Abstract
The importance of incorporating an ethical perspective in the development of digital competence is discussed. It is argued that an ethical perspective that emphasise mutual understanding as a possible conception of democracy, is of importance in the light of the current global e-learning trend, especially when it comes to designing e-learning ventures as online learning communities.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Computer Uses in Education: The use of computers for instruction, testing, student/pupil personnel services, school administrative support services, and other educational purposes.
Learning: A process for acquiring knowledge, attitudes, or skills from study, instruction, or experience.
Technology Uses in Education: A broad concept for the use of emerging technologies for educational purposes.
Education: Process of imparting or obtaining knowledge, attitudes, skills, or socially valued qualities of character or behaviour, including the philosophy, purposes, programs, methods, organizational patterns, etc., of the entire educational process as most broadly conceived.
Community: A social group linked by common interests through residence in a specific locality, or, whether or not in physical proximity, whose members perceive themselves as sharing a common ideology, interest, or other characteristic.
Digital Competence: Digital competence involves the confident and critical use of Information Society Technology (IST) for work, leisure and communication. It is underpinned by basic skills in ICT: the use of computers to retrieve, assess, store, produce, present and exchange information, and to communicate and participate in collaborative networks via the Internet.
Globalization: A global cultural system within education, business, medicine, etc. made possible by the availability of modern technology and communications.