Ethics in the Workplace

When thinking about ethics, I considered my lines of inquiry, past experiences and potentially future ones, and it is within dance education that my questions lie, and where it is important for me to understand ethics. 

Ethical issues within dance education is a huge subject, and can include; ethics and the learning and teaching of dance, ethical practice in dance and codes of ethics, practice and conduct.  

Having taught dance myself in the past, there were many things to be considered, although at the time I wasn't given much guidance on what was expected, and what was the formal 'code of conduct'.

Through doing some research online, I found some interesting points that could be considered the correct ethics and code of conduct when teaching dance, or a good guide to base my own teaching on. 

- Dance teachers will have clearly defined aims and goals. The benefits an individual student can expect to receive through staff's conscientious implementation of these aims and goals will be clearly stated.

- Dance teachers will make sure that they are capable of providing any services claimed. 

- Dance teachers will have the experience, knowledge and/ or qualifications required for the range of levels and techniques being taught. Student teachers will be trained and supervised to ensure the school's teaching standards are maintained. 

- Dance teachers will ensure that class sizes are suitable to the levels and techniques being taught. Students in each class will be of a similar age and/ or standard. 

- Dance teachers will ensure that the dance facilities provided:
> conform with minimum safety and space requirements
> have suitable flooring, with a safe surface designed and constructed to minimise risk of injury. 

- Dance teachers will use effective and flexible teaching skills to create a productive learning environment. Dance teachers will:
> strive to communicate a love of dance
> show professional attitudes, including punctuality, reliability and responsible care of students
> strive to develop self- discipline and self- motivation in the students
> encourage and support the individual in the class situation 
> present general concepts of movement as well as those of a particular dance style. 

- Dance teachers will recognise the role of dance in the development of the whole person. They will also seek to recognise and develop each student's potential, whether it lies in dance or in related fields, and offer appropriate guidance for further progress.

- Dance teachers will endeavour to recognise physical anomalies, modifying their teaching and seeking medical advice when necessary. The teaching and choreography must be anatomically safe, and teachers must be prepared to deal with medical emergencies. 

- Dance teachers will take responsibility for seeking more knowledge in all aspects of their work. 

(Code of Ethics for Dance Teachers, Australian Dance Council, 2012)


There are aspects of ethics to consider in relation to my own research and professional inquiry. 
Things to be considered are: who will be a part of my research/ inquiry? How will i make sure they're involvement and data will remain confidential? Who will benefit from my inquiry? Are my participants taking part voluntarily? What if they no longer want to participate? And how will the use of imagery/ video affect my inquiry?