Upholding Ethical and Moral Codes of Institutions I'm Involved With

Ethics are the principals that build an individual’s character and integrity. It is the code of conduct that a person lives by; it is the way that a person conducts themselves when no one is around. Stealing, lying, and cheating are wrong, yet every day in the workplace these issues occur. Growing competition lends to the need for people to do what they can to get ahead and stay ahead. Ethics are pushed to the side as people try to gain power or to stay out of trouble, all at the risk of tarnishing their character. This same mindset has spilled over into Academia. A student’s desire to successfully earn a degree by any means necessary has caused educational institutions to address these ethical issues by setting policies in place to combat academic dishonesty.

Another theme presented in multiple articles was a rise in cheating. Source number one, “Do Standardized Tests Show an Accurate View of Students’ Abilities”, believes that because the push to do well on standardized tests is such a priority, “some institutions consider cheating” (Concordia University). Source number two, “Is the Use of Standardized Test Improving Education in America,” disagrees, explaining that cheating by administrators and students is not an issue, and not a reason to terminate standardized testing. This source also clarifies that “[i]t is likely that some cheating occurs, but some people cheat on their tax returns also, and the solution is not to abolish taxation” (Standardized Tests - ProCon.org). Source number three, “Test Our Children Well”, proposes a solution that by using the “testing effect”, “teachers could develop new tests questions each week for each class…” (Emanuel 10) and by doing so, will eliminate the opportunity for student to cheat on exams.

The Ethical Matrix is an adaptable apparatus for breaking down moral issues. It serves as a purpose of aiding individuals in making ethical decisions regarding an array of educational issues. It is a guide to discerning thought and equitable consideration, not a substitute for them. The aim of the ethical matrix as indicated by Tangen (2014) is to fundamentally serve as an instrument for “mapping the terrain of ethical issues in various types of educational research with human subjects or in evaluation research, contract research, researcher–practitioner cooperation, or in other types of research representing some common ethical challenges and

In the contemporary American education system high-stakes standardized testing has resulted in a focus on extensive test preparation, as well as a large increase in the numbers of teachers cheating by alternating their students' test scores. Both these phenomena are a direct consequence of the incentives and punishments directly linked to standardized test results.

One thing that has changed in my approach to ethics since the beginning of the semester is I am now adamant that it is impossible to arrive at a final answer to ethical questions. Learning about the different approaches to ethics has caused me to see that there can be more than one “right” solution to ethical dilemmas. Therefore, if an ethical question is raised, everyone will arrive at a different solution depending on which approach they take.

In the contemporary American education system, high risk standardized testing has resulted in a monumental shift in the classroom to a focus on extensive test preparation, as well as a large influx of instructors cheating and alternating their students tests; both can be seen as a direct consequence of the heightened incentives and punishments placed upon teachers.

In the academic arena of teaching applied ethics, while theories and methods may be deemed important, what sets these courses apart from less applied courses is the emphasis attached to clarifying or solving the substantive ethical problems at hand. For example, in a medical ethics course, the question of whether a psychologist should disclose confidential information to an endangered third party is more than simply a playing field for illustrating theories of ethics. The question itself matters.

Ethics refers to the standards of our daily actions and behavior, including our communication with family, friends, and the community. It holds a special importance to people as it influences one’s core beliefs and value, ethical conduct, and ethical thinking. Everyone in their life faces a dilemma and must deal with it, so a research was done by the Santa Clara University to test an ethical dilemma which was put forward as a case study. In this case study heading, Picking up the Slack written in 2013, it sets up an ethical dilemma that takes place between two schoolmates, Greg and Natalie. In this dilemma, Greg is faced with the option of whether to give Natalie an honest evaluation, for her part in the group project. Or, if Greg should give

Ethics has a long history, and many ethical theories have been around since the Ancient Greeks. When I first entered this course I didn’t know exactly what to think. I knew what was right and wrong and good and bad but I never really stopped and thought about it as ethics. I just looked at it as the way I was raised and what society expected. As I become aware of the various ethical theories, I discovered a number of contradictions in some of my own beliefs. I learn what we were taught as children may be challenged by our adult experiences.

Instructions: In the left-hand column, list 7 instances of overlap between the two documents by asserting the comparison of the overlapping statements. Be sure to cite each appropriately. In the right-hand column, state the priority from 1-7, (“1” being the most important) you would assign this concept as an educator; state and defend your rationale. Use research to support your rationale.

“How College Students Cheat on In-class Examinations: Creativity, Strain, and Techniques of Innovation” by Phillip C.H. Shon offers thorough examples of techniques student cheaters use in classroom administered tests. This article focus mainly on cheating during in-class tests as a form of academic dishonesty; it illustrates the reasonings behind why honorable students decide to cheat, as well as various approaches used to accomplish their goal.

Currently, there are cases of cheating and secret use of unwanted written materials during exam times. They portray unpreparedness and laziness on the part of a student. It is unethical since it does not show faithfulness and integrity in studies. Teaching from this material helps me to be dependable and not to be morally disengaged because of diffusion of responsibility. Unethical conduct can be attributed to the behavior of a particular group. The teaching is important to me because I have learned on how to be responsible for my actions and to act ethically even at a student level. The practice of morals at a young age will help me to remain ethical even at old age.

In the video Ethics in Public Service (California City Management Foundation, 2014) city managers from across the state of California give their perspectives on ethical expectations. The main expectations these leaders give are encapsulated through the idea of doing the right thing all the time. One reason given by several of the city leaders is that the public is watching all the time and holding them accountable for their actions (California City Management Foundation, 2014). Aside from public perception, in regard to ethics, the themes of trust, honesty, integrity, transparency, and achieving "good things" in their communities are brought up. While these themes are brought up by several city leaders, some give their own viewpoint on what ethics means and how they go about acting ethically when doing their jobs.

When implemented and data gathered correctly, in the best circumstance, standardized tests can reflect the teacher’s ability to teach. Their knowledge and ability to relate said knowledge can be effectively measured, by the scores of their students. As written by Grant Wiggins, about the proper use of standardized test, “reform of testing depends, however, on teachers’ recognizing that standardized testing evolved and proliferated because the school transcript became untrustworthy,“ (Wiggins 354). In this Wiggins describes how the modern tests developed because of a lack of trust. Teacher dishonestly turned in altered grades, for students, to fake successful teaching and learning. Because of this, these tests depict the students’ true knowledge learned. Another factor that promotes standardized test, is, as written by Wiggins “rather than seeing tests as after-the-fact devices for checking up on what students have learned, we should see them as instructional,” (Wiggins 354). By this Wiggins suggests that such

As individuals we are exposed to a plethora of information, as students’ information is much more refined. When faced with the task of evaluating the validity and realistic factors of information, ethics play a huge role. The way you are raised is not only determinate of how you will grow up as a person, but also what you will value in life. For example, my family values being honest and open with opinions are because I was raised in a home where I am always told to be honest and truthful I hold those qualities high in my life. Even though I was raised within a household with it’s own beliefs, I still have my own personal opinions which spawn from life experiences and interpretation of information. Ethics are acquired through the life of someone and do not go away, or at least go away easily. The usage of ethics mainly takes in place with your own mind, which is called personal ethics. Personal ethics define you as a person with what you hold high to yourself. While ethics do not define your personal knowledge, they do maintain a portion of the interpretation process. For example, people who do not consume animals do not consume because they take into the account their personal ethics with taking the life of something. Another important example, is when people who are born in a country and believe that their country could never do anything may often find themselves in disbelief of what their home country is doing or has done. The personal growth of an individual is dependent on their ethics, their background, and their ability to accept change. Although these changes may seem miniscule they can impact the rest of a person's life which will either