I value and integrate all voices for the greater good of the whole. I recognize that solutions built without input – especially from marginalized or non-traditional groups – are inherently incomplete and prone to causing unintended harm.
In practice:
- Design iterations do not proceed without feedback from all learners, including individuals with diverse accessibility needs and those from non-traditional learning backgrounds, such as adult learners.
- An ethical failure is the realization that a critical voice was absent from the design or feedback process; if noticed, the development process should pause. I should be transparent about the oversight and seek the missing cohort’s input before design continues.
I uphold learner trust through absolute transparency, never coercion. I will honor the vulnerability required for deep, meaningful learning by providing clear and accessible controls over shared information.
- Any data-gathering component must be easily explained to the user in simple, accessible language before they interact with it.
- Before launching any feature, it must pass an integrity test: Does this feature distort the learner’s actual progress or the educational outcome to boost a short-term metric like engagement or retention? If so, it should be immediately abandoned.
I create non-negotiable boundaries to protect the sanctity of learner effort and exploration. Real learning is messy and complicated to measure. Complexity cannot be sacrificed for efficiency.
- I would refuse to implement a system that scores a creative writing assignment by detecting keywords and penalizing deviation.
- I would also reject the use of a gamification system that offers a reward linked to time on task or completion of steps rather than genuine skill demonstration, which protects the student’s understanding of their own growth.
I pledge to always advocate for a human-centered approach. I will evaluate how and if new technologies can be meaningfully passed along to the learner.
- I will always advocate for, and design systems to facilitate, genuine digital interaction, including small-group collaboration and 1-on-1 feedback.
- My expertise in new technologies (such as AI) is ever-evolving. I will evaluate their quality and commit to using these principles against new technologies and organizational pressures.