Sadeq's initial post to Unit 3: Legal and Ethical Issues in Technology

Unit 3: Legal and Ethical Issues in Technology

All learners and educators are invited to contemplate about the following important fact in which Redding (2003) highlighted that

Of all that man knows, 5% was learned in the first 10.000 years, 25% was learned in 400 years, 70% was learned in the last 50 years!  To be successful, one must be a life-long learner, a high self-directed learner.  Nations that value high self-directed learning will dominate the world (p.156). 

In reflection to the aforementioned excerpt, it is clear that the landmark of the past several decades and up to the current time is the technological scientific revolution and its unlimited advanced digital applications.  One of the most fruitful advanced technologies that can be used to create a meaningful and effective educational environment is the Information and Communication Technology (ICT).  According to Lahti, Hätönen, and Välimäki (2014) ICT reshaped the man’s life by pervading all angles and aspects of existence to the degree that it made the world as a small global village.  Education in general and nursing education in particular is no exception.  ICTs have the capacity to recreate the educational environment to be meaningful, attractive, effective, and fruitful for both the student and the faculty member.  However, technology is a double edge sword.  In other words, it can be helpful in enriching the learning experience and upgrade it to the next level.  Conversely, it can be a significant threat to the entire educational process meaningfulness at, if misused.  A good example of this in the educational arena would be using technology to cheat.  Therefore, I would like to highlight this through the selected article.  Stonecypher and Willson (2014) article is one of my favorite articles, considering the fact that the authors recommended to use technology to counter cheating technologies.  For example, they recommended technology enhanced test security by using fingerprints, video and voice recognition, and interference with calculator memory, as well as software to lock the computer desktop to deter any unethical academic behavior that students can do.

The second article that I would like to highlight in this discussion is about pilgrims.  In which Probett (2011) design a practical steps to deter the aforementioned academic problem through the following simple, yet effective steps:

1. Change assignments every time

2. Create unique course-specific assignments.

3. As educators, walk the talk: Check your own papers

4. Use technology.  For example, Turnitin technology.

In conclusion, let us create an ethical learning environment that foster students’ development in a meaningful way by using academic integrity as the cornerstone of our work.

                                                         References

Lahti, M., Hätönen, H., & Välimäki, M. (2014). Impact of e-learning on nurses' and student nurses knowledge, skills, and satisfaction: A systematic review and meta-analysis. International journal of nursing studies. 51(1), 136-149, doi:10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2012.

Probett, C. (2011). Plagiarism Prevention. Business Communication Quarterly,74(2), 170-172

Redding, T. (2003). Preparing your learners for my e-Learning: An e-learning vendor’s point of view. In P. George (Eds.), Preparing learners for e-learning (p.156). USA: John Wiley & Sons.

Stonecypher, K., & Willson, P. (2014). Academic policies and practices to deter cheating in nursing education. Nursing Education Perspectives, 35(3), 167-179.