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Freedoms of the Press
Module 1, Activity 3.1 - Introduction to Ethics
Teacher Page
(student page for this lesson)

Introduction:

This lesson focuses on students generating and testing their own journalistic codes of ethics. It moves through 3 ethics models: testing ideas against principles, achieving consensus and problem solving. If you choose to do the extension, it moves to a fourth option, informal debate. As the teacher, your role is to facilitate and guide during these activities. Students may look to you for the "right" choices. If possible, deflect these impulses by asking guiding questions.

Resources:

- distinguish between fact and opinion, and to assess accuracy and create accurate work.
- Scenario Case Studies (.rtf) or (.doc)

Activities:

Task One - Freedom of the Press
Students will read each of the statements on the right of the student page for this lesson. They will use Think, Pair, Share to develop their thinking about the ideas. Each statement is a key idea that underlies the journalistic codes of ethics. The student's job is to figure out :

  • Why is this statement important for journalists?
  • How could it combine with the other statements?
  • When would you not use this statement as a journalist?
Need more information on Think, Pair, Share? View the On-line Learning Center's page on Think, Pair, Share.

Task Two - Talking Circle
The students sit in a circle. An object (like the pen suggested in the student version of this lesson) is chosen to symbolize permission to talk. The students talk only when they are requesting the object or holding the object. The teacher may talk at any time.

As the teacher, you facilitate the students negotiating a set of ethics for the practice of journalism in the class. Intervene as little as possible, except to get things moving in a new direction or manage the class. Do not allow the exercise to wrap up until consensus is reached.

Objectives:

Students will be able to
- understand the rights and responsibilities of the press.
- understand the legal limitations on the media.
- understand the limitations that may be imposed on student journalists, depending on school policy.
- speak to share thoughts, opinions, and feelings.
- speak to clarify and extend thinking.
View other lessons
for the main objective.
Instructional Strategies:

Task 1 - Think, Pair, Share (interactive)
Task 2 - Talking Circle (experiential)
Task 3 - Problem Solving (indirect) and in the extension, Devil's advocate (interactive)

Task Three - Scenario Problem Solving
In partners, students read each of the cases and decide what is the ethical choice to make. The students should use the Code of Ethics generated in task 2 to inform their choices. Ensure that they spend at least two minutes on each case.

When everyone has completed discussing the cases, you will should use directed questioning to give groups the opportunity to present their solutions to each problem. Ask students to justify the choices their groups made.

Extending the Learning:
Using a game called "Devil's Advocate" is a good way to extend student learning in this activity. In the game, either the teacher or a verbal student has the role of the "what if" person. The "what if" person is responsible for questioning the assumptions or real world value of the solutions presented by the class.
When "Devil's Advocate" is played, the entire group tries, within a given time frame, to prove that their solutions will work. Who is speaking alternate back and forth between the "what if" person and the class. If the game is played with the teacher versus the class, it is fine to make it competitive. If not, be sure to choose a student who is comfortable with attention to be the "what if" person, and do not declare a winner.
Assessment and Evaluation:

Because the teacher plays the role of facilitator in this lesson, it is a great time to make anecdotal notes on each student's speaking, listening and reasoning skills.
 

Last Updated
May 30, 2005

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