Responsibilities in Use of Technology in Instruction
Copyright © 2004 Herbert J. Bernstein, All Rights Reserved
When using technology in instruction you assume certain responsibilities.
You are responsible for what you present, the content, and you are
responsible for how you present it, the pedagogy.
Various organizations have wrestled with this issue (e.g. the
Association for Education Communications and Technology
Code of Ethics
or the Florida Department of Education
Code of Ethics -
Education Profession).
We will see the general approach when we discuss the ACM Code
of Ethics. Here we will deal with some of the ethical issues in
content and pedagogy, and attempt to show the parallels between
them.
- Responsibility for Content
- The content presented should fairly cover the subject matter
for which individuals are to be instructed.
- The content presented should be at a level appropriate to the
audience.
- The content presented should be accurate.
- The content presented should not violate the rights of others.
- The content presented should not violate intellectual property rights.
- The content presented should not unnecessarily or
improperly violate reasonable expectations of privacy or confidentiality.
- The sources of the content presented should be properly cited.
- The content presented should not unnecessarily violate the
sensibilities of others.
- The content presented should do no harm.
- Responsibility for Pedagogy
- There should be reason to expect that the methods used will
contribute to the education of the individuals being instructed.
- There should be reason to expect that the methods used are
at an appropriate level for the maturity of the individuals being
instructed.
- The methods used should be reliable.
- The methods used should not violate the rights of others.
- The methods used should not violate intellectual property rights.
- The methods used should not result in unnecessary or improper
violations of reasonable expectations of privacy or confidentiality.
- The sources of the methods used should be properly cited.
- The methods used should not unnecessarily violate the
sensibilities of others.
- The methods used should do no harm.