Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues Technology Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues

Technology Educational Technology includes, but is not limited to software, hardware, Internet applications, and activities or programs accessed by the Internet.

Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues One of the social issues that is a concern in the use of technology is cyberbullying. Legal issues include inappropriate use with copyrights and plagiarism. Ethical issues include ensuring equal access to media and technologies among the digital divide and enforcing an acceptable use policy.

Social Issues Social issues include students using the internet to bring intentional or unintentional harm to another individual. This is most often done on social networking sites or by the use of messaging. Social issues are also of concern in the regards to the amount of time students spend having a physical conversation versus having conversations with an individual in another location.

Legal Issues Legal issues include plagiarism and copyrights.

What is a copyright? Click here for answer.

A Copyright is a legal document that provides the sole right to publish and sell a particular item. Copyrights often obtained on a variety of properties such as: architecture, art, literature, audiovisual, motion pictures, sounds and recordings, sculptures, choreography, music, drama, graphics, and pictures.

What is plagiarism? Click here for answer.

Plagiarism is presenting the ideas or work completed by another individual and submitting it as your own. Plagiarism includes, but is not limited to copying printed work of another individual, submitting your own work previously used for another assignment, or submitting your work with that has been revised or edited by a peer without inserting proper citations. Provide examples of writing their name on a friend’s paper, letting a friend do their homework, turning in assignment from the internet.

Ethical Issues Ethical issues include ensuring equal access to media and technology to avoid the “digital divide” and enforcing acceptable use policies. Discuss the importance of allowing each student to learn on their own instead of “showing” them how to do it if the other student already knows how.

Acceptable Use Policies Each educator shall review acceptable usage terms with the students, and also with legal guardians when the student is a minor. Talk about items that are acceptable such as those that serve educational purposes versus those that serve the purpose to play games or socialize.

Acceptable Use Policies Acceptable use policies shall inform students, and guardians when appropriate, of specific guidelines to ensure safe learning practices. Proper use of educational sites and web sites to avoid should also be discussed.

What can educators do to help ensure students are using technology properly? Click here for answer

Educators may ensure proper usage by: Modeling and teaching the legal and ethical practices while using technology Applying technology resources to enable and empower learning across a broad domain of learning skills Identifying and using technology resources that affirm diversity Promoting safe and healthy use of resources available on the internet Ensuring each student receives equal access to use the technology and the resources that are provided Arranging the classroom to provide visible access to the monitors of each student

Ensuring Equal Access It is important that educators provide equal access to the media and technology. Some students may have access to technology at home, whereas others do not. Each student shall receive equal opportunities to learn while accessing technology.

Works Cited "Discussion of Legal and Ethical Issues." Computers in Preservice and Inservice Teacher Education Creative Commons License. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~moursund/ICT-planning/legal-ethical.htm>. "Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues." AMIA. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amia.org/programs/working-groups/ethical-legal-social-issues>. "Maryland Teacher Technology Standards - Standard Three." Montgomery County Public Schools. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Nov. 2012. <http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/technology/techstandards/standard3.shtm>.