Saturday, 19 March 2016

Activity 8: Legal contexts and digital identities

As my class are not using a digital social media platform, nor do they have mobile phones, I cannot discuss how I navigated my way through any ethical dilemmas based on that. However, opening up the digital world in the classroom has its own minefields.
How do we know our students are searching safely? How can we be sure they are on task and not changing the app or website they were asked to use? What prevents them from seeing material that they shouldn't be looking at? How do we cater for religions and cultures that have rules and regulations about viewing certain images that others don't? Can we post photos of students on our blog? Copyright issues?

When a student enrols at Waikowhai Primary, their parents are asked to fill out a form regarding the posting of photos of their children on our website, and since February 2016, our blogs.  As in accordance with the Certified Teachers Code of Ethics, No. 2 Commitment to Parents/Guardians and Family/Whanau - Right to their privacy.  The teachers are then informed of any restrictions. The students are then asked to fill in a cyber safety declaration sheet (see below) stating that they will use the internet in accordance with the school rules.
Copy of cybersafety agreement

SECTION C : WAIKOWHAI PRIMARY SCHOOL CYBERSAFETY USE AGREEMENT

To the Student and Parent OR Legal Guardian:
1.              Please read this page carefully as it includes information about your responsibilities under this agreement.
2.              Complete and sign the appropriate section.
3.              Detach and return this section to the school office
4.              Keep Section A for your future reference.

Waikowhai Primary School will:
·       Do its best to enhance learning through the safe use of ICT.  This includes working to restrict access to inappropriate, illegal or harmful material on the Internet of school ICT equipment/devices at school or at school-related activities.
·       Work with children and their families to encourage and develop an understanding of the importance of cybersafety through education designed to complement and support the use agreement initiative.  This includes providing children with strategies to help keep themselves safe in cyberspace.
·       Keep a copy of this signed use agreement form on file.
·       Respond to any breaches in an appropriate manner.
·       Welcome enquiries from parent or students about cybersafety issues.

Student’s Section
My responsibilities include:
·       I will read this cybersafety Use Agreement document carefully with my parent or caregiver
·       I will follow the cybersafety rules and instructions whenever I use school ICT.
·       I will also follow the cybersafety rules and instructions whenever I am involved with privately owned ICT on the school site or at any school related activity.
·       I will have no involvement in use of ICT which could put me at risk, or other members of the school community.
·       I will take proper care when using computers and other school ICT equipment/devices.  If I have been involved in the damage, loss or theft of ICT equipment/devices, my family may have responsibility of the cost of repairs or replacement,
·       I will keep Section A of this document somewhere safe so I can read it again later.
·       I will ask my teacher or my parents if I am not sure about something to do with this agreement.

I have read and understand my responsibilities, and agree to follow the Cybersafety Use Agreement.  I know that if I breach this use agreement, there may be serious consequences.


Name of Student: ……………………………………………..                  


Signature: ………………………………………………………                   Date: ………………………..

Section for parent or legal guardian
My responsibilities include:
·       I will read this School Cybersafety Use Agreement document and discuss the rules with my child.
·       I will ensure this use agreement is signed by my child and by me, and returned to the school.
·       I will support the school’s cybersafety programme by encouraging my child to follow the cybersafety rules, and to always ask the teacher if they are unsure about any use of ICT .
·       I will contact the Principal or School Cybersafey Mananger to discuss any aspect of this use agreement which I might want to learn more about.  I know I am welcome to do this at any time.

I have read this Cybersafety Use Agreement and am aware of the school’s initiatives to maintain a cybersafe learning environment including the responsibilities involved.


Name: …………………………………………………  Parent or Legal Guardian (please circle which term is applicable)



Signature: ………………………………………………………                   Date: ………………………..


Apart from our server blocking sites that have obvious restrictions and undesirable material, the class computers are all equipped with a Hector's World Safety Button  this is a little animated swimming dolphin which sits at the top of the computer screen. If anything worries the student they can hit this button and the screen is covered by a marine scene and a positive message while the student can go and get help from a teacher. Hectors World is a cyber safety initiative for parents, teachers and students to learn about cyber safety.

While these are great safety practices it doesn't prevent students from staying on task, or navigating away from the proposed website.  With going into a fully digital classroom next year, all student with chromebooks my issue is:

What steps can I take to ensure my students practice cyber safety and stay on task?
Through watching other ILEs in action on school visits, and the senior classes in our school (which went digital at the start of 2016), I have discovered some tools to help with this dilemma. All work is currently stored in each students google drive, to which I have access. The system the digital classroom will use is Hapara - the digital workspace and teacher dashboard where the teacher can set work and monitor on the large screen or laptop, where the students are.  I would insist that all chromebooks must be facing away from the wall so when the teacher roams the screen is always visible. There would be steps for behaviour which is outlined in our behavioural code, if this is ignored then measures such as time out from the screen can be taken. This consequence however, is ill-advised in the digital technology guide for schools due the the restriction of access to their digital device hinders the learning process and contradicts the value of ICT as a learning tool.  Therefore I would need to discuss with my principal what the consequence should be if the offence is ongoing and detrimental to other classmates. A discussion between myself, the student and their parents, regarding the signed cybersafety agreement,  may be warranted.

References




Educationcouncil.org.nz,. (2015). Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers | Education Council. Retrieved 4 October 2015, from http://www.educationcouncil.org.nz/content/code-of-ethics-certificated-teachers-0


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