Eliciting ethical guidelines for school middle leaders in a social-ecological framework via role-play simulations

The study aims to elicit ethical guidelines for school middle leaders as derived through role-play simulation training, and frame them within the social-ecological model (SEM). Using stratified sampling, this qualitative study was conducted during one academic year and included 30 school middle leaders from different Israeli high schools and districts who participated in the study during a course given as part of a Master’s degree program in educational leadership at a large university in Israel. Drawing on 30 role-play simulations and group debriefings involving ethical dilemmas in leadership that were filmed in a studio, the authors elicited ethical guidelines developed by the research participants. The findings uncovered five core themes of ethical guidelines for school middle leaders, framed within the layers of the SEM: interpersonal relationship aspects, individuals’ professional aspects, organizational relationship aspects, public policy aspects, and community relationship aspects. The study revealed ethical guidelines developed specifically for school middle leaders and framed them within the SEM. Hence, it promotes a holistic understanding of the various social contexts in which school middle leaders operate and may help explore their ethical conduct and assist them in overcoming professional challenges.