| Teachers are very important to the success and | | | | should be taken to eliminate such unprofessional |
| academic prosperity of colleges and universities. | | | | conduct and as such, teachers should be given |
| The existence of a positive momentum of | | | | the chance to improve or be asked to leave |
| continued success within universities is not by | | | | academia. |
| chance, but results from hard work contributed | | | | Ethical behaviour includes a collection of moral |
| by faculty in the daily activities performed. Hence | | | | standards used to guide the teacher's private and |
| the requirements needed for making academia | | | | professional life. It is a complex process of |
| successful will only be eroded if mediocrity is | | | | decision-making in a world that is endlessly |
| allowed to take root. Once mediocrity is allowed | | | | interpretable, and in which discrepancies and |
| to thrive in these entities it will eventually stifle the | | | | conflicts often arise between the various moral |
| organization and academic death results. This type | | | | values that are relevant to the classroom and |
| of unprofessional conduct leads to teaching | | | | consequently, only rarely is there a final or definite |
| responsibilities either done subjectively or with | | | | solution to an ethical dilemma (Buzzelli & |
| detachment. It therefore means that the | | | | Johnston, 2001). Administrators need act quickly |
| decision to remain ethical and avoid mediocrity is a | | | | to uproot mediocre teachers in academia in order |
| choice that has to be taken by teachers daily. | | | | to maintain and ensure academic success. It may |
| Teaching as a profession, has no room for | | | | be difficult to make such decisions at times but |
| mediocrity. The ethics of the teaching profession | | | | this is a requirement of good and effective |
| clarifies and inspires the quality of behaviour which | | | | leadership. Without such steps to eliminate |
| reflects the honour and guards the dignity of the | | | | mediocre teachers, academic programs will die. It |
| profession. It encourages quality, and efficiency in | | | | takes conviction, competence, and control over |
| teaching, and enables the members of the | | | | vital practices to change a school's direction (Platt, |
| profession to reflect and maintain the highest level | | | | A., Tripp, C., Fraser, R. etal. 2008). If competences |
| of ethical conduct. It speaks to the determination | | | | and vital practices are to be maintained, |
| of the individual in striving to uphold ethical conduct | | | | mediocrity cannot be allowed to overwhelm |
| that is conducive to the highest expectations of | | | | academic activities. Thus decisions at various |
| the profession. | | | | levels must be taken and enforced by |
| Moral behaviour and values promote ethical | | | | administrators and supervisors of universities in |
| organizational behaviour and help ethical behaviour | | | | which the problem of mediocre exist. |
| and written codes of ethical conduct to be | | | | Administrators and supervisors have got to be |
| adhered to by teachers. The values people bring | | | | strong when dealing with mediocrity, as this may |
| with them to the teaching profession and to | | | | reflect upon their leadership being mediocre.Much |
| academia will impact the teachers' decision for | | | | conservative efforts and specific control should be |
| ethical conduct. As a result these values must | | | | put in place to eliminate any such behaviours and |
| almost be innate to provide stability and | | | | or dilemmas. |
| consistency for ethical conduct. Is mediocrity | | | | Mediocrity in academia does not happen suddenly. |
| therefore displayed by teachers in academia daily? | | | | It takes time and over time it weaves a web of |
| Can it be intense and severe, causing strong | | | | "anything goes". As a result changes to academic |
| levels of negative entrenchment in academia? It | | | | mediocrity may be difficult for administrators |
| is a fact that mediocre teachers do exist and | | | | especially if it has existed for an extended period |
| they create a spell of death when they are | | | | of time. Nonetheless, the problem should be |
| continually allowed to display these negative | | | | tackled. Good administrators and supervisors of |
| attitudes and unprofessional behaviour in | | | | academia are those who continually remain |
| academia. | | | | focused and ensure that they are not mediocre |
| 1. Failure in performing academic duties (not | | | | leaders themselves. Undoubtedly mediocrity in |
| teaching, no preparation of lesson plans or learning | | | | academia cannot be eliminated without getting to |
| activities). | | | | the root of the problem, and as such multiple |
| 2. Leaving students and other non-professionals | | | | approaches may need to be implemented. |
| to organize and implement class sessions and | | | | Eliminating such mediocre behaviours may involve |
| program activities but then having | | | | the development of programs focused at: |
| non-professionals evaluate the progress of | | | | 1. Changing negative unprofessional practices by |
| students. | | | | using evaluation methods that will eliminate |
| 3. Being late for teaching sessions (classes) | | | | mediocrity among teachers; |
| work and meetings consistently and deliberately | | | | 2. Developing successful academic routine to |
| but when present, walking in and out of academic | | | | maintain vital practices and performances for |
| and staff meetings, talking, answering cell-phones, | | | | teachers; |
| questioning all activities, details, suggestions, and in | | | | 3. Creating self-esteem and self-discipline |
| a few cases eating. | | | | enhancements programs to improve teacher |
| 4. Pretending to be fully cooperative and | | | | professionalism; |
| involved in a meeting or work activity but instead | | | | 4. Implementing rewards and consequences for |
| only using it as a distraction for delaying the work | | | | professional and unprofessional conduct; |
| process. | | | | 5. Developing appropriate protocols outlining the |
| 5. Creating excuses and lying in many cases to | | | | attitudes and behaviors required for academic |
| cover-up failures and poor work ethics; and in | | | | success; and |
| many cases insisting that they are always right | | | | 6. Developing leadership characteristics and skills |
| about everything. | | | | with individually based potentials and personality. |
| 6. Exhibiting an obnoxious and "anything goes" | | | | Another activity, found useful in some universities |
| kind of attitude toward the teaching profession. | | | | is implementation of merit pay based on |
| 7. Performing bias assessments and evaluations | | | | employee evaluations. However, this may not be |
| for students especially if the student is not liked | | | | effective in all cases, but could be used in |
| by that teacher. | | | | combination with other rewards to help remove |
| 8. Failure in demonstrating new and creative | | | | and uproot mediocrity. These programs could |
| methods in lesson delivery. | | | | create a paradigm shift from mediocrity to |
| 9. Being comfortable with delivering the | | | | improved academia, allowing teachers to pursue |
| same "old" lessons plans semester after | | | | academic excellence. An integral avenue that |
| semester. | | | | creates mediocrity is that many teachers do not |
| 10. Using the same testing materials for all classes | | | | have interest for personal improvement and |
| and repeatedly in all semesters. | | | | continuous professional development. They believe |
| 11. Plagiarizing test content from other sources, | | | | that little or no effort needs to be used for their |
| books, internet, DVD's for examinations, tests, | | | | success. If however teachers do not see the |
| and quizzes. | | | | need for continuous professional improvement, |
| 12. Grading impartially, and showing a lack of | | | | how will they then practice personal reflection and |
| fairness (based on who is liked, who is not; past | | | | become self- actualize? Academia will no doubt |
| performances, background, personal insecurities, | | | | become stagnant and die. This is very reason that |
| and in many instances laziness. | | | | ethical standards should not be treated as articles |
| 13. Deceiving students into thinking they have | | | | of containment but embraced as welcome moral |
| been taught, when they have just wasted time, | | | | principles guiding a growing, vibrant profession |
| because their learning process has been | | | | (Shestack, 1998). Because of their relatively high |
| "short-changed". | | | | status in organizations, professionals represent an |
| 14. Disrespecting authority –supervisors and | | | | authoritative symbol of social responsibility (Kleyn |
| administrators openly or with disguise. | | | | &Kapelianis, 1999). |
| 15. Refusing to acknowledge and be accountable | | | | If teachers are allowed to remain in their |
| for job performance problems. | | | | mediocre state a negative premise would be |
| 16. Dismissing and disregarding disciplinary | | | | assumed by teachers, allowing them to have their |
| problems found among students; accepting and | | | | own way. This negative attitude eventually clouds |
| condoning with student's misbehavior. | | | | and slowly infiltrates the entire academic faculty |
| 17. Resisting change and questioning decisions | | | | and good teachers become bad over time. |
| made by administrators and supervisors, even if | | | | According to Shuford, (2006) a powerful shield |
| the change is extremely necessary. | | | | protecting deadwood and mediocrity produces |
| 18. Displaying unequivocal laziness at every level of | | | | abysmal results, good and bad teachers alike are |
| teaching and academia, which could be | | | | subjected to mind-numbing micro-management |
| characterized as teachers exhibiting an attitude of | | | | from above in the form of canned |
| "I really care less", mediocre, and/ or consistent | | | | everyone-stakes testing, and a slew of other |
| inappropriate, irresponsible work output. | | | | mandates issued by education administrators of - |
| Although ethical conduct is a fundamental tenet of | | | | do not forget - negligible academic ability takes |
| professionalism it still has its challenges. However, | | | | root. Teachers no longer exhibit autonomy and |
| these challenges are even greater if mediocrity | | | | professional freedom, which are quaint, impractical |
| and negativity exists within academia. Such | | | | ideas, from the distant past (Shuford, 2006). |
| unparallel behaviour cannot continue if academia is | | | | Administrators therefore have the responsibility to |
| to survive. This only spells death. Once mediocrity | | | | ensure that teachers maintain high levels of |
| among teachers becomes evident it should be | | | | professional conduct. They should not allow |
| quickly controlled. Teachers who assume a | | | | mediocrity to become entrenched in academic |
| mediocre state should therefore be asked to | | | | activities and as such, they must continually strive |
| decide their way forward. Decisions to evaluate | | | | for excellence in academia. This will unequivocally |
| their progress and determine the extent to which | | | | allow for success in not only academic programs |
| they are contributing to the success of academia | | | | but all university activities. |
| should be carefully weighed. Appropriate actions | | | | |