Understanding the Acceptable Use Policy

What is the AUP? An Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) helps to define which behaviors are acceptable when using a school system's technology. These are basically the rules that students and staff must follow in order to be allowed to use the resources. The Baltimore City Public Schools Acceptable Use Policy is a guiding document that defines what those using the district technology should and should not do with those technologies.

Overview The AUP provides information about what stakeholders can and can not do with available technologies. It applies to administrators, teachers, paraprofessionals, students, contractors, or anyone else who uses BCPSS equipment. This document applies to all students, staff, and contractors, as well as to any other individual working in a City Schools site and utilizing technology and the district network and equipment.

Why Do We Have An AUP? To inform parents, guardians and students of the availability of technology and Internet resources in the Baltimore City Public School System To inform interested parties of the rules governing technology use To establish in all potential users an understanding of and agreement to honor those rules To obtain express parental or guardian permission for an individual student to use school technologies To obtain from minors a written acknowledgment and agreement to honor the rules It is important that all stakeholders be given the opportunity to read and familiarize themselves with the AUP. The document governs what can and can not be done with district technologies and serves as an agreement that all stakeholders must adhere to when using district resources. For students, opportunities should be provided to review the document, as the parent or guardian must sign the signature page prior to a school allowing that student to use district technologies. That’s right – no student should use a computer unless there is a signed copy of the AUP on file.

Why Do We Have An AUP? To ensure that Internet use supports teaching and learning To promote "Netiquette" To ensure that Internet use is consistent with  educational objectives To provide personal security This will help to ensure the safety and security of the students as well as of the district resources.

What Does the AUP Say? The AUP covers 2 basic areas Student safety Legal and ethical use of technology So what does the AUP really tell us. The document covers 2 basic areas. These include student safety and the legal and ethical use of technology. The AUP defines actions that should and should not be taken to ensure that students are not accessing inappropriate websites or putting themselves in danger. Further, it explains what responsibilities teachers and staff have for ensuring technology is being used in a manner that is both legally sound and ethically appropriate.

Student Safety Students should not share personal information Name Address Phone number School information Photos of themselves Don’t meet someone they have met online For students, it is especially important to note the areas about keeping themselve safe while online. Sharing personal information is one of the biggest mistakes students make and it is very common. But they have to understand the risks so that they keep private information private.

Student Safety Internet access is filtered in accordance with the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Spam email is not allowed Spam is considered to be an inappropriate mass mailing and is also known as flooding or bombing Chain letters are considered spam In conjunction with keeping students safe, the district uses an Internet Content Filter to ensure that students are limited in their access to inappropriate sites such as merchandising, gaming, and pornography. In the event a student is able to work around the filter to access these types of sites, the teacher must report these violations to the school administration immediately. Additionally, a command center call should be submitted to ensure that the inappropriate site is blocked. The caller should be sure to have the web address of the site handy in order to provide it to the operator. Students also need to understand that they can not send spam emails. These mass mailings are not educationally appropriate and clog the network bandwidth and resources. This rule applies to teachers and other staff as well.

Student Safety Online bullying and harassment are not allowed Transmitting slanderous or defamatory materials Threatening or harassing messages Transmitting or displaying inappropriate images, text or audio files is not allowed Much has been heard in the media about online bullying and harassment lately. These actions are violations of the AUP and the district code of conduct. This includes messages via email, the TSS discussion board, or any other communication tool. It also includes the posting of any defamatory material or displaying images, text or audio files that are not educationally driven or are considered defamatory.

Legal and Ethical Issues All equipment should be used to support student learning, instruction or support processes Do not waste or overload computer resources Do not install an unlicensed program The phrase educationally appropriate has been used several times already, as that is the driving force behind the use of technology within the school district. All use of technology should be for the purpose of support to students or the overall business of the school district. Using the technology for personal gain or personal business would be considered an inappropriate use of the resources. Users must also be aware of the use of software. In order to install or use software on district computers or for district business, it must be appropriately licensed.

Teacher Responsibilities Teachers are responsible for what students do with technology while in their class. Teachers should Teach students about the AUP and appropriate use of technology Model appropriate uses of technology Set expectations for students to demonstrate appropriate use of technology Teacher should be aware that the are responsible for what happens in their classrooms. This is true for the use of technology in the classroom as well. Teachers should demonstrate clear expectations regarding how technology will be used in the classroom and what consequences will be given when these expectations are not met. Teachers should also be modeling the appropriate use of technology through their own actions.

Teacher Responsibilities Teachers should Use classroom and lab computers for teaching and learning Incorporate the use of technology into classroom rules and responsibilties Ensure that students are using computers on a regular and on-going basis Teachers should avail themselves of the technology in the school. They should be planning for instruction that utilizes both classroom and lab computers. They should make certain that students are given the opportunity to learn to use and apply school technologies on a regular basis.

Examples of Violations Unauthorized use of a computer account; Misrepresenting the user’s identity or the BCPSS in an electronic correspondence; Connecting unauthorized equipment to any part of the BCPSS network; Deliberately wasting or overloading computer resources, such as printing large quantities of a document from a workstation; Deliberately or carelessly use of equipment that results in damage The AUP also provides examples of activities that are considered violations of the AUP. These include but are not limited to using someone else’s network account or misrepresenting their identity, connecting personal equipment to the network, careless use of equipment, uploading viruses, or wasting district resources.

Examples of Violations Deliberately or carelessly installing viruses or other malware Using electronic mail to harass or threatened others. (includes sending repeated, unwanted e-mail, such as chain mail, to another user); Sending SPAM Transmitting or reproducing materials that are slanderous or defamatory or that otherwise violate existing laws and regulations; Displaying or downloading obscene, lewd or sexually harassing images, text or audio; Tampering with another user’s email or network account This also includes inappropriate emailing, transmitting or posting slanderous or defamatory materials, accessing inappropriate materials, or conducting personal business using district resources.

Examples of Violations Using BCPSS’s computing or network facilities to conduct personal or business activities for entertainment or personal gain; Violating terms of applicable software licensing agreements; and Violating copyright laws and their fair use provisions through inappropriate reproduction or dissemination of copyrighted text, images, audio, video, etc. The AUP also includes violations of copyright and fair use provisions, which will be discussed later in this presentation.

Violations of the AUP – Level I Staff General infractions that result in no loss of data or damage to a technology resource account sharing misuse of computer resources Penalty suspension from direct technology resource access for one month letter of reprimand Students General infractions that result in no loss of data and or damage to a technology resource account sharing misuse of computer resources Penalty suspension from technology resource access for one month or more a letter of reprimand There are 3 levels of violations outlined in the AUP. These are dependent upon the severity of the damages caused by the individual’s actions. Level I violations generally include those that result in little to no loss of data or district resource availability and can result in suspension of technology access and a letter of reprimand.

Violations of the AUP – Level II Staff Infractions that result in minor loss of data or damage to a technology resource unauthorized deletion of data files unauthorized shut-down of file servers. Penalty suspension from the workplace for three days suspension from direct technology resource access for six months fine to cover replacement of data or resources. Students Infractions that result in minor loss of data or damage to a technology resource unauthorized deletion of data files unauthorized shut-down of file servers. Penalty suspension from school for two months suspension from direct technology resource access for six months fine to cover replacement of data or resources. Level II violations are more severe and result in some data loss or damage to a technology resources. Penalties for these types of violations can result in suspension from work for staff or from school for students. They also include suspension from the technology resources and can even include a fine or financial penalty.

Violations of the AUP – Level III Staff Infractions that result in irreplaceable loss of data or severe damage to a technology resource copyright violations virus introduction Penalty permanent suspension from direct technology resource access possible criminal charges and litigation Possible termination of employment Students Infractions that result in irreplaceable loss of data or severe damage to a technology resource copyright violations virus introduction Penalty permanent suspension from direct technology resource access possible criminal charges and litigation possible expulsion from school Level III violations are the most serious, as they typically result in irreparable damage to data or equipment. Penalties for these violations could possibly result in criminal charges or termination or expulsion.

Copyright Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U. S. Code) to the authors of “original works of authorship,” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works. A copyright is a property right. Copyright law encourages and rewards the creativity of authors and artists and ensures a robust collection of original works available for public enjoyment and benefit, which is its main goal. 1998 Student Press Law Center (http://www.splc.org/legalresearch.asp?id=32) As mentioned earlier, copyright and fair use are mentioned in the AUP. It is important that all stakeholders understand the importance of copyright protection, as there is so much available information online. Teachers should be made aware of what is considered a copyright violation and should ensure that students also understand the seriousness of the issue.

Fair Use Fair Use is the legal right to use a portion of copyrighted materials for educational or informational purposes. Fair Use Factors – Ask the following questions: What is the purpose of the use? What is the nature of the work to be used? How much of the work will you use? What effect would this use have on the market for the original or for permissions if the use were widespread? While copyright places a limitation on the used of published and unpublished works, the Fair Use Guidelines for educators provide some leeway for teachers. The government and the courts understand that at times it is necessary to use a portion of copyrighted works for the purposes of instruction. The fair use guidelines provide teachers with information about what copyrighted materials can and can’t be used and for how to use those items that fall within the fair use guidelines. Generally, fair use can be figured out by asking 4 simple questions prior to using the material. What is the purpose?– if it is for educational purposes, it would generally be considered within the fair use guidelines. If, however, it will be used for recreation or personal gain, it would not fit. What is the nature of the work that is going to be used? If it is unpublished work, fiction or something highly creative, it would not necessarily fit into the guidelines and it would be advisable to get written permission from the author or creator. How much of the work will be used? A portion or small amount (generally about 10 percent) would be considered within fair use. But, using the entire work would not. That means, showing an entire video – unless you obtain the educationally licensed version – would violate copyright. And finally, what effect would the use of the material have on the market for the original? If there is no significant effect, it could fit into the fair use guidelines.

Fair Use Quiz The owner of the local Blockbuster Video store supports the school by donating one videotape rental-free to the school every Friday. The video is shown in the multipurpose room to reward students with perfect attendance that week. This is fair use. Click for the answer FALSE "Entertainment" and "reward" are explicitly excluded under copyright guidelines. To show a movie for entertainment purposes, you must obtain a version from an authorized distributor who can license you to show it. Let’s take a look at some scenarios related to Fair Use. When you think you know the answer, click the slide to reveal the correct answer and the reasoning behind it.

Fair Use Quiz A student building a multimedia art project uses copyrighted images of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings downloaded from the Web. He submits this project to a multimedia competition honoring classroom work and wins a prize for the school. This is covered under fair use. Click for the answer TRUE The competition was expressly designed for classroom work by students. If the resulting projects were distributed on CD-ROM or posted at a Web site, however, the copyrighted works could cause a problem.

Fair Use Quiz A school purchases one copy of a typing tutorial program, which is housed in the library. It is checked out to individual students to take home for two-week periods. This is permissible as long as the homes erase the program at the end of the two weeks. Click for the answer TRUE The checkout is fine. The school must make serious efforts, however, to make sure parents erase the program from their computers.

Fair Use Quiz A school can only afford one copy of Kid Pix. It loads this onto the library computer and all students and all classes have access to it all day. The teachers copy and install Kid Pix Player on their classroom computers to evaluate the student work. This is permissible. Click for the answer TRUE "Players" such as this are intended for distribution and the program itself is never in simultaneous use.

Fair Use Quiz A high school video class produces a student video yearbook that they sell at community events to raise money for equipment for the school. They use well-known popular music clips. The money all goes to the school and the songs are fully listed in the credits. This is covered under fair use. Click for the answer FALSE This is not instructional use. The fact that money is being charged is irrelevant; the problem lies in the use of copyrighted materials for non-instructional purposes.

Fair Use Is it Fair Use? The chart on the next slide gives examples of what is considered fair use for educators… Great job on the quiz. Now, let’s take a look at a few more examples of fair use…

27 Work or Materials to be used for Educational Purposes Fair Use Restrictions for Face-to-Face Teaching Chapter in a book Single copy for teacher for research, teaching, or class preparation. Multiple copies (one per student per class) okay if material is (a) adequately brief, (b) spontaneously copied, (c) in compliance with cumulative effect test. Copyright notice and attribution required. Newspaper/magazine article Same as above. Multiple copies of complete work of less than 2,500 words and excerpts up to 1,000 words or 10% of work, whichever is less. For works of 2,500-4,999 words, 500 words may be copied. Prose, short story, short essay, Web article Poem Same as for first item. Multiple copies allowed of complete poem up to 250 words -- no more than two printed pages. Multiple copies of up to 250 words from longer poems. Artwork or graphic image - chart, diagram, graph, drawing, cartoon, picture from periodical, newspaper, or book, Web page image No more than 5 images of an artist/photographer in one program or printing and not more than 10% or 15% of images from published collective work, whichever is less. Motion media - film and videotape productions Single copy of up to 3 minutes or 10% of the whole, whichever is less. Spontaneity required. Music -sheet music, songs, lyrics, operas, musical scores, compact disk, disk, or cassette taped recordings Single copy of up to 10% of a musical composition in print, sound, or multimedia form. Broadcast programs Single copy of off-air simultaneous broadcast may be used for a period not to exceed the first 45 consecutive calendar days after recording date. Use by only individual teachers. Copyright notice required. This chart shows the types of materials that might be used for instructional purposes and what would be considered usage that is within the fair use guidelines. 27 27

Where Can I Find the AUP? From the Intranet (inside the district) To locate the BCPSS Acceptable Use Policy, type the address www.bcps.k12.md.us into your web browser. The AUP is available to the general public through both the Internet and intranet websites. To find the AUP while working inside of the district network (such as from a school or central office location), simply type www.bcsp.k12.md.us into your browser.

Once you are on the BCPSS Intranet site, click the departments button Once you are on the BCPSS Intranet site, click the departments button. This will give you a drop-down menu. Select Information Technology. This will expand one more time, and you will see a link to the Technology Acceptable Use Policy. Click this link. You will be taken directly to the intranet or internal webpage. Once here, click departments. You will get a drop down menu. Here you will select Information Technology. A second menu will drop down. Click Technology Acceptable Use Policy.

The document should open in a new window The document should open in a new window. Please note, you will need Adobe Reader to view this file, as it is a PDF document. The document will open in a new window. You will need adobe reader to view the file.

From the Internet (outside of the district) If you are trying to access the AUP from home or some other location outside of the district’s network, you will need to type www.baltimorecityschools.org into your web browser. If you are working at home or in another location such as an Internet café or library, you will type www.baltimorecityschools.org into your web browser. This will take you to the external website.

On this website, there is a link for Staff. Click that link On this website, there is a link for Staff. Click that link. You will then get a drop down menu. Here you will select the link for Policies. Click on the menu bar link that says “Staff”. This will produce a drop-down menu. From there, click the link that says “Policies”.

To access the policy, click the link for letters S-Z To access the policy, click the link for letters S-Z. You will then see the link for the AUP. Click this to open the file. Because of the volume of documents available here, they have been organized alphabetically. The Technology Acceptable Use Policy starts with T, so select the link s-z to find the document. Click the link for the Technology Acceptable Use Policy. Again, you will need adobe reader to be able to open the file.

Click Here to View the AUP Take a Look at the AUP Click Here to View the AUP Don’t forget to sign the last page and turn it in to your administrator! Please take a few minutes to view and become familiar with the Baltimore City Public School’s Acceptable Use Policy. When you have finished, if you haven’t already signed that you accept the policy, please print the signature page, sign it and turn it in to your administrator or manager.

Explore the TSS online learning library located on the TSS. Want to Know More? Explore the TSS online learning library located on the TSS. Contact the TSS Group rross@bcps.k12.md.us 443-984-1550 Want to know more? Visit the TSS Learning Library at www.bcpss.org or contact the TSS Group by calling 443-984-1550 or by email Bert Ross at rross@bcps.k12.md.us