Teachers in the Private and Public Spheres: Ethical Orientations in Educational Interactions

Authors

  • Veronika Michvocíková Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovak Republic
  • Mariana Sirotová Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovak Republic
  • Krzysztof Rubacha Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovak Republic
  • Ewelina Książek Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Medical University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2023.1.76.84

Keywords:

Ethical orientations, educational interactions, private sphere of teachers, public sphere of teachers, gender stereotypes, parental roles, justice, care

Abstract

Aim. The main aim of the article is a presentation of a comparative study of differences in ethical orientations used by teachers in educational practice in two settings: in private life as parents and in the public sphere, working as teachers.

Methods. First, a hypothesis was proposed to test the observations by Lawrence Kohlberg (1984) and Carol Gilligan (1993) regarding the relative stability of ethical orientations in terms of the ethics of care and justice. To this end, an assumption was made that teachers prefer the former in contacts with their own children (private sphere) while favouring the latter in relationships with students (public sphere). The paired samples t-test confirmed this hypothesis.

Results. Based on the analysis, gender was found not to influence teachers’ ethical orientations in the private sphere; however, it seems to play a part in the public sphere. This ambivalence was revealed in male teachers. Contrary to gender stereotype, in contacts with their own children, they tend to lean towards the ”feminine” ethics of care, but when acting in their public capacity they perpetuate the ‘masculine’ stereotype by following the ethics of justice in their school interactions.

Conclusion. It is worth emphasising the ambiguity of the results obtained and the instability of their interpretations. The actions of the teachers studied do not confirm the thesis about the stability of ethical orientations in educational work and are, therefore, indicative of ambivalence towards the role of gender in this process.

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Author Biographies

  • Veronika Michvocíková, Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovak Republic

    In 2015 Veronika Michvocíková graduated from the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra. In 2018 she finished her doctoral studies at University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. Since 2018, she is an assistant professor and since 2022 she is the Head Department at the Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. She focuses on exploration of educational process and its importance in the life of educated persons. In her scientific field of research, she is interested in research of actual societal problems. She also examines young people – university students opinions of actual societal problems.

  • Mariana Sirotová, Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovak Republic

    In 1995 Mariana Sirotová graduated from the Comenius University in Bratislava. In 2005 she finished doctoral studies at the Comenius University in Bratislava. Since 2015, she is an associate professor at the Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. Mariana Sirotová was from 2004 to 2022 Head Department at the Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. She was from 2011 to 2022 vice-dean of university development at the Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. She was form 1997 to 2011 vice-rector for development of University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. Since 2022 she is Dean Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. She focuses on research of pedeutologicals aspects of teacher in her scientific field of research. She researches influence of teacher on educational process quality and his/her influunce on development of values and value orientation of children and youth.

  • Krzysztof Rubacha, Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Nám. J. Herdu 2, 917 01 Trnava, Slovak Republic

    In 1989 Krzysztof Rubacha graduated from Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun. In 1994 he finished doctoral studies at the Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun. Since 2010, he is professor at the Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun and since 2011 he is professor at the Department of Education, Faculty of Arts, University of ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava. Krzysztof Rubacha published more than 75 scientific publications and his publications have lots of citations. He is a member of Polska Akademia Nauk in Warszawa, he is a head of department of pedagogical research methodology in the Polska Akademia Nauk in Warszawa. He is an editor-in-chief in journal Przegląd Badań Edukacyjnych and he is the head of scientific discipline council at the Nicolas Copernicus University in Torun.

  • Ewelina Książek, Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Medical University of Lublin, Al. Racławickie 1, 20-059 Lublin, Poland

    Teaching assistant, Department of Paediatric Nephrology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin.

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Published

2023-06-20

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2023): Journal of Education Culture and Society

Section

ETHICS

License

Copyright (c) 2023 Veronika Michvocíková, Mariana Sirotová, Krzysztof Rubacha, Ewelina Książek

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How to Cite

Michvocíková, V., Sirotová, M., Rubacha, K., & Książek, E. (2023). Teachers in the Private and Public Spheres: Ethical Orientations in Educational Interactions. Journal of Education Culture and Society, 14(1), 76-84. https://doi.org/10.15503/jecs2023.1.76.84