Module 4: Ethical Considerations In Educational Research
Topic 1: The National Statement On Ethical Conduct
Task
Answer the following questions:
1. Why do we need ethical guideline for research with humans?
Ethical guidelines are essential when doing research associated with humans so as to ensure that all participants are treated with respect and protected from harm. The National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research (National Statement, 2007) provides a framework for guiding the way researchers approach all aspects of their interactions with humans so that “participants be accorded the respect and protection that is due to them” (National Statement, 2007, p. 11). Ethical guidelines such as those presented in The National Statement (2007) focus on values associated with:
· Research Merit and Integrity
· Justice
· Beneficence
· Respect
The National Statement (2007) outlines that these values help to build the relationship between researchers and research participants “and shape that relationship as one of trust, mutual responsibility and ethical equality” (National Statement, 2007, p. 15).
2. What special requirements are needed for working with children under 18?
As outlined in the National Statement (2007), when engaging in research involving children under the age of 18, it is a requirement that researchers take into consideration the child or young persons:
· Capacity to understand what the research entails, and therefore whether their consent to participate is sufficient for their participation.
· Possible coercion by parents, peers, researchers or others to participate in research.
· Conflicting values and interest of parents and children.
Ultimately, when working with children under 18, researchers must respect the differing levels of maturity of children and young people and in turn the implications of whether his or her consent is necessary and/or sufficient to authorize participation. Being responsive to developmental levels is a fundamental requirement when engaging in research with children under 18.
3. How can we insure that ethical guidelines are followed?
The National Statement (2007) ultimately “sets out national standards for the ethical design, review and conduct of human research” (p. 8). It is communities and institutions however, that “are responsible for establishing procedures for the ethical review of human research” (National Statement, 2007, p. 8). The establishment of procedures therefore, to insure that ethical guidelines are followed, would include the mandatory completion of ethics committee applications prior to commencing research. Such applications insure adherence to the clauses of the National Statement (2007) and demonstrate a rigorous approach to insuring ethical guidelines are followed. Extensive review prior to publishing, further insures that ethical guidelines are followed.
Topic 2: Other Approaches To Ethical Research
Task
Read Babbie, Chapter 3, pp.65-81.
Compare and contrast the different Codes of Conduct between those cited by Babbie and the Australian National Statement.
To what extent do these agree in intent? How do they differ?
Both Babbie (2014) and The National Statement (2007) clearly support the importance of “ethically good human research” (National Statement, 2007, p. 11) and the fact that ethical agreements and Codes of Conduct must prevail when doing social research. Babbie (2014) states that “researchers must take into account many ethical and political considerations alongside scientific ones in designing and executing research” (p. 61). Similarly, The National Statement (2007) states that “an ethos should permeate the way those engaged in human research approach all that they do in their research” (p. 7).
In his work, Babbie (2014) identifies several key ethical considerations/Codes of Conduct that must prevail in social research. The National Statement (2007) also outlines the values central to its Codes of Conduct.
Whilst Babbie (2014) presents a larger list of codes of conduct than The National Statement (2007) and both use differing titles, both are similar in their intent to “guide the researcher” (Babbie, 2014, p. 88).
Evident similarities can be noted between the two codes of conduct in the areas of Voluntary Participation and Beneficence. The first ethical consideration outlined by Babbie (2014) is “Voluntary Participation” (p. 64). Babbie states that “no-one should be forced to participate” (p. 64). The National Statement (2007) similarly states that “participation must be the result of a choice made by the participant” (p. 23). Babbie’s (2014) second ethical consideration “No harm to participants” outlines that research “should never injure the people being studied, regardless of whether they volunteer for the study” (p. 63). The National Statement (2007) under the heading of “Beneficence” states that research must be designed “to minimize the risks of harm or discomfort to participants” (p. 17).
Babbie (2014) and The National Statement (2007) share many similarities in their Codes of Conduct with both ultimately supporting the implementation of Codes of Conduct in educational research.
Task
Write a short essay about Codes of Conduct in educational research – their purpose and effectiveness.
Examples of horrendous treatment of individuals, is littered throughout history. Atrocities such as Auschwitz, Tuskegee Syphilis experiments in America and the Cervical Cancer experiments in New Zealand in the 1970’s, opened people’s eyes to the “crimes against humanity” (Babbie, 2014, p. 65). Such crimes, encouraged actions which lead to the 1974 National Research Act that created “The National Commission For The Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioural Science”. The “commission subsequently published The Belmont Report, which elaborated on three key principles” (Babbie, 2014, p. 65):
· The respect for persons
· Beneficence
· Justice
In my opinion, the purpose of Codes of Conduct in educational research, serve two main outcomes. Firstly, the purpose of Codes of Conduct in educational research is to ultimately protect the subjects/participants of the research. Indeed “subjects must not be harmed by the research and, ideally, should benefit from it” (Babbie, 2014, p. 65). Under the banner of “protect”, I believe that Codes of Conduct serve the purpose of ensuring respect for the subjects/participants of the research by supporting voluntary participation “based on a full understanding of what is involved” (Babbie, 2014, p. 65). “Protect” also encompasses the special conditions required when dealing with children under the age of 18 and “those lacking complete autonomy” (Babbie, 2014, p. 65). Thirdly, the banner of “protect” entails justice and the fact that the burdens and benefits of research have the right to be shared fairly with society and the wider community.
Secondly, I believe that Codes of Conduct in educational research, serve the purpose of encouraging (as much as can be) objective-free social research. Without a doubt, Codes of Conduct serve the purpose of providing guidelines, which support researchers to “remain unencumbered by personal values” (Babbie, 2014, p. 81). Codes of Conduct, undoubtedly serve a fundamental purpose in educational research. The effectiveness of Codes of Conduct, however, is largely dependent upon compliance and the role of Institutional Review Boards (IRB) “which monitor compliance with ethical standards in research involving human subjects” (Babbie, 2014, p. 65).
Reference List
Babbie, E. (2014). The Basics of Social Research. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.
The National Statement On Ethical Conduct In Human Research (2007). Published by The National Health and Medical Research. Retrieved from http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications on 8/1/2013