A Guide to Acceptable USe Policies in Education
- 1. A Guide to Acceptable Use Policies in Education Image retrieved from www.dpadvantage.wordpress.com By Melissa Wolfrey for EDTC 630
- 2. What Are Acceptable Use Policies? Image retrieved from http://www.blazenet.biz/acceptable-use-policy.htm Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) are policies that: • Allow student and teacher internet access for educational purposes • Communicate to students and teachers the appropriate uses, inappropriate uses and consequences of violations when using internet/equipment • Promote responsible and acceptable use of technology for students and teachers
- 3. Why Should Schools Have AUPs? All schools should have AUPs to: • Protect students from potential online dangers/threats • Release school from liability • Ensure that students follow copyright and privacy laws Above information retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/librarians/tech/techpolicy.htm Image retrieved from http://www.nfschools.net/domain/658
- 4. What Features Should AUPs Include? Image retrieved from http://www.bascom.com/library-web-filter/patronus/acceptable-use-policy-screen Effective AUPs should: • Include the following six elements: “a preamble, a definition section, a policy statement, an acceptable uses section, an unacceptable uses section and a violations/sanctions section” (http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml, 1996-2014) • Be written in brief, clear language that students understand • Be presented as a contract to be signed between students/parents/teachers and the school
- 5. Saint Andrew’s Day School Background Image retrieved from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Saint-Andrews-United-Methodist-Day- School/238244899644219?ref=br_tf Saint Andrew’s Day School is a private school in Edgewater, MD that: • Provides education for students in PreK-8th grade • Offers computer/technology classes for students in K- 8th grade • Allows students internet use while in the computer lab
- 6. Saint Andrew’s Acceptable Use Policy For Students Key Points of Saint Andrew’s Acceptable Use Policy: • Is only given to 4th-8th grade students • Includes a preamble • Lists acceptable and unacceptable behaviors including use of appropriate language; use of internet for school-related activities only; respect of copyright laws, equipment and student privacy; and prohibition of controversial sites and chat rooms • Utilizes brief and clear language • States that technology privileges will be taken away due to violations • Contains consent form for student and parent signatures Image retrieved from http://mrscvereenblog.blogspot.com/
- 7. Saint Andrew’s Acceptable Use Policy For Teachers Image retrieved from http://blog.nac.net/blog/bid/313854/Why-Giving-Schools-More-Bandwidth-Improves-the- Classroom-Experience • No separate AUP for teachers • Teachers mentioned in preamble of student AUP • Teachers are not required to sign AUP • Technology use is briefly mentioned in teacher handbook but only states that teachers are required to use technology to communicate with parents
- 8. Suggestions For Communication of AUP AUPs should be communicated through: • Verbal explanation to students from teacher • Written copy sent home for students and parents to read and sign • Electronic copy posted on school website for easy access by students, parents and teachers Image retrieved from http://indigozen.com/?page_id=33
- 9. Student Policy Implementation Teachers should ensure that students are following the Acceptable Use Policy by: • Teaching the importance of appropriate computer use and digital citizenship • Reminding students of rules and AUP • Monitoring student use at all times • Explaining copyright and basic source citation even to young students Image retrieved from http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=understanding-digital-citizenship- responsibility
- 10. Teacher Policy Implementation Image retrieved from http://blog.ssis.edu.vn/102653/ Teachers should: • Always model appropriate computer use • Report any suspected misuse of internet/equipment immediately • Never use internet for social media or other personal purpose while at work • Never share employee usernames and passwords For more tips on teacher policies and expectations see AACPS handbook at http://www.aacps.org/humanresources/handbook.pdf
- 11. Sources and Suggested Readings Anne Arundel County Public Schools. 2014. Employee Handbook. Retrieved from http://www.aacps.org/humanresources/handbook.pdf Flowers, B.F. & Rakes, G.C. (2000). Analyses of acceptable use policies regarding the internet in selected K-12 schools. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 32(3), 351-365 Getting started on the internet: Developing an acceptable use policy. 1996-2014. Education World. Retrieved from http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml Peterson, J. & Uhls, M. (n.d). Acceptable Use Policies. Retrieved from http://education.illinois.edu/wp/www.sjfschool.net. Using Technology. 2014. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/librarians/tech/techpolicy.htm