1. Maryland Technology Standard III
Legal, Social, and Ethical Issues
Caitlin Rork
Spring 2012
ELED 318

2. Ethical Issues for Safety and Security

3. Topics Social Networking Acceptable Use Policies Netiquette
Cyber Bullying
Student Data
Internet Privacy

4. Social Networking
In today’s world the idea of social networking is a must have for the youth of society but there are some important tips that can be kept in mind for staying safe and secure when using social networking sites:
Use caution when clicking different links that appear
Know what information you have posted about yourself
(Social Networking Safety)

5. Social Networking Continued
Verify the identity of the people sending you messages and do not always assume it is who it says it is
Do not allow access to your address book, this will keep your friends contact information safe as well as your own
Type in the address yourself to avoid giving away your username and password to a fake site that was given in a link
You do not have to accept every friend request and in fact you should not, being selective does not make you mean it helps to keep you safe
(Social Networking Safety)

6. Social Networking Continued
Choose the site for social networking that you use carefully
Assume that all of the information that you put on your site is permanent because when it is on the internet it is almost impossible to get rid of completely
Use caution when installing extra apps or games on your page because it might bring unwanted visitors and viruses
Be careful when using these sites in the work place
(Social Networking Safety)

7. Acceptable Use Policies
Using the internet that is at your disposal properly is important these do’s and don’ts will help teach children what the acceptable uses are:
Keep the usage to a minimum
Verify the information that you are searching
Adhere to the legal protections that are on some materials found on the internet
Remind them to seek an adult if they find anything that should not be there or that they think looks unusual
(Internet Acceptable Use Policy)

8. Acceptable Use Policies Continued
Do not download or view any materials that is inappropriate; such as: foul language, racist materials, or violent materials
Do not pretend to be someone else
Do not disrupt other students use of their internet time
Do not use the internet for violence
Do not send out material that can lead to the harm others either mentally or physically
(Internet Acceptable Use Policy)

9. Netiquette
Etiquette is something that all people are taught at some point in their lives, in today’s world it is important to also teach children internet etiquette (netiquette)
When conversing on the internet one should always remain polite and not seem over the top with any emotion
It is important to understand that the tone that someone means to convey can not always be seen through the internet and assumptions should not be made
(Ross)

10. Netiquette Continued
When asking questions share the answers you find online to verify the information and see what other facts can be found
Do not abuse the power that you have on the internet, be respectful of others
Respect others privacy
Forgive others mistakes because you may need to be forgiven at some time too
(Ross)

11. Cyber Bullying
The epidemic of cyber bullying is growing to a proportion that is uncomfortably high
It is estimated that 85 % of 12 and 13-year olds have had experience with cyber bullying; 53 % say they have been bullied online (Gatty)
Cyber bullying is when a child, preteen, or teen is being tormented through the internet or through some type of technology
Cyber bullying has gotten so bad in some instances that children have killed each other and themselves to stop the tormenting
It is important for teachers to help put a stop to these instances and help make their students feel safe in their classrooms and on the internet
(Gatty)

12. Cyber Bullying Continued
Some signs and symptoms can include:
Hesitations to go online or nervousness when receiving a message through technology
Hiding the computer or phone screen when someone enters the room they are in or goes near them
Withdrawing from friends and falling behind with school work
Becoming sullen or evasive; changes in personality
Signs of depression; trouble sleeping, lack of appetite, etc.
Suspicious phone calls or s or packages
Drops in academic performance
(Gatty)

13. Cyber Bullying Continued
It is important to watch for the signs and symptoms of cyber bullying to help put a stop to it
Teach the students to be responsible for themselves and their friends and to help put a stop to it as well
If the teachers make the students feel responsible they feel more empowered and able to stop the bullying instances
Make sure that the power is not abused though and explain to students what cyber bullying is exactly and how it can be stopped appropriately
(Gatty)

14. Cyber Bullying Continued
MaxAndIzie

15. Student Data
Access to students data is a privilege and the information about the students should be kept private from everyone who does not need to know it for their day-to-day activities
There are some simple steps that can be taken to insure that the information is being kept safe
(Online Privacy)

16. Student Data Continued
Steps to securing student’s private information include:
Is the information password protected?
Is the information backed up in a location that is secure as well?
If the information is on paper is it in a locked location
Do teachers have access to the information that they need to keep the students safe?
Are teaching adding to the information to keep the records up-to date?
These steps and others help to keep students safe and secure in their classrooms and through out the school
(Online Privacy)

17. Student Data Continued
There are laws that are aimed to protect the privacy of students personal information
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a federal law that helps protect the privacy of student education records. (Media Awareness Network U.S Department of Education. May 5, 2010).
This law gives parents of minors and students who are 18 years old the right to see any school record (kept by a federally funded school)
(Online Privacy)

18. Internet Privacy
It is important to teach internet privacy to students starting at a young age because keeping their information secure will help them in the future
Teachers should go over the correct ways to keep information safe with their students, such as:
Not sharing address books
Not sharing passwords
Limiting the amount of personal information put on social networking sites
(Online Privacy)

19. Internet Policies Continued
It is important to understand that the privacy of others needs to be respected as well
Students should not ask for others passwords or personal information
Understanding that stealing information that is not theirs is wrong and correct citations need to be given
(Online Privacy)

20. Tips For Teachers
These tips can help teachers to keep their students safe on the internet
Teach the students about cyber bullying; how it happens and why it is wrong
Help students to learn what information is appropriate for the internet
Show your students the correct ways to stay safe on the internet
Monitor your students use of the internet in the classroom and help them to use it properly
Explain the information about the internet at age appropriate levels to help them understand what you are saying easier

21. Digital Divide

22. Topics
Even with the growing amount of access to computers and technology there is still a digital divide that can be seen in the following groupings:
Gender
Socio-economic groups
Race
The divide can be perpetuated by:
Resource equity
Teacher Bias

23. Gender Divide
The divide between genders is nothing new but with the growing importance of technology in today’s society there is a gender divide within the digital one
(Digital Gender Divide)

24. Gender Divide: Facts and Suggestions
Studies show that women are falling behind men in their technological abilities
49% of men are not online while 54% of women are not (Digital Gender Divide)
It is important for teachers to keep the usage of classroom technologies equal among males and females
Both girls and boys need to be encouraged to pursue interests in the technological fields
Computers are in almost every classroom and equality among the genders should be shown through technology as well
(Digital Gender Divide)

25. Socio-economic Divide
Access to the internet is key to understanding it and being able to use it properly
Those of lower socio-economic statuses often have limited access to technologies and therefore fall behind in their abilities with the computer
(Livingstone)

26. Socio-economic Divide Continued
Teaching children about technology, computers, the internet, and acceptable usage of these things in the classroom helps those students with limited home access to learn proper usage and how each of these things can help better their education
(Livingstone)

27. Race Divide
Over the years, the research that has been done shows that the gaps in the racial digital divide have decreased in size
Studies have shown that minorities are using the technologies that they do have access to for entertainment purposes rather than educational or productive reasons
(Livingstone)

28. Race Divide Continued
This shows that it is important for teachers to show their students appropriate usages of the technologies for productivity and being successful
(Livingstone)

29. Resource Equity Divide
Being able to access the internet is one thing but being able to access information on it and be able to use it is different
With the growing emphasis on technology the internet is becoming the primary source for doing research and finding information needed
(Livingstone)

30. Resource Equity Continued
Schools need to make sure that they have funding in place to provide students with the ability to use technology for research
This way students will not fall behind their peers who have access to the internet when ever they need it
(Livingstone)

31. Teacher Bias Divide
The most influential person in a classroom is the teacher
This means that they can affect the students either negatively or positively
It is important for teachers to keep their biases out of the classroom when it comes to all aspects of the students
Giving all of the students an equal chance to use the technology that they have access to
(Livingstone)

32. Teacher Bias Continued
It is important for teachers too accept that technology is an integral part of today’s society
This means using it in the classroom because their students need to learn about it
Students are surrounded by technology through out their daily lives and need to be able to use it properly
(Livingstone)

33. Teacher Bias Continued
Technology in the classroom acts as an aide
Both teachers and students can learn from using it
Teachers should utilize the technologies given to them in the classroom to help their students understand the materials more, even if the teachers are not 100% fond of the technologies themselves
(Livingstone)

34. Digital Divide Teacher Tips
Encourage both boys and girls to pursue interests in technology
Help students who have limited or no internet access at home to find other places they can access it
Include technology in lessons even if you are biased against it so students can see that it is beneficial
Help students learn how to research using technology so they can access more information and resources
Do not discriminate against minorities, different races enjoy using technology too
(Livingstone)

35. Legal Use of Digital Material

36. Topics
Because of the growing amount of information that can be found not only in books anymore but on the internet issues of legal use of the information have become more gray than black and white. It is important to teach students how to site information properly and how to use digital media legally
Key aspects to teach children are:
Copyright laws
Fair Use Policies
Creative Commons

37. Copyright Laws
Copyright laws are created to protect the originality of a persons work
These laws help to give credit to the original creator of the item and prevents the idea from being stolen
Information on the internet can often be copyrighted and the proper steps should be taken when using information from an online resource
(U.S. Copyright Office)

38. Copyright Laws Continued: Teacher Tips
Showing students the proper way of citing information gives them an example of how they should site their work
Explaining that information on the internet is still someone’s original work and credit needs to be given to the author is essential
Showing the students the actual copyright laws can help to make them more real and relatable
(U.S. Copyright Office)

39. Copyright Continued Teacher Tip
To help students better understand what a copyright is have them go through the process of getting one
By going to the Copyright.gov website the application can be found and the requirements can be read
When students see what it takes to get their work copyrighted legally than they may have more respect for the works that they are using
(U.S. Copyright Office)

40. Fair Use Policies
The fair use policies are extensions of the copyright laws and need to be explained to students in conjunction with them
This is the grey area of the copyright laws
There is certain information on the internet that can be used without citation and it is still legal
(U.S. Copyright Office)

41. Fair Use Continued
According to the U.S. Copyright Office there are different factors that play into the fair use policies that have been established
There is also no set way of determining whether or not information needs to be cited or not
(U.S. Copyright Office)

42. Fair Use Continued
There are four factors that are considered when fair use is being determined, they are:
The purpose and character of the use, including whether such use is of commercial nature or is for nonprofit educational purposes
The nature of the copyrighted work
The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole
The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work
(U.S. Copyright Office )
By explaining these factors to students they will be able to better asses whether or not information they are using needs to be cited
(U.S. Copyright Office)

43. Fair Use: Teacher Tip
Having your students cite all information that was taken from a source other than themselves is a good rule when they are first learning how to research
This teaches them not only how to cite properly but also that information taken from others needs to be cited
(U.S. Copyright Office)

44. Creative Commons
This is a non-profit organization that was founded as a way for people to share their work with others while still getting credit for it
There are many guidelines that are in place for licensure on Creative Commons but the most important is that the work being submitted is copyrightable
The site protects the authors work and their creations but not their ideas
(Creative Commons)

45. Creative Commons Continued
An example of the type of work that is on Creative Commons are photographs
A photographer may not want to sell their work just yet but still put it out in the world for reputation purposes
This work may be used by others but it still remains the property of the photographer
For more information and samples of the work that is posted visit the site at:
(Creative Commons)

46. Creative Commons Teacher Tip
Have the students search through different articles and other information found online to see if they can find whether or not the information is copyrighted in some way
Then have them search creative commons for different works that are copyrighted through that to find examples
(Creative Commons)

47. Summary
These standards are in place to protect student safety and ensure their well being on the internet
Teachers should be using different technologies in the classroom to help students learn and understand better
While teaching students to learn on and use the internet it is also important to teach them safety and security when online
Students should feel safe in and out of the classroom and the issue of cyber bullying needs to be addressed in order to put a stop to it

48. Summary Staying ethical is another issue that the MTTS addresses
This is meant to bridge the gap of the digital divide in all of its areas (race, gender, socio-economic) and encourage teachers to use technology in their classrooms even if they are biased against it
Teachers should make sure that all of the students are getting equal time using the technology in the classroom and exploring what the internet has to offer to their learning experience

49. Summary
The part of these standards that can be the most difficult to address with students are the legal issues
Students need to learn how to cite properly
Students need to learn what information belongs to other people and what it means to have a copyright

50. Summary
Technology is a great addition to a classroom and it should be used properly to make sure that all of the students are learning from it and that it is used to its greatest potential

51. Resources
Creative Commons. (n.d.). Creative Commons. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
Digital Gender Divide. (n.d.).Digital Gender Divide. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
Gatty, A. (n.d.). 9 Signs of Cyberbullying You Must Watch Out For in Kids. Stress Management for Women. Retrieved May 17, 2012, from
Internet Acceptable Use Policy. (n.d.). User Responsibilities. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from

52. Resources
Livingstone, S., & Helsper, E. (n.d.). Gradations in digital inclusion: children, young people and the digital divide . New Media & Society. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
MaxAndIzie. (n.d.). Cyber Bullying Campaign Video *Based on True Story* - YouTube. YouTube - Broadcast Yourself Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
Online Privacy: Using the Internet Safely | Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. (n.d.). Privacy Rights Clearinghouse | Empowering Consumers. Protecting Privacy.. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
Ross, S. (n.d.). The Core Rules of Netiquette -- Excerpted from Netiquette by Virginia Shea -- Albion.com. Albion.com Home Page. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from

53. Resources
STOP cyberbullying: What is cyberbullying, exactly?. (n.d.). STOP cyberbullying: Cyberbullying - what it is, how it works and how to understand and deal with cyberbullies. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
Social Networking Safety - Microsoft Protect. (n.d.). Microsoft Corporation. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
U.S. Copyright Office - Fair Use. (n.d.). U.S. Copyright Office. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from
Washington, J. (n.d.). For minorities, new 'digital divide' seen - US news - Life - Race & ethnicity - msnbc.com. msnbc.com - Breaking news, science and tech news, world news, US news, local news- msnbc.com. Retrieved May 16, 2012, from