MTTS 1, 2, 3: Synthesis of Information and Multimedia Project By: Sarah Lazzeri EDUC 318 Dr. Sessoms

Ethical Issues for Safety and Security

Social Networking Social Networking has become an everyday task for many Americans. Some social networks include myspace, facebook, and twitter. “Social networking is built on the idea of sharing information openly and fostering a sense of community,”( Bradley, 2009) which is an environment that these sites provide for many people. As teachers, it is okay to be involved in social networks. However, it is important to keep in mind that the information we put on these websites can be seen by the public. This means that students, parents, fellow staff, or higher educators may be monitoring the information we allow to be seen online. [Copyright Photo by digitaldesignadvice.com, 2009]

Acceptable Use Policies (AUP) Every school that allows students to search on the internet have an Acceptable Use Policy in place. This “clearly defines appropriate and inappropriate use of classroom computers” (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, 78). As teachers, it is our job to make sure we are good models of following the Acceptable Use Policy. Even though often times filtering software won’t let any students or faculty on inappropriate sites, it is important to stick to acceptable internet behavior- especially when students are present.

Netiquette Refers to the fact that items posted on the world can be seen worldwide. People should be cautious about what they say and do online because others are watching. It is important to remember that possible employers or other organizations may look at your site. “When you travel to another country, you follow its socially acceptable guidelines, and online is no different (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, p. 76) As teachers it is important that we model proper Netiquette to students. Whether this is through , blogs, or message boards it is important that children see what internet behavior is acceptable in society.

Cyber Bullying Within the past few years the rate of cyber bullying has increased due to young users becoming more technically inclined. It can be defined as the “use of the internet, cell phones, or other technology to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person” (DİLMAÇ, 2009, 1308). As teachers, it is important to monitor children’s technology access. If students know they are being watched, they are less likely to harass a fellow student. It is also important to keep an open environment so if a student is experiencing cyber bullying, they are more likely to tell a teacher or staff member who can help. [Copyright Photo by dwyertime.files.wordpress.com, 2009]

Student Data It has become increasingly important to keep students records out of the reach of students. Student data should not ever become public information, because “with access to a computer and the determination to break into confidential records, students have been known to alter the grades of their friends and enemies” (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, 237). As teachers, it is important to remember that a student’s grades and personal contact information should not be shared with other students. It is important to ensure that all records have safe passwords, and should not be freely discussed in public.

Internet Privacy Lots of personal information that is considered confidential is floating all around the internet. Internet privacy policies are much different than other policies in your life. An example of this is, “unlike the laws that govern tampering with traditional mail, it is perfectly legal to monitor the content of your messages” (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, 78). As teachers, we must be aware that when using school computers, the content we look at, s we send/receive, or any other actions we do can easily be monitored. It is important to be discerning because you never know who is watching what you do.

Digital Divide

Gender In schools, there are obvious gender differences when it comes to technology. “Research has documented that boys are more interested and involved with technology than are girls” (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, 245). Many games are specifically directed to interest males because of this fact. As teachers, it is important that we try to incorporate material and software that will appease children of both genders. It is also important to give all students equal time dedicated to class computer time. [Copyright Photo by Catherinemaname.files.com, 2008]

Socio Economic Status Plays a large role in whether children have access to computers and the internet. “Although student-to-computer ratios are steadily improving, many low-socioeconomic schools have limited access to computers and the World Wide Web, especially classroom access” (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, 245). As teachers it is important that we do not let the digital divide separate the have’s from the have-nots any more. It is important that all children regardless of socioeconomic status have computer access because it is what drives our workforce today. There are many opportunities to write grants and ask for special funding so that all children will have equal opportunities.

Race It is important that students of all races feel comfortable using the internet or else the technology divide will grow. Sometimes, teachers are not mindful of the fact that the material they share with the class is not applicable to every culture. “Teachers need to be aware of web designs that so not take cultural connotations and disabilities into consideration” (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, 245). As teachers, it is important that we do not alienate students of different backgrounds by only providing internet sources that apply to one culture. If this is not taken into consideration, ESL learners or children with various backgrounds might decide they no longer want to use various technologies.

Resource Equity It is important that students use equitable information when citing websites for their information. Commonly used websites like Wikipedia have lots of useful information; although, it is not always guaranteed that all the information is correct because of people can get on and edit information. As teachers, it is important to direct students to use educational based search engines. Even though Google is a popular first stop for many students, it can often times give children misleading information. If teachers explain to students how to find information that is educationally appropriate, they are more likely to have better researching techniques.

Teacher Bias It is the teacher who sets the tone in the classroom. If the teacher wants their students to be technologically savvy, they will learn the software so they are prepared to use it in lessons and teaching demonstrations. However, if a teacher doesn’t see the importance of technology, they will not incorporate it into their daily teaching. As teachers we have to be careful to not project our opinions on our students. Regardless of a teachers personal view points on the value of technology, there should be healthy amounts in daily lessons because it is technology that is driving our workforce.

Legal Use of Digital Media

Copyright There are strict copyright laws that should be enforced in schools. “Under federal copyright law, no copyrighted work may be copied, published, disseminated, displayed, performed, or played without permission of the copyright holder except in accordance with fair use or licensed agreement” (Bitter and Legacy, 2006, 243). As teachers, it is important that we are informed and adhere to copyright laws. Students are constantly watching, and if they see teachers ignore important copyright laws for music, movies, or other web material they will do the same. [Copyright Photo by Wikimedia.com, 2007]

Copyright, What’s Copyright? YouTube Copyright video by Mike RobbGrieco

Fair Use The fair use doctrine is a subpart of the Copyright law. The U.S. Copyright Office says that, “Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.” As teachers, it is sometimes hard to decipher what is under the copyright law. It is important that all educators stay up-to-date with new Copyright laws. And it is important to not let such laws keep you from educating students with new materials.

Creative Commons There are organizations like Creative Commons that gives researchers the ability to access available content on the World Wide Web. The website claims that, “Creative Commons is a nonprofit organization that increases sharing and improves collaboration”. As teachers, it is important to know about resources such as Creative Commons. Collaboration is a huge part of teaching, so this is a web site that will be beneficial in many ways.

References Bitter, G, & Legacy, J. (2006). Using Technology in the classroom. New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc. Bradley, T. (2009). Protect Your Privacy on Facebook and Twitter. PC World, Vol. 27, Issue 12. Retrieved December 14, 2009, from Academic Search Premier. Creative Commons. Search by Creative Commons. DİLMAÇ, B. (2009) Psychological Needs as a Predictor of Cyber bullying: a Preliminary Report on College Students. EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES: THEORY & PRACTICE. Retrieved December 14, 2009, from EbscoHost Research Databases. U.S. Copyright Office. Fair Use. Washington D.C., 2009.