Where the privacy risk is seen? More commonly privacy risks in Internet environment are
pointed out to the use of unsecure TCP/IP protocols, use of higher level of protocols like HTTP,
SMTP, POP3, NNTP, browser's chattering, existing of invisible hyperlinks, cookies,
implementation of browsers [12]. Risks are seen in email communication mechanisms and web
surfing process. Also, we see a risk for privacy violations in organized Massive Open Online
Courses (MOOCs) initiatives where the enrolled students are subjects to a mass data collection
by the MOOCs providers (public, non-profit or private). The students unknowingly usually give
a lot from their private information (such as biometric/social media/location/health information,
etc.), even number of clicks on a page, disciplinary incidents or sexual orientation, etc. Thus their
personal data are compromised and can lead, for example, to help companies to identify
preferences and patterns of behaviors. Online applications and services, communications
platforms and business models are among the risk issues commented in [11] in context of cloud
computing, search engines, social networks, mobile Internet, unique citizens identifiers and
initiatives of eGovenment.
For the purpose of this research eLearning is described as ubiquitous learning, meaning online
and mobile-based. This requires actions for securing servers, software, services, protocols when
data transactions are performed. But this is not enough: it is necessary data privacy policy at
university level to be available, as well as the behavior of all participants in an educational
process to be determined.
According to the gathered students' opinion - it is obvious that their desire is related to the
principle: share on trust. They trust educators, educational software and intelligent technologies.
Students are predisposed to share minimal personal data and important information like learning
preferences, learning styles, learning progress. In return they expect support in learning, secure
transactions and privacy.
Why elearning
The continuous development of the e world in business, finance, health, government, justice,
society as well as in Learning at all levels and settings (distance, informal, mobile, etc.) requires
the collecting of a vast amount of private data. The personal data like full name, address, phone
number, gender, ages, and email address are a needed part of a registration process allowing
access to a given web application. In eLearning this personal data is extended with specific
information about the student's background, preferences and learning progress. Intelligent and
adaptive eLearning environments use tracking mechanisms to serve the right and concrete
content to students and to assist them in an effective learning progress. This is a premise for
studying the behavior of the student, including crossing his personal space. Social networking
sites are widely used in higher education and there are many good practices for that. Anyway,
social networking sites collect personal information shared by users. Also, the usage of mobile
devices leads to collection of more data even without the students' awareness. The case of learner
mobility requires even collecting location, sometimes without learner awareness. Learning
Management Systems (LMSs) operate with a wide range of student data, storing it in databases
and log files. From the other side, many data mining tools and analytical software are developed
for processing private data. Learning analytics (LA) uses in mobile and ubiquitous learning
environments increase at an astonishing pace in the last years, too. LA supports data collection,
analysis and measurement about learners - their learning profiles, produced learning content,
learner behavior, relationships and communication for understanding and optimizing learning
process and environment. LA is going further - collecting and sharing educational datasets
among researchers. A list and analysis of datasets properties is given in [1]. One of the problem
that still is not solved refers to the privacy rights of this huge amount of collected data. It could
be decided when an agreement of students is received and then the educational organization can
share this data for research purposes.