Students and Sensors: Data, education, privacy, and research - Applying Ethical Theory

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND MATHS, Charles Sturt University
Students and Sensors: Data, education, privacy, and research
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Students and Sensors: Data, education, privacy, and research
1. Introduction
The paper mainly focuses on the media article “Students and Sensors: Data, education,
privacy, and research” in order to analyze the case study on the basis of four different
classical theories including deontology, utilitarianism, virtue and contract. The analysis that
is done on the basis of ethical theories helps in analyzing whether the steps that are taken
within the case study is correct or wrong. The case study is analyzed with the help well-
reasoned arguments and recommendations. In addition to this, overall conclusion that
generally justifies the recommendation is provided.
2. Utilitarianism Theory
The theory of utilitarianism is one of the normative ethical theory which generally helps in
placing the locus of right as well as wrong on the consequences of the project by selecting
one action or policy over the other actions or policies. According to this ethical theory, an
action is right only if it helps in promoting happiness and wrong if it helps in producing the
reverse of happiness (Lucas, Van Wee & Maat, 2016). It is found that this theory is in
opposition to egoism. In addition to this, this theory generally differs from other ethical
theories which generally make the wrongness as well as rightness of an act dependent on
the motive of the agent. By applying the theory of utilitarianism, the case study is examined
in order to analyze whether the action that is undertaken is ethical or unethical. It is found
that the university of Arizona undertakes research and analysis on the swipes of student
cards at the campus of the university. It is found that by undertaking analysis on the student
ID card swipes, data and information regarding the student routines as well as relationship
can be collected (University, 2018). The data and information that are analyzed by CatCard
utilization is further applied in developing large network mapping in order to know when the
students interact and how often. This is mainly undertaken for tracking student’s retention
however due to the use of this technique of analysis, information regarding the size of social
circle, relationships and the changes in the networks to analyze whether the network of
social circle is growing or shrinking is reflected. In addition to this, due to this research,
personal details of the students can be shared with the academic advisors which is
unethical. However as per the university assistant, the students of the university will be given
the choice to opt out of being properly tracked if they generally wish. The option that is
provided by the university to the students is considered to be ethical. The consequences of
the research that is undertaken reflects that the steps that are needed by the university for
student retention is right.
3. Deontology Theory
It is stated by Ho (2015) that the theory of deontology states that it is one of the
ethics that mainly focuses on the wrongness as well as rightness of an action as in
opposition of wrongness and rightness of consequences based on the options. This theory
generally needs that people must follow the rules for doing their duty. As per the theory of
deontology, it is found that the research that is undertaken on the swipe card of the students
within the university campus in order to gather information regarding their routines and
relationships is not all ethical However, the researcher who is mainly engaged in undertaking
the research in order to collect data and information regarding student’s social circle, their
network and relationship reveals that the research can share the personal data of the
students with the academic advisers and thus, the action that is taken by the researcher is
considered to be right as well as ethical (University, 2018). On the other hand, it is found
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Students and Sensors: Data, education, privacy, and research
that the assistant of the university also suggests that in order to resolve the issues and
challenges that generally occur due to sharing of personal information with the academic
advisors, an opportunity will be provided to the students with the help of which they can
avoid being tracked. Thus, by analyzing the case study, it is found that the actions that are
taken for analyzing information is ethical.
4. Virtue Theory
According to the theory of virtue, it is found that this theory generally emphasizes the
role of character and virtue are ethical or moral. Virtue ethics is considered as one of three
major approaches that helps in emphasizing the consequences of actions that are taken
(Turrens, 2018). From the case study, it is found that the university of Arizona generally
undertakes a research in order to analyze that the swipes of the student cards the university
campus in order to revel the routines as well as relationships between different students.
The research reveals that by working in partnership with the information technology of UA,
information related with CatCard is analyzed. After proper analysis the data and information
are utilized for creating large network mapping on the information in which the students of
university campus generally contracted with each other. With the help of this, network,
number of quantitative measures is extracted including the social circle size, changes in the
network, for analyzing whether the social circle is shrinking or not. After proper research, it is
found that there are high chances of sharing personal information of the students with the
academic assistants which is not ethical. The person who is engaged with the research
highlighted the issue, that by undertaking the research, the student’s personal information
can be shared (University, 2018). Thus, it is analyzed that the steps that the researcher
undertaken for avoiding ethical issues are considered to be moral. In addition to this, it is
found that the assistant of the university is asked questions by the public reporters on the
security and privacy of student’s data, the university assistant highlighted that they will
generally provide the opportunity to the students with which the students will be provided
with the choices according to which they generally can opt out being tracked if the student
wishes. The opportunity that is provided by the university assistant is considered to be
ethical. Thus, from the ethical theory of virtue, it is found that the actions that are undertaken
by the researcher and university assistant is considered to be ethical.
5. Contract Theory
The contract theory states how organization as well as people develops proper legal
agreements in the situations that are not certain. It is found that the contract theories are
mainly applied to both the multi-party negotiations between the various agents of the
contracts that is mainly created by an individual or organizations for specifying details of the
multi-party agreements including the employee contracts. The contract helps in specifying
the responsibilities as well as requirements of the parties so that there is no space for
misunderstanding or dispute (Miller & Blackler, 2017). As per the ethical theory of contract,
the case study is properly analyzed. The research that is generally undertaken on the
CatCard utilization reveals the results and relationships that is shared by the students. The
analysis that is undertaken are assumed to be unethical as by creating large network for
mapping students generally rises the chances of sharing personal data of the students.
Thus, if any type of unethical issues and challenges occur then it is necessary to take legal
steps so that this type of ethical scenarios can be avoided. However, it is analyzed that the
university reveals that in order to avoid such type of scenarios, an opportunity is provided to
the students with the help of which the student can avoid being tracked (University, 2018).
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