Investigation of student views on data privacy and ethical use of data in smart learning environments

Abstract

In this study, the views of university students using a smart learning environment on data privacy and ethical use of their data in the smart learning system were examined. The research was carried out on 30 university students. The data of the study were obtained through the semi-structured student opinions determination form developed by the researchers. Content analysis was performed in the analysis of the data. The research findings indicated that the majority of the students reported that the use of the smart learning system did not cause any ethical concerns or fears. However, some students stated that it would be appropriate to inform the students about how the data is protected and used, the privacy policy of the system, and who can access the data. Some students state that the smart learning system serving on a university server gives them a great deal of confidence. One of the reasons why students do not experience fear or anxiety about data privacy and ethics may be their low knowledge and awareness about cyber security. Students agree that it would be appropriate to view the learning analytics results on the dashboard of the smart learning system only by the course teacher, apart from the teacher, system administrator, classmates, etc. stating that people should not see this information. When asked whether the artificial intelligence system should obtain permission from students to use their data in order for the smart learning environment to analyze the learning analytics results on the dashboard page, 90% of the students stated that permission should be obtained from students. The vast majority of students consider teachers and system administrators responsible for the confidentiality and management of learning analytics results on the dashboard page of the smart learning environment. It is seen that the number of students who hold themselves responsible in terms of data security is quite low. In line with the findings obtained from the research, a discussion was made about what should be considered in smart learning environments in terms of data privacy and ethical use, and various suggestions were made. The vast majority of students consider teachers and system administrators responsible for the confidentiality and management of learning analytics results on the dashboard page of the smart learning environment.