The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
This study did not require formal ethics approval.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article.
The authors received no specific funding for this work.
The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of e-teaching on the moral development of students at the university level. The objectives of the study were (i) to explore the availability of e-teaching at universities. (ii) To investigate the effect of e-teaching on students' moral development. The hypotheses of the study were (i) there is no availability of e-teaching at universities. (ii) There is no effect of e-teaching on the moral development of students at the university level. The study was descriptive in nature, and a survey technique was adopted for the collection of data. All the one lac eighteen thousand six hundred sixty-seven (118667) students studying in public and private general universities of Lahore and Sargodha districts were the population of the study. The study was delimited to the only university of Sargodha, Sargodha. The researcher selected only one hundred (100) students of BS education by using a random sampling technique. One questionnaire was developed for university students. It was found that e-teaching effect students' moral development at the university level. It is recommended better internet connectivity 4G/5G, e-gadgets and e-environment may be provided in universities. It is also recommended that the study may be connected to the normal situation for generalization and rectification of the effect of e-teaching on the moral development of students.
Education is an agent which changes the life of a human being, a family, and a community. It is an ingredient for Global progress and development. Globally information and communication technology revolutionized every field of life. We are living in the modern digital era, which has a significant effect on education. The online learning model is an essential element of the teaching-learning process in higher education. The preference for the online teaching approach in higher education is increasing due to convenience and inexpensiveness (Billings & Halstead, 2019).
Online teaching provides a teaching way that copes with the needs of society. It also helps students in improving their standard of education. Learners who choose to study online have expressed a preference for online evaluation and frequently believe that online media enriches their learning opportunities. (Boyles, 2011). The emerging information technology and e-teaching/e-learning techniques are viewed as critical components in institutions' functioning, and these universities are increasingly investing in online systems and gadgets (Popovici & Mironov, 2015). But, in this technological age, one of the most significant issues facing institutions is the inclusion of cutting-edge e-teaching/e-learning systems to enhance and promote teaching and learning simultaneously. (Fischer et al., 2014).
E-teaching is a mode of online lesson in which an e-teacher is in contact with his students via the internet. Study material is presented on a computer screen for each student. E-teaching is the provision of information to a student to raise their own knowledge about a relevant context (Schertler, 2006). Knowledge and education are vital forces for students' development. Education is completed when it indicates the person's complete growth, which involves not only intellectual but also moral and ethical Development (Ozturk, 2001). Moral Development is an important component in self-development and the achievement of values (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010).
1. To explore the availability of e-teaching in universities.
2. To examine the moral development of students at the university level.
3. To investigate the effect of e-teaching on students' moral development at the university level.
Hypotheses
1. There is no availability of e-teaching in universities.
2. There is no moral development of students at the university level.
3. There is no effect of e-teaching on students' moral development at the university level.
Information and Communication Technology (ICT
Information and communication technology development is playing a vital role in imparting education at a higher level in this modern society. The rapid progress of information, communication, and technology, as well as internet applications and Web-based software, has begun to change education at institutions around the globe. (Yau & Cheng, 2010)
The use of technology has changed the process of delivery of education at the university level, but its use is limited. Studies were conducted by (Andrews & Haythornthwaite, 2007; Bates & Sangra, 2011; Guri-Rozenblit, 2009; Power & Morven-Gould, 2011). Explore that the usage of the highly developed technology in university education contexts around the world is relatively minimal, and most online innovations are generally employed as add-on features to engage students in learning. During the last decades, technology, or more specifically the Global Wide Web, has played a significant role in the teaching and learning process (Pudichery, 2003). It is the reality that technology and the internet provide a vast amount of information. According to (Akpinar & Bayramoglu, 2008), technology-assisted instructional strategies have become more widespread in the educational field. Universities and libraries must incorporate advanced technology systems as vital needs for e-research, e-teaching in teaching, and e-learning in today's education and awareness landscape.
E-Teaching
E-learning and e-teaching are rapidly becoming the new paradigms of advanced instructions. The use of network technologies to convey material for instruction and skills is termed e-teaching and e-learning. E-teaching and e-learning in higher education cover numerous potentials. It involves the communication between the learner and teacher and the application of today's existing technologies.
Students who accomplish a university degree have considerable personal and social benefits, such as improved cognitive skills, the ability to focus on job-related tasks, and an opportunity to give back and contribute to public customer service. (Baum et al., 2013). There are “three main reasons students go to university: (1) for the social experience, (2) to get a job, and (3) to learn for learning’s sake” (Stephens, 2013). Critical thinking, the ability to problem-solve, social skills, rational and autonomous thought, information and communication organization abilities, logical curiosity, innovation, moral judgment, honesty, and patience are the most highly rated basic or self-control capabilities (Bath et al., 2004).
The essential roles of the institution of higher education are talent training, scientific research, social care, cultural inheritance, and the development of creativity in the students. The innovation in education at the university level is the practice of online mode for education purposes. The positive effects of using information and communications technology in the classroom mostly depend on what kind of decisions individual institutions, teachers, and students make regarding its utilization (Evans, 2009). We can now give instruction outside of traditional physical classrooms due to the emergence of a variety of digital devices like smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The internet's accessibility, as well as applications like Google Docs, Google Hangouts, Skype, and Wikis, have made learning more interactive, participatory, and effective. (Sarker et al., 2019). E-teaching and e-learning mode is used for the delivery of education at the university level all around the globe. Online education has become one of the options for academic instruction at universities. Students at universities can now readily adjust to this web-based learning setting (Blankenship & Atkinson, 2010). The online approach of study has been found to be analogous to on-campus contexts in terms of main outcomes, including student academic achievement (Magagula & Ngwenya, 2004; McPhee & Söderström, 2012) and satisfaction of students. (Palmer, 2012)
In all around the world, many universities are promoting e-teaching as a teaching method, and it is being extensively appreciated by the students (Martín-Blas & Serrano-Fernández, 2009). E- teaching has many advantages interactive, connective, collaborative, cooperative, and is conducted in the learning environment. Pakistani universities are also applying this model to educate their students but at a small level. It is suggested that the government of Pakistan, in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission and other stakeholders, develop an inclusive plan to implement e-teaching not only at the university level but also at primary, elementary, secondary, higher secondary, and graduation levels. (Shahzad et al., 2020).
Components of e-teaching
Digitization has a significant impact on teaching and learning processes with the use of technological devices such as websites, instructional games, simulations, iPad, Chromebooks, GAFE, and other geeky gadgets. (Makori & Mauti, 2016). Skype, YouTube Education, iPad in education, Canva educational, and Google for education are some examples of digital instruction and advanced teaching-learning techniques that give a diversity of knowledge and material. (Atsalaki, 2015; Ferriter, 2015; Markton, 2014; Wilson, 2014). The availability of the internet along with electronic devices like computers, laptops, smartphones, etc., are essential both for online learning and teaching, either synchronous or asynchronous mode.
Significance of e-teaching
The online atmosphere of teaching can be an equivalent or excellent medium for instruction due to its versatility and student-centered approach. (Kumar, 2020; Logan et al., 2002; Russell, 2001; Summers et al., 2005). Online teaching and learning is a multi-agent system based on an interactive teaching approach. (Mazyad et al., 2013). The platform of online learning is more adaptable, innovative, and student-centered. (Singh & Thurman, 2019)
Role of Education
Higher education's job is to teach students not only academic, specialized, and economic achievement skills but also to help them grow spiritually and ethically so that they may relate their knowledge with societal responsibility. Higher education has grown the students' emotional, spiritual, moral, and effective cognitive elements and has been finely implemented for the betterment of our imminent civilization. (Quinlan, 2011). The emotional and social growth of students is the responsibility of the department of student affairs, whereas academic and scholarly growth is the responsibility of respected teachers. (O’Connor, 2012). Facilities for e-teaching and e-learning can help students establish social and intrapersonal relations as well as their academic development. Social relations based on culture and personal characteristics as the keys to personal growth. According to Vygotsky's sociocultural theory. (Schunk, 2012; Tudge & Scrimsher, 2003).
Moral Development
Real behavior patterns are referred to as morals (Leicester et al., 2000). Morals are a person's assessment of what is fair and bad. Morals include the adoption of rules that guide one's behaviour toward others. (Berns, 2015). The development is the growth of the brain and physical state in which society has acquired the means to achieve a better existence. (Todaro & Smith, 2010). Development is a broader term that includes the improvement in health, education, shelter, income, food, security, self-confidence, self-esteem, and human cultural values. Development is a procedure in which individuals become conscious of their talents, acquire information, and work together to meet conceptual needs like ego, self-assurance, and personality, and they also become inclusive in a cultural, economic, and political interaction to bring about constructive change in their community. In another way, people work to improve themselves. (Swanepoel & De Beer, 2012) Moral development demands the acquisition of pro-social behaviors such as sympathy, cooperation, helpfulness, and satisfaction. It is a long-term procedure impacted by previous and personal observations, family and society, schools, colleges, and higher education institutions.(Bezuidenhout & Joubert, 2003; Swanepoel & De Beer, 2012)
According to Piaget's theory of moral growth, as people's cognitive abilities improve, their comprehension of moral issues improves as well. The improvement of moral reasoning in teenagers' is also a developmental procedure. (Piaget, 1970, 1971, 1977) The process entails cognitive reorganization, with indications of an adult-dominated effect on children's early moral reasoning. (Piaget, 1971) Piaget hypothesized two stages of moral development, one representing preschoolers' and children's observations of rules (stage of heteronomous morality) and the other indicating the reasoning of youngsters (stage of autonomous morality) (Pressley & McCormick, 2007).
Kohlberg became interested in the moral development of children, how they develop a sense of right and wrong, as well as how they build a sense of justice.(Kohlberg, 1984) Kohlberg identified three levels of moral thinking, each of which is divided into two substages. Obey, and Personality are substages of the pre-conventional level. Compliance and Law and Order are two substages of the conventional level. Universal social principles and a social contract approach are substages in the Post-conventional Level Character formation, or the establishment of consistent practices and attitudes is a common educational goal. (Gehlen, 1997).
Everybody in the learning community can agree on the precise attributes that a good citizen should exhibit, such as integrity, ego, justice, and tolerance, but determining how children can develop such "good" qualities has proven to be far more challenging. (Davis, 2006). Moral growth in humans is the acquisition of the capacity to identify what is correct or incorrect, desirable or undesirable. (Baker, 2008). Morality is a set of learned views about social traditions, institutions, and personal behavior that people use to judge circumstances and behavior as decent or indecent, correct, or incorrect.
Sources of Moral Development
The attachment bonding and relationships between children and parents is a key source of moral Development (Thompson, 2012) The family and friendships interaction is another framework for the development and growth of moral feelings (Dunn, 2006). Researchers have also studied different kinds of peer interactions and associations with groups (gender, race, ethnicity, religion, etc.) also play a very important role in the moral development of an individual. (Rubin et al., 2006). Following are some major variables/indicators of moral development
Ethical Rules
The Moral development of an individual in culture depends upon ethical rules like independence, society, and spirituality ethics. (Shweder et al., 1997). The teaching-learning ethics belongs to all the laws, rules, and policies that an individual follows during the teaching-learning process. (Xi Shen & Xianghong Tian, 2012). The online teaching-learning process always faces problems like privacy, plagiarism, and cheating. (Trushell et al., 2012). The misuse and stealing of data, computer offenses, violence, faults of equipment, and viruses threats are some other ethical issues of online education. Thus it is essential to observe the ethical rule in online education because there is no face-to-face communication and interaction between students and teachers. (Coleman, 2012)
Behavior and Attitude
Moral Development refers to the practice by which kids acquire appropriate attitudes and behaviors toward other individuals in the community, as determined by societal and cultural standards, regulations, and principles. (Thirumoorthy & Singravelu, 2021) Those actions that are directly observed, such as speech and physically assessed in an individual, are referred to as behavior. It also includes non-directly tested mental and cognitive activities such as understanding, thinking, emotions, motivations, memorizing, and so on (Sreena et al., 2018). The qualities include feeling, faith, interest, and hopes shape an individual attitude. (Saracalo?lu, 2000) Attitude is associated with high levels of emotional engagement, such as feelings, self, and community interactions (Douglas & Frazier, 2001). Students' attitudes toward E-learning
are positive, and that their attitudes improve when they believe that E-learning systems are simple to use. (Odit-Dookhan, 2018) Attitudes are our feelings about something, which may be positive (likes) or negative (dislikes).
Spirit
In education, the spirit stands for student problem detection and solution of problems together. Spirit is the attainment of a healthy teaching-learning environment between teacher and students (McCombs & Miller, 2007). The educational spirits are the opinions and spiritual power established and condensed from the long-term educational repetition and activities (Xi Shen & Xianghong Tian, 2012).
Self-Development
Self-development is a lifelong learning process that includes activities that promote personality and self-identity, improve skills and capabilities, enhance human resources, promote employment, improve healthy lifestyles, and help people achieve their goals. (Pedler et al., 2013) Dewey suggested, self-development as a constant process of increasing skill development to any higher level. (human cognitive skills, artistic talents, moral abilities, and so on) (Savage & Savage, 2002). Self-development is the development of an individual intellectual competence like interactive abilities and public responsibility, which are helpful for job satisfaction and performance (Bartolata, 2015).
Virtue of Biasing
It is a quality which is useful in a specific action. The term virtue stands for the affiliation of an individual with a fair or correct activity. A bias is a type of discrimination against a person, event, situation, or group. In simple words biasing is the unfair attitude towards an individual or group of people. (Baker et al., 2008) Intrinsically bias has not a positive meaning. It is to favor one point of view or group over another, as well as to be discriminatory or restricted to that point of view or group. (Sevo & Chubin, 2010).
Self-Respect
According to psychologists, the capability to study is nearly associated with the awareness of self-respect that pupils have made inside themselves. The inspiration for learning develops as the sense of self-respect develops. (Globokar, 2018) The characteristics of self-respect are determination, independence, control-over self, self-evaluation, and autonomy. Self-respect stresses that an individual firm a belief that one deserves to be treated with respect (Roland & Foxx, 2003).
Human Rights
A human right is a right that you have simply because you are a human being. Human Rights, according to the United Nations, are those rights that are inherent in our nature and without which we cannot live as human beings (Rights, 1994).
Moral Values
Moral values are the principles of behavioral norms that an individual wants or selects to follow to live a good life. Students' moral needs, moral beliefs, moral feelings, and moral qualities are developed by moral development programs (Leicester et al., 2000). Moral values are the developmental traditions, ambitions, and practices which are justified by society.
Characteristic Building
In any educational setting, the character building of students indicates the attempt made by the institution from the perspective of student character development. (Kamaruddin, 2012). Honesty, Justice, Caring, Respect, Citizenship, and Responsibility are the six pillars of character (Hendra, 2003).
According to the research, the procedure of moral development continues beyond high school, college, and professional education (Bargel et al., 1982; Dippelhofer-Stiem et al., 1988; Lind, 2000; Sandberger et al., 1982). Educational procedures have a significant impact on moral growth and behavior (Lind, 2000).
In the present era, online technologies are very significant for a developmental point of view (Subrahmanyam & Greenfield, 2008). Teachers promote moral ideals and behaviors in students and serve as role models by demonstrating positive personality characteristics in the institution and community. Teachers also educate pupils on how to defend the rights of others and how to take accountability for their own conduct (Oladipo, 2009). Modern technology has brought about enormous challenges in the educational field. These challenges are e-teaching, e-learning, e-transactions, and e-monitoring demand proper behavior of teachers to avoid embarrassment. Adequate and appropriate knowledge of professional ethics is very important in the teaching profession. This is because teachers' roles and actions provide a multidimensional scope for students' Moral Development (Nwangwu et al.), 2019).
Material and Method
The study was descriptive in nature. A survey model was used for the collection of data from respondents. The survey model methodology is one of the techniques used for the collection of data in social sciences (Williams & Research, 2007)
The population of the Study
All the one hundred eighteen thousand six hundred sixty-seven (118667) students studying in public and private general universities of Lahore and Sargodha districts were the populations of the study. The study was delimited to the only university of Sargodha, Sargodha.
Sample of the Study
The researcher selected only one hundred (100) students of BS education by using a random sampling technique.
Instrument of the Study
A questionnaire was developed for university students. Five points Likert scale was used for obtaining responses from university students.
Validity of the Instrument
The instrument was validated from the three experts of the education field.
Reliability of the Instrument
The reliability of the tool was checked by Cronbach's alpha. by using the SPSS-20 version.
Data Collection
The data were collected personally and through Google form because of lockdown due to pandemic COVID 19
Data Analysis
The collected data were tabulated and analyzed by frequency ANOVA and linear regression analysis.
| | | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Valid | Zoom | 65 | 65.0 |
| Video conferencing | 3 | 3.0 | |
| steam | 3 | 3.0 | |
| Mobile learning | 10 | 10.0 | |
| | 4 | 4.0 | |
| | 12 | 12.0 | |
| any other | 3 | 3.0 | |
| Total | 100 | 100.0 |
Table 1 indicates responses of university students about the statement, major e-teaching resource (e-technology) frequently used in university. This table reveals that "Zoom" had a high frequency of 65 as compared to other resources. It means that most university students had availability of Zoom for e-teaching as compared to other resources like video conferencing, MS team, mobile learning, email, WhatsApp, and any other resource.
| | | ||
| Valid | Computer | 6 | 6.0 |
| Laptop | 23 | 23.0 | |
| Notebook | 2 | 2.0 | |
| Tab | 4 | 4.0 | |
| Mobile | 63 | 63.0 | |
| any other | 2 | 2.0 | |
| Total | 100 | 100.0 |
Table 2 indicates the responses of university students about the statement, the devices used for e-teaching. This table reveals that "mobile" has a high frequency 63 as compared to other devices. It means that most university students had availability of laptops for e-teaching as compared to other devices like computers, notebook, tab, and mobile.
Table 3. The university student’s responses about times e-technology is used for e-teaching in a month
| | | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Valid | Once in month | 5 | 5.0 |
| Twice in a month | 9 | 9.0 | |
| Weekly | 16 | 16 | |
| Daily | 68 | 68.0 | |
| any other | 2 | 2.0 | |
| Total | 723 | 100.0 |
Table 3 indicates responses of university students about statement, times e-technology is used for e-teaching in a month. This table reveals that "daily" has a high frequency 68 as compared to other times. It means that most university students had daily base opportunity/availability for e-teaching as compared to others like once in a month, twice in a week, weekly, and any other time.
Linear regression was applied to analyze the opinions of university students about the effect of e-teaching on students' moral development.
The responses of university students about effect of e-teaching on students' Moral Development at university level are given below in table 1
| | | | | | | |
| 1 | Ethical rules are observed in the e-teaching | 3 | 10 | 7 | 59 | 21 |
| 2 | E-teaching helps students to improve their behaviour. | 4 | 11 | 9 | 53 | 23 |
| 3 | E-teaching modifies the attitude of the students. | 1 | 10 | 11 | 58 | 20 |
| 4 | E-teaching enhances student spirit. | 3 | 8 | 13 | 49 | 27 |
| 5 | E-teaching promotes self-development of students. | 7 | 5 | 14 | 47 | 27 |
| 6 | E-teaching helps students to minimize virtue of biasing. | 3 | 7 | 12 | 55 | 23 |
| 7 | E-teaching promotes the vision of self-respect. | 3 | 10 | 13 | 48 | 26 |
| 8 | E-teaching helps to understand the basic rights of individuals. | 5 | 6 | 18 | 48 | 23 |
| 9 | E-teaching promotes the moral values of students. | 5 | 8 | 16 | 47 | 24 |
| 10 | E-teaching is an agent for students’ character building. | 6 | 7 | 15 | 49 | 23 |
Table 4 indicates the opinion of universities students about effect of e-teaching on moral development
1. Ethical rules are observed in the e-teaching. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 59. And strongly agree 21 is higher than strongly disagree 3 and disagree 10. The response percentage of undecided is 7
2. E-teaching helps students to improve their behavior. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 53. And strongly agree 23 is higher than strongly disagree 4 and disagree 11. The response percentage of undecided is 9
3. E-teaching modifies the attitude of the students. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 58. And strongly agree 20 is higher than strongly disagree 1 and disagree 10. The response percentage of undecided is 11
4. E-teaching enhances student spirit. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 49. And strongly agree 27 is higher than strongly disagree 3 and disagree 8. The response percentage of undecided is 13
5. E-teaching promotes self-development of students. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 47. And strongly agree 27 is higher than strongly disagree 7 and disagree 5. The response percentage of undecided is 14
6. E-teaching helps students to minimize virtue of biasing. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 55. and strongly agree 23 is higher than strongly disagree 3 and disagree 7. The response percentage of undecided is 12
7. E-teaching promotes the vision of self-respect. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 48. and strongly agree 26 is higher than strongly disagree 3 and disagree 10. The response percentage of undecided is 13
8. E-teaching helps to understand the basic rights of individuals. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 48. and strongly agree 23 is higher than strongly disagree 5 and disagree 6. The response percentage of undecided is 18
9. E-teaching promotes the moral values of students. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 47. and strongly agree 24 is higher than strongly disagree 5 and disagree 8. The response percentage of undecided is 16
10. E-teaching is an agent for students’ character building. The table reveals that response percentage of agree 49. and strongly agree 23 is higher than strongly disagree 6 and disagree 7. The response percentage of undecided is 15
| | | | | |
| 1 | .443a | .196 | .188 | 5.24898 |
Table 5 reveals the model summary of e-teaching and student's moral development. According to the model summary, the correlation R is .443 and R- the square is .196. The table highlighted very strong positive relationship between e-teaching and student’s moral development
| | | | | | | |
| 1 | Regression | 659.685 | 1 | 659.685 | 23.943 | .000b |
| Residual | 2700.075 | 99 | 27.552 | |||
| Total | 3359.760 | 100 | ||||
Table 6 shows the ANOVA summary of the effect of E-teaching on student's moral development. This table indicates that the regression equation is significant F (1, 99) = 23.943, p=.000, therefore e-teaching is a significant predictor of student’s moral development.
| | | | | | ||
| | | | ||||
| 1 | (Constant) | 19.310 | 3.791 | 5.094 | .000 | |
| e-teaching | .489 | .100 | .443 | 4.893 | .000 | |
The table 7 shows the coefficient summary of the model. It reveals that the value of coefficient e-teaching was .489, its t value is 4.893 which is significant at the .05 level as p=.000 It means there was a significant effect of e-teaching on student’s moral development.
The main purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of e-teaching on students' moral development at the university level. It was found through Statistical analysis that e- technologies services are available at the university and used for e-teaching and e-learning. The results indicate a significant correlation between e-teaching and student's moral development. These results negates both hypotheses, thus it was satisfied from study that there is availability of e-teaching at universities and there is a significant effect of e-teaching on students' Moral Development at university level.
The practices of use of e-technology for e- teaching/e-learning at university level effect on students moral development. This result is consistent with previous studies, Online technology used for the teaching and learning process is another means to enrich the moral values (Masmuzidin et al., 2011) Universities are playing a dynamic role in developing the moral personality of students. Moreover, higher education has a great impact in developing human spirit. (Jarrar, 2013).The speedy change in technology morally motivate students and make the students dedicated for moral activities (Kaur, 2015). The development of moral position and moral opinion indicates the behaviour pattern of an individual (Ma, 2006). There is a direct relationship between time spent on social media and the moral development of students (Mensah & Solomon, 2019).The use of improved technique of education like e-learning, more fruitful and effective in character building development (Indartono, 2011). The responses of university students in the present study support that there is availability of e-teaching in universities and e-teaching has a significant effect on students' moral development.
The following conclusion were drawn from the study based on findings
i) It was concluded from the responses of students that there is availability of e-teaching in universities.
ii) It was found there exist a strong significant effect of e-teaching on students' moral development at the university level.
Following recommendations were made on basis of conclusions
i) Provision of internet connectivity, e-environment, trained faculty, and e-technology assisted gadgets may be recommended to make e-teaching more effective.
ii) A concrete mechanism of interaction between student- teacher and student-student may be recommended for student development.
iii) The present study was conducted during lockdown due to pandemic COVID 19. It may be recommended that the study will be conducted in a normal environment for further generalization and justification of e-teaching effect on students' moral development.
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
This study did not require formal ethics approval.
Data sharing is not applicable to this article.