Ethical Dilemmas in Educational Research

Ethical dilemmas in educational research often pose interesting and challenging questions for researchers. A careful balance must be struck between the needs of participants, increasing regulatory guidelines and the academic freedom of the educational researcher. Forwarded by Professor Ian Menter this text addresses a unique gap by going beyond the guidelines and focusing on the specific dilemmas that the educational researcher faces; illustrated with real-life examples. The guidelines and roles of committees will be highlighted with an emphasis on misunderstandings and common purposes. Specific issues arising in the field will also be discussed. These include; ethical issues when using data; researching self; ethical implications for the researcher with lived experience; ethical dilemmas in action, involving issues of active participation and ongoing assent, issues of agency and privacy and researching for human rights and social justice. This is drawn together by reflecting on suggestions of ways forward to ensure that the differing tensions can be resolved to ensure best practice and a continually evolving field of educational research