Ethical Thinking
What is Ethical Thinking?
What is Ethical Thinking?At the heart of ethical thinking is the ability to consider the dynamics of people, actions and consequences in a balanced way. Developing ethical thinking is a complex process that takes time not just over the course of the reflective project but over a lifetime as a lifelong learners. This is an area that students can find hardest. See below for advice on teaching ethics and exploration and interpretation of the criteria and the guide. There are also lesson plans, teaching resources, quick ideas to expand, checklists and top tips.
Think about how ethical thinking is implicitly and explicitly referenced in the reflective project process. Use the summary of criteria below before using the guidance that follows.
Criterion A: Focus and Method
Decide on an ethical dilemma arising from the career-related context
Use appropriate research methods and collect information from a variety of sources judicioulsy
Show an understanding of bias and validity
Criterion B: Knowledge and understanding in context
Show knowledge and understanding of the issue
Utilise a local/global example of the issue in which the ethical dilemma is embedded to contextualise the ethical dilemma and be able to analyse different perspectives on it
Illustrate an awareness and understanding of the impact of the ethical dilemma on a local/global community and demonstrate how cultural influences can effect the perceptions of the ethical dilemma
Criterion C: Critical thinking
Demonstrate logic, reason and the ability to interpret, analyse and evaluate researched material
Develop the ability to synthesise information gathered from research; make connnections as well as link ideas and evidence
Criterion D: Communication
Create a structured and coherent project; appropriate terminology is accurate and consistent; communicate ideas and concepts
Criterion E: Engagement and reflections on planning and progress
Reflect on the research process in order to refine it.
Show reactions to new understandings gained in the exploration of the ethical dilemma.
Critique decisions made throughout the research process and working practices
Ethical thinking is explicitly referenced in Criterion B which showcases a student's ability to contextualise and ethical issue. If ethics are the standards of behaviour that govern an individual's character, actions and consequences of actions, then here the student will be able to explore how people behave in different contexts. By exploring the ethical dilemma from multiple perpectives, the student avoids the pitfall of presenting a two sided argument. Also, differences in perception of a dilemma is not the same as someone being right or wrong; it is more complex. The cultural context chosen here to explore will make a big difference; stick too close to home or the familiar, then the student might not find the complexity and depth that they are searching for. Going into unfamiliar territory has great potential for a reflective project but students can be intimidated by perceived extra research and feel daunted at interpreting information.
However, ethical thinking is implicit in the other criteria in the form of clarity or transparency whether this be in research methods, understanding bias, structure of argument, presentation and reflection. A student can only demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the ethical dilemma (criterion B) if they successfully select, research and retrieve information ethically in criterion A. How well a student can demonstrate their ability to handle the parameters of a research question and ethical dilemma, comes out in their synthesis of information and critical analysis in Criterion C. Whilst an uncertain choice of issue and dilemma at the start would not limit the ability of the student to reflect successfully, the Reflections on Planning and Progress Form (RPPF) is undoubtedly aided by a strong start to the whole process; and this generally comes down to the selection of an issue and dilemma that really captures the student's imagination.
Thinking routines to promote ethical thinking
The main objective for exercises in ethical thinking is for students to consider multiple perspectives in a balanced way before deciding on their personal ethical viewpoint.Then students can compare their original first thoughts with a more nuanced level of thinking. This thinking routine below, attributed to and adapted from Harvard Project Zero, and why they work so well is that it is never presumed that the student knows what questions to ask. Most importantly is to remember the word 'routine' - these are habits of mind, to be visited often so the structure becomes a familiar process. With this familiarity, comes confidence, clarity of communication and enhanced critical thinking.
Same and Different
This is a Harvard Project Zero thinking routine that helps students go beyond superficial observations of similarities and differences. It is an excellent routine to carry out for students to appreciate that ethical dimensions, issues and dilemmas are not black and white or contain polar opposites: often the truth is murky and grey with subtleties and degrees of difference.
'Choose a debate, incident or object in which opposing views are clearly apparent or images that look different but are grouped together.
1. First glance: What was the first impression you had about this?
2. Perspective Taking: From what other points of view could this be perceived? What would one say from those points of view?
3. Same and Different: What are the similarities? Differences? How is this case the same and different at the same time?'[1]
Varying the activity
1. As a whole class activity, especially with a bigger class size, once the thinking routine has been established, different groups can be given a specific and relevant stakeholder from the initial prompt, to develop and research further. The evaluation of similarities and differences can be done as a whole class where their responses to stage 3 above can be expanded upon and more and more complexities developed.
2. On an individual level, students can carry out this activity when using a specific article they are utilising for the ethical issue they are researching. The identification of specific stakeholders, visibly recording the different points of view and recording similarities and differences should be a habitual part of their research process. Students might consider recording their ideas in a venn diagram to help them visualise this process.
Aim: Use Inquiry to build on existing knowledge and understanding of an ethical issue and skills needed for criterion B
Key reflective project skills explored from Criterion B:
- identifying the ethical dimension and showing knowledge and understanding of an ethical issue
- contextualising: local or global example of an issue
- impact of cultural influences
- differences in perceptions
Focus on Criterion B - Analysing 'an ethical dilemma from different perspectives'.
Full summary of Criterion B:
Show knowledge and understanding of the issue
Utilise a local/global example of the issue in which the ethical dilemma is embedded to contextualise the ethical dilemma and be able to analyse different perspectives on it
Illustrate an awareness and understanding of the impact of the ethical dilemma on a local/global community and demonstrate how cultural influences can effect the perceptions of the ethical dilemma
Step 1: Gallery walk – Build students understanding by starting with the familiar and expanding
Working individually, students look at the gallery photos and think about responses to the questions that follow. Alternatively, use the worksheet here to accompany the photos.
1. Taking the first photo of the church: think about what story is being portrayed. Go with your instinctive reaction.
What type of human behaviour and decision-making are being suggested by the photo?
What ethical dimension is being shown?
What ethical issues do you think this picture relates to locally or globally right now?
2. Now look at each of the photos in turn and consider:
What ethical issue is depicted?
What are the local or global stories of the issue?
What different cultures are shown?
Are there differences of perception here?
Step 2: Independent Inquiry: Develop understanding of multiple perspectives and empathy
Students can choose one of the photos here as stimulus to find 2-3 further photos that share an ethical dimension or specific ethical issue. Then consider the Inquiry, Action and Reflective questions that follow in their RRS.
Inquiry: What connects the images you have chosen? How do they show different perspectives? Whose perspective do you most relate to? Can you identify different people/business/governments/bodies that are involved in this issue? How are different cultures involved?
Action: Take three ‘stakeholders’ in the issue you have uncovered. Write a short piece in the first person where you try to present the point of view they might hold
Reflect: How challenging did you find this exercise? Were your responses balanced? How hard or easy was it to ignore your own point of view? What challenges are there in presenting multiple perspectives in your reflective project? What do you need to present different perspectives in a balanced way?
You can adapt the following suggestions to your own needs quickly.
Expand understanding: Students use a thesaurus to create a word bank that extends their understanding of: ethics, ethical, morals and dilemma.
Reflect: Which words were most surprising or useful in extending your understanding?
Personal Development: Students in teams research morality tests and the type of questions that are asked. What are morality tests for? They then create their own morality test of ten questions.
Extend this by students taking 'the hardest morality test ever' and reflect on their findings. Go back to their teams and discuss points they feel comfortable discussing before reviewing their test.
Use the same approach for the Assessment criteria and Approaches to Learning
Make explicit reference to it and establish prior learning and experience
Make it useful with ways to practice it so students can experience how it works
Make it transferrable by having moments to consider where they have used this skill before, how they are developing it and where it might be useful in the future.
Make it visible by have the students record and reflect upon the processes they have used
The key to students being able to identify skills and use them in a range of situations is to teach the skill explicitly before incorporating it implicitly in a range of contexts. The IB's suggestions for ATL skills in the 5 key areas of Self-management, Social, Communication, Research and Thinking skills are not exhaustive and you are encouraged to contextualise and add to these as appropriate.
The development of ATL skills are implicit and explicit in the reflective project assessment criteria. Here we focus on a key ATL skill that directly relates to the skills needed for the reflective project as established by Criteria A and B specifically. We also acknowledge that the development of ethical thinking skills takes place under the umbrella Learning Outcome 5 of PPS. The opportunity for explicit focus and exploration on ATL skills is clear. For specific, deep and quality reflection, you could zoom in on this area in particular: