Ethical issues in virtual education - Essay Example

ETHICAL ISSUES IN VIRTUAL EDUCATION Introduction: The contemporary world has witnessed tremendous alterations in almost all fields of human life atlarge. Information technology maintains major share in bringing these changes and have left indelible imprint upon the individual and collective life as well as private and professional activities of the people. The field of education has also observed imperative transformations in a very positive and constructive way, for fast and speedy communication, through modern technological equipments, has provided the educationalists and educators wide range of opportunities to exercise their abilities through the internet to the students belonging to the pole-apart regions of the globe without making long travels and excursions in this respect. “Perhaps the greatest impact for education”, Hean observes, “is that technological developments have overcome the constraints of time and place, age and circumstance. In the past, people had to travel long distances to sit at the feet of great teachers to seek out knowledge. Great centres of learning grew up around monasteries and universities where precious manuscripts were hoarded in their libraries. The printing press changed that, bringing knowledge closer and making it more accessible to people. Mass education became possible.” (2000: 16) In addition, the concept of life-long learning has also appeared in this modern era, where the individuals belonging to divergent racial, ethnic, religious and age groups can learn something new, novel and nice to support their professional career as well as to quench their thirst for education and learning. Hence, the concept of virtual education came into being. Virtual education simply refers to the way of teaching in which teachers and students enter into interaction through electronic media, particularly the internet, without having face to face communication between each other. Hence, the concept of attending lectures in the classroom by visiting the educational institution and ensuring attendance at school, college or university does not exist in this system. On the contrary, the teacher can deliver lecture on some specific topic through the internet from distance place, and the students can listen to the lecture in the same pattern without going to classroom. Thus, there is neither any concept of questioning and answering at the end of the lectures, nor any effort to reply the questions that suddenly provoke in the minds of the students during or soon after the lecture has been delivered. Moreover, group discussions and exchange of views are also unknown for the students of virtual universities. Consequently, the real concept of interaction does not exist between the teacher and students in virtual system of education. “Educational computing and distance learning initiatives”, Freeman et al. submit, “have given rise to what has been called the Virtual University: a university without a (single) physical campus, which is cemented by electronic networks, including electronic mail, bulletin boards, video conferencing and shared electronic environments.” (2000:31). Though this system of education has offered wide range of benefits to the students, and they can complete their learning process without travelling to the campuses and wasting their time in wait for the scheduled learning procedure in the classroom, yet it has also brought many challenges to the education system in its wake. The present paper aims to discuss the ethical issues involved in the virtual educational system. The paper also describes the advantages of information technology with particular reference to revolutionary changes being made in the field of education. It also discusses the ethical dilemma appeared in virtual educational method, and appropriate remedies and solutions to these dilemmas on the basis of ethical theories and approaches encompassing this new and unique technology-based education system of modern era. The Essay: The foundation of coaching once confined to local academies and education centres in past has extensively been extended to national and international colleges, universities and distant educational institutions. Not only this that schools, colleges and universities have been established like mushrooms in modern times, but also several new disciplines have also been introduced in these institutions with the passage of time, which encourage the students in respect of conducting researches to approve or reject the latest developed theories related to pure and social sciences and management and marketing etc too as well. Hence, 20th century brought tremendous revolution in all fields of life including science, technology, industrialisation and advancement, which significantly left indelible imprints on teaching profession. Large-scale modifications in educational training centres not only upraised the level of education, and eradicated ignorance and illiteracy altogether, but also offered the people belonging to different cultures and communities the chances of seeking education at higher level even while staying at homes or in their own community and get professional education without any restriction of age, sex and region. The concept of virtual education is thus a wonderful achievement in this regards. University education is the continuity of the same pattern that was introduced by Plato in the ancient Greece, but providing of education through distance in various regions of the globe is the product of modern society. Hence, teaching the students from distant areas, called Virtual Universities Education System, is undoubtedly viewed as a remarkable measure towards seeking education from remote regions without travelling to the universities. Though virtual educational system has turned the learning procedure very simple, speedy and systematic one, yet it has raised many ethical responsibilities to be kept in view while displaying professional services by the teachers. “For the majority of educational institutions”, Bates argues, “i.e. those whose mission is not one specifically dedicated to distance learning, the emergence of virtual methods of education presents these institutions with major challenges of both technological and organisational change.” (1999: 79) Despite the very fact that multiple disciplines are being taught at Virtual Universities, where variety of methodologies are applied to coach the students, yet the question arises whether it fulfils all the ethical and moral requirements essential to provide quality education to the learners or not. There is no doubt in the reality that the main objective behind getting education is improving one’s knowledge and technical skill in some particular field. But mere the acquisition of a certificate, a diploma or a degree is not the aim before the educational institutions. On the contrary, educational system lays stress upon teaching the students the manners and etiquettes while living in a community and while working in an organisation and displaying their talent and proficiency in a systematic mode. In addition, the institutions help the students develop their social network in order to support one another at cultural, national and international levels. Furthermore, educationalists also concentrate upon the character formation of students, so that the graduates and under-graduates can become useful citizens of society and can render their services in a professional way while working individually as well as in an organisation. The theorists are of the opinion that conventional education system not only improves the knowledge and wisdom of the learners, but also makes them regular, punctual, disciplined and organised students. It teaches them how to act, react and behave within classroom and outside the classroom while communicating with teachers, college staff and fellow-students. It also provides the students with a competitive environment, which is highly beneficial for them in respect of making struggle and showing better performance in comparison with their class-fellows. It also develops the feelings of co-operation and care for classmates, as joint study and group discussions boost up their morale and accelerate the pace of their learning. Exchanging of views and making of arguments give way to new and innovative ideas, on the basis of which the world is making progress so swiftly. But all these advantages do not exist in virtual universities, as through this platform the students seek education on individual basis or in isolation. Virtual system of education has raised the following ethical challenges: Whether or not the virtual educational system is fulfilling the requirements of the students in such a way as the conventional universities are offering to the students. Whether the students receiving education from virtual educational institutions obtain the instructions in a comprehensive way or these institutions are unable to quench their thirst for learning. Whether or not the virtual institutions are helping the students for promoting their character building measures and developing professionalism in them in an eloquent manner, as is attributed to the conventional educational system. Whether or not the virtual universities can support the students in respect of interacting with others in a significant way. Whether the teachers are in a position to convey and communicate their vast knowledge to the students through recorded lectures, where there is no student physically present to respond to his words and actions through questioning and physical gestures. Whether the lectures and examination system of Virtual universities maintains the same quality which is attributed to the conventional education system. Whether the teaching staff is doing justice with its profession or there are flaws and faults in the ready-made lectures they deliver to the students. Conventional education system provides face to face communication environment to the students. During the lecture, many questions float in the young minds, which give a go to raising questions in the classroom and invite the curiosity of all students. This question-answer session, at the end of the lecture, invokes the teacher to display and transfer his knowledge to the students. Moreover, teachers are far more conscious and well-prepared in the classrooms in comparison with the recording the lectures for distant students. The virtual education system can be assessed and analysed in the light of ethical values described by the theorists. Professional ethics refers to the rules and regulations, based on ethical principles and moral values, prescribed to define the patterns of professional behaviour. This behaviour supports to describe and illustrate rights and obligations of individuals to some specific sort of work being performed in professional and career activities. “Professional ethics is that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.” (Quoted in dictionary.reference.com) In simple words, professional ethics refers to the moral obligations the individuals must follow while performing their obligations and duties while interacting with the management, co-workers, clients and customers. “The basis for this obligation”, Hooker states, “is the duty to keep a promise. When someone walks into an examining room wearing a long, white coat and a stethoscope, she makes a promise to the patient and to all concerned. She promises to have the qualifications of a physician and to act accordingly. In general, professionals have an obligation to keep the promises they make to the public by representing themselves as members of their profession.” (2006: 3) Theories have been articulated in order to define ethical values and moral principles. The present paper has been supported by the Utilitarian Theory of Ethics defined by J. S. Mill and Consequentialist Theory. The utilitarianism vehemently advocates in favour of the determination of moral standards in such a way that it could represent the wishes of the maximum number of individuals and could provide them with long term relief and satisfaction. Attributed to British sociologist theorist J. S. Mill, utilitarianism offers the first code of morality and is based on the belief that makes distinction between right and wrong. “The utilitarian candidate”, Mill views, “is the principle of utility, which holds that actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain; by unhappiness, pain and the privation of pleasure.” (1863:3). Mill fervently argues on the principle that every man’s act must provide maximum pleasures to the masses at large. He stands for the qualitative separation of happiness and considers moral and intellectual pleasure superior to physical pleasures. In addition, he makes a critical analysis of happiness and contentment, declaring the latter less significant and inferior one. Mill declares that man’s sentiments, both favourable and unfavourable, are influenced by the principle of utility, which earns happiness for him. “The greatest happiness principle”, Mill submits, “has had a large share in forming the moral doctrines even of those who even more scornfully reject its authority.” (1863:8). Since there are dissimilar scales and levels of pleasures for different people, an overwhelming majority of people does not care for the moral perspective of pleasure seeking. It is therefore, most of the pleasures are sought out of bodily satisfaction. “"They pursue sensual indulgences", Mill opines, "to the injury of health, though perfectly aware that health is the greater good.” (1863:24). Similarly, consequentialism submits to state that if an act is observed by a large majority of people, it certainly maintains goodness in it, and hence is beneficial for society at large. “Consequentialism”, Darwall observes, “begins with the idea that there are values that are prior to morality. Even if there were no moral right and wrong, some things would still be good and others bad.” (2003: 1) Hence, morality of an action depends upon the ratio of good to evil that the action produces. Thus, if some little harm has been made by an individual, he does not bother it lest it may generate more harm for him subsequently. “Morality of an action consists of the ratio of good to evil that the action produces. We should perform right and only right action in terms of good and evil, as each individual defines good and evil, and right and wrong. There is no objective right and wrong or good and evil. The person defines these.” (jan.ucc.nau.edu) Both utilitarianism and consequentialism maintain direct link with virtual education system. Utilitarianism focuses upon providing maximum benefits to the maximum number of individuals, and the same is the aim of the Virtual universities. It is fact that virtual universities are not educating and coaching the students in an appropriate manner, as they are unable to promote their thinking level and satisfy their curiosity as well. But since it is fulfilling the basic educational requirements of the students, it should be promoted and projected. In addition, the authorities, management and teaching staff should bring more improvements and should modify the syllabus and lectures in such a way that it could cover all areas of study. In addition, the system should also promote punctuality on the basis of fixed schedule on the pattern of conventional institutions. It will not only improve the abilities of the students, but will also be highly supportive in taking lectures regularly. Furthermore, assignments related to group study should also be introduced in Virtual universities at least once a fortnight, so that the students find an opportunity of get together and having introduction with one another. Moreover, the students should have an access to the teachers, where they can have meeting with lecturers once in a two weeks to give vent to their views and ideas. Although both of them focus upon pleasure and happiness, and avoidance of hurt and harm, yet they are different in nature and scope. Consequentialism lays stress upon people, policies and actions at individual level, while utilitarianism aims to discuss collective welfare of the people. Consequentialist theory strives to do little harm in order to evade and avoid greater loss. The same can be witnessed by looking into the education system of virtual university. Although this system is not working in respect of personality formation and character building of the students; nor does it provides a comprehensive scheme of regular education, yet it is filling the gap of illiteracy by educating a large number of education. So, the society should accept the efforts made from the platform of the Virtual universities. To conclude, it becomes evident that Virtual universities are rendering valuable services in society by observing professional ethics. Professional ethics lay stress upon the teachers to do justice with their professional activities and deliver lectures in such a way that the lecture could encompass each and everything related to the topic. Moreover, the universities should appoint highly qualified and diligent teachers, who must have command over their subject. In order to regulate the activities related to all the professions, each and every culture and society identifies different sets of laws to maintain peace and harmony. The same is the case with occupation of teaching. As teacher is the fashioner of the young brains, there must be professional ethics to identify the rights and duties in the course of dual relationship between teacher and students. Professional ethics refers to the rules and regulations, based on ethical values, prescribed to define the patterns of professional behaviour. This behaviour supports to describe and illustrate rights and obligations of individuals to some specific sort of work. The ethics are among the social norms, values and mores prevailing in the contemporary society. “Ethics has developed”, the Columbia University Press views, “as people have reflected on the intentions and consequences of their acts. From this reflection on the nature of human behaviour, theories of conscience have developed, giving direction to much ethical thinking”. The dual relationship between students and teacher must be on the grounds of highest standards of honour and veracity. Not only this but also the students must respect the knowledge the teacher obtains rather looking into his socio-cultural background. They must keep in mind the instructions and pieces of advice of the teacher. The students are bound under the ethical principles to be always regular and punctual while attending the college. They must be attentive in classroom and never try to humiliate the teacher at any point. The teacher must always be beyond all biased attitude towards each and every student. He should be impartial while giving reward on doing good and announcing punishment. The ethics indicates that a teacher must listen to the problems of the students carefully and must try to resolve these troubles sympathetically. Moral values suggest that a teacher is the honest and loyal person who always maintains dignity and morality. He must not use abusive language or insulting remarks especially indicating towards some specific race, gender, community, caste, religion or nation. A teacher must exercise efforts and render services for the uplift of the students by keeping in close contact with the members of community as well as the parents of the students. Delivering the lecture and directing the students in and outside the classroom can observe the kindness of the teacher. A noble teacher looks always busy in providing the students with emotional support and guidance if they consult him in library, staff room and even in playground. Though the lecturers of Virtual universities do not have the power to guide and coach the students in classrooms, library and playground, yet this gap can be fulfilled by adding few words relevant to the ethics, morality, social interaction, group discussions, individual behaviour and other things in their routine lectures. Thus, making few alterations in this education system can turn Virtual education as a wonderful system of instruction and coaching. REFERENCES: 1. Bates, A W (1999) Restructuring the university for technological change, in Brennan, J, Fedrowitz, J, Huber, M and Shah T (eds) What Kind of University? International Perspectives on Knowledge, Participation and Governance, Buckingham: The Society for Research into Higher Education & Open University Press. 2. Darwall, Stephen L. (2003) Consequentialism Volume 7 Wiley-Blackwell 3. Freeman, B., Routen, T., Ryan, S., Patel, D., Scott, B. (eds.) (2000). The Virtual University: The Internet and Resource-Based Learning. London: Kogan Page. 4. Hean, R Adm (NS) Teo Chee. (2000) The Information Revolution in Education http://www.seameo.org/vl/library/DLWelcome/publications/ejournal/horizon/hrizon3/16-17.pdf 5. Hooker, John. (2006) Professional Ethics: Does It Matter Which Hat We Wear? Tepper School of Business Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213 USA 6. Mill, John Stuart. (1873) Autobiography. (Quoted in Turner, Jonathan H. (1978) The Structure of Sociological Theory The Dorsey Press, Homewood, Illinois) 7. Nine Theories of Ethics that Rule the World http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~dgs2/theories.pdf 8. http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue25/foster/ 9. http://www.europace.org/articles%20and%20reports/WG9_Final_Report.pdf 10. http://wpweb2.tepper.cmu.edu/jnh/hats.pdf 11. http://philosophy.ucsd.edu/faculty/dbrink/courses/167-05/handout-1%20consequentialism%20and%20utilitarianism.pdf Read More