The Ethics of Teaching

A Casebook

Patricia Keith-Spiegel, Bernard E. Whitley, Jr., Deborah Ware Balogh, David V. Perkins, Arno F. Wittig

• Publisher: Psychology Press
• Year: 2003
• eBook ISBN: 9781135640095
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Education in Psychology
• Index: Psychology

The Ethics of Teaching provides a frank discussion of the most frequently encountered ethical dilemmas that can arise in educational settings, as well as tips on how to avoid these predicaments and how to deal with them when they do occur. The goal is to stimulate discussion and raise faculties' consciousness about ethical issues.

Ethical dilemmas are presented as short, engaging case scenarios, most of which are based on actual situations, so as to furnish more realistic and interesting stimuli for individual reflection and group discussion. These scenarios offer the opportunity to consider the subtle complexities inherent in the social and psychological contexts in which educator-student interactions occur and the effects of those complexities on ethical decision making. Each case is followed by a detailed analysis and advice. The book's 195 cases are grouped into 22 chapters representing topics, such as the controversial classroom presentations and assignments, debatable testing and grading practices, problematic student-faculty interactions, dual-role relationships with students, collegial conflicts, managing very difficult students, and confidentiality dilemmas.

The Ethics of Teaching: A Casebook, Second Edition:
*focuses on commonly encountered ethical "gray areas" that have no clear solution;
*includes questions to stimulate discussion of related ethical issues;
*concludes with a chapter on prevention, peer mentoring, and intervention; and
*serves as excellent "assigned reading" to stimulate group discussion in teaching workshops and faculty development programs.

The first edition of this book evolved by collecting a variety of teaching situations that commonly occur in college and university settings. The authors then created responses to the situations and circulated both the cases and the responses to reviewers from a number of departments across the country. As a result, the vast majority of the cases are "discipline free." The second edition features many new cases to reflect recent trends and events related to academic ethics. Questions were added to stimulate discussion and to further elaborate the issues.

The Ethics of Teaching: A Casebook is ideal for college and university faculty, graduate assistants, and administrators involved in workshops, graduate teaching assistant courses, and faculty development and new faculty orientation programs. As a result of the book's cross-disciplinary development, it will be beneficial to faculty from a broad spectrum of disciplines.

III
Assessment of Students

5
Testing and Other Academic Evaluations

Fairness on the part of their educators is very important to students (Rodabaugh, 1996). Two primary areas of concern are the establishment and enforcement of rules for grading (the topic of this chapter) and the equitable assignment of grades (the topic of chapter 6). Although some members of the academic community question the value of testing and grading or other means of assessing student performance, evaluations remain an integral part of the educational system.

We doubt that many college and university instructors purposely set out to engage in unfair evaluations; nonetheless, such unfairness might arise as a result of other factors. The cases in this chapter present a number of issues that instructors often face in designing and using evaluation instruments that raise issues of fairness and ethics. These include the proper use and timing of tests and quizzes, the appropriate content of tests and other assignments, reusing tests and assignments, and make-up policies.

Case 5–1. “Weed-Out” Exams

Professor Sergeant administers a rigorous exam during the third week of classes as a way of encouraging weak and lazy students to withdraw before the deadline.

The ethical status of Sergeant’s practice depends, to some extent, on its purpose. If the test accurately reflects the difficulty level of the course, he may be doing the students a favor. Even students who are not lazy may overestimate their abilities and remain in a course that is beyond their current capabilities. In such cases it would be appropriate for Sergeant to explain his reasoning in the course syllabus and call the class’s attention to this aspect of the course during the first meeting.

On the other hand, if Sergeant’s exam is unreasonably difficult or given primarily to reduce the size of the class or his workload, an ethical problem certainly exists. It is inappropriate to deprive students of an opportunity to learn. An excessive reduction in the course enrollment also short-changes Sergeant’s institution. (See also 6–6.)

Discussion Questions

1. Suppose there are other sections of this course taught by other instructors. Should Sergeant and the other instructors attempt to make their respective sections as similar as possible (e.g., with respect to timing and difficulty of exams), or should they allow the sections to vary and encourage students to “shop” for the one that seems best for them?

2. Is it actually good ethical practice to give students a fair exam before the drop period?

Case 5–2. The Professional Note-Taker

Candy Noshow hires a professional note-taker to come to class in her stead. Candy shows up only to take exams. The instructor grades Noshow down for nonparticipation, noting the section of the syllabus indicating that classroom attendance is expected. Noshow counter-claims that nothing in the syllabus indicates that any part of the grade would depend on her attendance.

The instructor should have looked into school policy as soon as he saw what Noshow was doing. It is probable that the regular attendance of unenrolled students in the classroom is disallowed unless specific permission is granted (e.g., note-takers for disabled students). In the absence of such a policy, and if the syllabus policy is sufficiently ambiguous with regards to a clear statement of penalties for not attending class, Noshow has a point. Assuming that Noshow is performing acceptably on the academic criteria (exams, papers, and so forth), she would likely prevail if she complained about her lower grade.

Although instructors typically accept that some students have a legitimate need for note-taking, many may resent students who can afford to pay someone to go to class for them. Something inherently irksome surrounds the notion that students (or their families or taxpayers) pay the tuition to take courses and then pay for someone else to attend them. Furthermore, professional note-takers are available only to more advantaged students. We have heard of fees up to $20 per class session.

For instructors who want to avoid this problem, we suggest making attendance requirements clear in the syllabus, including precisely what penalties will accrue if there are deviations from the policy. (We do argue for flexibility in specific instances in other cases in this book). Putting copies of class notes on file in the library or on a web page would render note-taker services superfluous and be more equitable, but may also encourage absenteeism.

This case raises the larger issue of whether, assuming there is no required attendance policy, a student should be able to earn academic credit for just sitting for exams. It can be argued that if students can pass a course by coming to class only on exam day, more power to them. On the other hand, we might ask ourselves how it could be possible to succeed in our classes if we are, indeed, making valuable use of class time.

Discussion Questions

1. Should we control how students decide to go about learning in our courses?

2. Students often take notes for each other as a favor. How would you feel if the paid note-taker was also enrolled in the course?

3. How would you feel about a student who hires note-takers for his overload courses? (There is an actual case of a student, with the assistance of a paid notetaker, who completed 30 credits in one term!)

4. Would it be possible for students to pass your courses by showing up only for exams? If so, is this acceptable to you? If not, why not?

Case 5–3. Unannounced Evaluations

Professor Bushwhacker gives pop quizzes at irregular intervals. The combined quiz score is worth half of the course grade. A missed quiz counts as a zero, and no make-ups are allowed. Students complain that this feature of the course keeps them anxious, discriminates against students with genuine infirmities or other emergencies, and allows contagiously ill students (who drag themselves to class to avoid missing quizzes) to infect everyone else. Professor Bushwhacker contends that the classroom should prepare students for the outside world that goes on with or without them.

Considered from one perspective, Bushwhacker’s policy encourages students to develop self-discipline by requiring them to live up to their role obligations of attending class and always being prepared. Whereas other instructors (e.g., 6–1 and 6–6) inflict harm on students in the form of undue stress, one could argue that any harm that comes to Bushwhacker’s students comes from their own voluntary inaction.

But what of students who are absent because of circumstances beyond their control? They must either accept a lower grade than their accomplishments deserve (through zeros on missed quizzes) or withdraw from the course (if the missed quizzes are early enough in the term) to avoid the lower grade. By promoting these outcomes, Bushwhacker’s policy harms students and shows a lack of concern for their welfare.

This policy could also discriminate against students who have chronic illnesses or disabling injuries. A temporary relapse or a necessary medical appointment (e.g., for dialysis) could make an absence unavoidable. The Americans with Disabilities Act upholds the principle of “reasonable accommodation,” which could apply in this case, and most colleges and universities have policies that require provisions for students in certain circumstances. But, if these students are to be accommodated, is it ethical to exclude others with legitimate but less predictable reasons for absence (e.g., child care), or does such exclusion constitute reverse discrimination?

The potential for harm and discrimination is largely avoidable if Bushwacker allows one or two make-up quizzes or drops the one or two lowest quiz scores. The latter policy would remain consistent with Bushwhacker’s desire to model the world of work, in which employers allow a certain number of sick and personal days off from work before docking their pay.

If Bushwhacker chooses not to make any accommodations, then he has an obligation to inform students of his policy early enough in the course to give them an opportunity to transfer to another section or to substitute another course. However, if Bushwhacker is teaching the only section of a required course, we believe that students are being forced to accept an unreasonable condition.

Discussion Questions

1. Would the ethical problems disappear if the combined quiz scores were worth considerably less than one half the course grade?

2. Bushwacker wants his class to operate as the outside world does. To what extent are expectations in the classroom the same as in the outside world, and in what ways are they necessarily different?

Case 5–4. Play It Again, Sam: Reusing the Same Tests

Professor Repeat uses the same exams each semester. She does not return them to the students, except for a brief period in class. Students who want to spend more time reviewing their exams must come to her during office hours. Some students would like to spend more time ...

Table of contents

• Contents
• Preface
• Introduction
• I The Classroom Ambiance
• II The Classroom Learning Experience
• III Assessment of Students
• IV Outside the Classroom
• V Relationships in Academia
• VI Responsibilities to Students and Colleagues
• Subject Index