The purpose of this course is to equip learners with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to understand, analyse, and address ethical issues in leadership within Technology and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions. The course provides a foundation for examining ethical theories, ethical decision-making, leadership responsibilities, and ethical dilemmas arising in technology education contexts.

Emphasis is placed on the application of ethical principles to real-world leadership situations involving equity and access, resource allocation, professional relationships, institutional governance, technological innovation, and sustainability. Learners will critically examine the role of leaders in fostering integrity, accountability, fairness, trust, and responsible decision-making within educational institutions. The course further explores how ethical leadership can contribute to the development of an ethical organisational culture and promote sustainable development within technology education and TVET institutions.

CLO1: Explain key ethical theories and their relevance to leadership in TVET.

CLO2: Analyse ethical dilemmas specific to TVET settings and propose appropriate solutions.

CLO3: Apply ethical decision-making models to real-world scenarios in TVET.

CLO4: Develop strategies to promote an ethical culture and sustainability within TVET institutions.

The course covers the foundations of ethics and leadership, including definitions and the importance of ethics in leadership and its influence on organisational culture and decision-making. Learners will examine major ethical theories, particularly deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics, and explore their application to leadership within TVET institutions.

The course also addresses ethical decision-making in TVET, including ethical decision-making models and frameworks such as the Ethical Decision-Making Model (EDM) and the PLUS Decision-Making Model. Learners will apply these frameworks to identify ethical issues, evaluate alternatives, make informed decisions, and analyse real-world ethical situations.

Attention will further be given to ethical dilemmas in TVET, including equity and access, resource allocation, and staff-student relationships. Learners will examine approaches to resolving ethical dilemmas through mediation, negotiation, and ethical reasoning, as well as the role of ethics committees and codes of conduct.

The course explores strategies for promoting an ethical organisational culture, including institutional policies and practices, ethical leadership behaviours, leading by example, setting ethical expectations, and ethics training and development. Finally, learners will examine ethics and sustainable development in TVET, with particular attention to environmental, social, and economic responsibilities, green technologies, environmental stewardship, and the ethical balance between technological innovation and sustainability.