Ethics Module for Instructors - Case #1

Consider the following scenario and post your answers to the questions in this discussion thread.

Source Grabber

A first year teacher hurriedly creates a curriculum, grabbing sources (pics, video, case studies, course material) from the internet. She plugs the downloaded content into her PowerPoints and handouts. During the year, the teacher is evaluated several times, and after some encouragement from her administrator, she decides to publish her curriculum and put it up for sale for other first year teachers.

What is the ethical issue in this scenario?

What ethical points from the module are relevant to this scenario?

Has the instructor been consistent in her application of rules and guidelines in the course syllabus?

Has the instructor demonstrated academic expertise in the content being provided?

Has the instructor presented fair but firm adherence to legal principles of internet use?

Has the instructor provided full disclosure of materials and resources for evaluation?

Has the instructor seemed cognizant of the ethical principles outlined in the NEA Code?

What can the teacher do to support an ethical outcome?

Ethics Module for Instructors - Case #2

Consider the following scenario and post your answers to the questions in this discussion thread.

Gifted Barrier

A bright and gifted student in an online class finishes his deliverable projects early. Genuinely wanting to learn as much as he can from his esteemed instructor, the student requests extra assignments, projects, and/or materials and guidance to further his educational experience. His online instructor tells him to “relax and enjoy the time off due to early completion! After all, so many of your classmates feel overworked as it is; you should feel lucky to have earned some downtime!”

What is the ethical issue in this scenario?

What ethical points from the module are relevant to this scenario?

Has the instructor attempted to address special needs, characteristics, and situations in this class?

Has the instructor been conscientious about availing her presence?

Has the instructor clearly outlined goals and objectives for the class?

Has the instructor demonstrated academic expertise in the content being provided?

Has the instructor demonstrated fairness and openness in evaluative techniques?

Has the instructor expressed guidelines for proper communication and collaboration?

Has the instructor exuded an air of openness to questions, comments, and feedback?

Has the instructor promoted an atmosphere of cross-cultural nurture and acceptance for all students?

Has the instructor seemed cognizant of the ethical principles outlined in the NEA Code?

What can the teacher do to support an ethical outcome?

Ethics Module for Instructors - Case #3

Consider the following scenario and post your answers to the questions in this discussion thread.

Embarrassing Correction

An online student, in a college course about collaboration, has a hard time adjusting to the pace and sudden demands by team members in a setting that is relatively new to her. Inevitably, she confronts and posts less-than-professional, discordant remarks on the discussion board, directed at other students whose critiques were somewhat austere. The online instructor of the course, immediately resolute to stop the animosity in its tracks, decisively and publicly posts a harsh reprimand (directed unambiguously by name at the offending student) on the discussion board for the student (and everyone else) to see.

What is the ethical issue (re the instructor) in this scenario?

What ethical points from the module are relevant to this scenario?

Has the instructor attempted to address special needs, characteristics, and situations in this class?

Has the instructor been conscientious about availing her presence?

Has the instructor been consistent in her application of rules and guidelines in the course syllabus?

Has the instructor demonstrated fairness and openness in evaluative techniques?

Has the instructor expressed guidelines for proper communication and collaboration?

Has the instructor promoted an atmosphere of cross-cultural nurture and acceptance for all students?

Has the instructor provided clear rubrics, criteria, and expectations that must be met to succeed?

Has the instructor provided full disclosure of materials and resources for evaluation?

Has the instructor provided modeled and scaffolded examples for complex themes and practices?

Has the instructor seemed cognizant of the ethical principles outlined in the NEA Code?

What can the teacher do to support an ethical outcome?

Ethics Module for Instructors - Case #4

Consider the following scenario and post your answers to the questions in this discussion thread.

On Their Own

An online instructor started her virtual classroom career with zeal, anxious to apply all the collaborative strategies and principles of the preparatory books she read and wrote for this very moment of application. She correctly begins the course with introductions, modeling every aspect of every assignment for the first few weeks. Soon, the instructor finds that the demand for feedback and “hand-holding” is enormous, seemingly proportional to the scaffolding she provides, and she quickly tapers her modeling. By week four (of sixteen), the teacher is hardly a visible presence on the discussion boards or announcements page. She pops up every now and then to assign grades based upon strict rubrics, but beyond that, the students are left on their own, teacher-presence reduced to a frustrating near-nonexistence. By week eight, it seems that the teacher responds only when first asked by email.

What is the ethical issue in this scenario?

What ethical points from the module are relevant to this scenario?

Has the instructor attempted to address special needs, characteristics, and situations in this class?

Has the instructor been conscientious about availing her presence?

Has the instructor been consistent in her application of rules and guidelines in the course syllabus?

Has the instructor clearly outlined goals and objectives for the class?

Has the instructor demonstrated fairness and openness in evaluative techniques?

Has the instructor expressed guidelines for proper communication and collaboration?

Has the instructor exuded an air of openness to questions, comments, and feedback?

Has the instructor presented fair but firm adherence to legal principles of internet use?

Has the instructor promoted an atmosphere of cross-cultural nurture and acceptance for all students?

Has the instructor provided clear rubrics, criteria, and expectations that must be met to succeed?

Has the instructor provided full disclosure of materials and resources for evaluation?

Has the instructor provided modeled and scaffolded examples for complex themes and practices?

Has the instructor seemed cognizant of the ethical principles outlined in the NEA Code?

What can the teacher do to support an ethical outcome?