Lessons from Adult Education: Identifying and Exploring Emerging Ethical Issues in Technologically Enhanced Performance

Technologically Enhanced Performance (TEP) is the application of technology to improve the performance of knowledge workers. TEP is both an intellectual and ideological complement to the field of Adult Education. As such, much can be learned about ethical issues associated with implementing TEP from the established research and literature base in Adult Education. The application of TEP in organizations brings to light at least six as‐yet‐unresolved ethical dilemmas that have been identified through empirical research of Adult Education/ Training and Development practitioners: Confidentiality, Ownership of Instructional Materials, Conflicts of Interest, Finance and Financial Issues, Evaluating Student Performance, and Professional Competence and Credentials (Gordon & Sork, 2001; McDonald & Wood, 1993). Essential to resolving these issues is a framework for effective ethical decision making. McDonald's model on ways to reconcile ethical dilemmas in practice proposes that individual characteristics, the organization's ethical environment, and the profession's views of ethics are key factors which can contribute to this framework for ethical decision making. As organizations wrestle with these ethical issues in TEP, they should consider how well they support ethical decision making.