PGCE PROCESS WORK_ MODULE 1 - UNIT 3 TASK 2- ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS WITH REGARD TO OBSERVATIONS
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Under which circumstances should learners as well as teachers be informed of the purpose of a classroom observation? To what extent should learners be considered as active rather than passive partners in the observational process?
Formulate five key guidelines for ethical classroom observation. Ensure that these guidelines cover
(a) the need for informed consent of all participants;
(b) the need for sensitivity in use of any information gained from observation.
Before you can discuss ethical implications of classroom observations, I believe an understanding of what the word ethics actually means is necessary. The Oxford Living Dictionary (2016) defines ethics as:
“Moral principles that govern a person's behaviour or the conducting of an activity.”
Philosophers nowadays tend to divide ethical theories into three areas: metaethics, normative ethics and applied ethics.
Meta-ethics deals with the nature of moral judgement. It looks at the origins and meaning of ethical principles.
Normative ethics is concerned with the content of moral judgements and the criteria for what is right or wrong.
Applied ethics looks at controversial topics like war, animal rights and capital punishment (BBC online)
I feel that whether a teacher or learner is made aware of the purpose of an observation depends upon the context. If, for example, a teacher is observing a pupil’s behaviour then it would be counter-productive to inform the pupil because he would, by virtue of the fact that he was aware he was being watched, behave differently and the situation would be false.
I feel that if the observer is a person who is not usually present in the classroom then both the learner and the teacher should be made aware they are being observed, but the degree to which they are aware of the way in which they are being observed or he content of the observation could be very different. In an Ofsted inspection, for example, a pupil might know that his school is being watched but might not know that he himself is being observed as a sample student.
Plato's theory of comparative ethics suggests that there is a transience to people's moral perspective which fluctuates according to the influences around them at the time. ( Rodgers, B , Lynnterry001 weblog). I feel this is very true and particularly relevant in a multicultural society which may have different ethical codes. Therefore, where possible, to guard against possible breaches of these different codes, people should be made aware of the purpose of an observation.
The role of the observer is also important. If a person is actively participating in the class whilst observing it, for example a classroom assistant or student teacher, this could affect their perspective on the class because they would be partially influenced by their own personal response to the class. A passive observer might reach a very different conclusion about the same class because he remains more neutral as a spectator rather then a participator. I believe that it depends on what the purpose of the observation is as to which role the observer should play.
There are certain ethical procedures that should be observed to with regard to observations.
I will list five ethical guidelines which I feel it is important to follow in when conducting classroom observations for research purposes below:
obtain written permission from the institution’s gatekeeper as well as from all participants. In the case of minors or vulnerable adults this should be obtained from their parents/guardians.
use pseudonyms to protect the identity of individuals and store information safely
make the purpose clear and ensure all participants are willing and know that they can end their involvement at any time during the research process.
adhere to all appropriate policies whether they be those dictated by Government or those specific to the institute involved in the process.
provide an opportunity for debriefing where the results of the research can be viewed/discussed in order to provide closure for those involved.
Bibliography
BBC (2016), What is Ethics? Ethics Guide, Ethics: A General Introduction, (online). Available at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/intro_1.shtml (accessed 21st October 2016)
Oxford Living Dictionary (2016) Ethics definition, (online). Available at: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ethics (accessed online 23rd October 2016)
Rodgers, B. (aka Lynnterry001) Professional Ethics (weblog). Available at:
(accessed October 21st 2016)
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