Report
Teaser, summary, work performed and final results
Periodic Reporting for period 1 - DISCOVERING (Interdisciplinary Model of Schooling: Exploring Ethical Culture in International Science Assessments)
Teaser
The primary objective of this study, DISCOVERING, in the first period was to explore the common SEC (School Ethical Culture) aspects in the TIMSS 2015 science assessments, by considering two main approaches: one concentrates on different ethical perceptions that are rooted in...
Summary
The primary objective of this study, DISCOVERING, in the first period was to explore the common SEC (School Ethical Culture) aspects in the TIMSS 2015 science assessments, by considering two main approaches: one concentrates on different ethical perceptions that are rooted in a country\'s culture and norms; and the other concentrates on globalization through similarities in moral attitudes and behavior across countries
• Based on analyzing codes of ethics, my project provides a broad view of shared \'School Ethical Culture\' (SEC) across countries. It generated the common meaning of ethical culture in schools, based on teachers\' multi- interactions with colleagues, students, parents, community, and law and regulations. This analysis provides knowledge about what characterizes schools with EC, a perspective that has not been investigated, despite widespread recognition of the importance of ethics in an organizational context.
• Based on analyzing TIMSS questionnaires, we found additional meanings, by extracting shared SEC among the participating countries in teachers\' questionnaires. We will continue analyzing the principals\' and students\' questionnaires, trying to find whether this tendency also appears in these questionnaires.
• The findings may encourage the development of a \'school ethical culture\' measure and the promotion of teachers\' continuing professional development programs that focus on the study dimensions that lead to development of ethical culture in schools.
Work performed
Based on analyzing codes of ethics, we found the following dimensions of SEC: \'caring for the students\', \'teachers\' profession\', \'teachers\' collegial relationships\', \'parental involvement\', \'community involvement\' and \'respecting rules and regulations\'.
Based on analyzing TIMSS questionnaires, we found the following dimensions of SEC: teachers\' profession, caring for learning, interaction with colleagues, and respecting rules.
The dimensions between the 2 sources of data were found to be similar, which may promote the justification of the project approach.
Final results
• The findings may encourage development of a \'school ethical culture\' measure and the promotion of teachers\' continuing professional development programs that focus on the study dimensions, leading to the development of ethical culture in schools.
• The findings will help to facilitate equity-oriented ethical policies in Europe, by considering a variety of ethical aspects, leading to narrowing gaps among students, promoting social justice, and increasing learning opportunities. The result would thereby encourage academic excellence among students and countries. In addition, the project will allow for networking with scholars interested in ethics from an international perspective, including European countries. Thus, the DISCOVERING project may help researchers and practitioners of education rethink existing educational policy by focusing on promoting and developing a code of ethics and the encouragement of just and equal societies in Europe.
Website & more info
More info: http://education.biu.ac.il/en/node/687.