Reflecting on Ethical Dilemmas

Social Media map infographic:

Image from www.teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz

In my practice, I am lucky to be a junior member of an established larger cluster of professionals.  I have two colleagues in their second year of a 1:1 digital device learning space and we belong to the Ako Hiko cluster that is committed to establishing a robust digitally capable learning ethos.  I am well supported and have a number of competent professionals to draw upon when I need guidance. 

As set out by the Education Council, we are clear about the purpose of our social media interactions and have clear boundaries when it comes to the privacy of our learners.  We have done extensive ground work to build cyber smart individuals who are pre-emptive rather than reactive when it comes to potential issues. 

This year we have avoided most issues and our students have stayed within established guidelines but these guidelines have been very firmly created, discussed and debated.  Our community has been engaged with and parents and children have all signed Kawa of Care contracts.  These contracts talk about the use of school email addresses, the purpose of the devices, appropriate choices and engaging online in ways to limit risk. 

The Education Council’s video on commitment to parents / guardians and family / whanau is a real issue.  When students are enrolled at my school, each family is asked to sign an image consent form. If you enrol at 5, you are never asked about this consent again. 

Five years ago, my students wouldn’t have had a school based online presence.  Today, my year 5/6 class has a class blog, a class twitter account, personal blogs, personal email addresses, a Studyladder account, a weVideo account, a Kizoa account, a booktrack account plus numerous other online accounts.  They are everywhere in ways which five years ago I doubt their parents, their teachers or their community could have pictured

The Education Council outlines that in regards to parents and family teachers need to :

• involve them in decision-making about the care and education of their children
• establish open, honest and respectful relationships
• respect their privacy
• respect their rights to information about their children, unless that is judged to be not in the best interests of the children.  

I don’t think we are fulfilling this as well as we could be.  Part of an answer definitely dwells within the responsibility of the school to make sure that the educator is aware and is cyber smart in their approach to the online presence of the learner.  I've had a lot of professional development but non digital teachers have not so we lack continuity across our school. Perhaps we need a clarity regarding the dos and don’ts of online behaviour.

We need to engage in more than one conversation about permission for our student’s images and work to be posted online.  We also need to be more transparent in how images, documents and students are being used and are using the internet.  

When parents give image consent, what does this mean to them ? What does it mean to the school?  This definitely needs to be understood completely so that the situation in the video does not become a reality.

Reference

Education Council 2015, Code of Ethics.  Retrieved from http://www.educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/coe-poster-english.pdf

Collste, G. (2012). Applied and Professional Ethics. Kemanusiaan. 19(1). Retrieved from http://web.usm.my/kajh/vol19_1_2012/KAJH19_1_2012_2.pdf