Moral Education in the Digital Age: A Durkheimian Exploration of Values Transmission through Online Learning

Abstract

Émile Durkheim’s perspective on moral education emphasizes the importance of social interaction and community ties in shaping the moral development of individuals. Educational institutions have traditionally provided a crucial environment for fostering moral values through personal exchanges between students and teachers. However, the shift towards online learning platforms, characterized by digital interfaces and remote communications, is likely to disrupt this vital social dynamic. Without face-to-face engagement in campus settings, students may lack the personal experiences essential for their moral development, which may impact the development of social cohesion and solidarity as envisioned by Durkheim. This study was organized to determine the relationship between online learning and value transfer with social interaction as a mediating variable. The findings from this survey of 2,000 students of Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) in Islamabad, Pakistan, who were undergoing online education, revealed important insights into the impact of this mode of learning on value transfer. Using SPSS V-22 and AMOS V-23 for analysis, the study identified a significant impact of online learning on value transfer, with social interaction acting as a key mediating factor. Ultimately, the study concluded that students engaged in online learning face challenges in moral development, primarily due to the lack of social interaction inherent in online learning. This highlights the crucial role of personal engagement in educational settings to foster moral development among students.