TEACHING ETHICAL BEHAVIORMirah J. Dow, BSE, MLS, PhD

School of Library and Information Management, ESU

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Did You Know 4.0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

“Democracy”A society where information is self-organizing, self-correcting, never finished.

How can library media specialists teach and students understand how to

√ conclude an inquiry-based research process(AASL, 2007, Skills 3.1.1);

√ connect to community issues (AASL, Skills 3.1.5);

√ use information and technology ethically and responsibly (AASL, 2007, Skills 3.1.6); and

√ respect the principles of intellectual freedom (AASL, 2007, Responsibilities 3.3.7)?

Central Concepts

Understanding the concepts of morality ethics, and the laware central to understanding and using

ethical behavior.

Morality

Morality is the sense of conscience and right and wrong that we derive from our upbringing.

Law

United States copyright law governs the legally enforceable rights of creative and artistic works.

United States copyright law is part of federal law, and is authorized by the U. S. Constitution (title 17, U. S. Code).

Ethics

Ethics is a branch of philosophy. Ethics is structured and deliberate. Ethics is critical thinking about moral life.

According to Severson (1997), “While

ethics cannot replace morality or the law (p. 8), it can help guide and inform our moral instincts; steer us away from compromising positions; and improve our vocabulary so that we might talk and listen better” (p. 13).

Ethical Behavior

Ethical behavior can help people use new technologies, information, and knowledge civilly and productively in the service of democratic values, such as

equal access to power and

universally recognized freedoms and liberties.

Rules and Principles

Rules and Principles are different. Rule - “An authoritative, prescribed direction for

conduct.” (Example: School begins promptly at 8:30 a.m. All students must be on time.”)

Principle – “The collectivity of moral or ethical standards or judgments”. (Example: Sometimes principles are simply stated in one word such as “liberty. Liberty means freedom of an individual from outside coercion - - force, bullying, cruelty).

The American Heritage™ Dictionary of English Language http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/;_ylt=AmklvrjP3f.KQ0ISFQR67.2ugMMF

Principles of Information Ethics Respect of Intellectual Property Respect for Privacy Fair Representation Nonmaleficense

The Mediating Role of Ethics

Morality Ethics Law

Respect of Intellectual Property Respect for intellectual property means that we

must ask and answer: To what extent does the creator or publisher of information control the copying and use of that information by others?

recipe (trade secret) graphicbook motion picturepoem sound recordingsoftware program playsmusic painting rubber-tip pencilpainting (patent)

Respect for Privacy

Respect for privacy means that one’s personal identity must be protected.

residence employment records health records money purchasing and spending habits books and individual has checked out from

the library

Fair Representation

Fair representation means one must be able to trust what the seller says the product is and that it will function as advertised. If not, it is expected that the manufacturer will make it right.

computers databases software movies or music Internet services

Nonmaleficence

Nonmaleficence means doing no harm. We must never do anything that might contribute to the decline of another person’s life or affairs.

Applied to today’s students, nonmaleficence means that it is never OK to use Internet-based social utilities such as e-mail, Facebook, MySpace, or YouTube in ways that can cause harm to others.

Steps in Principled Ethics

What are the structured and deliberate steps that can be taught to students in practicing ethical behavior?

Step One

1. Get the facts straight. Without sufficient and accurate information, one cannot use good judgment. Ask: What is it? What was actually done? Who is involved? What is at stake? Who is likely to benefit or lose?

Step Two

2. Identify the moral dilemma (inspect the facts in light of moral feelings). Recognize a dilemma.

Dilemmas are good-good conflicts. That is, there is a choice between two equally acceptable (or good) choices of action. A true moral dilemma requires that one rejects, or turns away from, one moral choice for the sake of another.

Step Three

Evaluate the moral dilemma using the principles of information ethics to decide which side has the most ethical support.

One should listen to the voice in the head (conscious) and use moral values to evaluate the good-good choices. What was learned about right and wrong form parents or other adults?

Step Three (Continued)

What do the Principles of Information Ethics teach about respect for intellectual property, privacy, fair representation, and doing no harm?

Discuss. Make a tally sheet to give points to one side or the other in the good-good dilemma. Judgment should be based on which side has the most principles supporting it.

Step Four

Test your solution. Will it stand up to public scrutiny?

Students should ask if she/he would want this decision and resulting actions to be broadcast by the school’s principal or published in the newspaper?

Would she/he be proud for her/his grandparents or other valued adults to know the solution?

References

American Association of School Librarians (2007). Standards for the 21st Century Learner. http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards.cfm (accessed October 10, 2009).

American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language. http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/;_ylt=AmklvrjP3f.KQ0ISFQR67.2ugMMF (accessed October 10, 2009).

Dow, M. (2008, December). Teaching ethical behavior in the global world of information and the AASL Standards. School Library Media Activities Monthly, 25(4), 49-52.

Copyright, U. S. Copyright office, Library of Congress. http://www.copyright.gov/ (accessed October 10, 2009).

Severson, Richard J. (1997). The principles of information ethics. Armonk, NY: M. E. Sharpe.

Information Ethics Case Examples

http://slim.emporia.edu/faculty/mirah/projects.htm#ethiccases

Here you will find examples of current, original ethics cases by Master of Library Science Students.

Please feel free to use the cases in your own teaching.