Resolving ethical dilemmas

2. Anonymization of student data

Scenario: A university is planning to conduct a study on student performance in online courses. To achieve this, system administrators intend to collect data on student activities, including login frequency, time spent on individual tasks, quiz and examination results, and participation in discussion forums. A challenge arises because this data is linked to personally identifiable information, such as each student’s first name, last name, and unique AAI identifier. If the data is provided to researchers in its raw form, there is a significant risk that individual results could be associated with specific students. This may lead to negative consequences, such as stigmatization, particularly for students with lower academic performance.

Answer the questions:

1. What types of student data does a typical LMS (e.g. Moodle LMS) collect and which of them do you consider particularly sensitive?
2. What could happen if data were provided to researchers without anonymization? List the possible consequences for students.
3. In what ways can it be ensured that research data is used ethically and in accordance with regulations?
4. How should the fact that their data is collected and used for research purposes be communicated to students?
5. Design an example of a privacy policy that a college could publish to students to increase trust in e-learning.