Table 1 Examples of students’ (external) moral guides
From: ‘What do you mean by ethical compass?’ Bachelor students’ ideas about being a moral professional
Students align their (implicit) internalised belief and value framework with: |
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Laws e.g., the Financial Supervision Act: “That sets out all the standards you need to meet, and the guidelines. So, that, to me, is basically the training bible for anyone wanting to become a financial consultant.” (BS19) |
Rules e.g., rules of life: “Treat everyone the way you want to be treated.” (ICT5) e.g., online rules: “Don’t do things in the digital world that you wouldn’t do in the real world; breaking in, sending child pornography.” (ICT4) |
Unwritten moral duties e.g., the duty to report: “That it’s the teachers’ responsibility too to report instances where they suspect something. The problem is, how do you distinguish between what you should and shouldn’t report?” (ITE18) |
Protocols e.g., school protocol: “A lot of primary schools do have protocols […] but those deal mostly with people’s and children’s personal details for example and, indeed, not so much with how to handle certain situations.” (ITE17) |
An oath or professional code e.g., a non-disclosure agreement: “What’s it called again? Right, a non-disclosure agreement, you’re simply not allowed to share information with people outside your work; sensitive information […] that’s strictly prohibited.” (ICT6) |