Ethics Statement
This document outlines the ethics statement for members of the Learning Specialists Association of Canada (LSAC). A member is defined by article 1 of the LSAC Bylaws.
This statement is created under article 2 of the LSAC constitution, which states that one of the Association’s principle purposes shall be “to develop, encourage, and support sound professional and ethical standards amongst our members.” Article 1.3(b) of the LSAC Bylaws states that “members must strive to adhere to the ethics, principles, and responsibilities as set forth by the Association.” Article 1.5(c) of the LSAC Bylaws states that “any membership may be terminated for breaching the ethics, principles, and responsibilities as set forth by the Association.”
As members of the Learning Specialists Association of Canada, our goal is to treat all individuals with dignity and respect, and we will do so by upholding the following responsibilities to our student clients, student employees and volunteers, and to our profession and fellow members.
This document was approved by the LSAC Board of Directors on April 13th, 2015 and ratified by the LSAC membership on June 12th, 2015.
Responsibilities to our Student Clients
- Maintain professional relationships with students through maintaining appropriate boundaries.
- Observe freedom of information and privacy legislation.
- Use students’ strengths to guide the learning process, and help students strengthen areas of difficulty through customized learning strategy instruction, either individually or in a group setting.
- Encourage students to become metacognitive, reflective, and life-long learners.
- Develop an awareness of resources to support students in the best way we can, referring students to services and supports as required.
- Encourage feedback from student clients and other professionals to improve services and develop personal practice.
Responsibilities to our Student Employees and Volunteers
- Select student employees and volunteers based on established criteria that are equitable and consistent.
- Ensure student employees and volunteers are working within their knowledge and experience.
- Encourage and support the holistic development of student employees and volunteers.
- Provide honest and constructive feedback to student employees and volunteers.
- Provide an environment that models leadership and professional practices in higher education.
Responsibilities to our Profession and Fellow Members
- Act as an ambassador and representative of the profession to the community when appropriate.
- Stay current with the latest research and developments of the profession by engaging in reflective practice and lifelong learning.
- Properly acknowledge the authors of original research and the developers of original programming in reports, presentations, and research papers.
- Assist in the growth of the profession’s knowledge base by disseminating the results of research and practice.
- Mentor new members and share knowledge when appropriate.