Ethical dilemma

Create a blog post where you identify an ethical dilemma in your own practice links to digital or online access or activity. Explain the dilemma and how you would address the potential issue would it occur in your own practice or (if relevant) detail an actual situation and how it was resolved.

An ethical dilemma is defined by the Education Council as 

"A situation an individual encounters in the workplace for which there is more than one possible solution, each carrying a strong moral justification. A dilemma requires a person to choose between two alternatives, each of which has some benefits but also some costs (Feeney and Freeman, 1999, p.24)"

Early in 2014, an ethical dilemma developed at our school. 

As a 1:1 Chromebook class with students each having their own Google accounts (created and owned by the school for legal purposes as our students are under 13) in 2014 we had students who after trying to use Google+ from their school accounts and having them shut down by Google once they put in their date of birth. We then had students create their own Google account, often under a pseudonym, and join Google+. 

Our staff then had notifications that these students were following us on Google+. We met as a staff and discussed the issues at hand, and how we would deal with them. 

These students were bought in to management, with their families. The legalities were explained to the parents. The students were then required to delete these accounts. It was explained to the students and parents that as they are under 13 they cannot legally have their own Google account. Opportunities were provided to the parents to up-skill themselves in how to keep their children safe online, through workshops held in school and online material that was suitable to them. 


References
Education Council. (n.d.). Teachers & Social Media | Frequently Asked Questions. Retrieved from http://www.teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz/resources/frequently-asked-questions