Week 28 - Legal and Ethical Contexts in my Digital Practice
I will be using Rolfe et al (2001) framework on Reflective Practice to reflect on this weeks blog.
What?
My buddy class was connected to twitter and the teacher and students were always telling us how cool it
was to communicate with other classes around New Zealand. My class were very keen to join in the
conversations and talk to other children around New Zealand especially their buddy class who were just
in the next room. After working out the programme with my colleague, I finally set up my class twitter
account. Every Wednesday afternoon at 2:00pm, both our Year 5 and 6 classes went live on twitter.
The children were buzzing about receiving messages from other children and this was going well for
about a month. One Wednesday I received an urgent email from the twitter organisers showing me an
inappropriate message one of my students had posted. During a live session, my student had posted a
message to another student in the buddy class, saying how beautiful he thought she was and asked if she
would like to be her girlfriend. The female student was very embarrassed by the message and got very upset.
was to communicate with other classes around New Zealand. My class were very keen to join in the
conversations and talk to other children around New Zealand especially their buddy class who were just
in the next room. After working out the programme with my colleague, I finally set up my class twitter
account. Every Wednesday afternoon at 2:00pm, both our Year 5 and 6 classes went live on twitter.
The children were buzzing about receiving messages from other children and this was going well for
about a month. One Wednesday I received an urgent email from the twitter organisers showing me an
inappropriate message one of my students had posted. During a live session, my student had posted a
message to another student in the buddy class, saying how beautiful he thought she was and asked if she
would like to be her girlfriend. The female student was very embarrassed by the message and got very upset.
So what?
My student had acted inappropriately on a medium that was very public and had made another student
embarrassed amongst their peers. I had to really think about what the consequences was going to be for
my student, for I know his actions were inappropriate but was it that severe for punishment? If this student
had done the same thing face to face with the female student, told her that she was beautiful and asked
if she could be his girlfriend, would the reactions of people be the same? Yes, the girl would probably still
have been embarrassed but would the boy be facing consequences?
embarrassed amongst their peers. I had to really think about what the consequences was going to be for
my student, for I know his actions were inappropriate but was it that severe for punishment? If this student
had done the same thing face to face with the female student, told her that she was beautiful and asked
if she could be his girlfriend, would the reactions of people be the same? Yes, the girl would probably still
have been embarrassed but would the boy be facing consequences?
Because the incident took place on a public forum where hundreds of students would have been chatting
on a specific topic and the organisers blocked my student from posting (off topic). A consequence had to
take place not only to explain to the child that his actions were not appropriate but to show an example
to all students that when posting online, that we had to always consider other people with what we type.
on a specific topic and the organisers blocked my student from posting (off topic). A consequence had to
take place not only to explain to the child that his actions were not appropriate but to show an example
to all students that when posting online, that we had to always consider other people with what we type.
What now?
The debate had begun whether there was to be a consequence/punishment for what my student did
online. I believed there had to be where some of my other colleagues thought differently. In the Code
of Professional Responsibility (June 2017) it gives reference that ‘teachers have a duty of care to ensure
that the physical and emotional wellbeing of learners is safeguarded.’ Another student was hurt due to
what was posted, to not do anything would imply that what my student did was okay by all. I want our
students to take risks and be open, but I also want them to be responsible and understand the outcomes
of their choices.
online. I believed there had to be where some of my other colleagues thought differently. In the Code
of Professional Responsibility (June 2017) it gives reference that ‘teachers have a duty of care to ensure
that the physical and emotional wellbeing of learners is safeguarded.’ Another student was hurt due to
what was posted, to not do anything would imply that what my student did was okay by all. I want our
students to take risks and be open, but I also want them to be responsible and understand the outcomes
of their choices.
References:
Ehrich, Lisa C., Kimber, Megan, Millwater, Jan & Cranston, Neil (2011). Ethical dilemma: a model to understand
teacher practice. Teacher and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 17 (2), pp. 173-185
teacher practice. Teacher and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 17 (2), pp. 173-185
Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
Correspondence: Sarup R. Mathur, Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, Arizona State University, Tempe,
85287-1811 Arizona, USA. Tel: 1-480-965-6893. E-mail: sarup.mathur@asu.edu
Cranston, N., Ehrich, L. C. & Kimber, M. P. (2004). Towards an understanding of Ethical Dilemmas Faced by
School Leaders. Principia, Journal of the Queensland Secondary Principals' Association, 1, pp. 1-3
School Leaders. Principia, Journal of the Queensland Secondary Principals' Association, 1, pp. 1-3
Retrieved from http://eprints.qut.edu.au/732/2/Ethical_Dilemmas.pdf
Education Council. (2017). Our Code Our Standards. Retrieved from:
https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%
20FINAL.pdf
https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%
20FINAL.pdf
What an interesting dilemma! I think what you've said as "if this was in person, would the consequences be the same?" is something that's really interesting. Do we treat these infractions as different because they're behind a screen or treat them as the same? I feel if I was in the same ethical issue, and it was face to face I would be reacting differently than if it was online.
ReplyDeleteHi Lauren
ReplyDeleteYeah, it also happened to be our family conversation over dinner tonight.
You hit the nail on the head though, if the child had said to the girl face to face what he said on line, would his actions be followed with consequences? I don't think it would have.
My class is part of a program called 'Ko wai au?' and this week their session was on social media and how to be safe and a good user when on social networks. One of their sayings was "If you can't say it to their face, then online is not the place!" The children were shown a video clip of someone working out in their backyard but using rubbish bins. The children were asked what they thought of the video and the person in it. Some of the children's comments were positive and others weren't. The facilitator asked the kids who made the negative comments would they say those things to the person if they were face to face, the kids were saying "Yep", "of course" and so on. So the facilitator told them he was going to FaceTime the person and they could say to him what they shared to the class, the phone started ringing... the children that made the negative comments begged for the facilitator to hang up, they started moving towards the back of the room to hide and were yelling out apologies to take back what they said.
Our children (even adults) need reminders of how to be good digital citizens every day, even when they do the right thing.