{"name":"Social responsibility in Pandemic COVID-19","content":"\n

\"The\ngreatest weapon against Stress is our ability to choose one thought over\nanother.\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To consider that people are stressed during the\nCOVID-19 pandemic would be an ironical. The accepted social norms and values,\nlike shaking hands or visiting the elderly, have gone out of the window in an\neffort to bring to an end to the spread of disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019re navigating according to new rules, and as a\nresult, decisions about how we behave and the choices we make have become more\ncomplex. Understandably, other\u2019s actions are sparking strong emotions and\nreactions, sometimes referred to as \u201ccancel culture,\u201d making it difficult to\ntalk about at home or in the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As researchers, we turn to research to help guide our behavior and thinking. Social responsibility helps us be thoughtful about our actions, particularly our actions in relation to other people. We published a\u00a0framework for social responsibility, based on the body of existing research that can be used as a lens to understand human behavior in a complex situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The dimensions of the framework can be used to spark\nan emphatic, non-judgemental discussion about making choices during a pandemic.\nWe offer a suggestion for how to initiate a discussion with learners for each\nof the four dimensions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multicultural<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Multicultural: Is knowledgeable about different\ncultural identities and sensitive toward cultural differences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example of how to engage: Present a set of different\nchoices someone could make during the current pandemic (i.e., decisions related\nto social distancing). For each choice, discuss how a person\u2019s perspective or\nprior experiences might influence their decision to make a specific choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ethical<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Ethical: Demonstrates knowledge and awareness of\nethical standards, issues and applies ethical reasoning and standards to make\ndecisions in ethically ambiguous situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example of how to engage: Present a set of different\nchoices someone could make during the current pandemic (i.e. decisions related\nto social distancing). For each choice, discuss how a person\u2019s values could\nhave influenced their decision to make a specific choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Civic<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Civic: Is an informed and active citizen at the\nlocal, national, and global level and understands and acts on issues of local,\nnational, and global significance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example of how to engage: Have learners explore the\nrole that the local, state, and\/or federal government is playing in managing\nthe pandemic (it can be in their own context or a new context). Learners could\nalso discuss strengths and weaknesses for having a certain level of government\nmanaging response to the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/em>Environmental<\/em><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Environmental: Is knowledgeable about current issues\nof environmental significance and is concerned about the wellbeing of the\nplanet and engages in sustainable behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example of how to engage: Have learners explore how\nthe COVID-19 pandemic, and human responses to the pandemic, could impact\nenvironmental and sustainability endeavors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By taking time to teach socially responsible thinking and decision-making, you\u2019re also helping your students develop a life skill that will help them navigate challenging situations in the future, whether daily decisions about climate change or even what career path to take. It is also a skill that is considered to be important for employees to demonstrate. For these reasons listed above and more, that\u2019s why we have listed it in our\u00a0framework for what makes someone employable\u00a0and are working to embed how to teach social responsibility into our products to enable classroom conversations during normal, less stressful times. <\/p>\n","post_date":"2020-12-15 06:08:12","post_status":"publish","slug":"social-responsibility-in-pandemic-covid-19","meta_title":"","meta_description":"","meta_keywords":"","featured":"Blog-12-Dec.jpg"}