An Examination of Factors Associated with Students’ Ethical Decision Making in Post-Secondary Online Learning

Michelle M. Ramim
InSITE 2007  •  Volume 7  •  2007
Technological advances and the increasing popularity of the Internet have enabled post-secondary institutions to implement e-learning technologies as a teaching environment. Students’ enrollment in e-learning courses has proliferated over the past decade. However, ethical issues with students’ conduct in e-learning courses have been raised by several scholars and were noted as a major concern. Moreover, scholars argue that students’ unethical conduct has intensified due to technology use. Ethical decision making has been associated with individuals’ conduct. Ethical decision making is grounded upon decision making theory. Various studies have linked numerous factors such as familiarity with the organization’s code of conduct, academic experience, and expertise with the use of technology with ethical decision making. Research indicates that familiarity with the organization’s code of conduct is instrumental in aiding individuals to make ethical decisions. Moreover, research suggests that academic experience and students’ expertise with the use of technology appear to contribute to students’ ethical decision making in post-secondary educational institutions.
Ethical decision making, Ethics in online learning, Academic misconduct, Students’ code of conduct.
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