FEATURE
ETHICS AND PROFESSIONALISM
SOLID FOOTING
Operating in a responsible, professional and ethically sound manner underpins the whole further education sector. Despite the current pressure educators and learners are under, this is as important now as it has ever been. Elizabeth Holmes explains
hen an event such as a global pandemic crashes through our usual mode of operating, it means educators have to adapt, and fast. The need to get both themselves and their learners up to speed with remote working, as well as juggling the additional demands Covid-19 placed on both professional and personal lives, meant those working in the further education (FE) sector have found themselves under more pressure than ever over the past 15 months. The profession has responded admirably, and having strong processes, policies, procedures and organisational culture has helped ensure that providers have been able
P H O T O G R A P H Y: G E T T Y
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to maintain standards and high levels of professionalism, despite the unforeseen circumstances. Barnsley College is one such example. “We have an extensive policy framework that is supported through the relevant procedures and systems, and its purpose is to safeguard and support as well as remind people in some cases what the expected standards are,” says Yiannis Koursis, principal and CEO. “The key point around these policies is that they must be fully aligned with the organisation’s purpose. If strategic alignment is not present or is only partially present, then it will be difficult to safeguard against not meeting expected standards due to lack of clarity or confusion.”
PERHAPS THE QUESTION ISN’T ABOUT BEING TEMPTED TO CUT CORNERS, BUT HOW WE CAN PROMOTE THESE CREATIVE PRACTICES
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