Thesis Final Version

Information Age Integrates Emerging Technologies with
Pedagogy; Increasing Student Academic Performance and
Moral Philosophy
by
Sharon Marroquin
Faculty Advisors: Barbera Mento and Joseph Schaub
Notre Dame of Maryland University, Baltimore, MD
M.A. Contemporary Communication
Master’s Thesis
May 2016

1
ABSTRACT
The study examines the correlation and increase in college-student academic performance and
emerging web-technologies within collegiate educational institutions. Transitions to online
teaching programs continue to foster a more advanced learning environment resulting in higher
letter grades and an applied new moral philosophy. Students have become dependent on the usage
of software programs to assist in the completion of coursework. Has the reliability on web-
technology led to the increase of mobile device usage for college students as well as instructors?
Will the shift paradigm lead to the advancement of newer web-technology solutions for alternative
methods in pedagogy? The scale is used to demonstrate an ordinal level of measurement in the
importance of mobile device usage to complete coursework. Mobile devices such as: laptops,
tablets and phones have served as the platform for teaching and learning, the use of textbook is
still in use as a traditional method, however, students rely heavily on internet sources and
instructors have demonstrated adaptations to software tools. The increase of college-level
registration for online courses points to future outlooks in the direction of e-learning. The
comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of such changes poses the concern for how well
the understanding of current trends can impact the way students obtain information. The binary
categories of the learner’s scholastic progress in culture and emerging web-technological usage at
the collegiate level of educational institutions, in turn, creates a cultural fusion of higher grades
earned by students as well as advancements in future pedagogical approaches for instructors, as a
result of applied moral philosophies.

2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….………3
Recognizing Patterns in Traditional Teaching Methods………………………………… 3
Immorality as a Disadvantage…………………………………………………………………… 8
Identifying Modern Teaching Methodology and Trends……………….……………………….10
The Culture of Education and Morality…………………………………………………………15
Information Age…………………………………………………………………………………17
Evolution of Web-Based Tools and Ways of Communication………………………………… 20
How Social Media as Technology Increased Student Academic Performance…………………24
Student Academic Performance in Relation to Multiculturalism....……………...……….…… 26
Moral Philosophy and Multiculturalism in Education….……………………………………… 31
Multiculturalism and Moral Progress…………………………………………………………... 35
Moral Relativism Applied to Transculturation…………………………………………………. 37
Diversity in the Classroom and Pedagogy…………………………………………………….... 39
Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………………... 40
Moral Principle Applied to E-Learning Pedagogy………………………………………. 40
Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………. 44

3
INTRODUCTION
Recognizing Patterns in Traditional Teaching Methods
The traditional way of teaching and learning has been altered over past decades and has
shaped the way students obtain information. With increasing technological advancements,
educational institutions have maintained a complicated relationship with adapting to such a model.
The challenge has always been figuring out how to transition in pedagogy while still implementing
the newer technology which has emerged. Students continue to keep up with technological trends
while instructors have stood by old traditional teaching methods. There seems to be a fear
associated with technology usage and the speed at which students adapt. Various forms of
technology are being used in collegiate institutions to include: software, hardware, internet
sources, e-learning, distance education, and websites. The various platforms have contributed to
student learning and have, as a result, allowed students the ability to complete course work with
ease, student grades have improved significantly. The ease of accessibility and the ability to obtain
information quickly, will grant today’s students the privilege of learning on their own time, at their
own individual pace.
The comparison between traditional and modern teaching methods can be further examined
to demonstrate the decrease in usage of book sources. Students were more equipped in utilizing
journals, articles, and hard-back book sources to assist them with research papers. Students have
since minimized visits to libraries to obtain book sources and have opted for e-sources instead.
Studies show the increase in online source usage for coursework since the invention of mobile
devices. The ability to access Wi-Fi at educational institutions allows students to gain accessibility

4
to the world wide web (WWW), essentially allowing for students to bring homework to school at
convenient times to complete. Chi-Cheng, author of “A study on the evaluation and effectiveness
analysis of web-based learning portfolio,” introduces the development of web-based student
portfolios and the efficiency of the internet, “Following the booming development of internet
technology in recent years, and through the integration of computer and communication
technology, the real-time and interactive features of world wide web (WWW) has achieved the
effective breakthrough in terms of time and space limitation…” (2015).
The integration allows for fast efficient results, conveniently aligning with the increase in
students attending colleges and universities full-time. Various online websites also contend with
book sources in the way they have become available. Book sources were to be checked out at
libraries before a student could obtain any knowledgeable information, which was never an issue
with online sources. For decades, book sources were the only form of learning apart from face-to-
face course instruction. The examination of traditional teaching method points to the importance
of note-taking in classrooms and the ability to pay attention during class lecture.
When dissecting the methodology of face-to-face teaching and the absence of technology, the
issues that arise are that students have limited options and can only trust the outdated information
presented in text-books. The majority of book sources are from previous years, seldom are the
books up to date or from the current year. In evaluation of traditional teaching methods, many
instructors agreed that they felt comfortable asking students to obtain official information from
books at their local library or school library. Instructors who have taught at the same institution
for years were well adapted to sticking to older teaching methods without considering the students’
needs or the speed at which the students adapted to current teaching/learning trends.

5
The incorporation of web-technologies has made its way into collegiate-level curricula,
echoing into the developments of newer pedagogical approaches for classroom facilitation. Many
collegiate institutions have developed a center for teaching, learning and technology where it a
vital component to make sure the school is up to date with technological advancements, which
includes newer software developmental programs, for both students and instructors. The purpose
for the software programs is to implement a cohesive environment to foster a sense of online
community, whilst encouraging student-to-student interaction via online tools. Students are then
able to log into their created account through programs such as Blackboard. Students are able to
access their course outline, coursework, and can contact instructors through an inbox feature. The
use of such technology provides an outlet for accessibility anywhere, anytime, and efficiently
allows instructors to monitor student activity.
The use of systems such as Blackboard has become an essential element in collegiate
pedagogy. Students spend time engaging in discussion boards and peer responses which are
considered participation on the grading scale. Blackboard is among many of the software programs
used and remains as the most popular (Central Michigan University, 2015). Educators encourage
students to moderate discussion boards independently, while they provide topics for students to
explore. Joan Thormann, author of the online article titled, “Encouraging Online Learner
Participation,” discusses the importance as well as ways in which online participation is useful.
“Students are usually quite positive about the moderating experience. When I survey my students,
they typically say that moderating deepens their understanding of the content, that they enjoy
taking on a leadership role, and that they see the benefit of having others’ viewpoints brought to
the forefront” (2014).

6
The dependency seems to cultivate a safe teaching/learning experience and/or relationship
for most colleges and universities. Other universities also have adapted and incorporated various
software programs for their courses and students have the ability to submit coursework, without
really ever having to attend face-to-face courses. Many traditional instructors who have not
adapted well to the transition of newer and emerging technologies, expressed frustration and a
dislike toward the shift. However, many instructors are forced to implement them into their
classrooms to gain a competitive advantage. Students are well accustomed and have expected
various online tools to be a part of their classroom experience.
Many of the books written by scholarly agents were published at later dates, at times long
after the research had been done. Students were depending heavily on this information until the
realization of online tools such as Wikipedia, were realized. Many instructors were adamantly
opposed to such sites; however, it has become more acceptable, and continues to be more accepted
as a source for research papers (Central Michigan University, 2015). There are certain instructors
who continue to use traditional teaching methods because of their level of comfort and beliefs that
book sources are viable sources.
The question is, what is effective teaching? Many people will argue that pedagogical
approaches should remain current, but is the speed at which technology is advancing too fast for
colleges and universities to adapt? Are students becoming smarter and are their skills to adapt
becoming sharper? Student believe they are becoming smarter as a result of emerging technologies
(Paul, 2013). The correlation between collegiate student intelligence and technology have an
uncanny relationship. It has become a co-dependent relationship, where, one without the other,
there is no substantiality. Without our current technology, if it was to be in fact, eliminated from

7
collegiate institutions, there would be a disparity, and students as a result would digress to a
simpler, less, advanced way of thinking.
So, what are the benefits of traditional teaching methods? For one, the use of imagination
is heightened; students learning through text book solely are allowed to use their imagination and
are required to think more in solitude. Much work done through text-books requires the student to
do one of two things, either interpret the information given to them in their own unique and creative
way, or simply obtain, memorize, and repeat the information. However, with traditional teaching
methods, there is more communication within the teacher/student relationship. “There is more
interaction between the teacher and student in traditional teaching methods as compared to the
modern teaching methods. We can also say that in traditional teaching there is more discipline in
the class” (Thakur, 2011).
The disadvantages of traditional teaching methods outweigh the advantages, in that
students are prevented from the array of information that is out there on the web. The limitations
place a discrepancy on the entirety of the cultivation of newer learning trends. It becomes
debilitating for students, especially, because of the obligation to commit to time spent at the
educational institution they are attending or library facilities. It becomes more than a full-time job
and places a strain on students which can negatively affect their thinking and cognitive abilities.
Studies have shown the effects of stress and how humans rely on a clear conscious to be able to
retain any information, the ability to remember and memorize what has been learned diminishes
over time and even more so as a result of stress factors placed on a student’s body (Thakur, 2011).
Another way the obligation to commit more time at library facilities negatively effects
student’s way of thinking is that a large emphasis on time spent, is what places pressure on a
student’s ability to focus. The transfiguration between the differences of having to physically be

8
present at the institution, versus being able to obtain information through mobile sources,
demonstrates the weight placed on the factor/s of, time spent. The balance of time is a struggle
students faced when only traditional pedagogical approaches were being used. The leniency of
what sources were to be used on research papers has posed as a positive shift and the way students
can now utilize their time learning.
Immorality as a Disadvantage
Immorality in the way students perform academically has been a significant factor in the
way students have abused modern pedagogical methods. The main issues that arise with the
freedom of utilizing online sources as well as tools, has lowered the level of trust that instructors
pose on students. Academic dishonesty and the ideology of plagiarism has been more of a concern
for modern teaching methods than ever before. Lack of the social acceptance of face-to-face
classroom time has become a major disadvantage in the new approach to collegiate pedagogy.
Morality then becomes a transfiguration in the way we look at student work ethic.
Whether or not student academic honesty has become a major concern in completing
research papers, for example, is one of the major matters associated with the freedom of online
source customs. “When used responsibly, mobile Internet-capable devices can provide
opportunities for inquiry, evidence-based reasoning, and collaborative learning. However,
welcoming such devices in the classroom involves educating students about the responsible use of
the information retrieved from the Internet. Therefore, to maintain academic integrity in the
technology-rich classroom, faculty must promote digital citizenship” (Robb and Shellenbarger,
2015). Have students become so comfortable with online sources that they forget to cite their

9
sources, or do they feel entitled to the information because of ease of access? Student ease of
access challenges current beliefs in student academic integrity, which further challenges
instructors as well as the students throughout the learning process.
Why were book sources more viable in older traditional teaching methods? Several
assessments made demonstrated that they were not. Book sources can be more reliable sources
than online articles and journals, despite the fact they can be considered scholarly or not. Most
online articles and journals can be accessed on larger search engines; they tend to be shorter, and
easier to read. The comparison with those articles as opposed to the scholarly articles, are that they
can be more difficult to find. The scholarly articles were longer, and contained other sources. Many
students were relying heavily on those sources as a quick technique to obtaining information.
Has “quick and easy” become the new trend in schools when it comes to learning? Do
students just want what is available right away? The answer is yes, students no longer want to take
the time to review book sources and would rather access information via their laptops, tablets, even
phones. Instructors continue to impose unique ways to include information from book sources by
providing summaries or bullet point lists onto a Microsoft PowerPoint. The theories of student
learning continue to be an integral force in the psychology of how students perform academically.
As a result of the disadvantages of traditional learning methods, students are also disadvantaged
with modern trends, because now students have shorter attention spans and the rate of ADHD has
increased as a result of emerging technologies (Lesley, 2010).
Learning theories builds the foundation of future doctors, physicists, writers, performers,
etc. and this is why it is a massive resource in identifying with student behavior and the correlation
with how technology also affects ways of thinking and perceiving new information. Traditional
methodologies have catapulted our understanding to adjusting to newer ones. Essentially, we must

10
look to the past to understand the future and always draw out those parallels in order to continue
moving forward with modern pedagogical approaches. Instructors have considered new
imperatives for allowing students to use their technology in classrooms. “New technology
continues to emerge and influence the classroom learning environment. Students now have
immediate and unlimited access to digital content, resources, and databases. To capitalize on the
wealth of available Internet resources, many educators are joining the Bring Your Own Device
(BYOD) initiative, which encourages students to use their own personal electronic devices
(smartphones, tablets) during class time to augment and support learning” (Robb and
Shellenbarger, 2015).
Identifying Modern Teaching Methodology and Trends
Theoretically, perspectives on educational technology have proven to be an effective
means in the student learning process. The heuristic nature of what e-learning has become for
students is revolutionizing what were traditional teaching methods. Specific modern approaches
provide ease of access to information, faster student-teacher interaction, and mobility, as well as
cost effectiveness. E-learning is no longer a luxury in schools, but rather a necessity, and has
combined traditional with modern in attempts for blended practices within academia. As time
progresses however, the shift paradigm will place more emphasis on contemporary
implementations of what e-learning has become.
When identifying current trends in pedagogy, it is important to understand that one of the
main reasons why technological mediums have been used so diversely is that it provides ease of
access to information. “The use of media for instructional purposes is generally traced back to the

11
first decade of the 20th century” (Wikipedia). Learning theories suggest there are three
psychological frameworks associated with the e-learning process to include behaviorism,
cognitivism, and constructivism. All components to the theory point to the direct relationship e-
learning has had on a student’s ability to learn and obtain information. When dissecting the
theories, behaviorism focuses on the aspects of science on the way humans learn, and cognitivism
focuses on the way the brain functions with memory (short-term and long-term). Constructivism
focuses on the way a human learns from a young age and includes the relationship between the
instructor and methods used to help the child learn, how it affects the student’s learning abilities
throughout their adult years (Wikipedia). Meanwhile, according to the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention, seven percent of children age 3 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD — about
4.5 million kids. Diagnoses of ADHD have been on the rise for more than a decade, increasing by
3 percent a year from 1997 to 2006.
As mentioned before, timing has become an integral force in coursework completion;
learners want to complete assignments at a faster pace, this affects the memory span. Some of the
approaches educators encourage are to have students use but not abuse their ability to access online
sources. Interactive software websites have been implanted into the teaching classroom and
curriculum to where students and instructors both have the ability to meet online and have the
privilege of exchanging information. Moreover, Blackboard is an interactive software program
which is still being used in classrooms to date and has proven to be an effective modern tool in
education.
Blackboard encourages students to learn in more ways than one, so that the dependence on
class lecture and the need to be attentive in a classroom setting, no longer becomes the only outlet
and that students can utilize tools like blackboard to learn and obtain information their own way.

12
Cell phones are also used by students as a way to record lectures through mobile recording
applications. Some mobile devices include a recording feature upon purchase as well. The
privilege to be able to record class lectures allows students to take notes while sitting face-to-face
but also have the ability to listen to their recordings and access any important information they
may have missed while they were sitting in the classroom setting.
In addition, podcasts have become a popular tool for students to listen to lectures,
eliminating lecture time by instructors. “Setting up a podcast is similar. For content that is
published on a regular basis, like weekly homework reviews, the initial steps to create a podcast
are worthwhile because they save students some effort in the long run” (Deal, 2015). The idea of
providing podcasting outlets for students is that rather than simply having written information, the
student can alternatively listen to assignments, required talks, or lectures. Instead of having to read
full length PDF files, students can download the audio file for their own convenience.
For students who enroll in online courses, the utilization of online tools is especially a vital
component. Many applications such as Skype has allowed long distance learning to be pliable as
they can now participate in class discussion through a face time call via the technology of webcam.
Even still, Blackboard has become easier to use and has engineered a now acceptable way of
participating in a course.
Other components to e-learning such as cell phone usage has also allowed students to
access their school email, course work, deadlines, messages, forum posts, and discussions. Most
websites, including school websites have adjusted to the smaller screens of mobile devices, making
it easier to visit websites and navigate them. The technology and consideration of user-friendliness,
works to benefit those in educational institutions because students should always be able to be
updated with course work. Online learning has become increasingly popular, especially in higher

13
education, leading to higher enrollment rates at universities and colleges as well. Students feel
more confident enrolling in online courses because of the convenience of not having to attend face-
to-face class time due to the erratic scheduling and class meeting times. Instead, they can now
learn on their own pace and on their own time as an acceptable way of “attending a class,” yet,
exercising the ideology of being a more self-sufficient student. The processes of learning and the
capabilities of going to school, has become a more realistic possibility through a dynamic
demographic pool of prospective students.
Increases in student online course registration has demonstrated the positive impacts on
modern teaching pedagogy, students are becoming self-reliant, and more independency has given
instructors and academic faculty a break in facilitating course registration. “In fall 2009, colleges—
including public, nonprofit private, and for-profit private institutions—reported that one million
more students were enrolled in at least one web-based course, bringing the total number of online
students to 5.6 million. That unexpected increase—which topped the previous year’s 17-percent
rise—may have been helped by higher demand for education in a rocky economy and an uptick in
the number of colleges adopting online courses” (Travis, 2010).
The practice of meeting personally with academic faculty, such as advisors, mentors, and
professors has dwindled as a result of what modern teaching methods have become (Travis, 2010).
Is this a bad thing? Not necessarily, for there have been more advantages to modern pedagogy than
disadvantages. Although the student attention span has diminished and that students can only focus
on specific topics for an average of twenty minutes at a time before being distracted or losing
focus, students do retain information quicker, and learn faster. Learning has become speedy as we
see the rapid approach in information accessibility.

14
One of the major disadvantages in incorporating e-technology into modern day curriculum
is the costliness. Most educational institutions have to budget and consider the cost of implanting
specific technological tools. Large amounts of money are spent every year, just to accommodate
students and the current trends of technology. It is difficult to find a balance between old a new
ways of learning but the equity in e-learning has to be found in order to ensure a great learning
experience for students. There is a discrepancy in the way students once obtained information and
the way they do now. Today the changes have been made to provide accessibility for students in
the most convenient way possible for today’s academic culture.
Some of the delivery methods provide our students with the easiest access, which alters the
need for book sources compared to online sources. For example, one advantage is that students get
the chance to research online sources and no longer feel the obligation to head over to local
libraries for book sources. The advantage is that students don’t have to go out of their way to find
the book or hard copy sources but can access full books or articles online, even though purchasing
the entire book chapter online through websites such as Amazon where students get the
opportunity to rent copies of chapters, abstracts and full chapters. Students also get the chance to
order full hard copy books using online websites either directly or indirectly related to the school,
or can then return the book after they have finished using them.
How has technology changed modern learning methodology? Some of the disadvantages
of e-learning include dependability, academic dishonesty, and costliness for academic institutions.
Dependability has become a major issue for students adapting to the e-learning process. Students
have become more dependent as a result of emerging technologies, partly based on their need for
easy access, and because of their need for instant gratification. Students continue placing emphasis
on their need to find online sources through various websites.

15
The role that culture plays is vital, as culture defines the essence of what a community is.
Every community, whether it be educational or economic has a specific significance in the context
of culture and the way people interact with each other within that specific community. Community
directly relates to how communication is presented which validates why the relationship between
learning and technology has built a sense of cultural fusion, and has redefined the meaning of the
academic community. The culture of education disseminates into the universe of academia and
will continue to transpire the way humans are revolutionizing in the broadest sense of the word,
and will. The evolution of pedagogy will either harm or cultivate student growth, the same way
culture and the importance of diversity within the classroom setting does. Social constructs in e-
learning such as interactive blogs, forums, and podcasts, have served as the platform to which
students collaboratively interact with one another.
The Culture of Education and Morality
Academic morality has always been in question, whether it is through the lens of educators
or the institution itself. It poses as a concern in the integrity of student’s performance and of
submitted coursework. Educators have to be concerned about whether or not students are
submitting original work and if their ideas are their own. The continuation of academic dishonesty
and the concept of plagiarism have been exercised constantly in courses, as instructors struggle
with the ability to differentiate between what is true and what is false in coursework. Similarly,
many times students who do not feel compelled enough to express themselves in writing and
required coursework will almost always seek alternatives. However, this is a disadvantage as the

16
student isn’t gaining any valuable information. Most online sources provide nothing more but an
outlet of self-escape and as a tool to repeat information and knowledge that is acquired.
The ideology of originality then fades into oblivion as people become accustomed to the
idea of using other people’s ideas as their own with the comfort of simply citing the source. This
has become a commonality and falsifies the livelihood of originality in many schools where
students have adapted and found ways to make information found online, appear as unique ideas.
The question of academic honesty then positions itself to where morality comes into play. So we
dissect what academic dishonesty is and figure out reasons why students possess such dishonesty
in their coursework. Has educational technology further enabled this type of student behavior in
such a way that they become accustomed to acquiring useless information and repairing it in their
course assignments?
Why have students become so comfortable? Modern students as opposed to traditional
students have realized the leniency in academic strictness; they understand that their current
knowledge of online tools and sources exceeds their instructors who are more accustomed to a
more traditional way of teaching. Students have become more confident in their approaches to
learning and delivering information back to instructors which has inhibited them in the entire
learning process. They have developed and integrated ways in which the instructors are unaware
of. The age difference plays a major role in the way students take advantage, which is why the
factor of morality becomes questionable. Instructors must set the example of academic integrity
and digital citizenship, “technology is changing the classroom learning environment. Internet-
capable mobile technologies are no longer being viewed as a classroom distraction, but as a tool
to facilitate learning. Therefore, it is essential for faculty to revisit their policies and procedures
for addressing academic integrity” (Robb and Shellenbarger, 2015).

17
E-books have now been on the rise in contrast with traditional textbooks which were most
commonly used by instructors, increasing the likelihood that students will commit to academic
dishonesty, the crime of stealing other people’s research. Pledging to cite acquired sources on
research papers, and to state that the student’s work is in fact their own; has become an important
factor in research paper submittals. It is a point which continues to be emphasized in course syllabi.
The freedom of what e-learning and online courses may or may not demoralize the trust bond and
relationship between student and teacher. Newer software such as, Turn-it-in, has granted a bit of
security for instructors to ensure that students have not committed to plagiarism, and have cited
their sources appropriately. Not only has emerging software technologies benefited the student in
their learning process, but has also encouraged instructors to incorporate them into their modern
teaching methods.
It is safe to say, that the overall culture and atmosphere of academia has shifted into the
direction of the future and our ability to revolutionize our lifestyle, to restore student enrollment
rates and create a dynamic learning experience. The enforcement of academic integrity has been
put under a microscope because of ease of access to various forms of information via the world
wide web. Many researchers are studying what long-term effects technological communication is
having and the level of absorbency being practiced through mobile device usage. Cultural
assimilation through a cultural lens / adaptations to current cultural social technological trends may
have even more negative effects on the cultural communication of education.
Information Age
The information age can be categorized as the digital age, or the age of computerization
and information knowledge. Many collegiate students can identify with this concept as it has

18
become a standard way of life. Throughout millennia, the children of today have grown up with
emerging technologies and have become accustomed to unique applications and the efficiency of
technological machines. The various facets have been transformed to what we now know as the
information based society. “In the present landscape of technological and social change, important
transformations are underway in terms of how we live and work. We refer to contemporary times
as the “information age” or “knowledge based society”, characterized by the diffusion of
information and communications technologies (ICT’s) and the increasing demand for new
educational approaches and pedagogies that foster lifelong learning in the higher education arena,
there are shifts in the views of what education” (Mcloughlin, 2015). Despite equipment failures
which may arise using IT devices within educational institutions, the advantages of using
information technology far outweigh the disadvantages. The information age has affected
communication and has transferred most of our forms of communication via email, text message,
e-letters, etc. The ways students communicate within colleges are through a web of emails, forums,
discussions, and chat rooms, this has become the norm.
If in fact, the privilege to communicate digitally were taken away, students might suffer
miscommunication which can negatively affect their grades. The information age is a smart age
and college students are the primary source for future advancements, as they have taken what they
have already been granted with technology and will discover new ways to make it better for future
generations. The increase of student academic performance in the information age confirms the
dependability on computerization and technology models to nurture student growth. Furthermore,
with growing numbers of millennial students, the concept of communication in the digital ages has
altered what used to be a more social setting into an asocial setting.

19
In conceptualizing which software programs students rely heavily on, the majority relied
on software technology which instructors provided them with. The remainder software programs
were ones students discovered on their own via the Internet. Some software programs were
mandatory, others were voluntary. Walking onto a collegiate campus, one would see a majority of
students in lobby areas on their laptops with their headphones on. How has the image changed
since traditional times? Students would once hold books and have their notebooks out; the only
difference now is that students still read, just on a computer screen from a website source.
Student’s attitudes toward these concessions are integrated with their experiences and their
behaviors academically are relative. Students have gained the skill to become self-efficient and
have also taught themselves to be self-disciplined in the realm of the learning process. As
previously mentioned, the number of online course registrations in colleges has increased over
past decades. “The number of college students enrolled in at least one online course increased for
the ninth straight year, according to the Babson Survey Research Group's annual survey of more
than 2,500 colleges and universities—including both nonprofit and for-profit institutions” (Lytle,
2011). The shift to online education is happening now faster than ever and the convenience of
them has since become recognizable.
Online course registration has increased with the rise of student life obligations; many
students have obtained full-time jobs, and have families to take care of which for the most part
consumes their daily lives. The online course curriculum is a way for students to maintain their
lifestyle and still complete an education. Some students rated online courses to be the same quality
of face-to-face courses; however, those opinions are still arguable. The quality of the social
interaction differs in that students lose the cultural aspect of being present in an actual classroom;

20
students who enrolled in online courses demonstrated a knack for setting up their own schedules
and completing homework assignments on their own time while still meeting deadlines.
Online courses still provide a sense of student to student interaction through mandatory
discussion forums where the feedback of the other students is required as a means to enforce
student interaction. The loss and sense of community only creates a barrier to where students don’t
get to experience the difference in culture and diversity. Moreover, online courses allow students
to feel equal, which can assist in presenting conflicts of interest which may otherwise be present
in face-to-face class meetings.
Student performance in online courses will continue to be evaluated as the increase of
enrollment continues; Lytle states that, “The reputation of the quality of online courses has also
continued its upward climb—albeit only a slight increase in positive perceptions in recent years.
Sixty-seven percent of academic professionals rated online education courses as the same or
superior to face-to-face instruction, an increase from 57 percent in fall 2003, when this rating was
first published. While this may be a positive step for proponents of online education, the study is
quick to note that roughly 10 percent of the respondents have historically been detractors of online
courses” (2011). Online discussions and virtual classrooms continue to lead in the e-learning
domain categories and have amplified endless possibilities for students. The delivery methods used
by schools are in direct relation to student responsiveness.
Evolution of Web-Based Tools and Ways of Communication
The new-age has continued to build everything up in a plethora of ways humans currently
live their lives. Web-based tools are advancing with easier navigable features both in hardware

21
and software devices. Mobility and ease of access, of course, are among the many attempts to
revolutionize such technology. The focus on technology in general, has posed as a vital component
in today’s way of looking forward to human advancement. Some of the ways web-based
technology will change is through the pioneering of more simplified web versions of educational
software systems. Some of the current navigational features used are inbox, chat room, discussion
forum, and homework assignment attachment. Information technology professionals as well as
software developers are working collaboratively with educational professionals to find innovative
ways of making software tools easier to use. The following graph is a representation of some of
the technology being used by college students:
Table 1
Daley, 2012
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Most Important Software & Applications

22
Chi-Cheng discusses a new online student portfolio for student profiles, measuring the
students’ progress in detail, allowing students to introspect on their academic performance. He
states that, “The portfolio method emphasizes that a learner participates actively and thus
establishes the learning results of his/her own concern. Therefore, its development process whether
it be instructed by teachers or established by students’ own accord, shall both attain the goal of
encouraging the learners to be responsible for his/her own learning and to grasp all of the goals of
learning activities” (2015). Chi-Cheng’s research demonstrates the developments of new
technology to assist in simplifying the students’ learning experience and by promoting
independence and self-reliance for students of today’s digital age.
Online tools are being deployed into the world of education and pedagogy, and are
revolutionizing the way communication is being handled at a micro-level of learning. Newer
software programs are continuously being created for courses, and some schools have already
begun the process of incorporating technology into their teaching methods. However, the total
transition may take a while. Blackboard has been widely used as a reliable software tool for
students to submit coursework, but many schools have found alternative tools, more reliable, and
cost-efficient. Moodle is a free software program that has also been widely esteemed in various
courses; some of the features are also similar to that of Blackboard to include wikis, discussion
boards, and homework assignment features.
Many of the software tools allow students to take their exams and quizzes online, reducing
the need for face-to-face time, and because of this, students are given more time to study, the
ability to use the internet while taking exams and quizzes, and the ability to get help from friends.
All of the components that help students do better are another reason why students do better on
tests, today than ever before. Instructors have to build their level of trust in students and hope that

23
a student is being academically honest in the virtual world of education. For courses like math and
sciences, software is also being used for students to be able to complete lab work online. Many
instructors have to include online lab work as part of their curricula. E-books and Wikis continue
to be the go-to source for students to get their reading done. Instructors have now also become
dependent on students being able to use technology, because of the rising expectations on students
to complete assignments rapidly. In addition, the variety of technology available to students
continues to be utilized and at higher numbers:
The chart bellows shows the percentages of technology used by college students based on the
technological device:
Table 2
Daley, 2012.
81%
73%
64%
57%
33% 33%
26%
23%
16%
Laptop Printer USB Desktop Smartphone E-reader Tablet Ipad Media
Player
Most Used Technology by College Students

24
How Social Media as Technology Increased Student Academic Performance
Social media as a technological medium has influenced students in various ways as it has
served as a primary communication tool amongst peers. Students maintain relationships with
classmates through websites like Facebook and Twitter. Email has also remained a vital element
in the student/teacher communication process. However, students prefer to communicate with their
classmates via popular and commonly used websites. Group projects have now become more
important in the pedagogical process for most courses; students are obligated to interact face-to-
face with their classmates and encouraged to work collaboratively as it prepares students for future
careers. Has the use of social media and other technology components contributed to the increase
in student performance?
The graph below depicts how collegiate student academic performance continues to rise:
Table 3
Jaschik, 2016.

25
Oddly enough, many group projects have now made the transition to the digital world,
where students exchange their portion of group projects via social media tools or simply through
email. Meeting face-to-face has presented somewhat of an inconvenience for students who
understand that they can now, and still, work collaboratively through their computers. The new
norm for collaboration and homework assignment submittals is via technology. In essence, a
student’s participation and class presence, has created a new ideology of participatory behavior.
The theory is that students will no longer feel guilty for not actually being “present” as being
present would have changed its meaning. In turn, participation no longer presents a challenge or
inconvenience, and students are accommodated because of technology outlets, which allows
students to continue thriving in the digital age.
The convenience and accommodation factors of newer pedagogical approaches is enabling
the elimination of face-to-face interactions with peers. Students can be self-reliant and this builds
confidence in student’s attitudes towards their performance. A sense of independence can be a
leading factor as to why students now perform better academically, not just the abundance of data
stored in the world wide web, but the feelings of security it provides. Even so, it would take a lot
for students to miss a deadline or forget about an assignment because that information is available
on several platforms.
Mobility continues to be a primary reason for students to excel in their academics, being
too busy or even maintaining full-time work schedules still isn’t enough of a reason for a student
to slack. Social media websites can be created into an application for mobile devices like phones
and tablets. Students can be on their phones to submit homework assignments or to contact their
instructors and other students. The shift to mobile devices also assists instructors in quicker
response time to students, the student/ teacher relationship has become more intimate because of

26
social media, students are becoming more comfortable adding their instructors as contacts and are
also feeling more comfortable communicating with them on such websites.
The graph below demonstrates student’s preferences in learning environments and how they
preferred online components:
Table 4
Daley, 2012
Student Academic Performance in Relation to Multiculturalism
Collegiate funding in specific regions within the US presents challenges and a competitive
advantage to privileged students (Lynch, 2014). Although student academic performance has
increased over past decades, further examination of the way technology has contributed to that fact
36%
22%
16%
10%
6%
5%
5%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
CLASSES THAT ALLOW STUDENTS TO USE THE NUMBER OF
ONLINE COMPNENTS THEY NEED
SEMINARS AND OTHER SMALL CLASSES WITH SOME
ONLINE COMPONENT
LARGE LECTURE CLASSES WITH SOME ONLINE
COMPONENTS
SEMINARS AND OTHER SMALL CLASSES WITH NO ONLINE
COMPONENTS
SEMINARS AND OTHER SMALL CLASSES THAT ARE
COMPLETELY ONLINE
LARGE LECTURE CLASSES WITH NO ONLINE COMPONENTS
LARGE LECTURE CLASSES THAT ARE COMPLETELY ONLINE
Preferred Learning Environment

27
does not explain how the concept of demographics and the region in which a collegiate institution
is located plays a huge part the statistics of how well students perform (Lynch, 2014). A sample
size relative to a specific region cannot define that students are becoming more intelligent as a
result of their accessibility to technology, if the technology is not available. Schools with higher
status tend to be stricter in student admissions and require challenging requirements for entry.
The standard can be so high that only an elite few are able to gain admission; usually students
who hold higher GPA’s and who have excelled in extracurricular activities are considered over
students who did not perform as well in high school. Students who apply to colleges out-of-state
still have to pay an out-of-state fee which essentially sets them back in comparison to the students
who live in-state. Prestigious institutions require more of students and students are under more
pressure to perform better because of higher expectations. The reliability on the resources the
school provides becomes the student’s crutch in being able to thrive in their environment.
Regionally the scale of where students are at in their level of intelligence and performance differs
drastically. Moreover, students who are enrolled in more reputable schools earn better grades in
comparison to students enrolled in the low-income areas within the U.S. (Jaschik, 2016). There is
a direct relation between tuition rates and student performance which can give a competitive
advantage to schools and their capability to be updated with technology trends.
The requirement to which a student is admitted is a reflection on their ability to excel, and that
trickles over when they get accepted to a university or college. As a result, the school already gains
an advantage because the better students perform, the more funding that is available because the
majority of prospective students search for schools that will allow them to prosper and ensure they
get the best education possible. The reputation of a school is negatively affected when the school
is located in a low-income region; many students will either be repelled by that fact alone or

28
students who are located near those areas will apply to schools to get out of the region. Richer
areas provide more resources for students because of the available funds and the students who
enroll in pricier schools assist in the funding of such resources.
The cycle of tuition cost, student profile, and region continues, and pricier schools will
continue being able to provide better technological tools for their students. Without those resources
a student’s performance is negatively impacted and the students will be deprived of a quality
education (Jaschik, 2016). The lack of student computer labs will deprive a student and place
limitation on their accessibility to get work done. Some schools in lower income areas do not have
sufficient funds to provide the appropriate amount computer labs needed for students to have
access to. As a result, the student suffers and cannot perform to their highest ability.
Furthermore, technology is an essential component in education; students rely heavily on
Microsoft to write their papers. Students living in low-income regions would need access to a
computer to utilize Microsoft and complete papers which is required in most English or Literature
courses. The lower income regions usually have students who cannot afford to buy computers,
laptops, tablets or phones. The student is subjected to utilize whatever little resources their
educational institution provides. Students are more likely to lose motivation as completing required
course work is taxing, decreasing student academic performance (Lynch, 2014).
Ivy league institutions typically hold higher tuition rates and are known to produce some of
the most successful students in the world. Diving deeper into the how Ivy league schools hold such
a reputation, students wishing to excel have the awareness that their education will be on a higher
caliber. Demographically, the enrollment of specific ethnic backgrounds is not enough to say that
students attending a specific institution perform better academically in comparison to another
institution (Jaschik, 2016). There is an imbalance with the number of minority students enrolling

29
in colleges, largely due to low-income families not being able to afford to get an education. When
comparing the demographic scale of student enrollment in various schools, the majority of the
school’s population was almost always White, with the exception of a lower percentage of Black,
Asian, and then Latino students. Similarly, schools located in highly dominated Latino regions,
still had lower student academic performance scores than schools that had majority White students.
The chart below demonstrates undergraduate student counts:
Table 5
McLeod, 2014.
Therefore, students attending Ivy league schools perform better academically because of their
resources and socio-economic privileges. To be privileged, is to have access to technology tools,
is to excel in academics, and is to be successful. The correlation of socio-economic factors and
access to emerging technology directly influences student productivity. Lack of access to
computers and laptops for minority students who can’t afford such technology, demonstrates that
with the use of emerging technology and instant access creates the vitality and essence of an

30
agent’s productivity. The students’ livelihood and ease of access, creates a sense of well-being, the
students are able to obtain information and increase their knowledge scale.
The all-encompassing thirst for knowledge has driven our students directly into the information
age world, where lack thereof feeds into the depravity of academic growth. The hindering reality
that White students excel academically with the assistance of their available resources, forces a
barrier of injustice in the educational system and hides the inaccuracies of what student academic
performance should be on any measurable scale.
To say that student academic performance can be accurately measured is faulty, with the
consideration of the inequities that can be found in student demographics nationally. To say that
money plays a part in how emerging technologies are incorporated, is to say that money plays a
huge role as well in an agent’s productivity. Collegiate institutions differ in their resources to
technology, some schools have newer software programs other schools are behind, and however
catching up to trends has been a pivotal topic of conversation in the technology development
departments at colleges. The question of how expensive newer trends have been has posed an issue
for many schools as keeping up is the only way to ensure student enrollment numbers continue to
rise. Students can now learn from home or by simply home schooling themselves and still gain the
same education as a student actively enrolled in an institution.
Suffice it to say that even with all of the advantages technology brings into the
educational system, there are its disadvantages. Students are able to obtain more information but
their attention span has been altered, allowing only the ability to focus for a shorter period of time.
Students have succumbed to the distractions of the internet and instructors have allowed students
the privileges of being able to use their phones in the classroom setting as well as use their laptops.
In this sense, students are required to have more responsibility and to train their brains to focus on

31
class lectures and instruction. As mentioned previously, students in the digital age need more
discipline, a skill that is acquired early on, urging students to stop what they are doing in order to
obtain the information the old-fashioned way.
Students in the digital age are so accustomed to the privileges that they forget how to take
a break away from their technology items. Social skills suffer as a result of this shift paradigm as
students relinquish in their cyber worlds. Yes, students are becoming more intelligent, they are
learning how to use technology more quickly and how to access information, but are there social
skills suffering as a result? Will the newer generations of the digital age become less social beings
and will “social” mean “social media”?
Moral Philosophy and Multiculturalism in Education
In education, it is important to both identify and conceptualize the acts of learning and
teaching as fundamental aspects for intellectual growth. The philosophy that is both applied and
practiced, deals with moral understanding of different cultures in the classroom community. Are
students well equipped with moral standards or is it acquired through cultural moral philosophy?
The realm of what morality is has expanded what we have defined as what’s right and what’s
wrong in the culture of the classroom. With the addition of other cultures, we have acquired
through them a new moral philosophy. Each student holds their own perception of the ideal
morality; this holds true in diverse socioeconomic standards where varying beliefs separate one
from the other. Moral philosophy in education can be applied through the trials and errors, as well

32
as the experiences which students face individually, those lessons are gathered as personal traits
and are then cultivated into the classroom hemisphere.
Hence, the traits students hold are perceived by the judgement of others on how one
“ought” to be academically. Moral philosophy with a fusing of multiculturalism, applied in the
world of academia, then promotes intellectual growth which is a vital construct of increased
student academic performance. In communication, the educational sphere serves as an
implementation of the concept of moral philosophy which further expands into the lives of the
students outside of the academia bubble. It is not only necessary to examine the classroom and
how students behave, but also how the practice of moral philosophy fuses with technology usage
and learning practices. Students gain an understanding of how to behave in a classroom setting
when face-to-face, however, students also learn from each other and have developed adaptive
learning techniques from one another.
Due to rapid cultural growth in America, collegiate students execute more unique methods
of completing coursework because of the introduction to outside sources. Lack of multiculturalism
presents limitations to those adaptations. The execution of technology is fundamental in fostering
the dynamics of student diversity. Although it may seem that universities are abundant in their
diversity, it still remains that there is a shortage of different ethnic groups, this leaves the issue
with how student academic performance is measured when the sample is inaccurate.
The encouragement of cultural fusion fundamentally nurtures intellectual growth as
students can gain an understanding of differences in pedagogy. The introduction of diverse texts
via the internet of e-learning will allow the student to have a more well-rounded outlook on
education, rather than limiting the student to American texts and learning practices. Lack of
diversity only deprives student academic growth, with more diversity, the increase in student

33
performance is more apparent. Students have a better quality of education when they are
introduced to texts by authors from different cultural backgrounds. Through such texts, students
have the opportunity to read and dissect different philosophical viewpoints through a cultural lens.
They have the ability to scope out the differences in ethic and can identify with authors in which
they can relate.
E-books and texts have now allowed students to gather their own viewpoints and
interpret information from various authors on their own. Instructors guide students in text
interpretation; outside of the classroom however, students are given the freedom to interpret
worldly texts independently. Furthermore, various authors from different cultural backgrounds,
will allow students to read from the minds of different cultures. Literary understanding can allow
habits of mind that lead toward social equality in that they contribute to the dismantling of the
group work challenges.
Each culture holds its unique moral philosophy and each student has individual adaptations.
How moral philosophy is applied in education is relative to a student’s demographic background
and cultural influences. The act of implementation on a good morality and academic integrity, falls
heavily on the student being able to have a sense of community within the classroom setting,
without face-to-face interaction, moral philosophy in education becomes a cloudy concept. The
issues with the transition to online courses and e-learning approaches, is that students will be
deprived of the importance of cultural fusion in a classroom environment. Multiculturalism allows
students to listen to other student’s viewpoints and have the choice to either agree or disagree, or
to expand on their own by understanding why they believe what they do.
In the essay “Diversity, Trust, and Moral Understanding” by Marilyn Friedman, she agrees
that, “Dialogue with people; who hold diverse point of view has been championed by various

34
theories and traditions as an important means of moral development” (Friedman 217). She further
supports that Stuart Mill exemplifies and famously argued that, “a crucial task for a lively intellect
is to engage continually with views different from one’s own, particularly with those at odds with
one’s own” (Friedman 217). The educational focus on multiculturalism allows students to learn
about cultures and subcultures other than one’s own, which is a critically reflective standpoint as
a student in the digital age.
With diversity in the world of academia and the fusing of multiculturalism along with
moral philosophies that are learned in the classroom, the overall development of a new
environment for intellectual growth and advancement can be achieved. “What liberalism, and
especially multiculturalism, emphasizes is the importance of hearing from those whose views are
different from our own. Views that differ from our own challenge us in various ways” (Friedman
218). Both Friedman and Friedman state that multiculturalism allows students and other agents to
challenge currently held perceptions by introducing new ones. In education, intellectual growth
involved opposing ideas and open debate. Instructors need to focus on applied philosophy of
morality; it is essential to encourage open debates and face-to-face interactions with students of
different cultural backgrounds.
Friedman states, “So multiculturalism and some strands of liberalism, recommend that, in
order to cultivate one’s moral understanding, one should seek both to understand viewpoints
different from one’s own and to be open to them in a way that allows for the possibility of accepting
divergent views” (Friedman 221). The issue with diversity and applied moral philosophy in
academia is that issues of differing viewpoints or insult may arise either intentional or
unintentional. Racism which exists may instrument a large array of conflict which may not be

35
resolved in the classroom and feelings of anger or resentments can destroy the learning
atmosphere, potentially damaging what should be a moral understanding.
Multiculturalism and Moral Progress
Once the realities that morals exist within education and it is expected of students to
perform with academic honesty, the applied morals shape future students and their academic
integrity as well as performance. Michele Moody-Adams author of “The idea of Moral Progress”
states that, “Moral progress in practices results when some newly deepened moral understanding
is concretely realized in individual behavior or social institutions.” Through collegiate institutions,
the concept of moral philosophy should be enforced as students have become so well adapted to
utilizing online sources more so than book sources.
Multiculturalism allows students to be able to express themselves as individuals within a
society and allows the student to feel the sense of unique identity. E-learning robs the student of
being able to fully express themselves; the student essentially becomes a robot, an e-student,
hidden behind the screen in a generic and unexpressive individual. Does this take away from
academic performance? Evidently not, as students who feel equal to their peers on a cyber level,
excel and are able to disguise their identities within an online course or e-learning pedagogical
approach. In opposition, however, cultural differences in the classroom create anxiety which
negatively affect their achievement.
Students are not being introduced to a new ethic, a new philosophy vital to intellectual
growth within academia; they are being diverted into the digital age, catapulted into the realm of

36
information oblivion, simply regurgitating what is seen on the small screen. So how has student
academic performance increased; is it the access to unoriginal ideas, does this essentially make
students more intelligent or just resourceful? Many students take online sources and paraphrase
into their own words, does this make their ideas any less original or do they expand on their own
views? It allows students to adapt to social changes.
In contrast, the issue with cultural assimilation is that with lack of ethnic minorities in
collegiate institutions, the opportunity for intellectual and moral growth in students, decreases.
Face-to-face interactions help to develop a more cohesive multicultural environment. The face-to-
face interactions create a reality and allow students to both learn and understand different cultures
and moral value. The link between absorbing information and applying it to their values
automatically allows them to think deeper about why they believe what they do. The main outlook
of multiculturalism is aimed for moral progress in the concept of transculturation. Transculturation
is useful in scope of moral progress which the duty applied will be to pass along from agent to
agent a new moral philosophy.
With emerging technologies, instructors encourage moral philosophy as it shapes a digital
age society, stresses to new students in colleges to maintain an academic integrity. In this learning
environment, students are able to identify with and relate to students from different cultures. A
new form of moral progress develops into what butterflies into a moral progress. Moody-Adams
further conveys that dissemination of moral progressiveness towards moral beliefs can help
encompass the countless dimensions of morality.
“New moral understanding can be widely disseminated only if we can be made to confront
and to reject some shallow grasp of a particular moral concept” (Adams, 262). Along with what
Moody-Adams says, the encouragement of multiculturalism will allow for the growth of new

37
moral concept once we have to let go of personal morals. The sense of vulnerability is present in
face-to-face classrooms as opposed to online courses, where students learn to let go and trust other
agents. It is a process which is challenging yet rewarding for students, to be able to experience the
vulnerability and confrontations of face-to-face class encounters.
Moral Relativism Applied to Transculturation
Moral relativism must be thought through with all educators to enhance their knowledge
of all cultures fused together to create harmony amongst the students. Therefore, the students will
have a safer moral foundation of which they can then willingly open their minds to their instructors
to gain knowledge without the pressures of feeling that their morals are being treaded upon.
Hopefully this can be deemed as true, however, the realities that their differences in culture may
create conflict when observing it through a moral philosophical lens. These are some of the
challenges presented with face-to-face instruction. Whether or not it is a good thing or a bad thing
is up for debate. In addition, students performing better academically is still directly related to the
cultural introductions to technology.
Not all cultures have the same moral foundations that they abide by. To tread upon one of
these morals can become a grave mistake for the teacher. For example, if an instructor who is not
religious speaks against God or Allah, or any sort of spiritual deity, many students in a classroom
setting will be offended, perhaps on a truly deep level that they can no longer even attend the class
because of the educator’s callous attitude. On that same account, an educator might be in support
of very sensitive issues and one way or another, one student or more will become aggravated,

38
offended, and will not put forth effort or let their guard down because that educator no regard for
their morals. The issues with maintaining a balance between face-to-face meetings and online
software tools, is to consider the student’s differences and take accountability for those differences.
However, there are moral foundations that are culturally general, such as laws against
lying, cheating, and plagiarism. These laws are the foundations for all cultures and are all dealt
with some sort of punishment when infringed upon. That being said, an educator may indeed
enforce these rules to keep classrooms at a harmonic and stable vibe. What all educators must
understand is that they must keep their students from infringing on each other’s rights, all the while
allowing them to have their own beliefs that may be offensive to others, that may shake the
harmonic foundations, tucked away. The freedom students have in classrooms has to be monitored
by educators to ensure a unified pedagogy.
Students in the classroom setting are able to build on relationships to develop new moral
meaning, technology taints those experiences and generalizes them. This is why moral
understanding has to be taught first so that students can still maintain freedom of self-expression
without succumbing to the easiness of becoming an internet troll. Alex Kostogriz and Brenton
Doecke agree that, “Central to this pedagogical process of transculturation is the acknowledgement
of differences as a new semiotic basis for robust learning. This also suggests more numerous and
more fluid relationships between people using literacy’s in multiple ways and contributing to the
production of new meanings” (Page 272).

39
Diversity in the Classroom and Pedagogy
There are issues presented when looking at multiculturalism through a cultural lens, the
problem is that not all viewpoints are equally nice. The harsh realities of the conflicting
understanding from one another are that since students already have their set way of life, being,
and understandings, the willingness to change those viewpoints can be challenging thus creating a
tense atmosphere. There are uncategorized number of ways in which people’s views can differ
from each other. Part of the process of intellectual growth involves a willingness to understand
where others are coming form and accepting this diversity. In academia, the teaching and learning
process can be challenging when a student is encouraged to express their beliefs in ways that reveal
their cultural background.
With this practice, students will either block out the information from other student’s
differing viewpoint within a classroom or make an attempt at understanding them. The online
courses students enroll in reduce the risks and challenges presented with moral philosophy, not
completely eliminating them, but reducing them substantially to where students have the ability to
focus on their individuality and lessen the chances of being contested by other students who have
differing viewpoints. Even so, the confrontations students deal with within online forum
discussions is diffused compared to face-to-face class meetings. Multiculturalism cultivates a
higher learning experience, making it an essential component in e-learning and online pedagogy.

40
CONCLUSION
Moral Principle Applied to E-Learning Pedagogy
The moral principles applied in e-learning has its advantages and disadvantages when
looking at it from a relative viewpoint. Cultural relativism converses well with the virtues and
vices since it is through culture that moral beliefs initially develop. Through various cultures,
certain practices and beliefs are learned, differentiating between what is right and what is wrong.
A student’s intellectual growth rides on relative experiences which are examined in classroom
settings; this changes how intellectual growth is learned through e-learning experiences. The way
students are learning in today’s collegiate institutions is becoming less of an option and students
have to socially cooperate willingly or unwillingly to the changes.
The normative position in how students have increased in their academic performance,
states that students tolerate the changes even if it conflicts with their moral standards. It is the
student’s obligation to promote the growth in other students as well, and to work collectively as a
unit whether face-to-face or in conjunction with e-learning standards. The normative position
demonstrates that based on what is considered normal in current learning trends, students no longer
realize what those norms are. The learning process because a normal part of their overall
educational experience, acceptance to what is expected of them and confidence in their abilities to
quickly learn emerging technologies.
“The place of morality in everyday life is ideally marked by certain seamlessness, an
absence of conflict between morality and interest. It is not just that we have internalized norms
and so no longer notice them; we depend on the stability and structure of a morally configured

41
world for the possibility of normal action” (Friedman 93). The moral duties of passing along
information from student to student governs what intellectual growth is collectively.
Since moral and ethical frameworks differ according to cultural and historical
circumstances, it is safe to say that through the application of multiculturalism in pedagogical
practices, the normative position becomes familiar. In virtue ethics, consequentialism proposes an
issue that the consequences of a particular action allow for moral judgement about the action which
then ingrains in people the ideologies of right and wrong and thus derives the character of the act
itself rather than the outcome. “We count upon people generally adhering to their moral obligations
only if morality requires people to adhere to them even in those cases in which they think the best
overall consequences result from not adhering to them” (Cady 77).
The factors are important to look at when considering the interactions of ideas and culture
as a pedagogical approach. The value of equality is an issue, and may function as a deterrent in the
learning development of students. Work ethic in education has been a contributor factor in
increased student academic performance as students find they have the ability to hone their work
and utilize advanced technological mediums, they have become motivated in their pursuit to
achieve a sense of dignity and pride for what they can achieve, in a more stable environment.
Students can easily be led to think of their personal education one way or another based on the
attitude of their educators. The ability for not only students, but educators to demonstrate the
necessary adaptive qualities to current technological trends, without having to depend on student
input or assistance, is of key value. Has student academic performance increased due to educator’s
willingness to learn and teach students the ways of current technological trends? Yes, it is a two-
way street, and together as a community, colleges enforce those trends on their students as they
see it fit for their student’s needs.

42
The cultural progression of issues within academia and pedagogy creates a snowball effect,
which if left unexamined, we wait too long to fix it. Problems get bigger and bigger creating a
dangerous potentially fatal outcome until ultimately there is nothing left. Cultural fusion is needed,
without it there are issues that can be seen through cultural elements and that it is never defined as
being one way but that it is an ever growing phenomenon. Students, now, more so than ever before,
hold a sense of purpose, well-being, that is reflected in their overall academic achievements. With
the exceptions of poor academic performance, as an overall result students have excelled and are
learning how to thrive in an educational system designed to shape our future generations. The
digital age continues to present itself as the foundation of academic growth, continued advances
in software design shape the way classes are taught, and ultimately the way students learn and
shape future generations. The cycle should never go unnoticed as we slowly build towards a new
future; new forms of education continue to spread to higher lengths.
Because there are so many differences in culture, consideration to students’ needs is held
to a higher regard in moral relativity. “There is not, the relativist asserts, merely one moral law,
one code, one standard. There are many moral laws, codes, standards. What morality ordains in
one place or age may be quite different from what morality ordains in another place or age” (Page
51). Because of so many differences, it will be vital to include new cultural moral differences
from the world and into the classroom. In academia, students need to be able explore other cultures
to learn why there is not just one way or law of ethical relativity. “This role of trust does not reduce
all virtues to trustworthiness, let alone the willingness to trust. To see where we properly trust, we
must map the contours of our distrust. Due diligence, especially in those responsible for the safety
of others will be a virtue, just as much as helpfulness and friendliness.” (Friedman177).

43
Transculturation encompasses more than transition from one culture to another; it does not
consist merely of acquiring another culture (acculturation) or of losing or uprooting a previous
culture. In the concept of moral vision, Duane L. Cady states that our problem is figuring out what
reasoning there is in ethics and that regarding ethics there is considerable disagreement over what
should be accepted in the way of explanation of our actions or beliefs. He further states that we go
to narrow academic conventions of reason models after textbook science to very broad notions
including emotional, cross-cultural and experimental contributions for explaining and defining
behavior, opinions, and the concept of morality.
By exploring ways to make sense of, and understand what moral vision is, we look at texts
and culture. What transculturation does is it merges these concepts and additionally carries the
idea of the consequent creation of new cultural phenomena. “The notion of life metaphors is useful
because it suggests an organizing focus for moral vision, and moral vision is as important as
derivational reasoning in undergoing values and value difference among cultures as well as
between individuals” (Cady 67). Overtime, what culture does in correlation with pedagogy, is
formulate new ways for students to learn and coexist with the shift paradigm of technology and
how that plays a role in today’s educational culture as a unique community. It resolves problems
where communication is encouraged and trust bonds ensue, so that good morality can be cultivated
which promotes intellectual growth and academic performance. “The hope is for lives that flourish,
lives that thrive individually and collectively. The hope is for a good life, in the broadest and
deepest sense that such a notion can have” (Cady 35).

44
Bibliography
Adams, Michele M. “The idea of moral progress.” Metaphilosophy Foundations and Blackwell
Publishers, 2003. 30:3.
Alderman, Lesley. “Does technology cause ADHD?” Everyday Health, August 2010.
http://www.everydayhealth.com/adhd-awareness/does-technology-cause-adhd.aspx
Antliff, Allan and Haworth, Robert H. Anarchist pedagogies; collective actions, theories and
critical reflections on education. Independent Pub Group, August 2012.
Blake, J. Robert. Brave new digital classroom: technology and foreign language learning.
Georgetown university press, 2013.
Cady, Duane, L. (2005). Moral Vision: How everyday life shapes ethical thinking. Rowman and
Littlefield Publishers.
Central Michigan University. “Why use Blackboard?” (2015).
https://www.cmich.edu/academics/off_campus_online/Bb_CMU/Pages/Why_use_Blackb
oard.aspx
Chang, Chi-Cheng. “A study on the evaluation and effectiveness analysis of web-based learning
portfolio.” British journal of educational technology, 2001:435-58
<http://web.stanford.edu/dept/SUSE/projects/ireport/articles/e-
portfolio/a%20study%20on%20the%20effectiveness%20analysis%20of%20web-
based%20learning%20portfolio.pdf>
Daly, Jimmy. “How is technology being used on college campuses?” Ed Tech; Focus on Higher
Education, August 2012.
http://www.edtechmagazine.com/higher/article/2012/08/how-technology-being-used-
colleges-campuses
Deal, Ashley. “A teaching with technology white paper.” Podcasting Carnegie Mellon, 2007.
<https://www.cmu.edu/teaching/technology/whitepapers/Podcasting_Jun07.pdf>
Doecke, Brenton and Kostogriz, Alex. “Teacher education and critical inquiry: the use of activity
theory in exploring alternative understandings of language and literature.” January 2005.
Friedman, M. “Diversity, trust, and moral understanding.” In: Cheshire Calhoun, ed. Setting the
Moral Compass: Essays by Women Moral Philosophers. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2004, pp. 217-232
Grosseck, Gabriela. “To use or not to use web 2.0 in higher education?” Procedia social and
behavioral sciences 1(1). 16 Dec 2008: 478-82.
<http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877042809000895>

45
Hubbel, K. Elizabeth, Khun, Matt & Pitler, Howards. Using technology with classroom
instruction that works. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development, 2014.
Jaschik, Scott. “Grade inflation higher and higher.” Inside higher ED, March 2016.
https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2016/03/29/survey-finds-grade-inflation-
continues-rise-four-year-colleges-not-community-college
Kaya, Travis. “Enrollment in online courses increases at the highest rate ever.”
The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 2010.
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/enrollment-in-online-courses-increases-at-the-
highest-rate-ever/28204
Lynch, Matthew. “Poverty and school funding: why low-income students often suffer.”
Huffington Post, 2014.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matthew-lynch-edd/poverty-and-school-
fundin_b_5989490.html
McLeod, Hanna. “U.S. minority student-faculty ratios remain high.” Student demographics,
AACSB International, July 2014.
http://aacsbblogs.typepad.com/dataandresearch/student-demographics/
McLoughlin, Catherine and Lee, J.W. Mark. “Social software and participatory learning:
Pedagogical choices with technology affordances in the Web 2.0 era.” Ascilite
Singapore, 2007.
<http://www.dlc-ubc.ca/wordpress_dlc_mu/educ500/files/2011/07/mcloughlin.pdf>
Paul, Annie M. “Is technology making us smarter or dumber?” Next Avenue; Where Grown-
Ups Keep Growing, June 1, 2013.
http://www.nextavenue.org/technology-making-us-smarter-or-dumber/
Robb, Meigan, PhD and Shellenbarger, Teresa, PhD. “Promoting digital citizenship and
academic integrity in technology classrooms.” Higher ED Teaching Strategies from
Magna Teaching Publications, February 2015.
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/teaching-with-technology-articles/promoting-
digital-citizenship-academic-integrity-technology-classrooms/
Thakur, Arman. “Teaching with Modern and Traditional Methods.” Indian Study Channel,
November 2011.
http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/146615-Teaching-with-modern-and-
traditional-methods.aspx
Thormann, Joan. “Encouraging online learner participation.” Faculty Focus:
Higher ED Teaching Strategies from Magna Teaching Publications, April 2014.
http://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/asynchronous-learning-and-trends/encouraging-
online-learner-participation/

46
Weller, Martin. The digital scholar; how technology is transforming scholarly practice.
Bloomsbury Academic, 2011.

Thesis Final Version

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Similar to Thesis Final Version

Similar to Thesis Final Version (20)

Thesis Final Version