ETHICAL DECISION MAKING PRACTICES IN COMMUNITY SCHOOLS

Abstract

The study of ethical decision making practices is important to make conducive academic environment in community schools. This concern is particularly connected with school head-teachers' strategy to make timely decisions and motivate subordinates to work in favor of having sound culture within schools' context. At present, community schools are under local governance authority. Achievement of community schools depends on creative and dynamic roles of SMC for need analysis and ethical decision making practices in coordination with school team. To explore such issues, ethnographic method was carried out to explore ethical decision making practices. It also aimed to explore head-teachers possible strategies to cope with existing challenges for maximizing opportunities in community schools. The study was theoretically based on decision making practices of community schools. It explored the changing roles of Nepali school leaders by using qualitative inquiry (interpretive ethnographic analysis) method. Under this, I went through interpretive research design and ethnographic method that involved in interview, observation, sharing with my participants, and reflective writing based on field visit. II In this study, my focus was on subjective epistemology and multiple realities as head teachers experienced in academia. The findings indicated that head-teachers differ in practice because of individual perception, situation and behavior in Nepali community schools. The differences are visible based on knowledge, volition, and action, which help to explore head-teachers ethical sensitivity, determination on given authority or proposed decisions, and participation to convert perception into practical life. In schools, head-teachers are the main decision makers and their active participation help to be familiar with subordinates’ interest before ethical decisions making practices. To some extent, the practical aspect of decision making reveals the existing facts of literature, and HTs would be in dilemma to select best alternative during the time of making pragmatic decisions in schools. The findings of the study support literature based on value, vision, voice and virtue of ethical leadership. It helped me to explore inner as well as outer journey of ethical decision making practices in community schools. The role of virtue is important in this model because it connects value, vision and voice under the same dimension and helps to evaluate the practical aspects of decisions making in community schools. The study has two basic implications in academia: the first implication would be in academic, financial, and administrative decision making practices in community schools. It may help school leaders to be familiar with existing problems and select appropriate options for making decisions; second would be fruitful for policy makers to make some provisions about decision making practices in community secondary schools. Moreover, policy makers can develop some policy guidelines for good decision making practices in community schools