Student privacy issues in online learning environments

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explored student privacy issues in online learning environments. Vignettes are used to present the various privacy scenarios occurred in online learning environment. The study showed that there are direct legal ramifications of concern to students, as a result of sharing individual grades among group members and providing public feedback in blogs. Other privacy issues occurred in more nuanced ways, such as open access to each other’s work, transparent reflections, public comments, critical analysis of the assignments, and collaborative evaluations of students’ work. Suggestions are provided to address these privacy-related issues, including focusing on students’ products, not students’ names; informing students of the benefits they will receive and the contributions they will make by sharing their work publicly; and options for students to keep their identity private when they feel uncomfortable about sharing their work publicly.