Question

Midway through a particular semester the university is forced to change how learning content is delivered. In order to comply with health and related legal requirements, continued instructional delivery must be modified to a “distance learning” format.

• Given the dramatic changes to each student’s lived experience is it ethical to continue instruction (considering students varied expectations for instructional delivery)? Why?

• Is it ethical to hold all the students to the same grade (think compensation) standards? What is the process you have used to reach this decision?

• Should the standards be adjusted from the originally established criteria, or / and the compensation reward (grades) be modified? What is the process you have used to reach this decision?

• If compensation rewards should be adjusted, what considerations for an ethically fair structure should be used? Should compensation for resilience be considered – if so, how? What is the process you have used to reach this decision?

• What are the consequences of the decisions you have recommended?

Answer 1

Given the dramatic changes to each student’s lived experience is it ethical to continue instruction (considering students varied expectations for instructional delivery)? Why?

It is true that changing the delivery of the course from the earlier system to a distance education format does change the student's experience drastically and may or may not match up to their expectations. But it must be remembered that this is a forced change in order to comply with changing standards in health and legal requirements. It is safe to assume that the earlier method of delivery was within the legal/health frameworks and a change to those frameworks has necessitated the change in delivery method. The effort in principle is stll to ensure the closest possible experience to the earlier situation and hence is within the boundaries of ethics. Expectations being set and reset are fallouts and consequences, and may possibly lead to discomfort, but the matter is of education and one is better of with a lesser than expected quantity rather than none at all

Is it ethical to hold all the students to the same grade (think compensation) standards? What is the process you have used to reach this decision?

In the event of such a change being mandated by external factors, the expectation of learning outcomes would also change, both from the perspective of the student and also from the perspective of the university administration. It is possible that the change in experience may reduce the effectiveness and perhaps bring down the quality of overall learning. However, the student is not to blame for this and hence to penalize them through lower grades would probably not be ethical. It is only fair that the grading system be adequately changed to account for the change in delivery method.

Should the standards be adjusted from the originally established criteria, or / and the compensation reward (grades) be modified? What is the process you have used to reach this decision?

Given that the factors contributing to the change of delivery were entirely external (legal and health related frameworks and requirements changed) care must be taken to ensure minimum disruption in the quality of education that the student undergoes. This also means that it would be unfair to hold the student to the standards set in the previous delivery system. If it is felt that the effectiveness of teaching is down from the previous arrangement then it is fair to ensure that the criteria for grades/rewards etc. be changed adequately to reflect this. The process used here is a somple root cause understanding of the issue

What are the consequences of the decisions you have recommended?

An important consequence of these decisions is that the fundamental reason for going to a University for any student, which is learning, does not stop. The delivery method and effectiveness may vary but the reason to exist continues, thus ensuring that both the student and the University benefit as stakeholders of the system nd continue to survive for now and possibly thrive in the future.

A change in the grading system or rewards system is also a possible consequence. It would be significant because it may mean that these performances cannot be compared to previous performances under a different delivery system, but the change is important because it will allow the students of the future to be judged fairly on performance given the relative strength of the input delivery mechanism.