Wanda runs a small day care facility out of her home. Wanda’s husband Jack was recently laid off and forced to accept a lower paying job. Wanda and her husband now depend more on the day care home income than they did in the past. Lately, she has had a problem with parents canceling at the last minute, leaving Wanda with unfilled “slots.” She now makes sure that the money is paid before she reserves a day care slot for a child.
Wanda recently received a call from an old friend, Sheila, asking for a favor. Sheila had heard that Wanda ran a day care facility and was wondering if she had room for her daughter Karen. Sheila asked if she could pay her in a week or two because her husband just started a new job and it would be a couple of weeks until his first paycheck.
Karen fit in well with the other children and was very well behaved. The children often brought toys for “show and tell” and enjoyed playing with each other’s toys. Especially popular toys with the girls were Karen’s “American Girl” dolls and outfits. Wanda was a bit concerned when Karen brought them to day care, since she knew how expensive they are (with the accessories the two dolls were worth about $300) and feared that they might get damaged. Karen and the three other girls Wanda cared for would spend hours dressing up the dolls in the different “American Girl” outfits. Though Wanda discouraged the children from leaving their toys at day care overnight, toys were left frequently, even Karen’s dolls.
One morning, after Karen had missed two days of day care, Wanda received a phone message from Sheila indicating that she was going to have to withdraw Karen. In her message, Sheila explained that she was quitting her job so that she could stay home with Karen. Wanda was concerned because Sheila had still not paid for the two and a half weeks that she cared for Karen. Sheila also stated that she would send Wanda a check in the mail, but that she planned to stop by in the evening to pick up Karen’s dolls. When Wanda mentioned the situation to her husband, he became angry and suggested to Wanda that they keep Karen’s dolls until Sheila pays for the day care services.
QUESTIONS:
• How should Wanda resolve this issue?
• What Ethical System, or ‘way of moral reasoning’ provides the best outcome?
• Would the solution be the same for Christians as for non-Christians?
SUGGESTIONS:
• Students divide into teams to conduct a brief skit/ drama illustration of the different modes of moral reasoning.
• Discuss the different perspectives offered by differing modes of moral reasoning.
The best way for Wanda to resolve this issue is by engaging in an ethical dialogue with Sheila. Ethically, Wanda should discuss the issue with Sheila and explain that while she appreciates her wanting to stay home with Karen, it’s not fair or right for Sheila to take advantage of the situation by not paying for the day care services. Furthermore, Wanda should explain that even if her husband was laid off recently, they still depend on their income from the day care facility and cannot afford to go without payment. Additionally, Wanda could suggest a payment plan as an alternative solution so that Sheila can pay back what she owes over time (Hoefer & Reimer 2020).
An ethical system which provides an appropriate solution for this dilemma is utilitarianism. As outlined by John Stuart Mill (1863), one of its foremost proponents, utilitarianism holds that “the greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation”. In other words, actions are morally justified only if they tend towards promoting overall happiness or well-being rather than suffering or pain (Mill 1863). Applying this framework to this case implies that acknowledging both parties’ interests will lead towards a resolution which maximizes balance and fairness between them; namely informing Sheila about how crucial it is for them to receive payment in exchange for their services while accommodating her current financial position through offering a manageable repayment schedule. This approach would provide justice between both parties since Sheila would be able fulfill her obligations while also allowing Wanda and Jack maintain their own livelihood through receiving compensation (Hoefer & Reimer 2020).
dents can engage and continually attain quality education despite of the pandemic situation.
Based on the definition of Easy LMS Company (2020), synchronous learning refers to a learning event in which a group of participants is engaged in learning at the same time (e.g., zoom meeting, web conference, real- time class) while asynchronous learning refers to the opposite, in which the instructor, the learner, and other participants are not engaged in the learning process at the same time. Thus, there is no real-time interaction with other people (e.g., pre-recorded discussions, self- paced learning, discussion boards). According to article issued by University of Waterloo (2020), synchronous learning is a form of learning that is live presentation which allows the students to ask questions while asynchronous can be a recorded presentation that allows students to have time in reflecting before asking questions. Synchronous learning is a typical meeting of students in a virtual setting and there is a class discussion where everybody can participate actively. Asynchronous learning is the utilization of learning platform or portal where the teachers or instructors can post and update lessons or activities and student can work at their own pace. These types of class instruction are commonly observed in these times and students have their own preferences when it comes to what best works for them.
In comparing both of the types of learning, it is valuable to know the advantages and disadvantages in order to see how it will really be an impact towards students. Wintemute (2021) discussed synchronous learning has greater engagement and direct communication is present, but it requires strong internet connection. On the other hand, asynchronous learning is advantageous in schedule flexibility and more accessible, yet it is less immersive and the challenges in procrastination, socialization and distraction are present. Students in synchronous learning tend to adapt the changes of learning with classmates in a virtual setting while asynchronous learning introduced a new setting where students can choose when to study.
In the middle of the crisis, asynchronous learning can be more favorable than synchronous because most of us are struggling in this pandemic. One of the principal advantages of asynchronous online learning is that it offers more flexibility, allowing learners to set their own schedule and work at their own pace (Anthony and Thomas, 2020). In contrast, synchronous learning allows students to feel connected in a virtual world and it can give them assurance of not being isolated amidst studying lessons because they can have a live interactions and exchange of ideas and other valuable inputs for the class to understand the lessons well by the help of teachers. The main advantages of synchronous learning are that instructors can explain specific concepts when students are struggling and students can also get immediate answers about their concerns in the process of learning (Hughes, 2014). In the article of Delgado (2020), the advantages and disadvantages will