Understanding Educational Ethics

Situations of ethics are encountered by teachers, education leaders, and policymakers regularly,  but a true definition of "educational ethics" is difficult to pin down.

While theories both broad and specific are common, "we don't really have a good midrange theory of educational ethics," admits Professor Meira Levinson, co-editor, with Jacob Fay, of the new Harvard Education Press title, Dilemmas of Educational Ethics: Cases and Commentaries — a book she hopes will help fill that void.

By highlighting six case studies ranging in scope, Levinson and Fay offer a glimpse into the complex decision-making process many educators must face in order to resolve a variety of commonly encountered issues. The hope, says Levinson, is that these examples — as well as the included written responses by leading practitioners, policymakers, and philosophers — will aid educators in handling ethical dilemmas as they are encountered in their own daily lives.

In this edition of the EdCast, Levinson speaks about the book and the cases that inspired it, and looks at challenging questions of ethics, justice, and equity in education practice and policy.

About the Harvard EdCast

The Harvard EdCast is a weekly series of podcasts, available on the Harvard University iTunes U page, that features a 15-20 minute conversation with thought leaders in the field of education from across the country and around the world. Hosted by Matt Weber, the Harvard EdCast is a space for educational discourse and openness, focusing on the myriad issues and current events related to the field.