Environment and Social Psychology

Unveiling ethical challenges: An in-depth analysis of unethical behavior in Albanian preschool education

Gerda Sula

University of Tirana, Faculty of Social Sciences

Skerdi Zahaj

University of Tirana, Faculty of Social Sciences

Blerta Bodinaku

Blerta Bodinaku, University of Tirana, Faculty of Social Sciences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i7.2092

Keywords: breach of behavior, preschool education, Albania, values education, policy implications

---

Abstract

Background: The study delves into the prevalence and severity of unethical behavior among educators and parents in Albanian early childhood education institutions, a topic previously unexplored.

Objective: The research aims to identify the most common unethical behaviors among educators and parents, understand the primary determinants of unethical behavior in preschool settings, and provide recommendations for policy development in Albanian public preschools to improve ethical norms.

Settings: The study was conducted in Albanian early childhood education institutions, focusing on both educators and parents as key stakeholders.

Methods: A comprehensive analysis was undertaken, utilizing questionnaires administered to educators and parents, drawing on codes of ethical behavior and thematic analysis to identify and categorize unethical behaviors. Statistical analysis using SPSS was employed to derive insights from the data.

Results: Findings revealed a notable discrepancy between educators' and parents' perceptions of unethical behavior, with guardians reporting higher frequencies of unethical conduct. The most prevalent unethical behaviors included unequal treatment of children, favoritism, and use of punishment by educators, while parents commonly violated norms such as disrespecting educators and encouraging physical aggression in children.

Conclusion: The study underscores the importance of addressing unethical behavior in Albanian preschool settings through enhanced awareness, training, and policy interventions. Strategies to foster better communication between educators and parents, improve professional standards, and combat discrimination are imperative for creating a more ethical environment conducive to positive child development.

---

References

[1]. Alexander, R., Aragón, O. R., Bookwala, J., Cherbuin, N., Gatt, J. M., Kahrilas, I. J., & Styliadis, C. (2021). The neuroscience of positive emotions and affect: Implications for cultivating happiness and wellbeing. Neuroscience & Bio-behavioral Reviews, 121, 220-249.

[2]. Ardoin, N. M., & Bowers, A. W. (2020). Early childhood environmental education: A systematic review of the research literature. Educational Research Review, 31, 100353.

[3]. ASCAP (2016). Pre-school Curriculum Framework. https://ascap.edu.al/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/Korniza-Kurrikulare-e-arsimit-parashkollorit-IZHA-Dhjetor-2016.pdf)

[4]. Aspin, D. N., & Chapman, J. D. (2007). Values education and lifelong learning: Principles, policies, programmes (Vol. 10). Springer Science & Business Media.

[5]. Bashki te Forta. (2020). Analiza e proceseve të arsimit parashkollor [Analysis of processes in pre-school education]. Helvetas.

[6]. Bryan, L. A., & Atwater, M. M. (2002). Teacher beliefs and cultural models: A challenge or science teacher preparation programs. Science Education, 86, 821–839. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ656453

[7]. Byrne K., Kulluri E., & Gedeshi I., (2021). Situation Analysis of Children and Adolescents in Albania. UNICEF Albania.

[8]. Chang, V. (2021). Inconsistent definitions of bullying: A need to examine people’s judgments and reasoning about bullying and cyberbullying. Human Development, 65(3), , 144-159.

[9]. Darling-Hammond, L., Cook-Harvey, C., & Osher, D. (2020). Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development. Applied Developmental Sciences, 24(2), 97-140. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791

[10]. Davidovitch, N., & Soen, D. (2015). Teaching civics and instilling democratic values in Israeli high school students: The duality of National and Universal aspects. Journal of International Education Research– First Quarter, 11(1), 7-19. https://doi.org/10.19030/jier.v11i1.9093

[11]. de Boer, A., Pijl, S. J., Post, W. & Minnaert, A. (2012). Which variables relate to the attitudes of teachers, parents and peers towards students with special educational needs in regular education? Educational Studies, 38(4), 433-448. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2011.643109

[12]. Dewey, J. (2008). Democracy and education. Wilder Publications, LLC

[13]. Doksani, A. (2021). Everyday Life of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Albania. Master's thesis, NTNU.

[14]. Eaude, T. (2019). The role of culture and traditions in how young children’s identities are constructed. International Journal of Children's Spirituality, 24(1), 5-19.

[15]. Edmiston, B. (2007). Forming ethical identities in early childhood play. Routledge.

[16]. Eisenstadt, S. N. (2017). From generation to generation. Routledge.

[17]. Gimbert, B. G., Miller, D., Herman, E., Breedlove, M., & Molina, C. E. (2023). Social emotional learning in schools: The importance of educator competence. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 18(1), 3-39.

[18]. Gluchmanova. M. (2015). The importance of ethics in the teaching profession. Procedia - social and behavioral sciences 176, 509 – 513. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.01.504

[19]. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam.

[20]. Hafizi, A., & Papa, M. (2012). Improving the quality of education by strengthening the cooperation between schools and families. Problems of Education in the 21st Century, 42, 38.

[21]. Haydon, G. (2010). Values and wellbeing in the curriculum: Personal and public dimensions: In T. Lovat, R. Toomey, N. Clement (Eds), International research handbook of value education and students’ wellbeing (p. 195–210). Springer.

[22]. Haxhiymeri, E., Kulluri, E., & Hazizaj, A. (2005). Child abuse in the Albanian family. Tirane: Qendra per mbrojtjen e te drejtave te femijeve`.

[23]. Indawati, N. (2015). The development of anti-corruption education course for primary school teacher education students. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(35), 48-54.

[24]. Johansson, E., Brownlee, Jo., Cobb-Moore, C., Boulton-Lewis, G., Walker, S., & Ailwood, J. (2011). Practices for teaching moral values in the early years: a call for a pedagogy of participation. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 6(2), 109-124. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1746197910397914

[25]. Kallestad, J.H., & Odegaard, E.E. (2013). Children`s activities in Norwegian kindergartens. Part 1: an overall picture. Cultural-Historical Psychology9 (4),74–82.

[26]. Kohlberg, L. (1970). The moral atmosphere of the school. The unstudied curriculum: Its impact on children, 104-127.

[27]. Lapsley, D. (2008). Moral self-identity as the aim of education. In L. Nucci & D. Narvaez (Eds.), Handbook of moral and character education (pp. 30-52). Routledge.

[28]. Leithwood, K. (2021). A review of evidence about equitable school leadership. Education Sciences, 11(8), 377.

[29]. Lund, H. H. (2021). ‘We are equal, but I am the leader’: leadership enactment in early childhood education in Norway. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 1-26.

[30]. Maich, K., Levine, D., & Hall, C. (2016). Applied behavior analysis: Fifty case studies in home, school, and community settings. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-44794-0

[31]. Marsakha, A. T., Hariri, H., & Sowiyah, S. (2021). Management of character education in school: A literature review. Kelola: Jurnal Manajemen Pendidikan, 8(2), 185-194.

[32]. Ministria e Arsimit dhe Shkencës (MAS). (2012). Kodi i etikës i Mësuesit të arsimit parauniversitar [Code of Ethics for teachers in pre-university education]. No. 2226 Prot. Dt. 12. 11. 2012, Tirana. https://arsimi.gov.al/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/dok-0033.pdf

[33]. Misch, A., Paulus, M., & Dunham, Y. (2021). Anticipation of future cooperation eliminates minimal ingroup bias in children and adults. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 150(10), 2036.

[34]. Narinasamy, I., & Logeiswaran, A. (2015). Teacher as moral model – Are we caring enough? World Journal of Education, 5(6), 1-13. https://doi.10.5430/wje.v5n6p1

[35]. Narvaez, D. (2006). Integrative ethical education. Handbook of moral development, 703733, 719.

[36]. Noddings, N. (2008). Caring and moral education. In Nucci, L.P. & Narvaez, D (Eds.), Handbook of moral and character education. Routledge

[37]. O'Connor, D., Robinson, C., Cranley, L., & Robinson, A., J. (2019). Love in education: West Australian early childhood pre-service teachers' vice teachers' perspectives on children's right to be loved and its actualization within their future practice. Early Child Development and Care, Early View Online First. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2019.1574778

[38]. Piaget, J. (1965). The moral development. Free Press.

[39]. Poulain, T., Vogel, M., Neef, M., Abicht, F., Hilbert, A., Genuneit, J., & Kiess, W. (2018). Reciprocal associations between electronic media use and behavioral difficulties in preschoolers. International journal of environmental research and public health, 15(4), 814.https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040814.

[40]. Sangsuk, N., & Thipchart, T. (2023). Discipline Strategies: Parent’s Experiences for Early Childhood Development in North Eastern, Thailand. Jurnal Keperawatan Soedirman, 18(1), 8-17.

[41]. Sula, G., Dutrevis, M., & Crahay, M. (2019). Effects of evidence-based professional development for preschool teachers in Albania. Early Years, 39(4), 346-359.https://doi.org/10.1080/09575146.2019.1669537

[42]. Takacs Haynes, K., & Rašković, M. (2021). Living with corruption in Central and Eastern Europe: Social identity and the role of moral disengagement. Journal of Business Ethics, 174(4), 825-845.

[43]. Young, M. (2008). From constructivism to realism in the sociology of the curriculum. Review of Research in Education, 32, 1-28. https://doi.org/10.3102/0091732X07308969

[44]. Winnicott, D. W. (2018). The maturational processes and the facilitating environment: Studies in the theory of emotional development. Routledge.

[45]. Wirman, A., & Elkhaira, I. (2022, June). The challenges of parents to stimulate child ethical communication in early childhood. 6th International Conference of Early Childhood Education (ICECE-6 2021) (pp. 104-106). Atlantis Press.

[46]. Wojciszke, B. (2005). Morality and competence in person-and self-perception. European Review of Social Psychology, 16(1), 155–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/10463280500229619

[47]. Wongchantra, P., Boujai, P., Sata, W., & Nuangchalerm, P. (2008). A development of environmental education teaching PROCESS by using ethics infusion for undergraduate students. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 5(9), 941-944.