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Voices from the Virtual Classroom: Students' Views toward Ethical Challenges in the Context of Online Formative Assessment

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Title: Voices from the Virtual Classroom: Students' Views toward Ethical Challenges in the Context of Online Formative Assessment
Language: English
Authors: Alireza Maleki (ORCID 0000-0003-2591-8988)
Source: Discover Education. 2025 4.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 15
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Virtual Classrooms, Ethics, Barriers, Electronic Learning, Formative Evaluation, Distance Education, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Foreign Countries, COVID-19, Pandemics, Feedback (Response), Cheating, Grouping (Instructional Purposes), Group Activities, Universities, Schools, Institutes (Training Programs)
Geographic Terms: Iran
DOI: 10.1007/s44217-025-00445-2
ISSN: 2731-5525
Abstract: The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a significant shift toward online Education. However, this transition has raised concerns about assessment, distance learning effectiveness, and student workload. These pandemic-induced conditions may also lead to ethical challenges in education. Despite existing research on ethical issues in online education, the focus on ethical challenges related to online formative assessment, especially in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, is still limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore students' perspectives on ethical challenges related to online formative assessment. To achieve this objective, a mixed-methods approach was employed. Initially, a qualitative phase involving online focus group discussions was conducted with three distinct groups of eight Iranian EFL learners. These groups encompassed EFL learners from universities, institutes, and schools. Each group participated in a 70-min online discussion to examine the ethical challenges they encountered in online formative assessment following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that ethical challenges could be categorized into three main areas: group work, feedback, and cheating. Subsequently, a ranking scale was employed to determine the primary category that presented the most significant ethical challenge based on students' viewpoints. The findings indicated that feedback was perceived as the most pressing ethical challenge, followed by issues with cheating and group work categories. Finally, the gathered information was categorized based on the specific learning contexts of the participants. This research provides valuable insights for EFL teachers, policymakers, and educational assessment systems. Based on these findings, it is recommended that EFL teachers and policymakers implement targeted professional development programs, foster a culture of academic integrity, and adopt clear guidelines to address these ethical challenges.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1461847
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Voices from the Virtual Classroom: Students' Views toward Ethical Challenges in the Context of Online Formative Assessment
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  Data: 10.1007/s44217-025-00445-2
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  Data: 2731-5525
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  Data: The global impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a significant shift toward online Education. However, this transition has raised concerns about assessment, distance learning effectiveness, and student workload. These pandemic-induced conditions may also lead to ethical challenges in education. Despite existing research on ethical issues in online education, the focus on ethical challenges related to online formative assessment, especially in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) contexts, is still limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore students' perspectives on ethical challenges related to online formative assessment. To achieve this objective, a mixed-methods approach was employed. Initially, a qualitative phase involving online focus group discussions was conducted with three distinct groups of eight Iranian EFL learners. These groups encompassed EFL learners from universities, institutes, and schools. Each group participated in a 70-min online discussion to examine the ethical challenges they encountered in online formative assessment following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that ethical challenges could be categorized into three main areas: group work, feedback, and cheating. Subsequently, a ranking scale was employed to determine the primary category that presented the most significant ethical challenge based on students' viewpoints. The findings indicated that feedback was perceived as the most pressing ethical challenge, followed by issues with cheating and group work categories. Finally, the gathered information was categorized based on the specific learning contexts of the participants. This research provides valuable insights for EFL teachers, policymakers, and educational assessment systems. Based on these findings, it is recommended that EFL teachers and policymakers implement targeted professional development programs, foster a culture of academic integrity, and adopt clear guidelines to address these ethical challenges.
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