PIL Course - PA Educators: Your Ethical Codes & School Law

This course was approved by Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) in August, 2022. It awards 25 PIL hours on PERMS to School and System Leaders (SSL).

It is composed of four, 3 hour, online sessions meeting once a week over four consecutive weeks.

PIL Course Description – This Course equips participants with knowledge of the:

• 5 principles of the Model Code of Ethics for Educators;

• values, expected and forbidden conduct set forth in the PA Code of Professional Practice & Conduct for Educators;

• differences between a code of ethics and code of conduct;

• the complaint, investigation and due process sections within the Educator Discipline Act; and

• the Members, website resources and functions of the PA Professional Standards & Practices Commission as well as the role they play in the professional disciplinary process for educators.

Learning Objectives. SSLs will learn to:

Participate in and facilitate peer discussion of case studies based upon common ethical dilemmas faced by PA educators while weighing possible outcomes and proactive measures to be taken.

SSLs are required to form a small (3-5 persons) Ethics Professional Learning Community with educators of their choice from his/her Local Education Agency. SSLs reteach 70% of materials they learn to Ethics PLC members including case studies.

SSLs and Educators take Pre and Post Assessments to show improvement and are submitted to PDE as part of Culminating Project. SSL & Educator feedback is also part of Culminating Project.

At least two Educators are required to teach an ethics lesson to one of their classes based upon a student code of conduct. Pre and Post Assessments are taken to show student achievement and are also submitted to PDE as part of Culminating Project.

To read reviews from educators who have taken this course, scan down to the bottom of this page.

To find starting dates and times of my next PIL class, the cost, the specific content of each session and registration info, click on Events in the top menu bar.

Private Course

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Responsible	Thomas Bailey
Last Update	08/13/2023
Members	3

Course
Reviews (1)

The Chairperson was in the wrong. David might be open to alternative points of view. Refusing to list a pronoun does not show he isn't. The International Society for Technology in Education standard says that we are to be 'open to alternative points of view.' It doesn't say we have to identify our pronouns. It really never tells us what to do. The standards give us guidelines to follow."
High School Student #2• PIL Class 1 November 6, 2022

I found members of the PLC to find our discussions to be beneficial for all staff, especially the newer staff. Furthermore, the members shared that the discussions that we had... were eye opening and as a result, the members suggested that we as a team should present and discuss the PA Code of Conduct and the MCEE at the Teacher In Service Meetings at the start of the school year."
Career Technical Center Assistant Administrator• PIL Class 2 March 13, 2023

These lessons are essential to all grade-level students since the digital world is where we interact and leave our footprints."
"The weakness is that many of my students need more time to discuss these issues since they live in this world 24/7. As a Social Education teacher, I can build upon this type of lesson and look forward to working it into next year’s curriculum."
8th Grade Social Studies Educator •
PIL Class 2 March 15, 2023

I am the middle school guidance counselor, and I found the PLC group relevant and helpful to me since many teachers approach me confidentially about situations and find the Code of Conduct and MCEE to be ... great resource(s) to reference."
Middle School Guidance Counselor • PIL Class 2 March 15, 2023

The lesson was helpful because it was nice to have a resource area and network to refer to when and if situations like the ones I looked at arise.... but once students get into high school, it does not get talked about...now people just hide behind their screens and do not say a word for fear of what will happen to them. In...the International Society for Technology in Education Code of Conduct, it clearly states 'members and event participants are committed to providing a friendly, safe, supportive and harassment-free environment...'."
Career Technical Center Student A • PIL Class 2 March 13, 2023

I looked forward to taking this course to build my understanding of Professional Ethics and possible legal implications...This upcoming year Act 49 will require the integration of professional ethics and couldn't have found this course more relevant for the time."
Middle School Principal • PIL Class 2
March 15, 2023

I also shared many of the resources with my administrative team and held a modified PLC with them. They found it beneficial to review the PA Code of Conduct and quite honestly, some were not aware of the MCEE."
Superintendent • PIL Class 1
November 6, 2022

Sadly I think students nowadays do not want to get in other kids business and to report something that happens can result in other kids calling you a snitch. As for kids or people who are treated differently because of how they dress or look, it is more common than adults even realize."
"I think David in the example we read about, was more worried about himself and getting ahead and ethically he should have reported it and made sure that he remained anonymous."
Career Technical Center Student B• PIL Class 3
March 15, 2023

"The MCEE was something that I never even knew existed. I work very hard to be a constant professional...but the information shared with me through this PLC, stands as a reminder to me to keep doing what I am doing, as it is my moral obligation and ethical responsibility to the population I serve, my students. I found this information to be very very helpful."
Career Technical Center Instructor RD•
PIL Class 2 March 13, 2023

The PLC was an effective method to explain our professional responsibilities in MCEE and the PA Code of Conduct because it allowed us to learn together and share a sense of professional responsibility."
"Instead of being told right and wrong, we were able to read the standards and give examples of appropriate professional practice from our experiences."
7th Grade Educator• PIL Class 1 November 6, 2022

I found the PLC to be effective for me because of the content shared.... All three educators were very open and honest in our discussions about implementing the revised version of the Code of Conduct and MCEE in the schools'...Mentor/Mentor Meetings, as well as our faculty meetings, as it contributes to the overall growth of the staff, both new and more seasoned."
"The union president suggested that we share information that was discussed at the union sponsored Lunch and Learns that will also take place for the 2023-2024 school year."
Career Technical Center Assistant Administrator• PIL Class 2
March 13, 2023

As the 7th grade Social Education teacher, I... introduced the International Society for Technology in Education website Standard 1.2b and elaborated on what it meant before jumping into the scenario...The biggest takeaway was their willingness to discuss the scenario and explain what they were to do if the situation were to occur. The students enjoyed talking through the scenarios because they deal with many situations but have yet to really take the implications into account."
7th Grade Social Education teacher• PIL Class 2 March 15, 2023