Ethical considerations

1. Ethical considerations • Two ways of looking at it: • Focus on what constitutes ‘unethical’ behaviour: breach of minimum standards of professional behaviour. • Ethical principles: focuses on the principles to which one aspires. • Abiding by enforceable rules, necessary but not sufficient to be an ethical professional.

2. Ethical considerations … • Core ethical values: • Beneficence and non-maleficence • Fidelity (trustworthiness, dependability) and responsibility • Integrity (honour, reliability) • Justice (fairness, honesty) • Respect for people’s rights and dignity

3. Ethical dilemma • Arises when two or more ethical values are in conflict. • Resolving it requires identifying the relevant values and weighing the competing values against one another to determine which receives priority. • No single, definitive way of thinking what it is to be an ethical professional.

4. Code of professional conduct (SABPP) • Conduct in keeping with dignity, standing and reputation of the profession. • Working to the best of one’s abilities in discharging duties to employers, employees and clients. • Not undertaking work for which one is not adequately trained or experienced. • Not canvassing or soliciting work in an improper way. • Not presenting oneself or advertising one’s services immodestly or in any way undermining the profession.

5. Code of professional conduct (SABPP) … • Refraining from any conduct arising from malice or negligence that would harm, directly or indirectly, the reputation or prospects of any other person or organisation. • Refusing to disclose confidential information acquired in the course of one’s professional practice. • Obeying the rules and conventions in one’s professional practice, as prescribed by the Board.

6. Rules of conduct (HPCSA) • Professional competence • Professional relations • Privacy, confidentiality and records • Assessment activities • Psycho-legal activities • Teaching, training and supervision • Research and publication • Resolving ethical issues

7. Fair and ethical assessment practices • Based on the International Test Commission’s International Guidelines on Test Use (Version 2000) • Appropriate, fair, professional and ethical use of assessment measures and results • Taking needs and rights of those involved in the assessment process into account • Way results are used closely relates to the purpose of the assessment • Taking the broader social, cultural and political context in which assessment is done into account and the extent to which these factors may influence assessment results and interpretations

8. Practitioners need to: • Have adequate knowledge and understanding of psychometrics, testing and assessment • Be familiar with professional and ethical standards of good assessment practice • Have appropriate knowledge and skills regarding the specific measures to be used • Appropriate contextual knowledge about social, cultural and educational factors and their influence on results; policies regarding use of assessment and results

9. Practitioners need to: • Appropriate interpersonal skills to establish rapport with test-takers, put them at ease, maintain interest and cooperation and provide feedback in meaningful and understandable way • Oral and written communication skills – provide test instructions clearly, write meaningful reports, interact with relevant individuals regarding outcomes of assessment

10. Professional practices • Inform test-takers about their rights and the use to which the assessment information is to be put • Obtain written informed consent of test-takers to assess them, use the results for selection, placement, training decisions and if need be report results to relevant third parties (or consent from legal guardian) • Treating test-takers courteously, respectfully, and in an impartial manner regardless of culture, language, gender, age, disability, etc. • Being thoroughly prepared for the assessment session

11. Professional practices … • Maintaining confidentiality • Establish what language would be appropriate and fair – if necessary to make arrangements • Only use measures for which have been trained • Administer properly, score correctly and use appropriate norms or cut off points • Taking background factors into account when interpreting performance • Communicating the results clearly to appropriate parties • Using assessment information in a fair, unbiased manner and ensuring that those with access to the information also do so

12. Professional practices • Acknowledging the subjective nature of the assessment process and realising that although the decision reached may be based on quantitative data it still reflects a best guess estimate • Researching the appropriateness of measures, refining and adapting and replacing them where necessary • Securely storing and controlling access to assessment materials

13. Rights of test-takers • Be informed of their rights and responsibilities • Be treated with courtesy, respect and impartiality • Be assessed with appropriate measures that meet required professional standards • Be informed prior to the assessment regarding the purpose and nature of the assessment • Be informed to whom the results will be reported and what the purpose is

14. Rights of test-takers … • Be assessed by an appropriately trained, competent assessment practitioner • Know whether they can refuse to be assessed and what the consequences of such a refusal may be • Know who will have access to their results and the extent to which confidentiality will be ensured

15. Responsibility of test-takers • Read and/or listen carefully to their rights and responsibilities • Treat the assessment practitioner with courtesy and respect • Ask questions prior to and during the assessment if they are uncertain about what is required of them or about the purpose of the assessment or how the results are going to be used • Inform the practitioner of anything within themselves or the assessment environment that may invalidate the results • Follow the instructions carefully • Represent themselves honestly and try their best

16. Responsibilities of organisations • Has a assessment policy in place that reflects fair, ethical practices • Employs practitioners who are competent, have been appropriately trained in the specific measures to be used, who are mentored and supervised where necessary • Valid assessment measures are used for appropriate purposes • Results are used in a non-discriminatory manner

17. Responsibilities of organisations … • Support mechanisms in place to assist assessment practitioners to build a research database that can be used to establish the fairness and efficacy of the measures used and decisions made • Regularly monitors the extent to which its assessment policy is being put into effect in practice and revises where necessary

18. Aspects covered in assessment policy • Proper test use • Security of materials and scores • Who can administer score and interpret tests • Qualification requirements for those who will use the tests • Test user training • Test taker preparation

19. Aspects covered in assessment policy … • Access to materials and security • Access to results and test score confidentiality • Feedback of results to test takers • Responsibility for test takers before, during and after assessment • Responsibilities and accountability of each individual user

20. Assignment 3 • Ethical dilemma (on website) – can use own example • Weight: 20% (Hand in by 15 September)