We are making good progress with the work to develop an ethical framework for professional pratice in Learning Technology.

Our working group now has 60+ members including learners and representation from industry and continues to be led by ALT's Trustees Bella Abrams, Sharon Flynn and Natalie Lafferty.

This work forms part of ALT’s strategic aim to strengthen recognition and representation for Learning Technology professionals from all sectors, one of the priorities Members identified for this year is to develop an ethical framework for Learning Technology. We have received a lot of input from the working group, including many links to resources and organisations that can help inform the framework and we have worked to define a set of ethical principles which will form the core of the new framework alongside tools including for example a checklist or reflective questionnaire, to help individuals, institutions and industry to see how these principles are put into action.

We are now looking to share the first draft of the framework at the upcoming meeting of the ALT Assembly on 4th March. This meeting is free to attend and open to all, so if you would like to come along, please register here now. 

Building on ALT’s professional accreditation framework, CMALT, which was expanded to include ethical considerations for professional practice and research last year, our initial aim is to provide a starting point for informing the ethical use of Learning Technology by professionals, institutions and industry. The need for such a framework has become increasingly urgent as Learning Technology has been adopted on a larger scale than ever before and as the leading professional body for Learning Technology in the UK, representing 3,500 Members, ALT is well placed to lead this effort.

There have been a number of updates from the group to date: 

• Draft principles and checklist, January 2021
• Update and plenary, December 2020
• Update, November 2020
• Launch update, 21 October 2020

Stay informed and get involved

If you'd like to stay informed or get involved, please sign up here.  We are looking for:

• input from staff, students and providers to inform the framework overall;
• individuals and organisations to help road-test the framework;
• existing research and frameworks to draw on.