Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - EDUC 437 C900

Ethical Issues in Education (4)

Class Number: 5185

Delivery Method: Distance Education

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Distance Education

  • Prerequisites:

    60 units including 3 units in Education.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Ethical problems in education are identified and examined. Four major areas of concern are explored: 1. the normative character of education as a whole; 2. the justification of education; 3. ethical questions related to equality, autonomy, interpersonal relationships, and rights in education; 4. moral education and values education.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is designed to lead students through theoretical inquiries concerning the nature of ethics (E.g., What do we mean by ethics? What does being ethical entail? Why should we bother with or worry about ethics? Is being ethical obligation only or are there personal, practical benefits? Are there different conceptions of ethics?) and practical exploration of how to be/come ethical in everyday contexts of school, workplace, and home. This course is suitable for pre-service K-12 teachers, administrators, and educators in all walks of life, who are grappling with everyday ethical issues and confronting complexity of moral life personally and professionally. The course objective is the theory and practice of transformative learning. We will learn about ethics through our engagement in ethical discourse, and, most importantly, we will learn to become ethical in our personal and professional lives through reflection, cultivation, and practice. The course will be conducted and the assignments constructed in ways that will reflect this practice orientation.

Grading

  • Weekly Online Dialogue Participation 30%
  • i-change Project 60%
  • Final Reflection Letter 10%

NOTES:

There is no midterm or final exam for this course.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

All course materials be provided through Canvas.

REQUIRED READING:

No Textbook.

Centre for Online and Distance Education Notes:

All CODE Courses are delivered through Canvas.  Students will have access starting the first day of classes.   
https://canvas.sfu.ca

Required Readings are the responsibility of the student to purchase. Textbooks are available for purchase online through the SFU Bookstore's website. 

All courses have an Additional Course Fee of $40.This fee is not associated primarily with physical materials. This also supports developing tools and rich web resources embedded throughout the activities, assignments and videos.

Exams
If your course has a take-home exam, please refer to Canvas for further details. 

Students are responsible for following all Exam Policies and Procedures (e.g., missing an exam due to illness).

NOTE: This course outline was accurate at the time of publication but is subject to change. Please check your course details in Canvas.


*Important Note for U.S. citizens: As per the U.S. Department of Education, programs offered in whole or in part through telecommunications, otherwise known as distance education or correspondence are ineligible for Federal Direct Loans. This also includes scenarios where students who take distance education courses outside of their loan period and pay for them with their own funding, and attempt to apply for future Federal Direct Loans. 

For more information about US Direct Loans please visit and to read our FAQ on distance education courses, please go here: http://www.sfu.ca/students/financialaid/international/us-loans/federal-direct-loan.html

 

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).