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"Values in the Digital World," by Dr. John Bellavance
Written by UPF International
Thursday, September 23, 2021
Melbourne, Australia—Dr. John Bellavance, vice president of UPF-Australia, has written a new book, “Values in the Digital World: Ethics and Practices that Underpin Wellbeing,” (South North Group, 2021). It provides a contemporary platform to dialogue on ethics and values in the digital age, which is particularly relevant to the issues of privacy and misuse of data collection. Dr. Bellavance, who is the founder of CyberValues.org, describes how information and communication technologies (ICTs), without a values-based culture, can lead to a sense of exemption from moral responsibility.
“We have an opportunity to be proactive and prepare young people before and after they set sail in the digital world. A proactive approach requires fostering moral agency (one's capacity to act morally),” he says.
Explaining his motivation for writing the book, Dr. Bellavance says, “It is my experience that although some students behave inappropriately at times, such as maliciously attempt to damage the reputation of peers and post inappropriate responses and profiles on social media, they also demonstrate moral agency, such as stand up to cyberbullies and support their peers in need in the digital world. Because young people can be both moral and immoral, as a teacher, I concluded that opportunities for learning are rich. The reality is that the use of ICTs is rich with promise and risks, both of which carry moral consequences and personal responsibility. Young people are often navigating the digital world without the values and skills they need to be good digital citizens.”
Testimonial
"Bellavance synthesizes the best research on moral psychology and education to provide a firm foundation for education that will prepare young people to be responsible, caring and self-aware in their many engagements with the digital world." – Anne Colby, author of “The Power of Ideals” (with William Damon)
Anne Colby is a consulting professor at Stanford University. Prior to that, she was the director of the Henry Murray Research Center at Harvard University and a senior scholar at the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
To purchase a copy of the book, visit Amazon and to buy internationally, click here.
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