Ethical Action Plan (500-750 words)*
This document is a chance for you to begin shaping your project while thinking through its ethical considerations, implications, and responsibilities. We know this might feel early in your action research journey, but this short plan is here to help pin down your ideas and work-in-progress.
Use whatever writing format that suits you – lists, bullet points, statements or paragraphs – and follow the suggested links stated alongside some of the questions for guidance.
A good starting point is the BERA Guidelines for Educational Research, fifth edition (2024) alongside the ‘Ethics Files and Resources’ on Moodle.
When you’re ready, email your draft to your allocated tutor 48 hours in advance of you first group tutorial in the week commencing 6 October 2025, so it can help guide the focus of discussions and support your project development.
Name:
Tutor:
Date:
| What is the working title of your project? Also write a few sentences about the focus of your project. Creating a neurodiverse and mental health friendly project brief template. Something visual and extremely communicative to help students feel reassured in what is required of them each unit and specifically what they need to hand in at the end. |
| What sources will you read or reference? Share 5 to 10. Effects of anxiety in students who don’t feel like they understand tasks Neurodiverse student needs Research on colour and font uses Preexisting templates Data on dyscalculia and dyslexia needs |
| What action(s) are you planning to take, and are they realistic in the time you have (Sept-Dec)? Making a reusable blank template for use during project briefs Trying it out on my students for feedback Maybe making it printable so students can visually see it daily in the classroom Making it data and research backed |
| Who will be involved, and in what way? (e.g. colleagues, students, local community…). Note, if any of your participants will be under the age years of 18yrs, please seek further advice from your tutor. My current student body in the unit I’m running between September and December Students I work with that I am not marking as to not create a conflict of interest The other members of staff helping me run the unit (for discussion, feedback and data) |
| What are the health & safety concerns, and how will you prepare for them? https://canvas.arts.ac.uk/sites/explore/SitePage/42587/health-and-safety-hub https://canvas.arts.ac.uk/sites/explore/SitePage/45761/health-and-safety-policies-and-standards overloading students during a busy time in their academic career for feedback for my PGcert Not pushing, asking for consent to use their feedback Picking my moment and reading the room to see how the students are feeling/project progression Planning time for both implementation and feedback Accepting email feedback to lower workload |
| How will you manage and protect any physical and / or digital data you collect, including the data of people involved? https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#consent https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#privacy-data-storage anonymous feedback scrambling identifying features (should the need arise) not holding onto feedback (destruction of all data after final PGcert hand in) making blog password protected |
| How will you take ethics into account in your project for participants and / or yourself? https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#responsibilities-participants https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#responsibilities-sponsors https://www.bera.ac.uk/publication/ethical-guidelines-for-educational-research-fifth-edition-2024-online#responsibilities-wellbeing See Emotionally Demanding Research PDF on Moodle Being mindful in my approach Asking consent repeatedly and reminding students that consent can be retracted Asking students to sign consent forms for use of their feedback in my studying Keeping blog password protected so data can’t be breached/ stolen Not selling nor storing data/emails/feedback Not using my position of power to persuade students to take part Using a data pool outside just the students I’m about to mark as to not make them feel pressured to say yes Deleting all data once final hand in is complete |
* The form itself is around 300 words, so with your additions the total length will come to a maximum of about 1,050 words.
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