Ethical Challenges

This study aimed at identifying the ethical challenges encountered when developing a language education virtual environment that acts as a smart platform for managing reading comprehension instruction for EFL/ESL learners. Since Reading Instruction Management System (RIMS) is going to observe, monitor, and supervise the learners' out-of-class activities and help teachers improve their teaching quality, it has to seriously handle humane elements which have not been seriously debated in the related literature on language education software development so far. To this end, this study has devised a qualitative study to further explore the aspects of ethical considerations that have to be considered when developing technological aid. Accordingly, 14 teachers and 14 students were selected based on the purposive sampling method concerning the condition that they will be among the teachers and learners who will use RIMS when it is officially launched in the institution. They were asked to take part in interviews which were held on a one-on-one basis and in Persian, the participants' mother tongue. The data were codded and the emerged ones were then classified under four themes including the challenges related to the teachers, learners, and institutions. Each of these has several aspects which are discussed, accordingly.

Introduction: The difference between an epidemic and a pandemic is not the severity of the disease, but the degree of its spread. Pandemics, unlike epidemics, cut across international borders. In this article, the moral challenges of societies during the occurrence of pandemic diseases (such as Covid-19, Sars, etc.) have been investigated. Material and Methods: Conceptual analysis method is used in this article. Related keywords were used in the search of materials and 44 articles were collected from Sciencedirect, Pubmed, Proquest and Elsevier databases and their examples were used according to the purpose. Conclusion: In this study, ethical challenges are divided into three categories: challenges related to sharing facilities, challenges related to providing or not providing medical services, and the challenge of how to react when faced with a controversial and possibly unethical situation. Then these challenges were examined from the perspective of ethical theories. The result of the analysis indicated that the philosophies of utilitarianism, virtuism, and truth-orientedness are not suitable for reasoning, justifying, and acting in difficult situations during pandemics. The philosophy of Justicialism, deontologism, and truth-orientedness are better, and with the help of a combination of the three mentioned theories, a model can be presented for three types of difficult situations in pandemic diseases.

The Internet of Behavior (IoB) represents an evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT), utilizing behavioral data to enhance decision-making and service delivery. By integrating technology, data analytics, and behavioral science, IoB provides a robust framework for predicting and influencing human behavior. This technology is particularly transformative in the healthcare sector, where it leverages data from wearable devices and other digital tools to offer comprehensive insights into patients' physical and behavioral health. Such data facilitates accurate diagnoses, preventive care, and personalized treatment plans, especially for individuals with chronic conditions or the elderly. Despite its potential, the implementation of IoB in healthcare presents significant ethical challenges. These include concerns about privacy, data security, transparency, behavioral manipulation, equity in access, and the psychological and social consequences of continuous monitoring. Addressing these ethical issues proactively is essential to maximizing the benefits of IoB while mitigating its risks. It is imperative that the deployment of IoB technologies in healthcare does not compromise patients' dignity or lead to a perceived loss of independence, control, and privacy. Additionally, reliance on algorithms for IoB data analysis should not diminish human oversight in healthcare decision-making. To address these concerns, healthcare organizations must establish ethical protocols, including stringent security measures, informed consent procedures, and robust data protection strategies. Ensuring the secure and responsible use of patient data is critical to maintaining trust in IoB systems. Future research should prioritize the exploration of these ethical challenges, particularly focusing on the psychological and social impacts of continuous monitoring.