Sub-Badge 4: Ethical, legal, and political implications of design

Challenge 1: Recognize, respect, and comply with organizational constraints.


Criteria for successful completion of this challenge: Evidence of following a code of ethics including giving credit to others’ ideas (such as proper use of citations) –or— demonstration of complying with constraints (budget issues, organizational rules or regulations, available technology, student demographics, etc.). Reflection must address: How your evidence demonstrates complying with organizational constraints. 

Examples: Proper use of citations in papers, discussion, publications; plagiarism certificate, the LDT honor code, other evidence (design, performance, workplace, educational, or other) demonstrating proper credit to other authors. 

Reflection

The artifact I am providing to demonstrate my competency for this challenge is the small-scale literature review I wrote as an assignment for EDCI 513 in the summer of 2022. The importance of synthesizing research conclusions from multiple sources cannot be overstated for an instructional designer who aims to develop instructional content based on research-backed theories and methods. In addition, the source of the research must be accurately attributed to the source. Strict adherence to APA 7th edition citation rules accomplishes this critical aspect of a literature review.

My small-scale literature titled “Design Implications for Online Video Lectures” synthesized eighteen different sources of information listed in the references section. These original works comprised journal articles, videos from professional conferences, a TED talk, and several textbooks. I used the Purdue OWL website and Zotero reference management software to cite each source according to APA 7th edition guidelines accurately. I also requested a writing consultation from the helpful staff at the Purdue writing lab for a second opinion. The literature review accurately followed Purdue’s organizational policy for proper citations in a written work.

 As I began my Purdue graduate program, my confidence in using proper APA citations was low. My most recent college-level writing course was over ten years ago. My need to use APA citations in my day job was quite limited. Due to this lack of use, I forgot much of what I had previously learned in my undergraduate program. I spent a significant amount of time relearning the proper use of APA citations by reviewing the Purdue OWL website, learning how to use Zotero reference management software, and using online videos on Youtube.  

Undoubtedly, I have room for growth in this area. I am not yet fully confident I can follow APA guidelines without referring to external resources. For example, while working on a project for another class yesterday, I had to perform a web search to determine the proper method to cite a specific video within a webpage. I intend to continuously improve my understanding and implementation of appropriate citation practices throughout my graduate program and professional career. 


Challenge 2: Comply with organizational and professional codes of ethics.


Criteria for successful completion of this challenge: Evidence of following a professional code of ethics. Reflection must address: How following a code of ethics affects your decision-making process in instructional design or other aspects of your work.

Examples: Completed plagiarism certificate, signed LDT honor code, signed workplace code of ethics, other (design, performance, workplace, or educational) code of ethics. 

Reflection

I present two artifacts to demonstrate competency in the “Ethical, Legal, and Political Implications of Design”. These artifacts are my completed Plagiarism Tutorial Certificate and Statement of Program Commitment. The artifacts demonstrate my pledge to adhere to strict academic integrity guidelines while performing coursework at Purdue.         

The Plagiarism Tutorial Certificate demonstrates my knowledge and willingness to respect copyrighted materials. My work during this graduate program will assimilate the previous knowledge of thought leaders in the field of instructional design. My work will build on these principles. Credit and attribution must be clearly communicated using APA-style citations and references for my submitted assignments. The Statement of Program Commitment encompasses several professional conduct principles: academic integrity, professional attitude, and conduct. A key component of this program is the use of online forums. My written words lack body language cues to indicate my tone and assist the recipient in receiving my message as I intended. I strive to deliver clearly articulated, constructive feedback to my peers and will work diligently to seek a resolution if disagreement or conflict arises.       

My previous undergraduate college experience instilled the importance of respecting copyrighted material and attributing credit to the original author. I had voiced concern in my professional career when I experienced copyrighted works being reproduced and distributed without consent. While creating my job aid for EDCI 513, I used an image I sourced from Wikipedia. I researched the source of the image and verified that the Creative Commons license permitted my usage. I attributed the original creator in accordance with APA guidelines.     

I believe I have room to grow professionally in this area by continuing to investigate Creative Commons Licensing types. In summary, my artifacts closely align with the core value of this challenge.