1. Introducing an Ethical Grid Kris Stutchbury kris.stutchbury@open.ac.uk
An Approach to Ethics
Introducing an Ethical Grid
Kris Stutchbury

2. Activity Read the account of a science teacher’s MEd project
Identify the main ethical issues
How did you approach the issue?

3. What does the literature say?
Ethics can be a difficult issue
Ethical issues will emerge over time
Lists of principles and guidelines are not enough
BUT……….
Lack of coherence
How can you be sure you have thought of everything?
Institutional requirements can be onerous

4. Seedhouse’s Ethical Grid
Provides a way of thinking about a situation that is structured, coherent and recoverable.
Based on Moral Theory
Consists of layers
Designed to be used in Healthcare – but has potential as a tool to be used beyond that.

5. External Considerations
Consequential Layer
Duties + Motives
Individuals

6. An alternative view of the grid…………….
Core
Rationale
Deontological layer
Consequential layer
External Considerations

7. External Considerations
Codes of practice
Risks
The law
Use of resources
Effectiveness and efficiency of action
The degree of certainty of the evidence on which action is taken

8. Consequentialist Layer
Consequences of the research for:
oneself
the individual
a particular group of individuals
society

9. Duties + Motives (Intentions)
Tell the truth
Minimise harm
Keep promises
Do most positive good

10. Concern for Individuals
Respect the needs of individuals
Respect Autonomy
Respect persons equally
Create autonomy?
The Ethic of Trust?

11. Flinders Utilitarian Relational Ecological informed consent
Deontological
Relational
Ecological
Recruitment
informed
consent
reciprocity
collaboration
cultural sensitivity
Fieldwork
avoidance of harm
avoidance of wrong
avoidance of imposition
avoidance of detachment
Reporting
confidentiality
fairness
confirmation
responsive communication

12. A quote from Seedhouse……
‘The Ethical Grid is a tool, and nothing more than that. Like a hammer or screwdriver used competently, it can make certain tasks easier, but it cannot direct the tasks, nor can it help decide which tasks are the most important. The Grid can enhance deliberation- it can throw light into unseen corners and can suggest new avenues of thought – but it is not a substitute for personal judgement’ (p209)

13. Advantages
Provides structure and coherence in a field in which it is lacking
Based on Moral theory
Can be used over time at different points in the research
Seems to embrace many of the ideas described elsewhere

14. Reference
Stutchbury, Kris and Fox, Alison(2009) 'Ethics in educational research: introducing a methodological tool for effective ethical analysis', Cambridge Journal of Education, 39: 4, 489 — 504