Influence of vignette instructional method on ethical sensitivity in decision-making among Business Studies Teacher Trainees at the University of Nairobi, Kenya

Abstract

Vignette as an instructional method within the case-based learning family, facilitates content delivery to improve learning outcomes. Vignette has been used in preparing teacher trainees in ethical sensitivity in decision-making during the teaching learning process. Vignette simulate and bring into training processes, real-life situations to nurture ethical sensitivity in decision-making. Building on social constructivism and experiential learning models, vignette instructional method occupies a central position in the teaching of business ethics for sensitivity in decisionmaking. Although use of vignette in delivering business ethics content was gradually increasing, teacher trainees were slow in adopting vignette and inconsistent in applying ethical sensitivity in decision-making for accelerated learning. Despite usefulness of vignette, little data is available leading to paucity which require resourcing and institutionalization for entrenching ethical sensitivity in decision-making. The influence of vignette on context, content, type, construction and utilization stimulates ethical sensitivity in decision-making for improved learning. Randomly sampled teacher trainees used, were in third and fourth year which offered opportunity to master aspects of ethical sensitivity in decision-making for better learning achievement. Primary data was sourced in 2018 where 116 teacher trainees were used. The process adopted cross sectional survey design. Findings showed that 59 (50.9%) males and 57 (49.1%) females teacher trainees were used. Qualitative data were obtained from Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews. Findings indicated that context of vignette correlated with ethical sensitivity in decision-making (rs = -0.222, ρ-value = 0.017); which prompted rejection of the null hypothesis. This posits that there is no significant correlation between the context of vignette and ethical sensitivity in decision-making for accelerated learning. Teacher Trainees who strongly agreed that context vignette influenced ethical sensitivity in decision-making were 3.9 times likely to make ethical decisions while, those who disagreed strongly registered (ρ-value = 0.004, β = 1.355, OR = 3.877, C.I. = 2.087-7.202). Variation between the odds of ethical sensitivity in decision-making was significant at 99% confidence level. Consequently, the more teacher trainees recognize the usefulness of context vignette the more likely that ethical sensitivity maybe realized and the higher the odds of making ethical decisions for accelerated learning maybe achieved. Null hypotheses were also rejected in the case of content vignette (rs = 0.218; ρ- value = 0.019); types of vignette (rs = -0.395, ρ-value = 0.000); vignette construction (rs = 0.184, ρ-value = 0.034); and vignette utilization (rs = -0.275, ρ-value = 0.003). Dimensions of vignette instructional method significantly correlate with ethical sensitivity in decision-making, which promotes learning achievement. Besides, teacher trainees who strongly agreed that content vignette influenced ability to make ethically sensitivity decisions were 1.8 times more likely to make sensitive decisions than colleagues who strongly disagreed (ρ-value = 0.022, β = 0.604, OR = 1.829, C.I. = 1.266-2.644). By implication, variation between two groups was significant at 95% confidence level. Consequently, the more the teacher trainees recognized that vignette content influenced ethical sensitivity in decision-making, the stronger the odds of making ethical decisions. The odds of making ethical decisions, was also significant in the case of vignette types (ρ-value = 0.000, β = 1.807, OR = 6.092, C.I. = 3.305-8.229); vignette construction (ρ-value = 0.053, β = 0.489, OR = 1.631, C.I. = 0.931-2.856); and vignettes utilization (ρ-value = 0.018, β = 0.728, OR = 2.071, C.I. = 1.397-3.071). The more the teacher trainees mastered that the utilization of vignette influenced ethical sensitivity in decision-making, the stronger the odds of adhering to ethical principles when making decisions. Based on Wald statistic, types of vignette had strongest positive and significant influence on ethical sensitivity in decision-making (Wald = 37.022, ρ-value = 0.000); followed by context of vignettes (Wald = 24.958, ρ-value = 0.000); and vignette utilization (Wald = 16.309, ρ-value = 0.009). The summative effect of the five dimensions of vignette, explained 57.5% of the likelihood of a trainee making an ethical decision. The study concludes that vignettes instructional method has a positive and a significant influence on teacher trainees’ ethical sensitivity in decision-making. Consequently, the five dimensions of vignette should be integrated in teacher training programs and embraced in the competency-based curriculum. The government should recast instructional orientation, drawing from the on-going curriculum reforms to capture competencies in vignette as an instructional method. Further studies should consider expanding samples, and scope in terms of vignette dimensions and departments, as well as determine how graduates demonstrate ethical sensitivity in making- decisions in professional and social life.