The nature and application of ethical principles in the e-Learning management system - With Africa case descriptions

Abstract

The field of e-Learning is growing at an electric pace, with the greatest advancement recorded during the period of the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Despite its accessibility and the convenience it offers to students in the Continent of Africa, inter alia, there are still several gaps in our knowledge of the use of e-Learning technology in terms of personalisation and effectiveness. A brief and updated synthesis of the rapid development in the application of ethics in the e-Learning system during the pandemic years (2020 - 2022) and shortly thereafter, is presented, highlighting the advantages, but also taking a critical look at the ethical dilemmas that characterise the system. Different solutions to tackle these dilemmas are advanced. We undertook searches mainly covering the years 2020 to 2023 using well known electronic databases. By way of Africa case descriptions, we bring out the need for additional research to elucidate the relationships between technology, pedagogy, and ethics (TPE), and propose a modus operandi for conducting such work. Results from such studies should constitute the basis for formulation of measures for instilling among African stakeholders, a culture of commitment, upholding ethical integrity, and the maintenance of equity and sustainability in e-learning management systems.