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Abstract
E-learning is gaining in importance and provides an important addition or even an alternative to traditional learning. The use of digital tools enables the creation of various quality and useful educational content, with which learning can be faster and more fun. Advanced technologies and platforms can enable students to acquire knowledge remotely, without coming to school or university. All these advantages have been very useful during the pandemic when students and teachers had no choice but to completely shift from traditional learning to e-learning. However, the increase in the use of e-learning has also highlighted its disadvantages, primarily that students are less motivated to participate and interact with teachers, they can feel isolated, have technical issues with the equipment, etc. Among all the different advantages and disadvantages of e-learning, the purpose of this paper is to additionally explore a specific segment of e-learning related to its sustainability and ethics. Namely, the goals are to investigate the correlation between e-learning and: 1) social inclusion, 2) environmental sustainability, 3) privacy, security and ethics, and 4) health issues.
A vast majority of articles and publications covering these topics have been published in the period from 2020 to the present, which again can be attributed to the increased popularity of e-learning during the pandemic. The literature review has shown that e-learning has the potential of increasing the inclusion of vulnerable groups of students, such as students with disabilities and low-income students, but only if its execution is carefully planned and prepared. The sudden transition to e-learning did not allow for careful consideration of the needs of different groups of students, which sometimes resulted in their exclusion rather than inclusion. Furthermore, e-learning has the ability to reduce carbon footprint and promote environmental sustainability, primarily through less travel of both students and teachers. Despite these potential advantages, using different online learning platforms and tools can pose significant security and privacy risk, which has not been appropriately addressed during the pandemic, as suggested by the number of different cyber-attacks. In addition to security and privacy risks, e-learning may also come with health risks, in a form of reduced physical activity, increased stress and less social contact. These health issues were particularly pronounced during the pandemic, due to lockdowns and social...