The Moral Dimensions of Teaching: A Text Analysis of Policies on Teacher Ethics in China

• In Event: Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Examining Teacher Research and Classroom Practice

Abstract

In Mainland China, teacher ethics is an important dimension of teacher professionalism, but its meaning defined by policies is different from common conceptions. Adopting a teacher responsibility perspective, the paper explores the ethical dimensions of teaching in Chinese policies. With policy text analysis method, three sub-questions under the “policy expectation on teacher ethics” will be answered; what are the purposes of teacher ethics? to whom and for what are teachers responsible? how to ensure responsibilities fulfilled? It argues that in China, as an umbrella concept including ideology, politics and law, et al., teacher ethics is for the interest of the state. Current trend in using quantitative indictors to evaluate teacher ethics can be seen as a sign of performativity.

Author

• Wang Lijia, Chinese University of Hong Kong