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Key Ethical Principles

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This discussion is going to unpack key ethical principles that need to be considered when carrying out educational research in early childhood settings within Aotearoa New Zealand. The implications the principles have in regards for carrying out this research are going to be defined. This discussion is going to show an understanding of the culturally bound nature of ethics.

Ethics is normally referred to as moral principles, guiding conduct, these are withheld by a group or maybe a profession (Mutch, 2013). It is important to understand and acknowledge key ethical principles when carrying out research in early childhood settings in Aotearoa New Zealand. This is because researchers hold the power; they note the lives and gather personal information …show more content…

When performing research on children we need a basic understanding of how the child communicates and thinks, this can relate to a number of things such as memory, conceptual development and language development (Mutch, 2013). Research with children needs to be sensitive to their stages of development, ethically justified, allow modifications of research methods, environment, and tools (Mutch, 2013). Educational researchers have a duty in relation to the principle of harmful effects and unintended consequences, to ensure unnecessary harm and anxiety is avoided (New Zealand Association for Research in Education, 2010). The principle of confidentiality needs to be obliged, this is an important aspect in regards to educational research, any confidential information leaked may result in breach of the law (New Zealand Association for Research in Education, 2010). When doing educational research, research participants need to be advised of the principle informed consent, this involves informing parents of the purpose, conduct, what is involved and allowing parents to withdraw their child at any time (Mutch, 2013). …show more content…

Within our New Zealand Code of Ethics it states cultural values are to be respected and beliefs acknowledged (Early Childhood Code of Ethics National Working Group, 1996). When conducting educational research, researchers who intend to work within a cultural context different to their own need to acknowledge they will face moral, cultural, and ethical challenges throughout the research (Wong, 2006). This is in regards to both the research design and interactions with the research participant (Sieber, 1993, Sited in Wong, 2006). To enable researchers to be culturally sensitive they need to demonstrate cultural competency throughout the different stages of the research. For example, the Treaty of Waitangi states the affirmative rights of Māori to develop processes of research appropriate for their people, in doing that the only people needing to seek permission are from their own (Cram, 2001). Article Two of the Treaty guarantees te tino rangatiratanga, reflecting the position of Māori as tangata whenua (people of the land) giving them rights to self-determination and tribal self-development (Mane, 2009). Therefore when carrying out educational research within Aotearoa New Zealand researchers need to ensure Māori participants have full

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