Resolving ethical dilemmas

1. Introduction

Carefully read the four scenarios of ethical dilemmas in e-learning. Then, for each scenario, answer the questions posed. Write your answers in the form of notes in which you will present your thoughts and suggestions for how each situation can be resolved ethically.

Pay special attention to:

• identifying potential problems
• considering possible consequences for students, teachers and the institution
• proposing practical and feasible solutions
• compliance with legal and ethical norms (e.g. GDPR, copyright, academic integrity).

It is important that your notes are concise, clear, and well-reasoned, not just a list of short answers. This will help you develop your ability to think critically about ethics in digital education and prepare you to make responsible decisions in your own teaching and professional practice.

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.

3. Copyright in digital materials

Scenario: A teacher creates a course in Moodle LMS and provides students with a script that includes photos, diagrams, and texts taken from various sources on the Internet. Some of the material is taken from books that are under copyright protection, and the teacher has scanned them and added them to presentations. Students, having access to the material, share it with each other, and some even publish it on social networks. After a certain period of time, the publisher of one of the books informs the faculty that there has been a copyright infringement and demands the removal of the material. This puts the faculty in an awkward position, as it is responsible for ensuring the legal use of educational resources.

Answer the questions:

1. What is the difference between copyright and open licenses (eg. Creative Commons) and why is it important in e-learning?
2. What consequences can a teacher (and institution) have if he uses protected materials in class without authorization?
3. What alternative strategies could a teacher use to provide students with quality materials without violating copyright?
4. How should students handle the teaching materials they download from the LMS, are they allowed to share them and in what cases?
5. Design an example of an educational activity where students could learn to recognize legal and illegal sources for their own work.

4. Filming students in their homes

Scenario: During online examinations, instructors may require students to activate their cameras to ensure that unauthorized materials are not being used. However, this practice raises significant privacy concerns, as it involves recording the interior of a student’s personal living space, such as a dormitory or home environment. In some cases, family members, personal belongings, or modest living conditions that students may prefer to keep private can appear in the background. As a result, students may experience discomfort, increased stress, and a sense of intrusion into their privacy. In extreme cases, some students may even withdraw from the examination to avoid being filmed in their own homes.

Answer the questions:

• What are the main privacy risks when students are required to be recorded during online exams?
• In what ways can students' discomfort with having their private space recorded be reduced?
• Do you think that recording students in their homes is justified in order to preserve academic integrity? Why yes or why not?
• Suggest alternative methods of testing knowledge that do not require recording, but still reduce the possibility of cheating.
• How should an institution regulate the storage, access, and duration of exam recordings to protect student privacy?

5. Sharing student data with third parties

The faculty is negotiating a partnership with a private company that offers advanced analytical tools for monitoring student performance. The company is seeking full access to data: test scores, class participation levels, personal data (name, surname, age, gender), and technical metadata (IP addresses, access location). The company's goal is to develop algorithms for personalized learning, but students are not informed in advance about this, nor are they given the opportunity to refuse to share their data. There is a risk that the company will also use this data for commercial purposes, for example, to develop products that are not related to education.

Answer the questions:

1. What are the biggest risks when student data is shared with private companies that offer learning analytics?
2. Should students always be given the option to refuse sharing their data with third parties? Explain.
3. How can a balance be struck between the benefits of advanced analytics and the protection of student rights?
4. How should a contract between a college and a private company be formulated to prevent data misuse?
5. Design an example of a notice to students that would transparently explain who uses their data, how, and why.

6. Conclusion

Resolving ethical dilemmas in e-learning requires critical thinking and the ability to view problems from multiple perspectives: students, teachers, the institution, and the wider community. Through the scenarios and questions you covered, you had the opportunity to consider the topics of anonymity and data protection, respect for copyright, protecting student privacy in online exams, and transparency in sharing information with third parties.

The key message of the assignment is that ethical challenges in digital education cannot be solved by technical or legal measures alone. They require responsible practice, clear communication with students, and a culture of trust in the educational community. Your notes and proposals should reflect this dimension, how concrete solutions can improve equity, safety, and the quality of learning.

Ethics in digital education requires more than the technical application of tools and adherence to rules. It requires conscious and responsible pedagogical practice. In online education, where communication and interaction are often mediated by technology, teachers face challenges that require thinking from multiple perspectives: student, teacher, institutional, and societal. The scenarios you analyzed raised important questions such as privacy, copyright, the ethics of online testing, and data sharing.

Such challenges cannot be solved only by introducing regulations or software solutions. A culture of trust, openness and dialogue between teachers and students is needed. In this context, it is crucial to clearly communicate expectations, justify procedures and provide students with the assurance that their rights and dignity are protected.

NOTE: In this activity, we did not discuss the teacher's perspective in more detail in the context of, for example, unauthorized recording of teachers by students. Therefore, we encourage you to explore this dimension of ethical challenges on your own. The following resources may be helpful:

• Code of Ethics of the University of Zagreb. https://www.unizg.hr/fileadmin/rektorat/O_Sveucilistu/Dokumenti_javnost/Propisi/Pravilnici/Eticki_kodeks.pdf
• Dragičević Prtenjača, M. (2014). Criminal offences of unauthorized sound recording and wiretapping and unauthorized image recording with a review of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights and an elaboration of the concepts of privacy and unauthorizedness. Yearbook of the Croatian Academy of Legal Sciences, V(1), 164-199. Retrieved from https://hrcak.srce.hr/121900
• Regulations on Disciplinary Responsibility of Students

Your notes, reflections, and suggestions within this activity should offer guidance for the development of more equitable and quality teaching practices in the digital environment. Any suggestion that leads to greater transparency, better communication, and sensitivity to student and teacher perspectives contributes to building ethically grounded education.

7. References

• Dragičević Prtenjača, M. (2014). Criminal offences of unauthorized sound recording and wiretapping and unauthorized image recording with a review of the practice of the European Court of Human Rights and an elaboration of the concepts of privacy and unauthorizedness. Yearbook of the Croatian Academy of Legal Sciences, V (1), 164-199. Retrieved from https://hrcak.srce.hr/121900
• Sluss, N. (2024). The Ethical Educator: Tips for Navigating ethical Dilemmas in teaching. Stanfield. https://stanfield.com/pupil-teacher-relationship/
• Ehrich, L. C., Starr, K. and Kimber, M. (2012). (Un)ethical practices and ethical dilemmas in universities: academic leaders’ perceptions. International studies in Educational Administration, 40, 99-115. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262676625_Unethical_practices_and_ethical_dilemmas_in_universiti