ETHICAL ISSUES OF STUDENTS ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT IN

UNIVERSITY OF NUEVA CACERES

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A Research Study

Presented to University of Nueva Caceres

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In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for Ethics

2nd Semester S/Y 2020-2021

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CHRISTIAN ZUELA AGPOON

BSBA MARKETING MANAGEMENT

June 2020
 CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Amid the pandemic different sectors have been shifting to their working hours,
working set up, and even implemented skeletal workforces to be deployed from different
establishments. Private sectors are being hit by the catastrophic aftermath of the virus, but even
private universities and colleges are also taking a big part in the damage created. Some private
schools decided to stop their operation due to financial constraints because there were no
available funds to be used given that the students opted to stop or transfer to public schools.
Different remedies have been prevailing to an extent that they’re considering getting resources
out of scarce sources just to continue the operation and mitigate problems faced by the schools.

The strict enforcement of health protocol doesn’t exclude the University of Nueva
Caceres to adhere to the government’s mandate to close every establishment and even learning
institution to stop the spread of the virus and to protect vulnerable sectors of society. Last March
13, 2020, it was declared officially provided in a letter released by the administration that
suspension of classes has been confirmed pursuant to the memorandum released by the City
LGU of Naga. According to the Memorandum Circular from Naga City relative to CoronaVirus
Disease-2019 (Covid19) No: 2020-02 classes in all learning institutions at all levels are ordered
to suspend their classes starting March 16, 2020, until further notice. It allows students and
manpower to go to an online class to finish the failed submission of requirements. Other school
businesses must deal with the use of social media platforms to still provide and nurture better
tomorrow for all. The start of the new learning environment created vast concerns in particular
with the ethical issues that might arise during its implementation. The students, parents, schools,
and different active organizations are alarmed by the possible impact of the new setup on the
student’s development. According to an article published by Manila Times, an academic freeze is
an utmost consideration to be pushed by other organizations to DepEd and CHED. Learning in a
new school ecosystem is only for privileged students. It was a solution for all the learners to not
suffer the severe effect of allowing online classes. It will lessen the possible burden on the part of
the learners and it will also diminish school expenses given that every household has lost its
means of income. In particular, the implementation of online learning at the University of Nueva
Caceres confuses the students on its significance and accessibility. As the implementation has
been passed for a year already, this university continuously receives criticisms on its duration.
Uniceans are on the front row that will feel the first pinch of its too good to be true setup. The
online learning environment focuses primarily on the usage of gadgets, unlike the traditional
class. It has impacts on the public herd identity as it produces unethical behavior. It includes
stress, pressure, anxiety, sickness, financial problems, and depression. The wavelength that it has
created can be seen as an issue of equity, development, diversity, and identity. As regards the
ethical issues being put under scrutiny this research study has heightened parameters to better
extract every piece of essential data it has:
1. What are the ethical issues in the implementation of the students' online learning
environment at the University of Nueva Caceres?
2. Can the existence of the students' online learning environment in the school be
considered ethical or not?
3. Why should the existence of the online learning environment in the school continue
despite the ethical issues faced by the students? Why not?

Teaching at a distance makes the process even more complex and the university’s
intervention and the government have the utmost importance.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

1. What are the ethical issues in the implementation of the students' online learning
environment at the University of Nueva Caceres?
 2. Can the existence of the students' online learning environment in the school be
considered ethical or not?
3. Why should the existence of the online learning environment in the school continue
despite the ethical issues faced by the students? Why not?

IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

The research paper concerning the students' online learning environment at the University
of Nueva Caceres had its paramount importance for future dissertation, study, and crafting
policy. It could be utilized by sets of researchers to ponder their study as regards the existence of
the distance learning modality. It can benefit the learning facilitators of online subjects to better
understand the necessities and failure of the students on why they failed to attend and other
factors that might be a significant variable on their overall assessment. The study presented
various departments with essential data on coming up with mere flexible instructional methods to
still adhere to the better tomorrows for all. The findings can be a guide in tailoring a much
equitable and accessible distance-learning mode by creating innovations out of respective
courses.
Online learners who feel the first wave on how deceiving and too good to be the true
setup of the new normal in the learning institution can benefit from this study by augmenting
themselves with good practices in connection with each course, online learners can even make
more justifiable means as to the quality of learning materials are concerned. The undeniably vast
increase of online engagement is escalating the mere fact of ethical issues being faced by the
learners. In line with this, the present study can help the learners to prepare for the possible pinch
provided by this setup.

The birth of the new face of learning creates utmost concerns out of several educational
institutions on how and what will be its major impact in honing another set of professionals, in
effect knowing how effective the existence of the online learning environment that involves the
the emergence of technology is a significant endeavor to craft other alternatives that can be seen
as more effective and ideal. Society is in grave threat on what kind of doctors, engineers, and
businessmen will be the product of the new ecosystem of learning because of the matter of
equity. Different sectors of the economy will be disrupted by the emerging demands of the
market and fewer competencies of professionals make up everything on why it will be possible.
The future of the nation’s gross domestic product is reliant on what will be the output of
education. Ethical issues encountered by the future workforce can be seen as a tool that
diminishes the profitability and engagement of investors. Supplementing the input of the learners
depends on the investment being allocated by the government. The intervention of the national
government is a must to eradicate and lessen the vulnerability of the learners because of the
severe effects of ethical issues being debated upon. The data presented by this paper can assess
whether the new platform is a significant thing or not, the data resulting from this study with
deeper, richer data might lead to a fuller understanding of how the government can intervene in
the most possible and effective ways.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION

This study was crafted to determine the ethical issues in the implementation of the
students’ online learning environment at the University of Nueva Caceres. As regards its
existence, this paper will focus primarily on citing if its ethical or not with the attachment of
logical reasoning. This research will help to address why or why not the existence of the online
learning environment in the school resume in defiance of the ethical issues faced by the learners.
Due to conflict arising out of the strict health protocol, no quantitative data can be
shown in the study.
METHODOLOGY
This study is anchored on the use of qualitative research to ponder the meat of the
research. It shall further discuss the content of the paper whereas provided by significant
studies affiliated with the research title being studied upon. The research was held concerning
other dissertations to strengthen the foundation of the research. The current study was subject to
certain ethical issues and it should present justifiable arguments accompanied by authentic
evidence supplemental to the research.

DEFINITION OF TERMS

Pandemic- Defined as an epidemic occurring worldwide, or over a very wide area, crossing
international boundaries and usually affecting a large number of people.
Online Learning Environment- A new learning setup with no physical location and in which
the instructors and students are separated by space.
New Normal- It’s a state to which an economy, society, etc. settles following a crisis when this
differs from the situation that prevailed before the start of the crisis.
Covid-19 Virus- Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a newly
discovered coronavirus. It is caused by a virus called SARS-CoV-2. Most people with
COVID-19 have mild symptoms, but some people can become severely ill. Although most
people with COVID-19 get better within weeks of illness, some people experience post-COVID
conditions.
Ethical Issues- It occurs when a given decision, scenario, or activity creates a conflict with a
society's moral principles. These conflicts are sometimes legally dangerous since some of the
alternatives to solve the issue might breach a particular law.
Bibliography
Handog, M.C. (2020, August 17). The pandemic is reshaping education, here's how the
The Philippines is coping. Retrieved from https://www.rappler.com/brandrap/tech-
and-innovation/coronavirus-reshaping-distance-learning-education-Philippines

WHO. (2020, April 23). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Situation Report – 94.
Retrieved from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/
20200423-sitrep-94-covid-19.pdf

Distance learning. (2021). In Britannica.com. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/

topic/distance-learning

WHO. (2021, May 3). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), Situation Report – 106.
Retrieved from https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/
20200423-sitrep-106-covid-19.

Askar, P. & Altun, A. (2008). Learner satisfaction on blended learning. E-Leader Krakow, 2008.

Astleitner, H. (2000) Dropout and distance education. A review of motivational and emotional
strategies to reduce dropout in web-based distance education. In Neue Medien im Unterricht,
Aus-und Weiterbildung Waxmann Münster, New York.

CHAPTER II

DISCUSSION

The most recent public health emergency of global concern is the COVID-19 pandemic,
which started in China and almost infected every people in the region. This disease is caused by
a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) and has received local attention and intervention from
growing infections and on how to eradicate the disease and flatten the curve of infections (Guo et
al., 2020). The COVID-19 pandemic has reached the Bicol Region with most of its cases found
in the province of Camarines Sur. Amid the pandemic, businesses have been disrupted and some
already declared bankruptcy because of the catastrophic impact that is continuously creating.
The fight against the threats to the COVID-19 pandemic suffered profound effects and impacts
on almost all sectors in Region V. These have resulted in widespread disruption such as travel
restrictions (Chinazzi et al., 2020), and most importantly closure of schools (Viner et al.,). Not
only the private entities are being hit by this phenomena but even the educational sector shifted
into other learning ecosystems to still adhere to the quality of education provided by the
institution. But this is still an open-ended conclusion if we can say that it’s still sticking to the
quality of education provided by the learning institution (UNC) the same quality that a face to
face classes have been created. For more than a year already all schools in the Bicol Region have
been mandated to temporarily closed until such notice to protect the students and contained the
virus. This closure has affected more than hundreds of thousands of learners in the region with
more than thousands of learners in the University of Nueva Caceres. (UNESCO, 2020).

Last March 13, 2020, it was declared officially provided in a letter released by the
administration (UNC, 2020) that suspension of classes has been confirmed pursuant to the
memorandum released by the City LGU of Naga. According to the Memorandum Circular from
Naga City relative to CoronaVirus Disease-2019 (Covid19) No: 2020-02 classes in all learning
institutions at all levels are ordered to suspend their classes starting March 16, 2020, until further
notice. Responses like community lockdown and community quarantine have led students to
study from home which led to the delivery of online learning platforms (Crawford et al., 2020).
In response to these situations, the UNC administration together with the marketing department,
professionals, and incident team decided to adopt the new normal in education.

The University of Nueva Caceres has opted to implement their policies regarding the
existence of this new platform However, the implementation of online learning posed different
risks, problems, and challenges to the students, especially in higher education institutions. The
start of the new learning environment created vast concerns in particular with the ethical issues
that might arise during its implementation. The students, parents, schools, and different active
organizations are alarmed by the possible impact of the new setup on the student’s development.
According to an article published by (Manila Times, 2020), an academic freeze is an utmost
consideration to be pushed by other organizations to DepEd and CHED. It was a solution for all
the learners to not suffer the severe effect of allowing online classes. It will lessen the possible
burden on the part of the learners and it will also diminish school expenses given that every
household has lost its means of income. The existence of the student’s online learning
environment in the University of Nueva Caceres should never have been implemented because
of the escalation of ethical issues faces by the learners during its duration. It should not be
allowed to be pursued for the next school year because it already gave a hard time on the part of
the students on how to adapt to a new school environment.

According to (Yang & Cornelious, 2020) Learning in a new school ecosystem is only
for privileged students. The students that can dominate this platform are those who have better
access to technological advancements such as tools to engage in a virtual set up like a laptop,
phones, and other gadgets needed just to make sure that you are absorbing the quality education
being promised by the university. Learner’s hierarchical status has a significant correlation to
their academic performance given that they have a better connection because their money can
subscribe to a high telcos service, unlike students who are just relying merely on the data that
always give them a hard time looking for a better connection that’s why they can recite and
present themselves without disruption but it’s not always being manifested because of the
unavailability of funds. Even before its already hard to set children from school, it makes it even
harder now because of the numerous retrenchment and loss of jobs.

As the implementation has been passed for a year already, this university continuously
receives criticisms on its duration. Uniceans are on the front row that will feel the first pinch of
its too good to be true setup. The online learning environment focuses primarily on the usage of
gadgets, unlike the traditional class. It has impacts on the public herd identity as it produces
unethical behavior. It includes stress, pressure, anxiety, sickness, financial problems, and
depression. The wavelength that it has created can be seen as an issue of equity, development,
respect for diversity, identity, and transparency that directly corresponds to the various ethical
issues aim to be profounded by this paper.

It reported that the existence of an online learning environment expressed deep

concerns about the quality of internet-based courses during its implementation (Carnevale
(2000). Students who take courses online don't interact as much as their peers in traditional
courses, and that they may walk away with knowledge but not with an understanding of how to
think for themselves. The competitive environment is an issue of transparency that professors
cannot oversee what the students are doing. The learners have full freedom to access several
websites to ask for an answer concerning their activities. Google is a powerful tool where
students can incorporate this in an unethical manner. The students have been receiving high
ratings not because they’re thriving even harder but the fact is they just used various websites to
answer all the activities such as coursehero and Quizlet.

(Agpoon, et. al.UNC 2021) Concerns have also arisen as to the use of technology is
seen to be a tool to be a viable substitute for the traditional class. There’s no alternative, to begin
with given that COVID 19 left us with no choice. It can’t be considered the utilization of internet
technology can be widespread significant to the student given that online learning system
requires being financially stable to buy gadgets and finance for the load and purchase of wifi.
The underemployed people have been escalating due to the mandate of the local health IATF.
People don’t have a choice but to render most of their time in the corners of their house, then
they can’t sustain themselves to add another burden to their income.

Brown & Green (2003) have also argued that online course delivery is often viewed
by the students as a means of delivering instruction to a large number of paying customers
without the expense of providing things such as quality of education. The reality on the
engagement of the professors and the students are merely giving tasks and activities and the
students will answer it depending on the level of the cognitive skills that they have and not being
dependent on the lessons provided by their professor. The students keep on paying for their
tuition but it sounds unethical that they pay for school expenses to enter the school to be taught
by the teachers yet at the later part they’re the ones who will teach themselves and the quality of
education is being reliant on the intelligence of the students.

With the fast development of the Internet, the University of Nueva Caceres has offered
online courses as a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face instruction. However,
considerable concerns and problems have developed, particularly as it relates to the quality of
online education and the ethical issues being encountered by the learners. Online education,
according to Harasim (1989), is a new domain of learning that combines distance education with
the practice of face-to-face instruction utilizing computer-mediated communication. Technology
created various advantages to learning institutions as it makes the impossible things possible. It
continuously fosters the given competencies of the students before their field of work. It indeed
that the entire University of Nueva Caceres is taking a huge part in its online learning
environment. It has given an extensive effort and time just to still deliver the quality of education
despite the threat of the virus. It shows a good heart for the students not to stop their education.
This university has done much better for the goodness of the residents despite its complexity.
The university is not perfect but imperfection doesn’t exclude this wholly respected institution to
be recognized and praised.
Bibliography
Blocker, J. M., & Tucker, G. (2001). Using constructivist principles in designing and integrating
online collaborative interactions. In F. Fuller & R. McBride (Eds.), Distance education.
Proceedings of the Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International

Conference (pp. 32–36). ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 457 822.

CHED. (2020). CHED COVID-19 ADVISORY NO. 3. Retrieved from

https://ched.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/CHED-COVID-2019- Advisory-No.-3.pdf

Chinazzi, M., Davis, J. T., Ajelli, M., Gioannini, C., Litvinova, M.,

Crawford, J., Butler-Henderson, K., Jurgen, R., Malkawi, B. H.,

DepEd. (2020). Official Statement Department of Education. Retrieved

from https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/05/06/official-statement-2

DOH. (2020). Department of Health Philippines. Retrieved from

http://www.doh.gov.ph/2019-nCoV

UNESCO. (2020). COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response. Retrieved from

https://en.unesco.org/covid19/educationresponse

World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.

int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/situation-reports/20200311
-sitrep-51-covid-19.pdf?sfvrsn=1ba62e57_10
 CHAPTER 3

FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION

The purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of students’ online learning
environment at the University Of Nueva Caceres. Qualitative research methods used in this study
were well suited to achieve this goal. The depth of information gained through the analysis of
literature and studies and archival data has provided a level of understanding that quantitative
methodology could not have. While receiving online education, it concluded that the students
gained negative experiences such as ethical issues, although their experiences tended to be
positive as the original plan they shifted into another way around that they aren’t expected.

Factors that contributed to students’ negative experiences were ethical issues such as
equity, development, diversity, identity, and transparency. The whole enforcement of this new
learning ecosystem created alarming cases of ethical issues that can be considered as one of the
major and significant factors that hinder the learners from becoming a competent 21st-century
skilled oriented individual being asked by the emerging demands of the employers. Just imagine
the process that the students have been through in more than a year rendering themselves in a
deceiving and too good to be true setup. It has given the students a hard time accessing and
considering the flaws and imperfection behind the stress and anxiety of getting the covid 19
virus. As the month passed, it continuously destroys the identity of the learners as the learners
locate answers from different websites. We cannot blame solely the students if they rely on
several websites just for them to have a good evaluation because it was hard on their part to learn
all by themselves. There have been cases of transparency issues being recorded by the professors
whenever they used an application that will trace the authenticity of a literary work. It created an
utmost concern by educating the students to do the right things right behind the uncertainty and
complex environment. It concluded that this new platform is dominated by privileged students
who have better access to technology because they’re gifted to have good financial health that
will give them the luxury of time finishing their requirements without technical disruption. On
the other hand, it feels pity for the underprivileged because they still need to look for a job just
for them to have gadgets to be used. Life is hard and this is not the appropriate and equitable
venue to conduct classes and meet the expectation of the academic performance.

Being ethical is being learned the first day on children’s first day of kindergarten. The
teacher tells them the rules and the reasons for the rules. They learn not to cheat or hurt each
other. Therefore we all know what being ethical means and the corresponding actions that need
to be against by the people then, relying on the context of the research being studied upon and
recent and established literature and studies it, therefore, affirmed that online learning
environment in the University of Nueva Caceres is unethical(Agpoon, et. al.UNC 2021).
Technology brings ethical issues to the implementation of the new learning ecosystem where it
produces such unethical manners that really alarming and highly needs to be addressed by the
learning institution to better adhere to the quality of education being constituted at the very start
of its establishment. Ethical issues destroy the identity of the learners as they continuously
learned from cheating. Students always reliant on google and different websites to answer their
activities. It created a vast concern as this university states that it doing the right things right.
Knowing not all residents of UNC are abiding by that rule created an issue on how many
students are also having the same experience. There’s no transparency, equity, respect for
diversity, and identity in the enforcement of this platform(Carnevale (2000). It’s indeed a fact
then the administration needs to create a luxury of time crafting and revising some of its policies
to still adhere to the better tomorrows for all and no one will be left behind.

The existence of the student’s online learning environment in the University of Nueva
Caceres should never have been implemented because of the escalation of ethical issues faces by
the learners during its duration. It should not be allowed to be pursued for the next school year
because it already gave a hard time on the part of the students on how to adapt to a new school
environment. As the month passed, it continuously affects the mental health of the uniceans like
stress and anxiety. The original plan is to continue learning despite the occurrence of covid 19
but it turns in another way around because ethical issues are an inherent attachment on top of this
platform. The University of Nueva Caceres is not yet ready to transcend into another learning
ecosystem because there’s still lacking input and capacity being asked by the new setup. Being
prepared is a must and not all students are financially capable and technically and morally
prepared. It should consider the minority above the majority so that there will be no left behind.
Everyone will soar high and hit its bulk of success without sacrificing the minority.