Digital Learning

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Ethics are values that guide and govern the teaching practice. The education council governs all teachers with a set of guidelines, which guide, guard promote uniformity of values and law to prevail across teaching practice.

In the day of democracy, digitalisation and social media platforms, the nature of teaching practice is constantly changing and evolving. Teachers have been exceptionally good in practicing and in upkeep of the moral and professional standards.Having exposed to various educational settings and environments I had the privilege to learn and discern amongst various effective methods of teaching practices. With age and experience, my love teaching and learning has deepened. My zest for learning has been an integral part of my life. Being part of this profession had offered opportunity to learn from teachers who hold high levels of respect, mutual trust, are optimistic, and encourage all learners’ rich and poor, able or not able to learn and succeed.

Knowing personal and professional boundaries is so crucial in the modern world. Being a woman and a mum made my life easier, which may not be for many others. I have taught in the high decile and low decile schools, which again determine different moral, professional expectations from and by the teacher practitioners.

In a co-teaching collaborative atmosphere, there is a need and demand to abide by professional ethics.but unfortunately not everyone is on the same page. It is an expectation that all planning is shared, people are not willing to share their ideas and few others actually don’t make enough effort steal others ideas, change and chop and make it their own? Who is responsible and how can this be averted?

Collaboration is a great tool, to share, increase ideas manifold and knowledge in a limited amount of time. With various digital platforms, spreadsheets, google docs, slides, sites etc the common tool for planning, sharing and reflecting. Not all the teachers in the syndicate or Learning Area are willing to do. In fact the Head of the Learning Area and the Team leaders should be able to share and model who often aren’t ready to share.

Digital tools have paved ways to connect learners and teacher across the globe, but there are few hurdles where the greater good is sacrificed for personal interests in power-vested positions. As practitioners if we cannot practice what we teach, then its application by the learners is neither going to be exceptional as they see the loop holes and wouldn’t want to participate.

In a global context these digital tools are a boon, they provide opportunities to interact, skype with an expert and seek solutions to their problems. Today digital world provides immediate answers to which our 21^st century learners are prepared. Teacher conferencing can be taken to another level, which can extend personal learning with no borders. All these can be achieved only if we have set moral standards to abide by.

Integrated, collaborative tools will enhance and emancipate our practice provided all practitioners are willing to be honest, open and transparent. Probably teachers also should be subjected to an oath, which might in still morals and common code ethics to guide, guard and contribute to the growth of professional communities.