As administrators, teachers and students strive to seamlessly integrate technology into the curriculum and increase student engagement through the use of technology, they often struggle with state and/or district policies limiting the use of technology in the classroom.
According to Speak Up 2007, students are becoming increasingly frustrated with school and district policies related to technology access and technology devices.
- 45% of middle and high school students saying now that these tools meant to protect them inhibit their learning.
- Over the past four years, the disconnect factor of school rules and students has grown by 46%. Students noted in 2007 that school rules limit their access to technology at school and rules that prohibit them from using at school the very technology tools and devices that they use constantly outside of school (cell phones, email, IM, Text messaging) in all aspects of their lives.
This section of the toolkit provides information and guidance on policy issues related to the access and use of Web 2.0 technology tools and resources and includes the following sections:
Current Internet Use Policy Back to Top ^
More than 90 percent of school districts require parents and/or students to sign an Internet use policy. Almost all school districts (98%) use software to block access to what are considered inappropriate sites. However, in many states and districts current internet use policies do not address the use of Web 2.0 technologies, such as blogs, chats, wikis, and email. As a result more than 80% of school districts prohibit Web 2.0 technologies, such as online chatting and instant messaging in school. Over 60% of school districts prohibit participation in bulletin boards or blogs, and sending and receiving email in school. In the educational technology community, we know the many benefits of using Web 2.0 technology tools, such as blogs, chats, wikis and email for our students and teachers. As such, we need to update our current Internet use policies to address Web 2.0 technologies.
The state of Washington is in the process of updating their Internet use policies to include Web 2.0 type technologies. Alabama has convened a task force to focus on the acceptable Internet use policy issues surrounding the use of Web 2.0 type technologies by administrators, teachers, students, and parents. States such as New Jersey and Illinois are local control states and do not develop state level policies – instead the local school districts develop their own Internet use policies. Several districts in Connecticut are in the process of revising their Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) to accommodate Web 2.0 tools. Districts in Alaska and Tennessee are in the process of updating their policies to address the use of Web 2.0 technology. In Alabama, some districts are blocking many of the technology resources provided by the Best Practices Center project. In response, state educational technology leaders are highlighting successful districts; speaking at events encouraging the use of Web 2.0 tools; and providing ideas to districts on how to open up some of the Web 2.0 resources.
In New Hampshire, another “local control” state, an online professional development course called “School Policies for 21st Century Learning” was developed to help schools revise their current school policies, many of which are now ten years old. The course provides an opportunity for teachers, technology coordinators, and other school leaders to learn about school safety and legal/policy issues involved in creating safe 21st century learning environments. Participants will gain a better understanding of legal issues related to Internet access and effective Acceptable Use Policies for Internet use, including use of new Web 2.0 tools used for social networking and collaborative learning. The course syllabus is available at http://nheon.org/opennh/courses/syllabi/.
Update Internet Use Policies to Reflect Positive Benefits of Utilizing Web 2.0 Technology
SETDA recommends that states and/or school districts update their Internet use policies to reflect the positive benefits of using all effective technology tools, including Web 2.0 technologies. When creating/revising policies, states and/or district should:
- Determine the appropriate stakeholders to include in the discussion
- Promote the benefits of using Web 2.0 technology tools
- Focus on the issues most important to the stakeholders.
Stakeholders
In creating or revising a policy, SETDA recommends that states and/or districts include all appropriate stakeholders in the process. Stakeholders may include:
- Superintendents
- School Board
- Administrators
- Principals
- Teachers
- Parents
- Students
- Educational Technology Director
- Law Enforcement
- State Attorney General
- Local Legal Counsel
Promote the Benefits of Web 2.0 Technology Tools Back to Top ^
CoSN recently sponsored a webcast, "Think Before You Ban: How Classrooms Become Communities with Web 2.0 Technology". The webcast focused on how schools can use Web 2.0 tools to encourage innovation and collaboration in classrooms. One of the messages from the webcast was that administrators should think about the positive benefits websites have for teachers and students before restricting access. In the educational technology community, we know the many benefits of using Web 2.0 technology tools, such as blogs, chats, wikis and email for our students and teachers. State and district leaders need to educate stakeholders on these benefits and promote the many successes of using Web 2.0 type technology tools. Some of the benefits include:
- Increased student engagement
- Increased student achievement
- Access for all students
- Effective communication among administrators, parents and students
See the Program Examples section of this tool to find more examples on the positive benefits of utilizing Web 2.0 technology tools in the classroom.
Many stakeholders do not understand what Web 2.0 technology tools are or what they can do. One resource available to educate stakeholders is a set of videos called “In Plain English”, which explain Web 2.0 tools such as blogs, chats, wikis, and podcasts. Theses videos can be found at http://www.commoncraft.com/.
Focus on the Issues Back to Top ^
In developing or revising policies, states and/or districts should consider the following issues:
- Appropriate use of the Internet, including age-level appropriateness
- Applicability to the curriculum
- Security
- Safety
- Privacy
- Confidentiality
- Costs
- Broadband capabilities
- Hardware and software needs
Sample Policies Back to Top ^
Sample state and district policies listed below include:
- Massachusetts
- Liberty School District (MO)
- Virginia
- Tahoma School District (WA)
Massachusetts
Technology Literacy Standards and Expectations, approved April 29, 2008
Excerpts of some of Massachusetts standards related to Web 2.0 technology tools
- G6-8: 2.4 Describe appropriate and responsible use of communication tools (e.g., chats, instant messaging, blogs, and wikis).
- G3-5: 3.5 Use online tools (e.g., e-mail, online discussion forums, blogs, and wikis) to gather and share information collaboratively with other students, if the district allows it.
- G6-8: 3.9 Use a variety of telecommunication tools (e.g., e-mail, discussion groups, Web pages, blogs, Web conferences) to collaborate and communicate with peers, experts, and other audiences (at district’s discretion).
- G9-12: 1.33 Use a variety of applications to plan, create, and edit multimedia products (e.g., slide presentations, videos, animations, simulations, podcasts).
- G9-12: 2.6 Give examples of the appropriate and responsible use of communication tools (e.g., chats, instant messaging, blogs, wikis).
- G9-12: 2.13 Describe and use safe and appropriate practices when participating in online communities (e.g., discussion groups, blogs, social networking sites).
- G9-12: 3.6 Use a variety of media to present information for specific purposes (e.g., reports, research papers, presentations, newsletters, Web sites, podcasts, blogs), citing sources.
Missouri
Liberty School District, home of the teacher of the year, embraces Web 2.0 tools.
Virginia
The Virginia Department of Education provides guidelines and resources to school divisions on the acceptable use of the Internet. All Virginia public schools are required to have acceptable Internet use policies included in their technology plans. In 2006 the Virginia General Assembly approved legislation that requires school divisions to include a component on Internet safety in their acceptable Internet use policies. The legislation also requires school divisions to integrate the Internet safety component into their instructional program. Guidelines and Resources for Internet Safety in Schools was published by the Virginia Department of Education to provide school divisions the information and resources necessary for implementing the legislation.
Washington
Tahoma School DistrictL The board of directors recognizes that the district is connected to a statewide communications system (the K-20 network) which provides Internet access and interactive video conferencing. This network provides opportunities for students, staff and the educational communities to communicate, learn, access and publish information. The board believes that the resources available through this network and the skills that students will develop in using it are of significant value in the learning process and student success in the future. These new opportunities also pose many new challenges including, but not limited to, access for all students, age-level appropriateness of material, conservation of resources, security/privacy/confidentiality, and cost of maintaining the system. The district will endeavor to ensure that these concerns are appropriately addressed, but cannot insure that problems will not arise.
By connecting to this network, the board intends only to provide a means for educational activities and does not intend to create a first amendment forum for free expression purposes. The district dedicates the property comprising the network, and grants access to it by users, only for the educational activities authorized under this policy and procedures and under the specific limitations contained therein.
The board directs the superintendent to provide training and procedures that encourage the widest possible access to the K-20 network by students, staff and the educational community, while establishing reasonable controls for the lawful, efficient and appropriate use and management of the system.
Policy Resources Back to Top ^
Building the Field of Digital Media and Learning
California’s CyberSafety Website
CoSN: 'Think before you ban'
Cybersmart!
Federal Trade Commission’s Kidz Privacy Project
GetNetWise
iSafe.org
Local Schools Battling High-Tech Distractions
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
NetSmartz Program
National Cyber Security Alliance
Net Family News Newsletter
North Carolina’s Wise Owl Website
