Professionalism, Ethics & Continuing Education Flashcards

A student requests a letter of recommendation but performed poorly in the course. The most ethical course of action is to:

Answer: Decline honestly or write only what can be truthfully stated, informing the student of limitations

Ethical recommendation letters must be truthful; instructors should either decline or clearly communicate to the student what they can and cannot honestly endorse.

Which of the following best defines 'informed consent' in the context of classroom research involving students?

Answer: Students are fully informed about the study's purpose, risks, and their right to decline participation

Informed consent requires that participants understand what the research involves, any risks, and that participation is voluntary without academic penalty.

Which of the following activities qualifies as a legitimate source of continuing education credit for most professional certifications?

Answer: Attending discipline-specific conferences and completing post-event reflection requirements

Attending professional conferences with structured learning objectives and documentation typically qualifies as continuing education credit toward certification renewal.

An instructor suspects a student plagiarized an assignment but is not certain. The best approach is to:

Answer: Investigate using plagiarism detection tools and then follow institutional academic integrity procedures

Instructors should gather evidence through available tools and then follow the institution's established academic integrity process to ensure fairness and due process.

How does reflective practice most directly benefit postsecondary instructors?

Answer: It enables instructors to critically evaluate and continuously improve their teaching effectiveness

Reflective practice involves systematically examining one's own teaching to identify areas for improvement, leading to more effective instruction over time.

When an instructor uses a student's creative work as an example in future courses, the ethical requirement is to:

Answer: Obtain the student's permission and provide appropriate attribution

Students retain copyright in their original work, so instructors must obtain consent and give credit when reusing student work in subsequent courses.

Which behavior by a postsecondary instructor would most likely constitute a violation of professional ethics related to dual relationships?

Answer: Entering into a romantic relationship with a currently enrolled student in one's own course

Romantic relationships between instructors and currently enrolled students in their own course create power imbalances that violate professional ethical standards.