Relationships Between Ethical Conduct, Ethics Review and Education Within Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Research: Exploring Student Perspectives From Sweden and Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Participant input in determining ethical conduct in research has the potential to play a greater role in shaping research ethics. Our study explored perspectives on ethical conduct in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) research from forty-two students from two universities, one in Sweden and one in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ), where ethics review requirements for tertiary SoTL research significantly differ. A combination of global and local values informed participants' decisions. Commonly, students expected participation to be voluntary and informed, with grades protected. Students considered participation in SoTL research based on the trustworthiness of the teacher. We found two local differences. Firstly, a utilitarian justification was present within participatory decisions of the Swedish cohort, while a justice lens predominated among NZ students. Secondly, hands-on learning experiences may help nurture the capacity for moral judgment about research and research ethics. This appeared more likely in Sweden, where fewer ethics review restrictions exist for SoTL research.