Ethical Problems and Dilemmas Experienced by Preschool Teachers during the COVID-19 Epidemic

Abstract

In this qualitative study, ethical problems and ethical dilemmas caused by COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and teaching practices were investigated based on teachers' opinions. The study, which was carried out in October 2022 with 16 preschool teachers determined by the purposeful sampling method, was carried out face to face with a semi-structured interview form. Content analysis method was used in the analysis of the data obtained from the interviews. According to the findings: teachers conducted teaching mostly online during the epidemic and said that the effect was negative. The situations that they do not find ethical are the unequal teaching opportunities on the Internet and the inability to provide classroom management, and mostly family members get involved in online course activities. Children and families were warned about some issues and an attempt was made. Ethical dilemmas are mostly due to the difficulty of children in adapting to online education and the inability to communicate with families, and mostly the inefficiency of online preschool education. Administratively, mostly ethical problems are the lack of technological equality and the inability to be sensitive in epidemic measures. The views that the management does not act unethically are also in the majority. Finally, the teachers wished never to experience such a process again and thanked them for the study. It has been suggested to plan educational measures to overcome extraordinary situations such as epidemics with less damage.