633 - GUIDING ETHICAL DECISION-MAKING AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN THE DIGITAL ERA: A SCENARIO-BASED APPROACH

Session: D05S007 - Digital context and learning 1
AUTHORS:
Keung Chrysa (The Education University of Hong Kong ~ Hong Kong ~ Hong Kong) , Zou Tracy (The Chinese University of Hong Kong ~ Hong Kong ~ Hong Kong)
Abstract text:
The advancement of digital technology has transformed teaching and learning, offering unprecedented opportunities. When effectively utilised, digital transformation can enhance connectivity, efficiency, productivity, and creativity. However, it has also significantly impacted our approaches to education and work, leading to emerging ethical issues. Key concerns include digital privacy, the use of personal information, intellectual property rights in digital media, misinformation dissemination on social media, ownership of AI-generated content, and cyberbullying. There is a lack of research that guides decision-making in digital contexts based on ethical theories and moral principles. This study employs a scenario-based approach to explore how simulated scenarios can facilitate ethical decision-making among university students through a virtual learning platform. We developed 20 scenarios, each reflecting real-life situations involving critical incidents related to the digitalisation of teaching and learning. Each scenario is paired with response options designed to encourage exploration of major ethical theories and moral reasoning—such as Deontology, Egoism, Ethics of Care, Social Contract Theory, Virtue Ethics, and Utilitarianism. Student responses were collected and stored in database, which, allows them to view aggregated decisions for each scenario through an online platform, fostering a deeper understanding of diverse perspectives. This database also serves as a useful resource for teachers to track student responses and gather formative assessment data. This presentation will showcase how this platform enhances university students' abilities to discern incidents, consider multiple perspectives, and make judgments based on moral reasoning in various digital contexts. By integrating these scenarios into courses, teachers empower university students to apply, reflect on, and discuss moral principles that lead to ethical decisions in complex dilemmas. This approach not only fosters critical thinking but also enables students to evaluate the relative importance of different considerations in determining the appropriateness of various response options.