Ethical Responsibility of the University Teacher in Online Teaching and Evaluation

Abstract

Humanity goes through one of the most dynamic stages, characterized by profound structural changes in all areas of life. It was computer science, the age of robots, the digital age, etc., all forming a new environment of life and a new consciousness about them. In a relatively short time, the role of the teacher has undergone a dramatic change. In the context of the current pandemic, higher education teachers have had to refocus on new practices that ensure continuity of teaching and evaluation. This chapter examines the ethical competencies of the university professor from the perspective of online teaching and evaluation. Since the teaching activity has “moved” in the online environment, it is necessary to respect ethical and legal rules in the digital space. In the first part of the chapter, the author gives a presentation on the current meanings of the concept of ethical competence and will analyze in the second part the main digital and ethical competencies that university teachers must possess, with the European Parliament’s Recommendation on Key Competences (2006) as a benchmark. EU Regulation 679/2016 on the protection of personal data has to be respected in the context of transitioning from classical to online education.