Ethics Education

Ethics Education

Introduction

For young people, the definition of ethics encompasses their identity, beliefs, and personal situations. Gone are the days when ethical values of the society were taught to students. The current generations have made and comprehended a different definition of ethics. In the current era, students have an exposure of the virtual world. They are living and operating in an environment where there are highly influenced by their peers. Further, the current environment has been characterized by a lack of ethics, particularly cyber ethics. The lack of standard ethics has resulted in anonymity over the Internet.

Discussion

The anonymous nature of the Internet usage has resulted in a number of corporate crimes. This situation has particularly influenced the field of education. The lack of cyber regulations has enabled students to imitate the work already available on the Internet. It, in turn, has reduced the creativity of students. The phenomenon of cyber bullying is not new; however, its intensity has been magnified. The current situation of the cyber world arouses a number of questions. The most significant question is about the learning of students in schools.

Moral Crisis in American Schools

The American schools are confronting a moral crisis related to the use of information technology. This moral crisis is about the perception and treatment of information technology by students. When entering into the cyber world, individuals perceive that the ethics governing intellectual property are different from ethics applied to other kinds of properties. However, according to authorities, the value of intellectual property is not different from the value of physical property. It is imperative to protect intellectual property through the same way we protect physical property. The stealing of intellectual property should be considered a criminal offense.

It is the responsibility of educational authorities, particularly teachers, to establish a culture that encourages students to use the Internet for constructive purpose. Students must learn from a very early age that it is imperative to use the Internet ethically. The ethical codes of the cyber conduct must be communicated to the students when they are in the middle school. It is the time when students gain an exposure of the Internet. At this stage, students are mature enough to comprehend the ethical and responsible use of technology.

The Justice Department and the Information Technology Association of America has initiated a Cybercitizen Partnership Program. The aim of the program is to support teachers and parents to ...