Educating for the Future and for Life : A Case Study of Ethical Considerations in Promoting the Use of Digital Technologies in Teaching and Learning in Finnish Basic Education
Jantunen, Anita (2019)
Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu
2019
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201902092158
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201902092158
Tiivistelmä
The purpose of this study was to examine the implementation of digitalisation in Finnish basic education by defining the ethical questions and considerations faced by different actors of a local ICT project. As the research topic was rather new, interview questions and themes were selected to reveal basic ethical considerations: motives, purposes, duties, norms, values and principles.
This study was implemented as a case study. The interviews were implemented in two different parts and analysed in two phases. First phase was about identifying the ethical themes by interviewing four local municipality coordinators to explore the ethical challenges and questions faced while implementing a digitalisation project in ten municipalities located around Helsinki metropolitan area. The second phase was a cross section, a collection of perspectives from different levels of basic education. In the second phase the total of four interviews were arranged as theme interviews.Collected qualitative data was analysed using content analysis methods.
Based on the results good starting points were established for the ethical debate brought about by digital technologies in the field of basic education. Values seem to affect decision making strongly and equality and equity were mentioned as the most important values. The attitude towards digital technologies was mainly positive as another pedagogical tool, but the idea of ICT as an object of learning didn’t receive support. The interviewees agreed that commercialism is increasing in education, but did not see that as a major concern. Special attention should be paid to increase understanding between everyday school work and administrative decision-making. In addition, cooperations between schools and private companies require research for the future purposes.
This study was implemented as a case study. The interviews were implemented in two different parts and analysed in two phases. First phase was about identifying the ethical themes by interviewing four local municipality coordinators to explore the ethical challenges and questions faced while implementing a digitalisation project in ten municipalities located around Helsinki metropolitan area. The second phase was a cross section, a collection of perspectives from different levels of basic education. In the second phase the total of four interviews were arranged as theme interviews.Collected qualitative data was analysed using content analysis methods.
Based on the results good starting points were established for the ethical debate brought about by digital technologies in the field of basic education. Values seem to affect decision making strongly and equality and equity were mentioned as the most important values. The attitude towards digital technologies was mainly positive as another pedagogical tool, but the idea of ICT as an object of learning didn’t receive support. The interviewees agreed that commercialism is increasing in education, but did not see that as a major concern. Special attention should be paid to increase understanding between everyday school work and administrative decision-making. In addition, cooperations between schools and private companies require research for the future purposes.