JOLT, the London South Bank University Journal of Learning and Teaching, 4th February, 2015

Link to full Paper:
https://ictserv1.lsbu.ac.uk/jolt/2015/02/siac-framework-for-ethical-analysis-a-tool-for-learning-and-teaching-ethics/

Copyright © 2014 London South Bank University

Dr. Vincent Icheku is a senior lecturer in the School of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy with specialisms in public health, research methods, ethics and law. Ongoing research is on the cultural context of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

ABSTRACT

Background
Health and social care students facing practice placements for the first time frequently confront ethical dilemmas (Cohen et al., 2006 and Taboada, 2004). This view, which has been corroborated by our students’ feedback, has prompted this author to develop a simple ethical framework, named SIAC, an acronym for ‘Summarise, Identify, Apply, Consider. This paper presents the SIAC framework that has now gained wide acceptance as learning and teaching method in ethics.

Methods
A search was made for existing ethical frameworks, resulting in the observation of two things in common shared by three frameworks found – the elucidation of the ethical decision-making process and provision of a framework enabling professionals to resolve ethical dilemmas. With this emphasis on already qualified professionals, the suggested structures are not found to be suitable for preparing first year students to confront ethical dilemmas in their first practice placements.

Results
The SIAC framework resulted from a synthesis of the three frameworks but is unique in that it focuses on helping first year students, rather than those already qualified, to gain practical skills for dealing with ethical dilemmas. The SIAC framework was presented at the Higher Education Academy Ethics Special Interest conference for evaluation in 2010 and was generally endorsed. Subsequently, it gained wide acceptance and was published in the Higher Education Academy website and this author’s recent book.

Conclusions
Ethical frameworks provide professionals with a structure for resolving ethical dilemmas but they should also serve as effective learning and teaching tools. The SIAC framework is now widely used, moving health and social care students towards a more active-learning approach to ethics that, ultimately, is more effective and indeed enjoyable for both teachers and their adult learners. It is on record that SIAC application to learning and teaching of ethics increased our pass rates, leading to increased students’ satisfaction.