Research ethics in education

Ross Woods, 2018

Scope

These guidelines are intended for applied research projects in educational institutions, and supplement other research guidelines. These are typically teaching-learning approaches with real staff and students. Research participants may include:

• Students
• Instructors, teachers, and teaching assistants
• Administrative and support staff
• Parents and guardians of students.

Risk analysis

1. A risk analysis of the intended project is required.
2. Examples of risks include: disadvantage to participants, reputational damage to the educational institution, unforeseeable financial outlay.
3. The strategy should include mitigation and contingency strategies.

Permission

1. The leadership of an educational institution must first give written agreement for any project conducted in that institution. The leadership giving permission depends on the institution’s delegation of authority. (For example, it may be the Principal, the board, or the district superintendent.)
2. Participant agreement is not required if the program:
   1. is part of normal school activities,
   2. is within normal policy guidelines, and
   3. incurs no risk to participants.
3. It is normally good practice to inform participants.
4. Institutions may deem staff to agree to participation if it is part of their normal duties as an employee.

Disadvantage

1. Participants should not be disadvantaged through their roles as research participants.
2. For students, disadvantage may comprise any aspect in which students would achieve lower educational outcomes than participation in the normal or existing program. This includes poor performance in:
   1. Assessment results that affect students’ future prospects (e.g. poorer results in significant examinations, reduced access to further educational opportunities).
   2. Assessment results that affect the school’s standing.
   3. Non-assessed aspects of education (e.g. self-worth, extra curricular activities).
   4. Inequitable or stereotyped treatment.
3. For teaching and administrative staff, disadvantage may comprise:
   1. Unremunerated work,
   2. Personal financial outlay,
   3. Reduced career or educational prospects.
4. Researchers must demonstrate prima facie that the proposed research will be either of benefit to participants or at least not cause disadvantage.
5. The project plan should include a system of monitoring to identify signs of success and/or signs of causing disadvantage.
6. If instructors or teachers are used as research assistants, the researcher should provide sufficient training, monitoring, and support to prevent disadvantage.
7. If the project shows signs of causing disadvantage during implementation, the researcher should intervene to ensure that participants are not disadvantaged.
8. Normal adjustment difficulties of new programs are not necessarily signs of causing disadvantage.

Cf. also other sections in National Statement on Ethical Conduct in Human Research:
Section 1. Values and principles of ethical conduct
Section 2. Themes in research ethics: Risk and benefit, consent
Chapter 3.1 Qualitative methods
Chapter 4.2 Children and young people