ENGINEERING ETHICS

(SKL1708)

TOPIC:
Challenges of Online Education-Ethical solutions

NAME:M.MAHAANSH REDDY
ROLL NO.: 210C2030028/210212
SECTION: CSE-1
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INTRODUCTION
The evolution of technology and technology has almost always
equipped humanity with a plethora of valuable knowledge. In times
of joy, we use the virtual world, the internet may bring a smile to our
cheeks and provide us with a wealth of information. Online education
is a versatile educational delivery strategy. Online learning enables
teachers to contact pupils who wouldn't have been able to
participate in a conventional teaching program, as well as those who
choose to study according to their own leisure and within their own
pace.In most disciplines, the number of distant learning and online
courses is substantial and growing rapidly. The number of schools
and organizations that support online learning is likewise growing.
Students pursuing degrees online must be selective in order to
guarantee that their education is completed through a reputable and
certified institution. There are numerous online learning
programmes that may be used while being under lockdown. For the
aim of learning, there are currently a massive proportion of such
programmes available on the internet.
There are several advantages to pursuing an education online. The
usage of the internet allows for portable access to instructional
materials. Obtaining course material and presenting assignments is
a snap now that everything is available online.
While a regular session lasts 40-minutes, the fact that anything is
available on the internet allows students to simply repeat the
lectures for greater learning. Students can quickly pause and replay
the movie to clear up any confusion.
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CURRENT SCENARIO:
Due to the overall shutdown of academic institutions as a result of
the COVID-19 outbreak, the present leadership has promoted online
curricula to guarantee academic coherence. Most high-end business
and government entities have made the transition effortlessly by
exploiting digital sites such as Zoom, Google classes, Microsoft
teams, and so on, while others are still finding it difficult. There are
considerable issues with online schooling. It is past time for us as a
civilization to embrace the frontiers of online learning.
The COVID-19 framework has posed a challenge to the entire
student-teacher relationship and vice versa, separating the real
world link into virtual space. The most significant issue, "The dose
of reality of online schooling," has gone in the debate between real-
time homeschooling and in-school learning.
College closures have impacted billions of unskilled individuals.
Many major organisations have discovered the most practical
solution for all of this, which itself is virtual learning. The
consequences of which could be evident everywhere.
Many of us are aware that e-learning is a type of remote learning.
Even if the instructor is seated a significant distance away, whether
at home or away from home, they may provide instruction to their
pupils.
Online tests have their very own set of issues. Traditional essay
writing strategies or employing elimination procedures to address
multiple choice problems have lost its integrity since a student no
longer sits with hundreds of other students delivering examinations
under added real-time pressure. If tests were designed to be held in
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a calm environment, the experience of competing for the greatest

under adverse conditions would never be instilled in a youngster.
• The majority of the students have internet access, but how
many of them have strong connectivity, assuring a seamless
educational process? For those gullible rural children and
instructors who are unable to use computers, the process of
education in these regions may fall behind. Teachers' inability
to keep a watch on every kid on this little entertainment
screen has resulted in major health problems such as
distracted mind, anger, and domestic violence.
• The present educational learning methods cause pupils to
sense contemplation, detachment, and a lack of engagement.
As a consequence, many teachers and students who
unavoidably spend a significant amount of time online face
social isolation as a result of a lack of personal connection.
When both elements are present, they accentuate tension,
worry, and negative thinking.
• As a result of the surge in adolescent pregnancies, UNESCO
expects that an extraordinary number of girls may not be able
to go back to their studies in offline mode. Their domestic job
becomes a burden, causing females to help their parents at
home while ignoring their education. Assuming that students
have limited web access, learners should advise to their
professors that they employ downloading activities and
recording with numerous on-the-web essays to make use of
the web momentarily. The majority of the course might be
completed at home in a more improved and effective manner.
Following a schedule can help kids make the most of their
home-schooling time.
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VIRTUES:
The online and digital environments have made tremendous
advances, primarily to the educational context.

• Effectiveness
Online learning enables educators to provide lessons to
students more conveniently. As part of their lecture
preparations, teachers could also use a number of online
learning resources, such like videos, Documents, and
audiobooks.
• Accessibility of Time and Place
• Another advantage of online education is that students may
take classes from wherever they desire. It also enables
instructors to connect to a large network of pupils rather than
being limited by geographical limits. Virtual presentations can
be recorded, stored, and shared for later use. This allows
students to access instructional information whenever it is
convenient for them. As a result, online learning enables
students to learn at their own tempo and in the place of their
choice.
• Economics
Additional benefit of online education is that it reduces costs.
Online education is notably less costly than conventional
schooling. This is because online learning cuts the expenditures
of student commuting, refreshments, and, most significantly,
estate development. Furthermore, all training or study
resources exist digitally, culminating in a seamless educational
setting that is both fiscally feasible and ecologically sound.
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• Student Attendance Has Risen

Since online lectures may be taken from residence or any other
location, there's much less chance of students missing sessions.
• Adapts to a Vast Range of Educational Techniques
Each child has an own academic opportunities and style of
learning. Some students choose to study aesthetically, while
many others prefer learning through audio. Likewise, some
students thrive in a classroom environment, whilst the others
wish to stick alone and are constantly distracted by big groups.
The virtual education system may be configured in a myriad of
ways thanks to its numerous options. It is the most efficient
method for fabricate the optimum teaching atmosphere for
every individual.
• Opportunities Made Accessible via E-Learning
Since the amount of internet users in India constantly
increasing, online education has the potential to emerge as a
credible alternative for conventional education, but with
efficient government execution and planning. Due to the sheer
countless opportunities provided thru online education, many
educators believe it would become the favored means of
teaching in the future. In the current pandemic scenario, some
of the potential offered by online learning include:

1. Students could obtain academic materials almost

anywhere in the world.
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2. Online classes can provide effective teaching whilst

minimizing the threat of transmission of Covid-19, and
that is crucial in the current predicament.
3. Students from remote locations need not travel larger
distances within in the country or internationally to enroll
in a reputable university if they can take use of online
learning options, which saves money. However, in order to
accomplish the very same, they would need a decent
internet connectivity as well as access to adequate
instructional equipment.

CHALLENGES
Whilst e - learning offers a variety of new options for education, it
also presents its own set of constraints. India still has a long way to
go in terms of making e - learning accessible to every student in the
state through adequate improvements in this area. Several of the
current issues that online education encounters in the state are as
follows:

• Incapability to Concentrate on Screens

For many students, among the most daunting parts of web -
based learning is the difficulty to concentrate on a screen for
extended periods of time. While undertaking online lectures,
students tend to be diverted by social networking sites or other
websites. As a result, in order to maintain pupils focused on the
topic, teachers must draft online courses that are concise,
interesting, and interactive.. While students are studying from
residence or wherever individuals are, there could be more
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interruptions than usual, particularly if friends and family and

possibly siblings are present.
• Problems with Technology
Another notable challenge with virtual lectures is a paucity of
network access. While internet connectivity has surged
drastically over the years, maintaining a steady connectivity
with optimal speed remains a concern in smaller villages and
communities. If pupils or educators do not have consistent
connection to the web, there may be a lack of coherence in their
learning. Thus, the educational process suffers the
consequences.
• Sense of Solitude
Students may learn a lot by being in the presence of their
classmates. In an online class, nevertheless, there is a few
personal interactions between students and lecturers. As a
result, the pupils feel constantly alone.

Instructional Support
E-learning mandates teachers to be equipped with
rudimentary comprehension of how to use online styles of
education. Unfortunately, that isn't always the case. Educators
may have a very limited grasp of technology. At times, they
might not have the necessary expertise and abilities to
conduct online lessons. To address this, it is crucial for
institutions to invest in educating instructors on the most
recent developments in technology ensure how they can
deliver their online lessons effectively.
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• Screen Time management

Many parents are worried about the health risks of their
children spending so much time looking at a screen. One of the
most serious problems and downsides of online learning is the
rise in screen time. Students may acquire terrible posture and
other ailments as a result of sitting crouched before a screen.
A ideal option would be to offer pupils frequent breaks from the
computer in order to rejuvenate their minds and bodies.

• Surge of unfair means

Students who actively engage in the process of learning may be
denied academic credit. As a result, there have been a slew of
ethical issues and concerns associated with online learning. To
prevent dishonesty in online education, proper assessment
systems are required so that the enrolled student successfully
completes the evaluation process.

PROPOSED SOLUTIONS
• Incapability to Concentrate on Screens

Pupils also should attempt to find a quiet place and time in their
home to finish their homework assignments, even if it is late at
night.

• Problems with Technology

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According to experts, the most essential step would be to stay

connected with faculty and keep them updated on what's going
on. They will, hopefully, understand and be accommodating of
the situation, possibly even trying to record education courses
as a backup.

• Sense of Isolation. In this scenario, the school should

provide other lines of communication for students, peers, and
teachers. This can include online chatting, mails, and video
calls, which enables for face-to-face communication and
minimize solitude.

• Surge of unfair means

1. Use a range of question types; for example, instead of
having an exam with just multiple-choice or true/false
questions, incorporate open-ended questions. For open-
ended questions, it is far more problematic for students to
give the exact same response as their classmates
verbatim, and students would be forced to explain their
responses using comprehensive information and
supporting facts that are unique to their own
understanding of the course materials.Provide multiple
copies of the same questionnaire..

2. Affirm the authentic self of examinees. Although it is

infrequent for a different individual to appear and take a
candidate's test, vindicating the actual identity of
examinees is a preventive measure to avoid such
occurrences. Proctoring services, such as Mettl,
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CodeTantra etc can also conduct ID verification by taking

the ID of the examinee.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
• https://proctorexam.com/6-simple-strategies-to-
prevent-cheating-in-online-exams/
• https://peaksmedia.com/the-good-the-bad-and-
the-ethical-issues-of-online-education/
• https://alliance.edu.in/blog/2021/05/25/ethical-
issues-of-educators-and-students-in-online-
learning/
• https://alliance.edu.in/blog/2021/05/25/ethical-
issues-of-educators-and-students-in-online-
learning/
• https://leverageedu.com/blog/online-learning/