The legal, safe and ethical use of technology in the classroom

The Legal, Safe and Ethical Use of Technology in the ClassroomGabriella Wheeler

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Rules, Guidelines and Expectations

0What is the acceptable and appropriate use of internet in schools?0What is to be expected?0What boundaries are already in place

and what needs to be changed in order to make a legal, safe and ethical online environment?

Cyber Ethics0IKeepSafe (2013) states that students must

do/be the following to be legally and ethically safe. “Students recognize and practice responsible and appropriate use while accessing, using, collaborating, and creating technology, technology systems, digital media and information technology. Students demonstrate an understanding of current ethical and legal standards, rights and restrictions governing technology, technology systems, digital media and information technology within the context of today’s society.”

What do we, as educators, need to do?

0Provide guidance for students and “teach our students to safely and ethically use their digital devices in the classroom–and throughout their communities” (IKeepSafe, 2013).

0Exhibit Ethical, Safe and Legal behaviour as role models for our students.

0 Inform students and continue to support them on their journey to understanding their new roles in the classroom and community.

IkeepSafe offers a new game for students to learn about issues such as music piracy.

“Faux Paw the Websurfing Techno Cat series has been created by a team of leading child psychologists, educators, and law enforcement. This engaging curriculum—complete

with books, animated DVDs, and lesson plans—will captivate the attention of your students and teach them how to appropriately conduct themselves online and in the

digital space.“ (IKeepSafe, 2013).

Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

0The Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) is a federal law that addresses concerns about access in schools and libraries to the Internet and other information.

0 “The Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA) was enacted by Congress in 2000 to address concerns about children’s access to obscene or harmful content over the Internet. CIPA imposes certain requirements on schools or libraries that receive discounts for Internet access or internal connections through the E-rate program – a program that makes certain communications services and products more affordable for eligible schools and libraries” (F.C.C., 2013)

Websense0 Websense helps schools to comply with the CIPA through: 0 “Obscenity and Pornography Filtering – Allows schools and libraries to

manage Internet access to over 90 URL categories including Racism and Hate, Adult Material, Hacking and other topics pertinent to CIPA.

0 Best-of-Breed Web Filtering – The most accurate and up-to-date filtering database with over 36 million URLs.

0 Filtering of Search Engine Images – Use safe-search to filter inappropriate images that can be found in search engine query results.

0 Blocking of Spyware, Malicious Mobile Code, and Other Security Threats – Sites with worms, spyware, phishing, and other threats can be blocked, helping to meet The CIPA requirements for protection of a minor's personal information.

0 Monitoring – Reporting Tools offer many different ways to monitor and report on the online activities of minors.

0 Policy Management Per User or Per Group – Schools and libraries can customize their Internet policies based on users or groups, so policies can be set based on age or needs. “

What do we, as educations, need to do?

0We need to do some simple research. It’s not hard.0We need to follow everything in the CIPA’s rules and guidelines.

We need to follow the school’s policy and enforce it for students.

0WHAT CAN WE DO?0We can use resources such as games! We can get the students

to reserch internet safety and the ethical use of the internet. They can do up their own presentations and present them to the class, maybe even work in groups

0MAKE IT FUN!

References

0Federal Communications Commission, 2013, ‘Children’s Internet Protection Act’, ONLINE, Available at: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/childrens-internet-protection-act, Accessed 22/08/13.

0 IKeepSafe, 2013, Cyber-Ethics, ONLINE, Available at: http://www.ikeepsafe.org/, Accessed 22/08/13.

0Websense, Education K-12, 2013, ONLINE, Available at: http://www.websense.com/content/Regional/Australia/3475.aspx, Accessed 22/08/13.