Digital-Age Ethics for Elementary Teachers: Challenges and Strategies for Professional Integrity

Mujahidah; Syamsurijal

doi:10.55927/mudima.v6i10.148

Authors

Mujahidah Universitas Negeri Makassar
Syamsurijal Universitas Negeri Makassar

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55927/mudima.v6i10.148

Keywords:

Teacher Professional Ethics, Professional Integrity, Elementary Education, Digital Ethics, Student Privacy

Abstract

Digital transformation has expanded elementary teachers’ work into learning platforms, social media, messaging applications, data systems, and generative artificial intelligence. These tools support collaboration and instructional improvement but raise ethical concerns about professional boundaries, children’s privacy and safety, information integrity, copyright, equity, and accountability. This article synthesizes the ethical challenges faced by elementary school teachers in digital environments and identifies strategies for maintaining professional integrity while prioritizing children’s best interests. A narrative literature review was conducted through exploratory searches of scholarly articles, academic books, international frameworks, policy documents, and Indonesian legislation, prioritizing publications from 2020 to 2026 alongside foundational theories. The thematic synthesis identifies risks involving blurred personal and professional boundaries, children’s data governance, unsafe online communication, unverified digital and AI-generated content, and unequal access to technology. It proposes a Five-Dimension Framework of Teachers’ Digital Integrity comprising pedagogical, relational, information-and-data, epistemic, and civic-professional integrity. Recommendations are directed to teachers, schools, teacher education programs, families, and professional associations. The framework is a conceptual synthesis, not a validated instrument, and requires empirical testing in Indonesian elementary schools

References

Campbell, E. (2008). The ethics of teaching as a moral profession. Curriculum Inquiry, 38(4), 357–385. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-873X.2008.00414.x

Council of Europe. (2019). Digital citizenship education handbook. Council of Europe Publishing. https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/handbook

European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture. (2022). Ethical guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and data in teaching and learning for educators. Publications Office of the European Union. https://education.ec.europa.eu/focus-topics/digital-education/action-plan/action-6

Gouseti, A., James, F., Fallin, L., & Burden, K. (2025). The ethics of using AI in K–12 education: A systematic literature review. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 34(2), 161–182. https://doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2024.2428601

Henderson, M., Auld, G., & Johnson, N. F. (2014). Ethics of teaching with social media. In Proceedings of the Australian Computers in Education Conference. https://repository.bbg.ac.id/bitstream/387/1/ACEC-2014.pdf

Indria, A., Lindra, A., Ridha, A., & Satrial, A. (2026). Digital teachers from the perspective of applied ethics. Journal of Islamic Education, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.58485/jie.v5i1.625

Jones, L. M., & Mitchell, K. J. (2016). Defining and measuring youth digital citizenship. New Media & Society, 18(9), 2063–2079. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444815577797

Kementerian Pendidikan Dasar dan Menengah. (2026, March 16). SKB pedoman pemanfaatan dan pembelajaran teknologi digital dan kecerdasan artifisial. https://www.kemendikdasmen.go.id/pengumuman/14932-skb-pedoman-pemanfaatan-dan-pembelajaran-teknologi-digital-dan-ka

Long, D., & Magerko, B. (2020). What is AI literacy? Competencies and design considerations. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 1–16). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/3313831.3376727

Manziz, I., Zada, N. K., Azzahro, L. S., & Khasanah, N. (2026). Dilema profesionalisme guru di era digital: Studi pustaka tentang tantangan implementasi kode etik. Pendas: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Dasar, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.23969/jp.v11i02.49284

Miao, F., & Cukurova, M. (2024). AI competency framework for teachers. UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/ai-competency-framework-teachers

Miao, F., & Holmes, W. (2023). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386693

Mishra, P., & Koehler, M. J. (2006). Technological pedagogical content knowledge: A framework for teacher knowledge. Teachers College Record, 108(6), 1017–1054. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9620.2006.00684.x

Nejadghanbar, H., & Song, J. (2025). English language teachers’ professionalism on social media: A sociomaterial perspective. Applied Linguistics Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1515/applirev-2025-0229

Noakes, S., & Hook, S. (2021). The blurred line between the professional and the personal: Regulation of teacher behaviour on social media. Australian Journal of Education, 65(1), 6–23. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004944120924889

Noddings, N. (2013). Caring: A relational approach to ethics and moral education (2nd ed.). University of California Press.

OECD. (2023). OECD digital education outlook 2023: Towards an effective digital education ecosystem. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/c74f03de-en

Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia. (n.d.). Kode Etik Guru Indonesia. https://www.pgri.or.id/dokumen

Purwarianti, A., Nugroho, S. E., Jihad, A., Budiardjo, E. K., Ratih, C. K., Balqis, Z., Siadari, T. S., Prasetio, A. B., Pierewan, A. C., Astuti, L., Anggraena, Y., Damarjati, T., Kusumadewi, P. W., & Jaelani, M. N. G. (2025). Panduan pemanfaatan kecerdasan artifisial: Untuk guru pendidikan anak usia dini, pendidikan dasar, dan pendidikan menengah. Pusat Kurikulum dan Pembelajaran & Pusat Standar dan Kebijakan Pendidikan. https://repositori.kemendikdasmen.go.id/36443/

Sa’diyah, J., Hanif, M., Ramadhani, N. I., Eksanti, H. R., & Nadiah, D. (2026). Kebijakan dan tantangan penegakan etika profesi guru pada era digital. Pendas: Jurnal Ilmiah Pendidikan Dasar, 11(2). https://doi.org/10.23969/jp.v11i02.52003

Selwyn, N. (2022). Education and technology: Key issues and debates (3rd ed.). Bloomsbury Academic.

Shapira-Lishchinsky, O. (2011). Teachers’ critical incidents: Ethical dilemmas in teaching practice. Teaching and Teacher Education, 27(3), 648–656. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2010.11.003

Tirri, K., & Kuusisto, E. (2022). Teachers’ professional ethics: Theoretical frameworks and empirical research from Finland. Brill. https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004532649

UNESCO. (2022). Recommendation on the ethics of artificial intelligence. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000381137

UNESCO. (2023a). Global education monitoring report 2023: Technology in education—A tool on whose terms? UNESCO. https://www.unesco.org/gem-report/en/technology

UNESCO. (2023b). Guidance for generative AI in education and research. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000386693

UNICEF. (2021). Policy guidance on AI for children (Version 2.0). UNICEF Office of Global Insight and Policy. https://www.unicef.org/globalinsight/reports/policy-guidance-ai-children

United Nations. (1989). Convention on the Rights of the Child. https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-rights-child

Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 1 Tahun 2024 tentang Perubahan Kedua atas Undang-Undang Nomor 11 Tahun 2008 tentang Informasi dan Transaksi Elektronik. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/274494/uu-no-1-tahun-2024

Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 14 Tahun 2005 tentang Guru dan Dosen. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/40266/uu-no-14-tahun-2005

Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 20 Tahun 2003 tentang Sistem Pendidikan Nasional. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/43920/uu-no-20-tahun-2003

Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 27 Tahun 2022 tentang Pelindungan Data Pribadi. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/229798/uu-no-27-tahun-2022

Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 28 Tahun 2014 tentang Hak Cipta. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/38690/uu-no-28-tahun-2014

Undang-Undang Republik Indonesia Nomor 35 Tahun 2014 tentang Perubahan atas Undang-Undang Nomor 23 Tahun 2002 tentang Perlindungan Anak. https://peraturan.bpk.go.id/Details/38723/uu-no35-tahun-2014