Ethical Considerations

Ethics has played an important role throughout our project in Cape Town, especially since we have worked amongst the administration, children and other stakeholders of Kiddies College Preschool and the Langrug community. While communicating with these groups of people, our group has put emphasis on being both reserved and respectful. Although we were excited, it was important that we were not overbearing. We were transparent as we explained who we are, why we were working at the preschool and in the community, and what our end goals were during our project.

While working with children, it was necessary that we were conscious about what we said and did around them, as children are highly susceptible to adult behaviour. We kept a professional attitude. While working in the vicinity of children and other stakeholders, it was important to note that we had to be aware of their personal space and never put them in harm’s way.

Ethics were also imperative when we worked with our sponsor. We were sure to work within the sponsor’s schedule and priorities, while not solely pushing our agenda for the project. We were aware of and respected their values, culture and way of life, as our group comes from a different culture in comparison to South Africa. Therefore, our group kept an open mind and remained as objective as possible to avoid potential disputes.

When interviewing, our group was sure to maintain our transparency with the interviewees. Whether it was a formal or informal interview, we clearly stated our purpose and who we were as a group. Our group was clear about what the interviewee wants to be publicized on the Internet or in our paper, and what they wanted to keep private. We also informed the interviewees that our group cannot and will not force them to answer any questions they are uncomfortable with. Not only were their boundaries be respected, but we also made sure the interviewees were aware that their participation could be discontinued at any time. We also completed the IRB process in the prep-term and have been educated on ethics and boundaries while doing our project.