Ethical faults in cyberspace on the team-based visual art in medical netiquette: A thematic analysis in a five-years experience

Abstract

Background & Objective: While there are numerous advantages to using cyberspace for students' learning, it also increases the likelihood of unethical behavior. Therefore, this qualitative study aimed to identify and analyze ethical faults in cyberspace at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences. Materials & Methods: This study was conducted at Jahrom University of Medical Sciences over a five-year period using a qualitative approach with thematic analysis. The population included 467 students, who were divided into ten groups and had taken a medical etiquette course. The students were asked to draw their desired factors in a visual art format as tree branches while working in teams to express ethical faults and issues in cyberspace. A total of 9 focus groups and 23 teamwork documents were analyzed, and groups with comprehensive analysis of the issue were selected by purposive sampling and focus groups interview to continue until data saturation was achieved. Braun & Clark's six-phase framework was used for thematic analysis in data analysis. Results: The findings of this study identified three major themes or factors related to cyberspace, including reasons, faults, and preventive solutions that had creator-dependent 27 factors (Sub-themes) and 160 codes. These themes revealed the major ethical concepts in cyberspace from the student's viewpoint. Conclusion: As technology develops rapidly, it is crucial to ensure integrity in education for all stakeholders related to an online learning community. Therefore, educational institutions need to focus on preventing cyber faults by educating and training users.