Legal, social & ethical issues Erin Gould November 18, 2012 Introduction: Today we will discuss the legal, social and ethical issues that arise with the use of computers and technology in the class room. Technology is advancing at record rates and we need to keep up with the changes as they become available. We also need to understand the legal, social, and ethical issues that come with having computers and internet access. What problems have you encountered in the classroom involving the use of internet?

Legal Issues Copyright and Fair Use Privacy ADA Compliance Click here to read ADA Section 508 General Guidelines` Copyright is an author’s legal rights to work they have created. Copyright laws prevent others from using the author’s original work. Fair Use allows an educator to use the author’s work when in the classroom in a face to face situation with students. Privacy~ Everyone has a right to privacy. As educator’s it is our responsibility to not share information about our students. We also need to protect our students and provide them with the knowledge to keep their information private. Protecting a student’s privacy includes not disclosing the name, grade or classroom of the student if you post their work(s) online. COPPA~Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act CIPA~Children’s Internet Protection Act ADA Policy~Americans with Disabilities Act Section 508~electronic and information technology “Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web” (Lever- Duffy, McDonald, 2011). How else can we stay up to date on the laws and legal issues that are being passed?

Social Issues Digital Divide Cyber bullying Online Social Interaction There are social issues that have become apparent in the last few years. Digital divide~ refers to the unequal access of computers and computer technology. Students who live in homes that are not equipped with computers (and have internet access) will not have the skills and computer knowledge that students who have accessibility have. What can we do to assist student’s who have limited access to technology outside of school? Cyberbullying~A new form of bullying that involves the “spreading of lies, rumors or insults targeting a person for the purpose of intimidation as well as posting personal information about a person for the purpose of intimidation as well as posting personal information about a person on a web site can do serious harm to the victim” (Lever-Duffy, McDonald, 2011). NCPC~The National Crime Prevention Council~ Have reported that nearly 50% of teenagers have been victims of cyber bullying. Online Social Interaction~ Connecting to people on the internet through email, instant messaging, etc. This also includes communication through texting. Advise students of the adverse effects that these forms of communication can have. Online Chat~ Be wary of chat rooms. Know who you are chatting with. Never reveal your location or your residence. Texting~ Do not send inappropriate pictures. Do not send threatening messages. What are some ways we can teach our students about the dangers of cyber bullying and sexting? How can we help them understand the serious nature of these threats?

Ethical Issues Freedom of Speech Privacy Academic Dishonesty Freedom of Speech~ Just because someone types it up and puts it out there does not make it a fact! Everyone has the right to express their thoughts and opinions online. Because of this we need to teach students to recognize websites that provide information that is legitimate. Privacy~Refer to your schools rules about acceptable use. Post the rules in the classroom and make sure the students understand them Academic Dishonesty~Because information is so easy to retrieve on the internet, cheating has become easier for students. Stress to your students the importance of creating their own work. Prevent plagiarism by installing an antiplagiarism program. What steps have you put into place to prevent plagiarism? I’m sure that many of you asked your friend for an answer to a question when you were in elementary school. Do you think that with the ease of how easy it is to obtain information that students are cheating more?

References Lever-Duffy, J., & McDonald, J. B. (2011). Teaching and Learning with Technology (4th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Section 508. (n.d.). Section 508. Retrieved November 18, 2012, from http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?fuseAction=stdsSum