While this wasn't listed as an engagement activity for Week 2 I do think it important that I blog about the Legal, Safe and Ethical practice of using ICTs in the classroom. It is imperative that the students are able to learn and work in a safe environment. My chosen teaching areas are Mathematics and Information Technology. As I don't yet know the context of my first placement so I will list here some resources and readings and come back to this post after I have had a chance to understand the teaching environment a little better than I do now.
Wendy has urged us to read and understand the implications of "Working legally, safely and ethically online". As teachers in training we need to read and thoroughly understand the implications of uploading and using materials online. In all my work online and offline I am aware of copyright guidelines for all materials and always acknowledge other peoples' work. I think that the best way to teach this to my students is to model this ethical and legal behaviour in all the materials that I produce by ensuring that all materials that are used are appropriately referenced unless they belong to me.
For copyright, Fair Dealing is 10% of a work. That is, that one chapter of a book, or 10% of another person's work may be copied for educational use. Wendy has suggested that this rule also applies in the digital environment. That we should use the 10% rule to inform decisions about copying materials when working online. There are some explicit guidelines however and the use of copyright images and materials may be restricted according to the owner's wishes. If in doubt then contact the owner of the materials and ask for permission.
Wendy suggested the following sites as a resource to provide information on the basics of copyright and fair use.
http://education.qld.gov.au/web/schools/riskman.html
http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/national-copyright.pdf
http://education.qld.gov.au/strategic/eppr/legal/lgspr001/
http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/go/pid/946 - some very useful scenarios are presented in this site, that allows you greater insight into online practice.
http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/scw/go/pid/944
Of course each school may have their own policies that should be adhered to as well.
THINK strategy
A simple strategy to use in the classroom comes from the Australian Government's Cybersmart website. It encourages students to THINK about what they are doing and how they behave online.
Tell Mum or Dad if something online upsets you
Hide your password
Interesting sites can be fun. Check first with a responsible adult
Name calling is mean - be nice
Keep your personal information safe
(Source: http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/young%20kids/online-safety/Think.aspx)
Child safety
One thing that has struck me in my transition from teaching adults to teaching children is the implications of my students being minors. While lecturing I treat all my students as adults because they all are. So one major aspect of moving into the school environment is that I am more responsible for the well-being of my students and if I am to use technologies to support my teaching I cannot just 'lock out' their interaction with the world outside the classroom. I want to encourage them to interact with the world but need to be aware of the potential risks and have strategies in place to avoid or control the risks.
Wendy has suggested the national industry body for the Internet in Australia, Internet Industry Australia (IIA) the has been active in identifying and responding to consumer and small business concerns as well as providing regulatory compliance. They have developed codes of practice. This part of the IIA website contains information on IIA industry codes which are currently in force as well as codes which are in development (EDED20491 Moodle Website, 2013).
Of course dangers may not come from strangers. Online media is also abused by people who like to harass and bully others. Cyberbullying can be carried out through Internet services (email, chatrooms, discussion groups, and instant messages), social media (Facebook and Twitter), mobile phones (SMS).
Students should be discouraged from providing personal information online if it is accessible to the whole world. They also need to be educated to tell an adult if something online is upsetting them. In addition, technologies should be removed f can result in being targeted for spam.
Some tools to assist:
Cyberbullying: Program created in North America
Cybersmart: Australian Government site that has many resources and good advice.
Media Smarts: Canada's centre for digital and media literacy.
NetAlert: Cybersafe schools have developed a teacher's guide to Internet safety has been developed specifically for classroom teachers, school librarians, and school leaders in primary and secondary schools.
NetSafe Kids: provides some resources to help keep children safe.
***Added 27/06/2013
Queensland Government Cybersafety in Schools
http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/behaviour/qsaav/cybersafety.html
***Added 27/4/13
Safe Schools hub (Federal Government)
http://safeschoolshub.edu.au/
***Added 2/4/2013
Digital Pedagogy framework guidelines (Education Queensland)
Some excellent information provided by Education Queensland in their recently released Digital Pedagogy framework sent to me via Gary Holmes.
School leaders who ensure safe, supportive, connected and inclusive learning environments:
•lead and support the school community in developing and consistently implementing an evidence-based, whole-school approach to encouraging and maintaining positive behaviour
•ensure systems of support are in place to foster a culture in which students' rights and responsibilities are paramount and all students are invited to learn
•ensure professional learning opportunities assist staff to adopt and develop behaviour support strategies and pedagogical practices that accommodate diversity and engage every student in challenging, supported and contemporary learning
•facilitate activities that involve parents and the community in supporting students' learning and promote and support students' social and emotional wellbeing
•ensure the provision of staff training and ensure adherence to legislative, departmental and school requirements for student learning, wellbeing and safe work practices.
Teachers who create environments conducive to learning:
•recognise, actively accommodate and value diversity when planning and implementing teaching and learning experiences and when organising spaces
•explicitly teach and consistently maintain clear expectations and routines for student learning, self-management and behaviour
•build relationships and create a sense of belonging for all students by demonstrating interest, understanding and respect
•create innovative, engaging and interactive learning environments that enable all students to access the curriculum and participate fully in learning
•facilitate access to learning beyond traditional boundaries of school education
•model and explicitly teach ethical, safe and legal use of digital resources, tools and environments, in accordance with departmental policies.
•ensure systems of support are in place to foster a culture in which students' rights and responsibilities are paramount and all students are invited to learn
•ensure professional learning opportunities assist staff to adopt and develop behaviour support strategies and pedagogical practices that accommodate diversity and engage every student in challenging, supported and contemporary learning
•facilitate activities that involve parents and the community in supporting students' learning and promote and support students' social and emotional wellbeing
•ensure the provision of staff training and ensure adherence to legislative, departmental and school requirements for student learning, wellbeing and safe work practices.
Teachers who create environments conducive to learning:
•recognise, actively accommodate and value diversity when planning and implementing teaching and learning experiences and when organising spaces
•explicitly teach and consistently maintain clear expectations and routines for student learning, self-management and behaviour
•build relationships and create a sense of belonging for all students by demonstrating interest, understanding and respect
•create innovative, engaging and interactive learning environments that enable all students to access the curriculum and participate fully in learning
•facilitate access to learning beyond traditional boundaries of school education
•model and explicitly teach ethical, safe and legal use of digital resources, tools and environments, in accordance with departmental policies.
Jo, thank you for sharing the useful links!! In relation to cyber bullying, I have seen some instances where parents are posting inappropriate comments about other parents or teachers. It appears that not only children but also parents need to be educated to become cybersmart. What would you say?
ReplyDeleteMiki, I am saddened to hear that parents are posting inappropriate comments about other parents and teachers. Once those comments are out there it is difficult if not impossible to delete them. My rule is NOT to post anything that you don't want the whole world to know. As per this blog post I believe in modelling good practice for my daughter and my students.
ReplyDeleteMy first reaction was to suggest that schools hold education sessions for parents to talk to them about the implications of how they interact on the web but then I felt that the parents who would attend such sessions are probably the ones least likely to do such things. The parents who are posting inappropriate comments are unlikely to go to a cyberbullying seminar at school.
My second thought is that when such comments are brought to the attention of the teachers the Principal should be made aware and he or she needs to contact the person on a one-to-one basis and explain to them the implications for posting inappropriate comments. I would even go so far as to tell them that the matter would be bought to the attention of the police if the comments were defamatory.
It is hard though as the schools only have control over their own computer systems. They need to model good practice for the students and hopefully the students can influence those parents who are doing the wrong thing.