Facing the Hard Questions: Ethics for Early Childhood Fieldwork Programs

Abstract

The issue of professional ethics is often the subject of media attention. Currently in many parts of Australia, the behaviour of politicians, police, teachers, and journalists is under scrutiny, leading to work on the development of codes of ethics and conduct for many professions. The early childhood profession in Australia already has a Code of Ethics; however, the existence of a code does not guarantee its use. Student teachers need to be carefully prepared to exercise sound ethical judgment. This paper reports on a survey of early childhood student teachers in which student experiences and perceptions of ethical dilemmas in the practicum were examined; and suggests strategies for the development of ethical practice in early childhood fieldwork programs.

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