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Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology pp 113–127Cite as

Ethics of Educational Technology

Abstract

While ethics has been an under-researched area in educational technology, it is receiving current recognition as a critical focus for inquiry and development. In this chapter, we review the contribution of ethics as part of the history of professionalization of the field, the development of a code of ethics for the profession, and contemporary ethics issues like cultural competence, intellectual property, accessibility and universal design, critical theory in educational technology, system ethics, and social responsibility of professionals. In addition, this chapter presents major theoretical and philosophical models for ethics that pertain specifically to technology in educational systems along with implications of research from other fields exploring the integration of ethics into policy, standards, and higher education curricula. Existing research on ethics in educational technology programs suggests a very low level of integration in such domains at present; findings from a survey of the curricular landscape and implications for future research and development are discussed along with consideration of ethics as a foundational component not only to professional standards, practices, and leadership, but also to education policy, as we highlight the role of faculty and graduate programs, practicing professionals, and scholarly associations in shaping future directions and research in this emerging domain.

Keywords

  • Professional ethics
  • Ethics as design
  • Ethics across the curriculum
  • Social responsibility
  • Conative domain

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Smithsonian exhibit “Why Design Now?” as part of their National Design Triennial features a host of examples across disciplines that ­further reflect this intersection of design and ethics. (McCarty, Lupton, McQuaid, & Smith, 2010)

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Heather Tillberg-Webb, Lesley University, for conversations about access and the history of evolution around this construct that contributed to the section on access.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Virginia, Rice Hall 013, 85 Engineer’s Way, 400235, Charlottesville, VA, 22904-4235, USA

    Stephanie L. Moore Ph.D.

  2. U.S. Naval War College, ATTN: Code 1GA-4 (Dr. Ellsworth), 686 Cushing Rd., Newport, RI, 02841-1207, USA

    James B. Ellsworth C.P.T., Ph.D.

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  1. Stephanie L. Moore Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Stephanie L. Moore Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Department of Learning Technologies, C, University of North Texas, North Elm 3940, Denton, 76207-7102, Texas, USA

    J. Michael Spector

  2. W. Sunset Blvd. 1812, St. George, 84770, Utah, USA

    M. David Merrill

  3. , Centr. Instructiepsychol.&-technologie, K.U. Leuven, Andreas Vesaliusstraat 2, Leuven, 3000, Belgium

    Jan Elen

  4. Research Drive, Iacocca A109 111, Bethlehem, 18015, Pennsylvania, USA

    M. J. Bishop

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Moore, S.L., Ellsworth, J.B. (2014). Ethics of Educational Technology. In: Spector, J., Merrill, M., Elen, J., Bishop, M. (eds) Handbook of Research on Educational Communications and Technology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3185-5_10

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