PSY FPX 5110 Assessment 4 Educators’ Obligation to Students

PSY FPX 5110 Assessment 4 Educators’ Obligation to Students

Student Name

Capella University

PSY FPX 5110 Ethics and Multicultural Issues in Psychology

Prof. Name:

Date

Case Study Overview

Mrs. Jelks-McClellan, a psychology educator, has been teaching for a year. Morgan, an 18-year-old undergraduate student, has shown disengagement by frequently checking her phone during class and has not attended any of the instructor’s office hours, unlike most other students. Morgan recently expressed concerns about the course’s inclusivity, specifically pointing out the lack of case studies involving the LGBTQIA+ community and suggesting that the instructor might harbor biases against this group. Morgan has communicated these concerns to the dean of the psychology department, who has shared them with Mrs. Jelks-McClellan. In response, Mrs. Jelks-McClellan expressed her intention to address the issue through additional professional development to improve her language and provide more inclusive case studies.

Professional Setting and Relationship

• Professional setting: A university
• The Relationship: Professor-Student
• Respects the rights and dignity of students by: Taking into account their age, gender, culture, setting, and socioeconomic context.
• Demonstrates an ethic of care through: Understanding students’ educational, academic, personal, and social needs, as well as their values, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds.

Cultural Differences

The cultural differences between the professor and the student, as well as their differing sexual orientations, contribute to the conflict. The professor’s exclusion of a community to which she does not belong affects the student’s learning environment.

Relevant Biases

Biases:

• Race
• Sexual Orientation

Strategies:

• Three broad tactics suggested to reduce implicit bias are approach, expose, and educate. Understanding blind spots, exposing oneself to counter-stereotypes, and focusing on individual interactions are key. Systematic improvement at both human and institutional levels is essential for achieving equity (Edgoose et al., 2019).
• Although themes of equality and inclusion are increasingly emphasized in teacher education, gender identity and sexual orientation receive less attention compared to other diversity topics. To enhance teacher educator self-efficacy in addressing LGBTQIA+ issues, significant changes at individual, institutional, and social levels are necessary. Teacher educators should personally commit to including LGBTQIA+ themes in their curricula (Brant & Willox, 2022).

Ethical Concerns

• Competency
• Sexuality Exclusion
• Suppressing Subject Matters

Ethical standards:

• 2.03 Maintaining Competence
• PRINCIPLE I: COMMITMENT TO THE STUDENT
• 3.04 Avoiding Harm

Psychologists are required to continuously develop and maintain their competence (American Psychological Association, n.d.). Educators aim to help every student become a valuable member of society, fostering inquiry, information accumulation, and the careful development of meaningful goals (National Education Association, n.d.). Psychologists must take reasonable precautions to prevent harm to clients, students, and others they interact with (American Psychological Association, n.d.).

Utilitarianism and Consequentialism

Considering each student’s individuality supports the greatest good, making utilitarianism suitable for resolving the ethical dilemma. Addressing the concerns of even a single student can benefit others with similar feelings. Incorporating case studies relevant to the LGBTQIA+ community helps all students gain necessary experiences, promoting inclusivity and maximizing overall good (Driver, 2022).

Ethical Decision Making with Fisher’s Model

1. Develop the ability to recognize ethical concerns through professional commitment and self-reflection. This involves evaluating personal and professional values and adopting self-care measures to manage occupational stress.
2. Consider the APA Ethics Code General Principles and Ethical Standards, along with scientific and professional norms and organizational rules.
3. Check if any local, state, or federal laws address the ethical issue of inclusion. Identify necessary compliance processes and legal repercussions.
4. Understand the perspectives of stakeholders affected by the decision, considering power, privilege, and sociopolitical oppression.
5. Develop ethical alternatives and consult with peers. Evaluate options based on ethical theories and choose the one that best upholds the Ethics Code while preserving individuals’ rights and welfare.
6. Monitor and assess the effectiveness of the action plan, making adjustments as necessary.

Steps in the Case Study

1. The instructor should evaluate if excluding case studies that represent all students is a professional decision and identify any ethical dilemmas.
2. Review the APA Ethics rules and university policies that may be breached.
3. Examine local, state, or federal laws related to classroom inclusion and civil rights protections.
4. Identify all potential participants and the implications for each, including the instructor, supervisor, deans, and students.
5. The instructor should consult with faculty, meet with Morgan for better understanding, seek resources on inclusive case studies, request additional training, and consider a student assignment on creating case studies.
6. Pursue professional development to enhance competence and consider the benefits of inclusion for all learners (Roldán et al., 2021). Use case studies to engage students and foster critical thinking (Sider et al., 2023). Respect students’ diverse backgrounds in accordance with the Code of Ethics for Educators.

Multicultural Issues

• Inclusion
• Sexual Orientation
• Community

Understanding and fostering cultural awareness in the classroom involves connecting academic content to students’ personal experiences in a supportive environment (Protecting Students Overview, n.d.). LGBTQ inclusion and advancement in education are often hindered by hostility (Brockenbrough, 2017).

Best Practices for Working with the LGBTQ+ Community

• Use thoughtful language regarding LGBTQ+ individuals and acquire knowledge of relevant terminology.
• Allow individuals to express their identities and avoid assumptions about names, identities, and pronouns.
• Create an inclusive classroom by incorporating positive LGBTQ+ examples into the curriculum.
• Conduct inclusive educational research and create case studies that reflect LGBTQ+ perspectives.

The LGBTQ+ community constitutes a significant portion of the population, and language plays a crucial role in identity. Teachers should be mindful of the representation and inclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in their instructional methods (Cooper et al., 2020).

Proposed Resolution

Instructor Jelks-McClellan should seek additional professional development on inclusivity, collaborate with peers to incorporate LGBTQ+ case studies, and consider assignments that allow students to create and review case studies. Addressing Morgan’s concerns and integrating diverse perspectives into the curriculum is essential for achieving the greatest good and fostering inclusivity. Respecting students’ diverse backgrounds aligns with the Code of Ethics for Educators and helps improve student engagement and outcomes (Breese et al., 2023).

References

Abacioglu, C. S., Volman, M., & Fischer, A. H. (2020). Teachers’ multicultural attitudes and perspective taking abilities as factors in culturally responsive teaching. The British Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(3), 736–752. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12328

BBC – Ethics – Introduction to ethics: Consequentialism. (n.d.). https://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/introduction/consequentialism_1.shtml

Brant, C. A., & Willox, L. (2022). Are we all doing it? Addressing LGBTQIA+ topics in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 116, 103746. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2022.103746

Breese, A. C., Nickerson, A. B., Lemke, M., Mohr, R., Heidelburg, K., Fredrick, S., & Allen, K. (2023). Examining implicit biases of pre-service educators within a professional development context. Contemporary School Psychology, 1–16. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40688-023-00456-6

Brockenbrough, E. (2017). Outing the politics of knowledge production: A review of LGBTQ issues in education: Advancing a research agenda. Educational Researcher, 46(9), 548-550. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X17733974

Cooper, K. M., Auerbach, A. J. J., Bader, J. D., Beadles-Bohling, A. S., Brashears, J. A., Cline, E., Eddy, S. L., Elliott, D. B., Farley, E., Fuselier, L., Heinz, H. M., Irving, M., Josek, T., Lane, A. K., Lo, S. M., Maloy, J., Nugent, M., Offerdahl, E., Palacios-Moreno, J., Ramos, J., … Brownell, S. E. (2020). Fourteen recommendations to create a more inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ individuals in academic biology. CBE Life Sciences Education, 19(3), es6. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.20-04-0062

PSY FPX 5110 Assessment 4 Educators’ Obligation to Students

Driver, J. (2022). Utilitarianism: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.

Edgoose, J., Edwards, J., & Ward, M. (2019). Implicit bias in education: The role of the teacher. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 9(1), 21-35. https://doi.org/10.5590/JERAP

National Education Association. (n.d.). Code of Ethics for Educators. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://www.nea.org/resource-library/code-ethics-educators

Protecting Students Overview. (n.d.). LGBTQ+ Inclusion. Retrieved August 23, 2023, from https://www.lgbtqprotection.org/overview

Roldán, J. M., Ruiz-Rico, C., & García-Herrero, M. (2021). Designing inclusive education for LGBTQ+ students: A conceptual framework. Educational Research Review, 34, 100412. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2021.100412

Sider, S. S., Chiu, H. K., & Schilling, J. (2023). Teaching case studies: Innovative strategies for engaging students in learning. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 43(2), 121-135. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2022.2118739