The Research and Teaching Professional
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS SERIES
- An Introduction to the Ethics of the Research and Teaching Profession
- An Introduction to the Ethics of the Medical Profession
- An Introduction to Business Ethics
- An Introduction to the Ethics of the Judicial Profession
- An Introduction to the Ethics of Politics and Governance
- An Introduction to the Ethics of Entertainment
- An Introduction to Social Media Ethics
- An Introduction to Christian Work Ethics
- An Introduction to Environmental Ethics.
- An Introduction to the Ethics of Non-Material Persons.
Series One
An Introduction to
The Ethics of the Research and Teaching Profession
Clarification of Concepts:
Profession: Paid Work/Job/Occupation. It goes with the declaration (professing) of a Skill, Talent, and Knowledge. It can also mean a skilled professional who has contributed essentially to his/her field of interest (Professor). It consumes time, physical and mental energy. It involves the corroboration (verification) and collaboration (team work) of other professionals.
Teaching: The act of imparting knowledge and skills from a professional to a learner. Here we are emphasizing a professional teacher and the pupil, student, or apprentice.
Ethics: An aspect of the Philosophy of Value (Axiology). It is the science that studies the principles of good and bad actions of persons (humans, saints/ancestors, angels/demons, gods, God). This gave birth to ethical principles like Plato’s Virtue Ethics, Aristotle’s Golden Mean, Utilitarianism, Kant’s Duty Ethics, Rawls’ Justice as Fairness, Altruism, Fletcher’s Situation Ethics, Christian Ethics, Feminist Ethics, etc. Ethics presupposes freewill, rationality, and conscience.
Ethics of the Research and Teaching Profession: It is the study of the moral principles governing the imparting of knowledge and skills from the teacher to the pupil, student, or apprentice based on the process called education.
EDUCATION:
The word “education” is from the Latin words:
- “educare”, meaning to nourish, rear, or train.
- “educere”, meaning to bring or draw out.
- “educo”, meaning to extract or lead forth.
Thus, education is the process whereby the teacher nourishes or trains the talents and gifts exhibited or found in the learner (pupil, student, and apprentice). The burden and obligation of education lies on the parents and the primary and secondary school teachers (in government or private schools). Tertiary education teachers or lecturers are to build on the gifts and talents of the student already nourished and trained at the lower levels.
ETHICAL ISSUES:
Ethics studies good or bad human actions. Bad human actions comes under the broader view of The Magnetism of Evil, which rears its head in the teaching profession in the following ways: (a) The neglect of one’s responsibility or duty which is a denial of the rights of others, (b) Moral vices, bad habits, and weaknesses, (c) the negation of reason (logic and critical thinking) and (d) the negation of the Law of Balance: grace/nature, man/woman, order/liberty, obedience/human dignity.
- The Vocation of the Teacher: The teacher MUST have a natural passion and disposition for the teaching profession. Is teaching, lecturing and researching what you enjoy doing passionately and effortlessly? How much of retraining have you received since you graduated from the tertiary institution? Will you give up teaching easily for another profession?
- The qualification of the Teacher: Are you adequately qualified for the teaching profession? Did you earn your degree, or you “bought” it?
- Adequate Knowledge: How suitable is the knowledge you give to your pupils, students, and apprentices? Is your knowledge up to date? Is your knowledge projecting into the future deduced from the past to the present?
- Deducing The Gifts and Talents of Learners: Do we or our educational institution have the skills to help learners deduce their gifts and talents?
- Awarding of Marks and Grades: Marks and grades should be earned and deserved by learners through diligence, hard work, and a transparent process of test and examinations. No learner should have undue advantage over other learners in the process of tests and examinations, and in the marking and grading of scripts. Avoid all forms of examination malpractices.
- Sexual Harassment: Some learners will have a crush on their teachers. Some may even be obsessed with their teachers. It is prohibited by law for a teacher to sexually harass a learner or to have a carnal knowledge of a learner. This is because of the difference in the power structure between them. The teacher is the superior, while the learner is the subordinate irrespective of age.
- Remuneration: No amount of salary or pay will be enough for a professional in the teaching profession. Thus, a living wage is recommended within the available resources. However, each teacher should earn his or her salary by keeping to the work description and ethics.
- Extra Curriculum Activities: The teacher can engage in extra lessons or lectures for a pay. He/she can also write and publish books and engage in other social services for some extra pay. These activities should be done with dignity for the profession.
CONCLUSION:
Our work defines us. So, work with passion. Always remember that the teaching profession is of inestimable value because it is the bedrock of all other professions. Take pride in it, and find joy and fulfillment in the successes of the learners who passed through you, and in the corroboration and collaboration of other professionals. Grow and updating yourself intellectually, and live a life of virtue.
Sylvester Idemudia Odia, PhD
(Associate Professor of Epistemology & Philosophy of Culture, University of Benin, Nigeria.)
CEO, Epistemic Concept.
4th September 2024.