Ethical guidelines for educational research
It is developed on the basis of AERA Code of Ethics and BERA Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research
Pedagogical research is a branch of science that studies educational processes, as well as characteristic features, interaction and organization of people in the educational process. Research in this area is conducted to describe, understand and explain how the learning process affects human life and how formal and non-formal educational contexts affect all forms of learning. Pedagogical research covers a wide range of methods corresponding to the specific problems posed, and is the source of the emergence of new tools and methods of scientific research.
RESPONSIBILITIES TO PARTICIPANTS OF RESEARCH
Researchers can be both active and passive subjects of the processes of observation, experiment, questioning, testing, etc. Educational researchers should adhere to ethical standards and respect all those involved in the research process.
Voluntary informed consent. Participants should understand all the features of the process in which they will participate, including such aspects as: why their participation is needed; how the results will be used; to whom and in what way the report will be submitted, and also to give voluntary consent to participate without any coercion.
Right to withdraw. Researchers should recognise the right of all participants to withdraw from the research for any or no reason, and at any time, and all the participants should be informed of this right. If the participants don’t wish to take part in the research, decisions to persuade them to re-engage should be taken with care, coercion or duress of any form must not be used.
Preventing Discrimination. In the process of research, the relationship and behavior of scholars should be fair, decent, moral, with respect and without prejudice regarding age, gender, gender differences, marital or parental status, partner status, race, ethnicity, nationality, language, cultural identity, religion, confession, physical or mental insolvency, health status, political beliefs, socio-economic status or any other significant differences.
Preventing exploitation. Educational researchers should not exploit the individuals who are under their direct or indirect management, they should not evaluate them or to carry out other types of management (students, researchers, employees or participants in the experiment); as well as not directly control and evaluate any person with whom they have romantic, sexual or family ties.
Exaction. Educational researchers in their activities do not allow any kinds of exaction (a single intense act or constantly repeated humiliating, offensive, abusive actions that form a hostile professional, working or educational environment). Exaction can be manifested in the form of unnecessary, exaggerated and unreasonable attention or attacks, verbal or non-verbal, regarding to any participant of the research.
Bribery of the participants of the research. Researchers should not allow any financial incentives or other incentives for participants of the research, especially when it affects the results of the study or the decision of the experimental participant to participate in it.
Privacy statement. Researchers should recognise the entitlement individual participants to privacy, and should accord them their rights to confidentiality and anonymity as long as they, their custodians or other responsible persons do not explicitly and voluntarily renounce this right. Participants have the right to know how and why their personal data is collected, for what will be used and who will be available. Researchers should have the permission of the participants to disclose personal information to skateholders and should provide permission to process this data. Citizens recognize the right to access any personal data collected about them: researchers must ensure the reliability of their storage.
Children, vulnerable teens and adults. Children who are able to express their own views should have a guaranteed right to freely express their views on all issues relating to their interests, comparable to their age and maturity.
In the case when the research participants’ age, their mental abilities or other vulnerable circumstances make limitations according to which they cannot understand their role or give voluntary consent to participate in the experiment, researchers should fully explore alternative ways of obtaining reliable responses. In such circumstances, researchers should cooperate and obtain the consent of those who act as guardians (for example, parents) or those responsible who are responsible for the well-being of the research participants (for example, social workers).
Researchers should inform participants (their guardians or social workers) about all possible perceived adverse effects that may arise from the research process or from its results.
If participants feel anxiety or discomfort, or unforeseen adverse effects occurs, researchers should immediately abandon any actions that cause emotional or other harm, including a complete cessation of the research.
