Here is an ethical dilemma I would like to share with you guys to seek constructive feedback, thanks in advance:
A mother of one of my students came to me in tears and begged me that I pass her failing daughter in my course.
The mother said that she lost her husband in the war and that she is struggling to financially support her daughter.
I told the mother that my help to them is to give her daughter another chance to resit for the test and they thanked me.
The student did resit for the test, but when I came to score her answer sheet I discovered that she changed one of the question in her test paper with another that I did not ask! Additionally, her answer to the second question was not even close to English! She merely grouped letters to mock English! I wonder if she has been mocking me!
The mother was a real thorn in the ass doing the same with other professors. I don't know whether she was telling the truth about her difficult circumstances.
Your suggestions are much appreciated.
The ethical dilemma is the contradiction between two ethical things, one of which requires the violation of the other. The contradiction is likely to be resolved, including the negation of the original contradictions, the choice of the least harmful, alternative solutions and the realization of the theory of position ethics.
Obviously there's been terrible goings on in you country, and there must be endless trauma amongst the population generally. On the other hand, universities need to maintain certain standards regardless. I can see lowering standards a little in traumatic times. But not to the extent of this case. You need to gird yourself and do what you know is right. From here, that looks like you must fail her. Not nice, but correct.
Christopher NOCK
Doing the right thing in difficult circumstances, needs moral courage and strength; at times, it seems, like one is making unpopular decisions and no one is supporting, the person is alone (but it is ok). Not passing the girl in the exam (if resit is also unsuccessful) is right decision.
The ethical dilemma is the contradiction between two ethnic things, one of which requires the violation of the other.
Lovely interpretation from Muthana Makki Mohammedali. Thank you very much.
Christopher Nock , Yes, you are absolutely correct doctor. Though it wouldn't look nice and I'll have to grid for their reaction. Fateh Boutekkouk
, thanks, getting the committee in my department involved is a good option. Thanks, Nazia Asad .
The moral dilemma is the contradiction between two ethical things, one of which requires the violation of the other. It is possible to raise the contradiction of solutions, including negation of contradictions originally, choosing the least harmful order and finding alternative solutions.
The ethical dilemma is the contradiction between two ethical things, one of which requires the violation of the other. The contradiction is likely to be resolved, including the negation of the original contradictions, the choice of the least harmful, alternative solutions and the realization of the theory of position ethics.
The ethical dilemma is the contradiction between two ethical things, one of which requires the violation of the other. The contradiction is likely to be resolved, including the negation of the original contradictions, the choice of the least harmful, alternative solutions and the realization of the theory of position ethics.
I think 5here is no dilemma- sich a student should fail. Do you get excused at your work if you are facing any personal difficulties??? It hsppened to me that a student came in with a "sad story of his life" and I helped him...and after a few days I overheard him talking to some friends about his success with the story...
Mirna Leko-Šimić , thanks. It is my conviction that a teacher's responsibility is to evaluate students based solely on their academic achievement. If they have difficult social circumstances then it is the social worker who should give them a hand, if they have a health issue it is the doctor who should provide assistance.
My setting is a traumatized one, as Christopher Nock has correctly pointed out.
This entitles academics who are responsible and who believe in the value of their mission to be prepared for a possible confrontation with the student or her parent, and this is where the risk lays (for an academic in my setting). I'm pretty sure that similar situations happen everywhere around the world but to different degrees as you have mentioned in your story with the student.
Students with social problems, as well as those with other disabilities, deserve the help to get the same opportunity to acquire knowledge, but have no right to a lower rating criterion in evaluating of their learning outcomes.
Mirna Leko-Šimić
RE: a student came in with a "sad story of his life" and I helped him...and after a few days I overheard him talking to some friends about his success with the story...
Reminds me of a student who asked for special treatment because his grandfather had just died — for the second time that year, as I learned from another instructor. I said okay, provided you submit a copy of the obituary with your late assignment. End of story.
There can also be a problem with other instructors and academic schools and programs. Many of my undergraduate students were in other programs or professional schools which required them to take some outside electives, such as my course in philosophy. Some of the instructors in their programs just assumed that their demands should take precedence even when those demands were announced at a late date and the students couldn't realistically be expected to satisfy the competing demands on time. Some of those instructors even expected the students to skip my class in order to work on what they had assigned. It's much harder to take a moral stand against one's peers.
Suppose you have a friend working in a factory and decided to leave the factory without telling the manager. If he is leaving the factory, the factory will be bunkrupt . In this case you are in trouble whether you can tell the manager as a consequence you will lose your friend or you will shut up and you will betrayed the honesty
Ethical dilemmas are in medical profession also . Patients admitted due to family insisting for admission just to satisfy the family.
Some time one family member insists discharge from hospital while other members don't want .
Another interesting things have happened with male gynaecologist husband on outside labour room threatening to kill if you touch my wife and you have to treat her also
The passing of exams without deserving it is not an option to let go through. However, assistance in cases where students dont understand can be done via electives or some particular training so time is not wasted. Perhaps checking the status of the family's circumstances is good as well as faking is possible and happens often. It needs to be treated with caution and concern. But its known that after all there is no free lunch and some effort must be given to justify actions. Rules need to be followed and some fail and many do follow.
What on earth is an "elective"? What language is that? It certainly isn't English...as far as I know....
NOCK
Christopher Nock RE: What on earth is an "elective"? What language is that? It certainly isn't English...as far as I know....
It is standard terminology that was already long in use in university catalogs when I was an undergraduate back in the 1960s. I quote from dictionary•com :
Elective:
adjective, open to choice; optional; not required: an elective subject in college....
noun, an optional study; a course that a student may select from among alternatives.
it seems to be a "technical" problem so to say rather than an ethical dilemma. Basically it is important to learn what is the situation here. It is possible, that the student is dyslexic or has other problem of similar nature, and it can be additionally difficult if English is not the first language of the student.
There is a possibility that the student hadn't been diagnosed properly up until this point. I'm dyslexic, in my time in school I occasionally answered different questions, or mathematical problems, than I was asked, just because I misread them. From personal experience, how bad I am at writing and reading depends on a day and hows stressed I am. Anxiety can be a factor in student's ability to answer questions as well. In that case maybe it would be good to allow student to answer the test orally. It may also be advised to direct the student to the professional.
On the other hand if the student and her mother are lying I don't see an issue in failing the student.
Joanna Dutka My university had a Disabilities Services unit with which students could register upon starting university. Students with certified disabilities (including anxiety disorders) would receive special accommodation which could take the form of extra time for exams & tests, exams & tests taken in a solitary setting, extended deadlines, oral tests for blind or paralysed students, special equipment, etc. Moreover, the university also arranged for students in the same class to be volunteer note-takers for some disabled students. Most of what you call "technical problems" would have been foreclosed.
Dear Joanna Dutka and Karl Pfeifer , What you are saying about students' disabilities care is very interesting as in my setting such problems are unfortunately overlooked. Thank you for bringing this in.
I wonder if dyslexia, when present, is reflected in the student's mother tongue in addition to the foreign language she is supposed to be learning. In our setting Arabic is the mother tongue, English is a foreign one.
However, Joanna, when a student Crosses out the teacher's question and writes another question in its place this is not dyslexic, is it?! I call that an immoral act of academic dishonesty that disregards my offer to let her resit for the test. And this is painful.
Thank you again.
Prof Mohammedali: You were more than being considerate and accommodating to give the student a second chance. Apparently the student abused the second chance by resorting to less than honest means. At this point the student does not deserve any reconsideration and if she has failed, she has failed. If the student has a documented disability she should have brought the documentation to the teacher when the course started. This is how it works in the USA where instructors require written documentation from a Special Services Unit of the University (now called Accessibility Resources Department) attesting to the student's accommodations needed.
I have come across a few cases myself during my teaching life. There are a few who from day 1 start showing up with excuses why they did not do their homework or why they deserve special consideration. Although I hear each case individually over the years I have grown a thick skin and follow exactly what the printed syllabus says with very few exceptions (example, a valid excuse note from a doctor or from the Accessibility Center of the University prior to the start of the semester).
Dear Dr.Mohammedali,
I am sure you know more on the complexity of the socio-economical and political environment of your surroundings than me. Having come across people (not to mention women) that were in extremely precarious situations (that don't necessarily show), I realized we are all acting like social workers at times (for myself included). I trust that you will find a creative way to deal with that issue without having to lower any standards. There are other possibilities (that we don't know) besides growing a numerous amount of offices related to all the respective problems (which seems to foster more of these problems on the long run). Let's be creative and use everybody's strenghts!
Best regards!
Isabelle
Professor Muthana Makki Mohammedali if the student crossed out the question and wrote another question that's not dyslexia. However if it's a conscious attempt to cheat, it is very poorly though out. It is possible that student has some problem and should be sent to a psychologist, even if they shouldn't be allowed to pass. You've mentioned that your colleagues have similar experiences with this student and her mother, so perhaps it would be good to discuss the issue together and take coordinated action.
Dyslexia manifest itself differently when the person writes or reads in different language, but it depends on the individual. I personally struggle less when I write in English, which is my second language, than in my first language.
Professor Karl Pfeifer my university has Disability Services as well, unfortunately students as well as many teachers don't know that such services are available and what exactly they do. And if the student is diagnosed, or completely unaware of their disability, they won't even know they could and should seek help there.
The student came to me today asking about her score for her resit test. I told her that I am very annoyed at her conduct of crossing out one question and that I am disappointed at the ingratitude she has met me with.
She denied that she crossed out the question on her own and claimed that during the test she asked me to change the question for her and I did.
Of course that was a lie so I unregretfully failed her. I feel sick!
Isabelle Faubert , trauma is a very serious issue especially when individuals experience it for years and years..I mean both on the part of the students and the teachers. It is considerate of you to mention creativity and helping the student without lowering the standards. However, not every student is willing to really acquire knowledge. Many are after the certificate so that they can find a job and get paid for something they do not know! I would say that teachers who have to deal with such students are themselves traumatized by them!
Dear M.Mohammedali,
I feel the pain and I raise my hat to your efforts.
Isabelle
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Philosophy
- Ethics