Assessing

Student

Learning: A

Source of

Ethical Concern

for Higher

Education

Teachers

Luc Desautels (Cégep régional de Lanaudière à

L’Assomption), Christiane Gohier (Université du

Québec à Montréal), France Jutras (Université de

Sherbrooke) and Philippe Chaubet (Université du

Québec à Montréal)

5th AHE Conference

June 2015

Main

Topic

s

Assessment, a fertile

ground for teacher’s

ethical concernsLiterature review

highlights Ways to understand and deal with these ethical issues Conclusion

Ass

ess

ment,

a f

ert

ile g

round f

or

teach

er’

s eth

ical c

once

rns

Ass

ess

ment,

a f

ert

ile g

round f

or

teach

er’

s eth

ical c

once

rns Similar cases in our two

latest researches conducted with High

Education teachers (SSHRC

2006-2009 & 2010-2013)Well attested in other

studies elsewhere (Green,

Johnson, Kim & Pope, 2007; Pope, Green,

Johnson & Mitchell, 2009; Boon, 2011)

Lite

ratu

re r

evi

ew

hig

hlig

hts

One of the most difficult teaching situations (Grisé & Trottier,

2002; Jeffrey, 2013)With serious consequences on students’ future (Jeffrey,

2012; Gosselin, 2010; Howe et

Ménard, 1993; Louis, 1999)

Lite

ratu

re r

evi

ew

hig

hlig

hts

An ethical responsibility (William Hill &

Zinsmeister, 2011)Where professional judgement is needed,

and not solely a «good

practices» reservoir

(Green and coll., 2007; Tirri, 2010)

Lite

ratu

re r

evi

ew

hig

hlig

hts

Alertness against possible biases

(Jeffrey, 2012, 2013; Durand &

Chouinard, 2012; Louis, 1999,

William Hill & Zinsmeister,

2011; Boon, 2011; Pope and

coll., 2009; Green and coll.,

2007)Grades should represent

learners’ attained levels

of academic achievement and nothing else (Sadler, 2010)

Lite

ratu

re r

evi

ew

hig

hlig

hts

A standardized practice (CREPUQ, 1996; Louis,

1999; Suskie, 2004; Gosselin, 2010;

CEEC, 2012; Barlow, 2003; Leroux &

Bigras, 2003; Oerman & Gaberson,

2009; Prairat, 2012) On the basis of the

International Bill of Human Rights (UN, 1948)

and the Convention on

the Rights of the Child

(UN, 1989)

Lite

ratu

re r

evi

ew

hig

hlig

hts

An educative action (De

Ruyter & Kole, 2010; Legault, 2011;

Giroux, 2009; Desautels, 2005; Barlow,

2003)Assessment consist in

a two fold action:  to

judge and to reckon

the value (De Peretti, Boniface &

Legrand, 2005)

Ways

to u

nders

tand

and d

eal w

ith t

hese

eth

ical i

ssues

Adopting common guidelinesDeveloping professional judgment

Fostering peer ethical

deliberationShapira-Lishchinsky, 2010; Tirri, 2010; De

Ruyter & Kole, 2010; Green and coll., 2007;

William Hill & Zinsmeister, 2011; Strike,

1990; Moreau, 2009; Boon, 2011

Com

mon

guid

elin

es

Justice and fairness, the key stones

Institutional norms

Profe

ssio

nal

judgm

ent

deve

lopm

ent

Profe

ssio

nal

judgm

ent

deve

lopm

ent

Formal and informal training opportunities

Case studies, a highly

recommended mean

Peer

eth

ical

delib

era

tion

Legault

(1999)

Peer

eth

ical

delib

era

tion

( Le

gault

, 1999)

Phase I: Share the details of the situation

Phase II: Clarify the conflicting values

implied in the situationPhase III: Make an ethical decision using

rational resolution of the conflict

of values in the situationPhase IV: Establish a real dialogue with the

people involved in the situation

Concl

usi

on

Combining disciplinary

expertise and pedagogical expertise,

build on the results of

educational research

and Favor discussion between professionals

in higher education.

Ack

now

ledgem

ents Social Sciences and Humanities

Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)

Ministère de l’Éducation, de

l’Enseignement supérieur et de la

Recherche du Québec

Cégep régional de Lanaudière à

L’Assomption (CRLA) Mélanie Grenier, Françoise Doré and

Vincent Beaucher, research assistants

Jacques Joly (U de S) and Jean Gabin

Ntebutse (U de S), associated

researchers