Ethical behavior is based on the fact that human behavior impacts the welfare of others. People have the potential to increase or decrease the quality of other people’s lives. Besides, in most instances, people understand the results of their actions and how these actions will affect others. Therefore, ethical behavior is key to the harmonious interaction between people. Ethical behavior, diversity, and civil discourse have a serious impact on the educational sector. With various stakeholders in the sector, including researchers and practitioners, from differentiated personal, professional, philosophical, political, and religious backgrounds interacting, they are expected to have varied points of view when it comes to the analysis of ethical and cultural pluralism (Paul & Elder, 2013). If people in such a group lack high levels of tolerance and understanding, civil discourse will be interrupted.
Overview
Learning institutions are made up of people from diverse and differentiated backgrounds, having different practices and perspective on common occurrences. While diversity presents an opportunity for teachers and students to learn more about other cultures, languages, and experiences, it also poses various challenges, which might affect smooth operations in the education sector. Challenges such as disparity in academic achievement, racial discrimination, gender inequalities, and sex discrimination, among others, affect the interaction and perception of individuals (Gay, 1994). Therefore, one of the primary objectives of education, which is to improve civil discourse and facilitate a safe environment for debate and personal growth, might not be achieved effectively. Therefore, to address the challenges of diversity in schools and improve classroom discourse, ethical reasoning is essential. People must be able to think through ethical issues by identifying ethical principles that are relevant to the specific ethical situation. However, due to the complexity of ethical reasoning, many people lack information about the primary ethical concepts that are key to addressing ethical issues. Furthermore, the difficulty in distinguishing between ethical principles and other domains such as norms and religious practices results in flawed reasoning among many people.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
Diversity Issue Related to Education
Diversity in schools is based on cultural characteristics and social problems. In the United States, people considered to be diverse come from all groups that are different in any way from mainstream Americans. The United States is an extremely culturally diverse country, with multiple social stratification and races. The diversity of race, culture, ethnicity, social class, religion, and languages, have a serious impact on interpersonal interaction and community structure. Although learning institutions are widely dominated by Anglo-centric and middle-class cultural values, the separation in terms of race, ethnicity, and social class are still evident (Gay, 1994). The educational field incorporates people from different professional, philosophical, and political backgrounds. As a result, the view on various beliefs, practices, and norms vary. Therefore, people tend to live in relative isolation away from socially, culturally, and racially diverse. However, multicultural education is being spearheaded to address the negative effects of diversity in a learning environment and facilitate equal opportunity for every student to achieve academic success (Gay, 1994). Elements of education, including rules, curriculum, organizational structure, governance policies, and instructional materials, are being aligned to reflect cultural pluralism.
Ethical Behavior Issue in Education
Most instances confronted by teachers and other educational stakeholders require ethical decision-making. In such cases, teachers may be required to make decisions based on personal beliefs, professional codes, or moral values, when addressing ethical issues (Paul & Elder, 2013). Depending on the situation, a teacher, for example, will understand and respond to the ethical dilemma differently, with varying levels of ethical sensitivity. While some will make ethical decisions based on personal ethics and life experiences, others will strictly follow social and institutional practices and guidelines. Despite many different perspectives by students or fellow staff members as a result of ethnic and cultural differences, individuals in learning institutions base most of the decision on ethical standards as prescribed by institutional policies, and personal experience.
Civil Discourse Issue in Education
In society, only a few individuals can remain composed and civil when exercising their freedom of expression. There are many contradicting opinions and views on different issues that result in debates as people try to put forward their arguments. However, instead of civil debates, people tend to use inflammatory language and personal attacks in an attempt to win debates (Mathur & Corley, 2014; Yerrick & Roth, 2004). Learning institutions have the responsibility of teaching students on how to conduct healthy and invigorating arguments. Schools are the first places where these students encounter unfamiliar beliefs, practices and perspectives due to diversity. A student should be able to engage in challenging conversions instead of avoiding them. Classrooms are places for these learners to practice civil discourse.
The level of diversity among the United States workforce continues to rise. Students are expected to learn the cultural knowledge and respect for individuals and locations. In addition, reflection and communication skills, critical thinking, and empathy are crucial in ensuring that a safe, equitable, and productive working environment is maintained. Therefore, educational institutions have the responsibility of teaching students tolerance and understanding of other cultures. These skills can be instilled in students through civil discourse resources, exploration of the curriculum, and promoting collaboration in various school programs and activities.
Literature Review
Ethical Reasoning
Skilled ethical thinking requires an understanding of the primary ethical principles. When faced by an ethical issue, a person should be able to identify the ethical principles that are relevant to that particular situation. In addition, one should garner the skill of employ the skills once identified in those situations. The main ethical concepts include honesty, justice, integrity, equality, and respect (Paul & Elder, 2013; Ezzani, 2014). While these concepts should be the primary guide in any ethical case, some cases are complex and demand a counter-argument with oneself to assess the issue from a different point of view. Therefore, other concepts such as putting an end to unnecessary suffering, become relevant. These concepts and principles also apply to the education sector (Paul & Elder, 2013). When addressing any ethical issue in school or any other educational forum, these concepts, particularly honesty, and integrity, are key. For instance, if a student is caught stealing exams, he will be violating the principle of honesty, which is not only part of most learning institution, but also a universal ethical principle.
Aside from mastering the primary concepts and principles relevant to ethical issues, a person should be able to differentiate between ethics and other issues related to social conventions, religion, and law (Ezzani, 2014). Different cultures have their social convention and laws. However, not every law and norms in society are ethical. Therefore, as an instructor in the learning institution, one should be able to distinguish between cultural practices and laws and employ them in addressing the ethical issue. Furthermore, the understanding of people’s tendency to be selfish will help researchers and other professionals in the sector make selfless and unbiased ethical decisions.
Teachers and leaders in the education sector must have cultural proficiency. Cultural proficiency is the ability to understand and effectively relate to people from other cultural backgrounds. A cultural-proficient leader should assess culture and understand how institutional and personal policies affect them. Also, such a leader values diversity and has multiple strategies to manage ethical issues.
Promotion of Classroom Discourse
Challenges as a result of diversity, such as language barrier and racism, can be addressed to promote a better classroom environment that facilitates better interactions among students, and teachers alike. In most cases, primary subjects in class are being thought in English, which means that non-English speaking students will struggle to communicate or understand the concepts being presented (Mathur & Coley, 2014). In addition to classwork, classroom discourse can be used to challenge the existing status quo; initiating classroom discussion about social issues and confronting moral issues and inequalities will promote tolerance and understanding of beliefs and cultural practices across the various ethnic and cultural background. The application of case analysis framework to generate debate about decision making in the classroom will present these groups of students with an opportunity to explore alternative possibilities. Such cases will improve student’s sensitivity to issues and objectivity in ethical arguments and decision-making.
Multicultural Education
Multicultural education relies on the cultural traits of diverse groups or stratification based on social problems, including political power, social classes. A school program that promotes cultural pluralism is considered to be the best solution for addressing diversity in schools (Gay, 1994). Multicultural education shows respect for cultural diversity through institutional philosophies and policies. Actions taken to adopt multicultural education reflect race, language, ethnicity, habits, and practices and customs of ethnic groups.
In the United States, multicultural education should become a regular part of education programs due to three reasons: the nature of the U.S. society, the contribution of cultural diversity on human growth and development, and improved learning experience (Gay, 1994). The United States society is made up of multiple groups coming from the different cultural, ethnic, racial, and social background. Learning institutions also possess similar demography as American society. Therefore, there is a need to promote cultural plurality in these institutions and ensure that every person, irrespective of their background, has equal opportunity to achieve academic success. The use of multicultural education model also promotes growth. Due to the equal opportunity for everyone, any person is able to gain an academic qualification and help oneself and the U.S economy as well. The multicultural education system, in the long-run, will help reduce the huge disparities in terms of wealth between various ethnic groups in the country. Finally, multicultural education improves the learning experience through exposure to different cultural practices, perspective, and life experience. The interactions in school will ensure that these students understand and become tolerant of various cultural practices that would have otherwise bored you. Such people can become participants in civil discourse more successfully.
Conclusion
The United States’ education is a culturally diverse system. Learning institutions are made up of people coming from different cultural backgrounds, with various distinguishing factors such as language, social class, and cultural beliefs. Due to diversity, people are required to adopt ethical reasoning to enhance better interactions and prevent conflict. Ethical behavior ensures that a person’s culture is understood and respected. Diversity in institutions demands the adoption of cultural pluralism in this culture. At no time should an institution adopt policies that have its political and legal guideline. Instead, cultural diversity should be presented with various elements of the institutions, including curricula, policies, organizational structure, and institutional programs. The prevention of the negative challenges arising from diversity and optimizing on its positive attributes will contribute to the development of classroom and civil discourse. Other than that, by promoting tolerance among students, they will be able to perform better in a work environment that is broadly diverse. The promotion of civil discourse in classrooms promotes a better interaction. With multicultural education, challenges as a result of diversity will promote classroom and civil discourse.
References
Paul, R., & Elder, L. (2013). Critical thinking: Tools for taking charge of your professional and personal life . Pearson Education.
Yerrick, R. K., & Roth, W. M. (Eds.). (2004). Establishing scientific classroom discourse communities: Multiple voices of teaching and learning research . Routledge.
Gay, G. (1994). A Synthesis of Scholarship in Multicultural Education. Urban Monograph Series.
Morris, L. V. (2016). Collective Action for Civil Discourse. Innovative Higher Education , 41 (5), 361-363.
Mathur, S. R., & Corley, K. M. (2014). Bringing Ethics into the Classroom: Making a Case for Frameworks, Multiple Perspectives and Narrative Sharing. International Education Studies , 7 (9), 136-147.
Ezzani, M. (2014). Ethical Leadership: A Texas School District's Efforts toward Cultural Proficiency. Values and Ethics in Educational Administration , 11 (1), n1.
