A case study of the ethical dilemmas experienced by three Aboriginal educators

Abstract

This study explores the factors that influence how three First Nations educators in the City of Saskatoon define ethics, identify ethical dilemmas, and resolve ethical dilemmas. Using the case-study methodology guided by respectful inquiry with First Nations people, the study sought to identify influential factors affecting the ethical considerations among three Aboriginal educators. The research questions were: 1) How do three Aboriginal educators define ethics? 2) How do the three Aboriginal educators identify an ethical dilemma? 3) What factors do the three Aboriginal educators identify as influencing the resolution of ethical dilemmas? The study sought to identify how the educators perceive ethics, and was not meant to be built on a priori theory of ethics. The reliance on ethical theory beyond what was generated by the participants or through relevant and related studies was carefully selected so as not to impede the expression of the understandings of the participants and the interpretations and understandings of the researcher and readers. The study found that the participants identified their definitions, instances, and resolution of ethical dilemmas as reflecting the experiences of the participants. Their histories are a part of the diversity of First Nations people, and it is their stories that illustrate the ethical frameworks of the participants. The study participants reported a connection to their First Nations cultures from which they drew. Their influential experiences, though, have diminished a concrete connection to their First Nations cultures. They maintain a sense of belonging to an Aboriginal collective, and it is this membership that frequently defines their ethical dilemmas.