Ethical decisions in today's classrooms rarely come with time to spare. Teachers make decisions mid-lesson, juggling parent messages, grading assignments and classroom management while planning for tomorrow’s lessons. This lack of time means ethical judgments often happen on instinct because there is no time to slow down, consult guidance, or talk through the tradeoffs.
The challenge is not only "What is the right principle?" It is "Can you apply judgment well when the decision is due now?"
When judgment must happen at a rapid pace, educators need training, shared norms and clear guardrails they can rely on in the moment, especially when the decision involves AI. Otherwise, shortcuts become routines, routines become norms, and the ethical costs show up later in trust, fairness and professional boundaries.
Practicing ethical judgment before it is needed
Most teachers do not get to practice ethical decisions before they are faced with them in real time. To help address that gap, ETS's Praxis program expanded ProEthica, our research-based professional ethics program for educators. It now features new capabilities and content designed to meet the rapidly changing realities of today's classrooms, including the new AI Ethics module, which uses generative AI simulations to prepare educators for hard ethical dilemmas in a low-stakes setting.
In each simulation, the candidate practices the conversation in real time through text or audio with an AI-powered avatar. After the interaction, the educator receives written AI-generated feedback grounded in the Model Code of Ethics for Educators. Candidates can repeat the simulation multiple times, receiving feedback after each attempt and applying it to refine their responses and decision-making. What changes is the scenario.
The generative AI simulations focus on human-in-the-loop decision-making in three areas:
- Transparency, centered on how educators use AI systems and the importance of ensuring that decisions using AI-generated information are clear, defensible and fair;
- Data Privacy, exploring issues related to student data, intellectual property and long-term implications of AI tools; and
- Social Media, grounded in realistic scenarios educators and students face in everyday situations.
Across all three, educators hone their skills well before a real moment forces a rushed call.
Why this matters now
AI tools are evolving faster than policy and regulation, and teachers are often left to interpret expectations on their own. UNESCO's report Guidance for generative AI in education and research underscores the same concern, calling for stronger human capacity and privacy protections as AI becomes more embedded in education.
In modern classrooms, educators make many decisions a day, and they make them quickly. What matters is whether they have had the opportunity to practice ethical judgment before the clock starts. The expanded ProEthica reflects a simple but critical insight: when educators are supported with realistic practice and shared standards, speed does not have to come at the expense of integrity.
To learn more about ProEthica, visit: https://praxis.ets.org/proethica-ethics-training.html