Ethics: The Role of Adult and Vocational Education. Trends and Issues Alert No. 24.

Overview & Synopsis

Ethics and social responsibility are the subject of both curriculum materials and research in adult and vocational education. State academic standards and curriculum frameworks address citizenship and personal and social responsibility. Ethical and legal issues for specific occupations are addressed in curricula issued by states, professional associations, and educational institutions. Research studies examine the ethical inclinations and decision making of secondary and postsecondary students, as well as the effects of ethics instruction. Methods and resources used in ethics instruction include case studies, heroes as a model for ethical behavior, and a combination of critical thinking and ethics instruction. Service learning projects are recommended for developing social responsibility. Web sites offer resources for ethics instruction. The adult and vocational education literature reflect ethical issues for educators. A long list of ethical issues arises in the use of technology and the Internet, including power, access, control, intellectual property rights, privacy, equity, free speech, and access for minors. The ongoing debate over the mission of adult education presents many ethical dilemmas. (Annotations are provided for 21 resources and 3 Web sites.) (YLB)