
Assessment shapes what students will do in a course of study and so it must be clearly aligned to the course design
Mode of delivery impacts on
Frequency and nature of assessment
If the course is focussed on learning processes, acquiring skills, or adopting attitudes, then words alone may not provide adequate information for judging student learning

24. Instructional Resources
There are many platforms providing real life dilemmas for use as case studies
Add experts’ commentaries on case studies
Include appropriate scaffolds
Design to eliminate ‘model answers’ from Web
Select activities promoting active learning
Model appropriate use of online resources
Fair usage

25. Instructional Resources
Developing Unisa learning resources
Development costs vs wrap-around guides
Increasing own resources
to promote active learning
To enable provision in different delivery modes
To make sharing and collaboration easier

26. Conclusion

27. Professional development
Conclusion
Professional development
even the most engaging case problems and materials will be of limited value to students if instructors do not understand the research-based knowledge and principles of instructional design that can help make the best use of them

28. Problem based curricula Authentic activities Develop own resources
Conclusion
Select appropriate methodologies and work hard not to be constrained by delivery mode
Problem based curricula
Authentic activities
Develop own resources
Fund non-proprietary resources
Customise OERs

29. Authenticity which is based on reciprocity
Conclusion
Academics as educational leaders are ethically bound to model principles of
Responsibility which reflects the ethic of caring through relationality
Authenticity which is based on reciprocity
Presence which puts the ‘other’ at the centre while being open oneself to personal change

30. THANK YOU