ZQMS-ARC-REC-002

FACULTY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF TEACHER DEVELOPMENT

ASSIGNMENT
REGION: MAT-SOUTH PROVINCE

PROGRAMME: POST GRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION INTAKE:

FULL NAME OF STUDENT: MOYO SHEPHERD PIN: P2183962Q

MAILING ADDRESS: shepsmoreyour@gmail.com

CONTACT TELEPHONE/CELL: 0777853995 ID. NO.: 56-089690 D 56

COURSE NAME: EDUCATION TECHNOLOGY COURSE CODE:

ASSIGNMENT NO: 1 DUE DATE:

ASSIGNMENT TITLE: DISCUSS ANY FIVE ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS IN

EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH.

MARKER’S COMMENTS: ______________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________
OVERALL MARK: _____________ MARKER’S NAME: ________________________

MARKER’S SIGNATURE: _______________________________ DATE: ___________

Conducting research is the first and most exciting step in a researcher's journey. Hence when
someone embarks on this journey, he or she needs to be armed with certain different skills.
Therefore, in this essay the writer seeks to discuss five ethical considerations that a researcher is
supposed to consider when carrying out his or her research. Ethical principles such as right to
privacy, secret, consent, informed consent, respect for anonymity and confidentiality and respect
for privacy are going to be discussed in this essay. Key words guiding this essay are going to be
defined in the next paragraph below. Keywords guiding this essay are research ethics and
educational research.

The first key term guiding this essay is Research ethics. Random House Dictionary of English
Language (1987) in Makore-Rukuni (2001) notes that ethics is a branch of philosophy relating to
human conduct, with respect to the right fullness or wrongness of certain actions. Moreover,
Makore-Rukuni (2001) suggests that ethics are divided into three types which are; normative
ethics. This examines what is ethically or morally acceptable and why they are acceptable and
why they are unacceptable. Then secondly there are descriptive ethics, which describe or explain
the ethical practices of specific groups. Lastly there are meta-ethics, which deal with analysing
the language and logic of moral reasoning. Therefore, from all the above notions one might note
that ethics are moral principles, standards and guidelines that are set on how researches have to
be conducted, which policies influence researches and most importantly the behaviours that
model research programs.

The second key word guiding this writeup is educational research. Educational research is the
study that seeks to determine a certain problem hence problem solving or finding a solution to
the problem. Chikoko and Mhloyi (1995) define research as a systematic process of collecting
and logically analysing information in order to provide answers to questions. Therefore, it can be
viewed as an attempt to solve problems in a systematic way. Makore-Rukuni et.al, (2001)
quoting from the English Dictionary, say suggest that, research is an investigation directed to the
discovery of some fact by careful consideration or study of a subject. Furthermore, Pratt and
Loizos (2003) note that research is a systematic approach geared at gathering information to
solve specific problems. Therefore, a researcher needs to analyse and understand ethical
considerations that must be considered when a study involves human subjects or experimental
animals. These ethical principles are aimed at helping researchers develop best practices so that
they can publish ethically and avoid rejection or retraction due to misconduct.

The first ethical principle to be discussed in this essay is informed consent. Informed consent is
the major ethical issue in conducting research. Chikoko and Mhloyi (1995) define informed
consent as a means that a person knowingly, voluntarily and intelligently, and in a clear and
manifest way, gives his consent in participating or providing information in the study. This
implies that a researcher needs to seek approval and voluntary participating from his or intended
audience or subjects. Moreover, Makore-Runi (2001) notes that informed consent entails that the
client has to be allowed to choose to participate, or not to participate in the research after
receiving all the relevant information about the risks or harm that could arise if they participate
in the research. Makore – Rukuni (2001) says that in some contexts, children or pupils are
indirectly coerced to participate in studies because they would be promised reward or credit for
their effort. It is noted that although the pressure is subtle, it is unethical because there is a
measure of pressure exerted on them. Makore-Rukuni (2001) adds on that children’s rights or
those vulnerable have to be protected at all cost. Therefore, the researcher is not allowed to force
or include anyone in his or her study without consent. The researcher is supposed to consider that
each and every person involved in carrying out his or her research has a right to agree or disagree
in giving out information. It is essential to describe any physical harm or discomfort, any
invasion of privacy and any threat to dignity as well as how the subjects will be compensated in
that case. In addition, the researcher need to make his or subjects aware of any expected benefits
either to the subject or to science by gaining new knowledge his or her study.

The second ethical consideration to be discussed in this essay is anonymity or confidentiality,

this means the right of the participants to remain unknown or disclosure of their identity. Welpfel
(1998), notes that there has to be protection of anonymity of the researches’ participants and the
confidentiality of their disclosures unless they consent to the release of personal information.
Confidentiality and privacy are very critical in research. Chikoko and Mhloyi (1995) note that
the identity of clients or the participants has to be respected at all cost and their wishes honoured.
Thus, a researcher needs to consider that the anonymity and confidentiality of the participants
remain undisclosed, meaning to remain anonymous. Anonymity also involves the researcher in
making his subjects aware of their rights of being remaining anonymous. The researcher must
inform the subjects about the methods which will be used to protect anonymity and
confidentiality and indicate a person with whom they can discuss the study. He must also provide
a noncoercive disclaimer, which states that participation is voluntary and no penalties are
involved in refusal to participate. Ethics are crucial to be followed and respected at all costs, like
protection of vulnerable people and children as they can be used as sources of information.
Therefore, fairness, honesty, respect for the integrity and dignity of the individual and
confidentiality of certain information has to be practiced and honoured at all costs.

Moreover, the third ethical consideration to be discussed in this essay is carefulness. According
to Cohen et al. (2007) and Resnik (2011) it is the protection or minimisation risk of harm to
participants. Researchers need to consider protection of participants against harm and being
considerate of researching people when dealing with educational research is of paramount
importance. Hence the researcher is encouraged to minimize harm when conducting research on
human subjects, hence at the same time maximizing benefits; respect human dignity, privacy,
and autonomy; take special precautions with vulnerable populations; and strive to distribute the
benefits and burdens of research fairly

Another ethic to be discussed is deception. Heppner etal (1998) define deception as to

misinforming or withholding information from potential subjects about the potential harm to
clients. Welpfel (1998) notes that researchers have to avoid deception about particulars of the
research findings. Makore-Rukuni (2001) adds on that, the use of deception is a dilemma since
there are risks to the participant, even the benefits to the research findings. Deception limits the
participants’ ability to make meaningful informed consent. Therefore, one might note that
deception limits the participants’ ability to make meaningful informed consent.

Lastly the writer will dwell on debriefing and de-Hoaxing. Debriefing refers to giving
explanatory information to reduce the negative effects of deception. Welfel (1998) in Makore-
Rukuni (2001) notes that debriefing and dehoaxing are important ethical issues which demand
that the researcher reports and describes the results of the study to participants if they so wish, as
soon as the data is ready for dissemination.

The last ethical aspect to be explore is publication credit, this entails the principle of
acknowledging who has contributed to the research study. Makore Rukuni (2001) notes that it is
important that you acknowledge whoever contributed to your study, including the participants in
the actual study. Plagiarism is another ethical aspect that needs to be explored, this entails the
violation of education aspects like taking someone's work and not acknowledging it. This is a
common feature among students who just copy other people's work without acknowledging.
Heppner et al. (1992) note that plagiarism entails copying verbatim or duplicating other people’s
ideas without proper citation. This is a serious case of misconduct in the education sector.
Students usually do this in their desire to pass their programs, they copy other people’s
assignments or research projects. This is a serious violation of research ethics. Makore-Rukuni
(2001) states that Plagiarism violates the ethical principle of justice, fairness and integrity.
Students need to give credit to authors when citing their work, they do not need to copy other
people's work and make it theirs. Therefore, this is can be called educational theft and this is a
serious crime in the life of a student.

In a nutshell ethics are guidelines and standards that are set to guide educational researches. The
major ethics that have been discussed above are informed consent, risks and benefits to
participants, confidentiality and privacy, deception, debriefing, ethical issues and scholarly work,
execution of the research study, reporting results, publication credit and plagiarism. This implies
that a researcher needs to honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property.
This involves the researcher in desisting from using unpublished data, methods, or results
without permission. Hence there is a need for the researcher to give proper acknowledgement or
credit for all contributions to research. Moreover, this also discourages plagiarism. All possible
measures have to be taken in order to protect subjects from potential physical, psychological or
social damage during the research or after circulation of the results. Hence, ethical considerations
or principles are guidelines that seeks to pave way or guide a researcher in conducting a good
standard project.
REFERENCES

Chikoko, V. and Mhloyi, G. (1995) Introduction to Research Methods. Zimbabwe Open

University: Harare.

Makore-Rukuni, N. M. (2001) Introduction to Research Methods in Counselling. Zimbabwe

Open University: Harare.

Shumbayawonda, W.T. (2011) Quality Assurance Information Handbook: Zimbabwe Open

University (Unpublished). Harare.

Flick, U, Kardorff and Steinke (2004) Qualitative Research. Los Angeles: Sage.

Pratt, B. and Loizos, P. (2003) Choosing Research Methods Explain. UK.

Chirwa, D. M. 2008. Combating child poverty: The role of economic, social and cultural rights.
In: J Sloth-Nielsen (ed). Children's rights in Africa: A legal perspective. Aldershot: Ashgate
Publishing.