Policy Brief

The use of the internet at our school site has grown. In its infancy our policy regarding the internet in the classroom was focused simply on getting the students to use computers in the internet and to ensure that all students had access to a computer. Now the internet is commonplace among most of student population but the policies of our school have not adapted to our growing needs. Our approach to the internet and technology as a learning tool must be re-evaluated in order to be effective. It is no longer acceptable to simply train teachers on how to use a computer and the internet, but now we must strive to use them well while maintaining a safe and legal environment in which to learn and explore. Our policies and training must therefore adapt to the changes in this medium.

This policy brief will discuss four significant areas of internet use in education, and address some recommended polices for the appropriate and successful use in our classrooms.

• Access and the digital divide
• Copyright
  
• Accuracy and Validity
• Privacy and Security
  

The objectives of these policies is not to stifle or bog down in red tape the use of the internet, but more to use as guides to get us all focused in the right direction

Access and the digital divide.

The digital divide, as we are all surely aware, refers to the gap between those that have access to and knowledge of computers and those that do not. (http://www.edutopia.org/digital-divide-where-we-are-today) Our school more than most has a difficult time with this for a unique reason. A large majority of our students have consistent access to a computer at home, but many do not. Some of our students, while there is a computer present in the home, do not have much access to that computer as it is used primarily by their parents as a work tool, and some use the computer for little more than playing games and do not know how to use it to its full potential. Complicating this is the vast numbers of our student who have a great deal of practical knowledge of computers and how they function. We have a very uneven playing field thought our population. A one size fits all solution does not work well for us. And the digital divide is not just reflected in our students. Our teaching staff have disparate and varied experience and comfort with computers that need to addressed.

Policy Recommendation #1: Labs

Every effort should be made to keep the library computer lab open for student use during break, lunch, and for a reasonable time after school to allow students with no computer at home access to one.

Pros:

1. Students who do not have access to computers reliably at home would have access to a computer at the school for free.
2. Teachers could reliable expect students to be able to use a computer for an assignment.

Cons:

1. The school computers will still not address inequalities in the familiarity of the students with computers without a knowledgeable staff person on site.
2. The amount of money in the form of equipment, maintenance, and salary for supervision could be unfeasible.
3. Some parents may object to their student using the internet/computer

Policy Recommendation #2: Staff Development

The administration should with the coordination of the Staff Development committee provide training for teachers and staff in the use of computers for various purposes as often as if reasonably feasible. These trainings could include the use of video editing, internet for research, blogging, podcasting, and photo editing.

Pros

1. Staff would feel more comfortable with technologies and gain insight into how to use them in their classrooms.
2. Students would get more exposure to different forms of learning and the broad base of what technology can accomplish.

Cons

1. Money and resources to implement the training would have to found
2. Training the staff does not necessarily mean that the staff will use or implement the strategies and ideas discussed in the sessions. Some teachers may be reluctant to change or adapt no matter what is done.
3. There would be difficulty with the teachers union in mandating any attendance at trainings or implementation of any policies.

Copyright

The issue of copyright law has recently become a subject for the school site in regards to the use of videos for instructional purposes in the classroom and copyright regarding the internet is of no less a concern. The internet is a vast place and it is very easy to take a photograph or a diagram off of an internet site and use it on your own, but what are the legal ramifications of this? Most people do not know. There are too many questions that the staff must ask themselves about internet copyright and too much the students do not know they need to be asking. Internet plagiarism is also a big concern that needs to be addressed.



Policy Recommendation #3: Copyright Law
(http://www.edu-cyberpg.com/Teachers/copyrightlaw.html)
(http://mason.gmu.edu/~montecin/copyright-internet.htm)

The administration should conduct mandatory training sessions for all staff in copyright rules as they are applied to schools. This training should be repeated each year for new hires and as a refresher to the whole staff as needed. Training would cover common violations, possible punitive actions taken by various organizations, and helpful tips to avoid these problems. This could be piggybacked on a larger copyright infringement training.

Pros

1. The school is required by law to repeat every year information about Child Protective Services and other such legal requirements, so the staff would be used to such instruction.
2. When the faculty understand a subject better that information is more likely to be disseminated properly to the student body.
3. Proper use of copyright in classrooms will abate the risk for violations and possible fines and other legal repercussions.

Cons

1. Another subject that teachers much be trained about. Too much training can overwhelm the faculty.
2. Finding the time and resources to conduct such a training

Policy Recommendation #4: Internet Plagiarism

Utilizing a service such as turnitin.com to help police the use of purchased essays and "copy and pasted" segments of writing and research projects turned in by students.

Pros

Allow the teachers to effectively police internet plagiarism on their own

Cons

1. The cost in implementing this may be too high.
2. Reluctance on the part of teachers to take on a perceived additional responsibilit

Accuracy and Validity

The internet is a big place and almost anyone can get their own webpage, but simply being on the web does not make the information useful and accurate. We want our students to be able to think for themselves and come up with their own solutions to problems. In order for them to effectively be able to make decisions and become life-long learners they must be able to recognize valid sources of information and resources. Teachers also must find and use accurate information in support materials found from internet resources. The recognition thereof is an important aspect of eduction.

Policy Recommendation #5: How to Search

The school will provide a mean by which students can be taught how to reliably search the internet and validate resources. This can be done as one of the school various "School-wide Lessons" given throughout the year. (http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/resources/special_initiatives/wa_resources/wa_teachers/backgrounders/harris_evaluating.cfm)

Pros

1. All students will be given information about how to validate information
2. Students will be better prepared for completing research projects.
3. Students will carry this knowledge and be able to make informed decision about how and where to get accurate information to better able them to become life-long learners.

Cons

1. Creating another one of many lessons for students to be taught.
2. Developing a lesson that does not require every student to be at a computer for the lesson.
3. Achieving faculty "by in" to the process so that it is not "submarined" by disinterested faculty members.

Policy Recommendation #6: Resource Library/Reference List

Teachers will be expected to notate the source of all materials used in the classroom that were found on the internet. This reference list will be made publically available. Additonally, the school's administration and faculty leadership will create a policy that outlines the recommended procedures for faculty members to evaluate the validity of resources.

Pros

1. Provides a uniform code and procedure that is site based and is therefore easily adaptable by the staff, provides active development of the policy by the staff to maximize "by in," and a policy that can be easily referred to by individual members.
2. May involve creating a database where effective sources can be cataloged and shared with other teachers.

Cons

1. Teachers reluctant to share the information. Some may even feel that this is an unnecessary precaution and an invasive inquisition into their teaching practices.
2. Is there an ability by the administration to be able to enforce and police this policy?

Privacy and Security

There are two sides to this coin and both deserve some examination. We can view these concerns as coming from within our site and from without.

From within our site we must be diligent and vigilant about ensuring our students to not have access to inappropriate material through our school networks. The districts security filters and firewalls seem to have us covered fairly well in the regard, but we all must be ever on guard because most of our students know more about the internet than we do and often find a way to circumvent these restrictions before we can plug the leak. As this is something that is mostly controlled by an entity about our school site level, we must only ensure that we are aware of the problem and on the look out for any potential violations.

Threats from without are more troublesome. There are many internet predators out there, and such things as student webpages could become a danger and a liability to the school. Most social networking sites and blog sites are blocked by our districts filter. While in some ways this is good because none of these sites can be accessed from out school, it does negatively impact their use as an effective classroom tool, and some of these sites can be very effective if used correctly for education. Viruses and other outside threats can also make their way into our computers and network and also constitute a security risk.

But we must look beyond the security of our own school networks and ensure that both staff and student understand the risks they could potentially put themselves at though the internet.

The biggest problem with internet security issues at our school site is lack of reliable information about its characteristics and importance. Knowledge is power. The first step to ensuring that our students are safe and secure on the internet is to train them about its dangers

Policy Recommendation #7: Training

The school will institute staff training in the issues relating to internet security at a staff meeting during the school year. Addi tonally the administration will develop a "school-wide" lesson on the subject of internet safety and security for the school's students. These can work hand in hand, with teachers receiving the training and then turning around and sharing it with their students.

Pros

1. Provides basic understanding to the whole population of the school
2. Can be easy to implement.

Cons

1. Is yet another topic for a school wide lesson. As it is school polcy to have one of these such lessons a month we have plenty of opportunity, but there are other topics that are also deserving of this information.

Policy Recommendation #8: Filtering

The school will maintain an active interest in utilizing web filters, firewalls, spam blockers, and purchase a virus blocking and scanning package for all district and site resources. Most of this is just maintenance policy, but there is currently no safeguard within the district for viruses that is uniform at all sites. This must be changed.

Pros:

1. Most of it is already in place.
2. Elimination of viruses before they strike can potentially save the district significant resources.

Cons:

1. Potential cost to get the virus scanning up and running.
2. Maintaining these programs and equipment can be costly.
   

Conclusion

The general difficulties encountered when examining the use of the internet for education, the biggest hurdle is lack of reliable information about it. Many teachers and most students are not aware of the full impact these issues have on their lives. It is important for us, as educators, to educate first. We must build a foundation of knowledge and understanding of a topic before we can delve deeper into the subject matter.

Privacy and Security

Overview: The biggest problem with internet security issues at our school site is lack of reliable information about its characteristics and importance. Knowledge is power. The first step to ensuring that our students are safe and secure on the internet is to train them about its dangers

Policy #1

The school will institute staff training in the issues relating to internet security at a staff meeting during the school year.

Policy #2

The administration will develop a "school-wide" lesson on the subject of internet safety and security for the school's students.

Accuracy and Validity

Policy #1

The school will provide a mean by which students can be taught how to reliably search the internet and validate resources. This can be done as one of the school various "School-wide Lessons" given throughout the year.

Policy #2

The school's administration and faculty leadership will create a policy that outlines the recommended procedures for faculty members to evaluate the validity of resources. Teachers should also be expected to notate the source of all materials used in the classroom that were found on the internet.

Copyright

Policy #1

The administration should conduct mandatory training sessions for all staff in copyright rules as they are applied to schools. This training should be repeated each year for new hires and as a refresher to the whole staff as needed.

Policy #2

Investigate the possibility of utilizing a service such as turnitin.com to help police the use of purchased essays and "copy and pasted" segments of writing and research projects turned in by students.

Access and the Digital Divide

Policy #1: Labs

Every effort should be made to keep the library computer lab open for student use during break, lunch, and for a reasonable time after school to allow students with no computer at home access to one.

Policy #2: The administration should with the coordination of the Staff Development committee provide training for teachers and staff in the use of computers for various purposes as often as if reasonably feasible. These trainings could include the use of video editing, internet for research, blogging, podcasting, and photo editing.