Class Assignment
Instructor Guidance
Week Four Intellectual Elaboration
Within Week Four, there is a continued focus on the ethics of justice, critique, care and the profession. This week also incorporate issues related to ethical leadership qualities including integrity, data-driven decision making, and codes of ethics.
Data-driven decision making (3D) is the “ongoing cycle of making choices and taking action based on multiple sources of data and frequent, thoughtful conversations with the larger school community (O’Neal, 2012, p. 2). With the advent of No Child Left Behind (2002) and the push towards standardized assessment, the concept of using 3D has become more common.
Although 3D is often associated with standardized assessment, it needs not to be limited to just this purpose. O’Neal (2012) points out that “Leaders must be able to understand and examine various forms of data, assess and track progress, identify patterns of performance, and weave this information throughout every aspect of their jobs” (p. 3). Figure 1, below, identifies the key steps in using 3D.
Figure 1. Key Steps in Data Driven Decision Making
(Adapted from O’Neal, 2012)
The following link provides a Connections to Learning Fact Sheet (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. that is an important tool for building your practical knowledge on this Data-Driven Decision Making. You can find other useful resources in this week’s recommended resources.
The second main focus for the content this week is codes of ethics. Discussion Two requires an analysis of different codes of ethics, while the assignment involves crafting your own code of ethics. A multitude of websites are available, offering tips for writing a code of ethics, ranging from those geared towards a particular profession, to those used to guide one’s personal life. Figure 2 relates several tips that are useful when crafting a personal code of ethics, which are also excellent guides for academic writing in general.
Figure 2. Tips for Crafting a Personal Code of Ethics
(Adapted from Brown, 2009)
A fantastic online resource for understanding, critiquing, and building a code of ethics is the Ethics Toolkit from the Ethics Resource Center (ERC) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site..
The following websites also offer great examples for the education field:
Association of American Educators (AAE) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
http://www.aaeteachers.org/index.php/about-us/aae-code-of-ethics
National Education Association (NEA) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
http://www.nea.org/home/30442.htm
National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
https://www.naeyc.org/ethics
American Association of School Administrators (AASA) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=1390
Each state usually has their own educational code of ethics, as do most teachers’ unions.
The following is an example from California:
California Teachers Association (CTA) (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
http://www.cta.org/About-CTA/Who-We-Are/Code-of-Ethics.aspx
Week Four Assessment Guidance
Week Four includes consideration of different dilemmas pertaining to the field of education using each of the previously explored lenses of ethical leadership as well as data-driven decision making and codes of ethics. The following guidance provides detailed support as you participate in discussions and complete the assignment. Be sure to read through this guidance as well as review the individual links for each assignment and their corresponding rubrics.
Discussion 1: Data-Driven Decision Making
The Sagebrush Corporation (2004) White paper is utilized as a framework for analyzing data-driven decision making and includes steps involved in implementing a data-driven decision making system within schools or organizations. As some of you are not currently serving within a leadership position, there is an option that allows for participants to describe ways that they have used data or ways that they have witnessed others using data. The peer responses for this discussion call for a discourse on identifying discrepancies for the ways in which data is/can be collected, analyzed, and reported.
Discussion 2: Analyzing Codes of Ethics
Discussion Two switches gears from data-driven decision making to codes of ethics. Be aware that this discussion sets the groundwork for the written assignment this week. Based on this information, it will be useful to make this discussion a priority as early in the week as possible to ensure enough time to process the information before completing the assignment. This discussion requires you to compare and contrast two codes of ethics while identifying and explaining evidence of the ethics of ethical leadership within the codes. You may choose to use the code of ethics from your own work site or choose any others of preference; there are also suggestions listed within the discussion description as well as in this week’s Intellectual Elaboration.
Assignment: Professional Code of Ethics
This week’s assignment is a follow-up to the second discussion post, which requires participants to compare, contrast, and reflect upon various codes of ethics within the fields of education and family support. For this assignment, a personal code of ethics is created that can be used as a tool when confronted with difficult educational and ethical questions. Various components from this course will be woven into the assignment, including: ethical expectations, the ethical lenses, collaborative agreement, and decision making. If unsure of how to write your code of ethics, see the tips for writing located within the Intellectual Elaboration of this week’s Instructor Guidance.
Looking Ahead in EDU689!
In Week Six, the assignment from Week Four will be revised within your final project and included in your ePortfolio.
References
Brown, J. (2009). Ten writing tips for creating an effective code of conducts. Retrieved from http://www.ethics.org/resource/ten-writing-tips-creating-effective-code-conducts.
O’Neal, C. (2012). Data-driven decision making: A handbook for school leaders. Eugene, OR: International Society for Technology in Education.
