By Nancy Caramanico, CIO Advisor
From Drop Box Rewrite, add, delete, repeat. This is the cycle of school policies on technology. Or at least it should be. Policies need to adapt to the changing times. For School administrators and technology directors/CIO's adapting to changing times is an important component to a strong leadership for educational technology use (Nets-A) It is the time of year when many schools are updating policies for the upcoming school year. Technology Polices are particularly susceptible to change. Quite simply, new technology forces us to re-imagine classroom environment with the innovations added in.
- How will we incorporate these innovations?
- How will changes in digital access impact our classrooms? our students and teachers?
With evolving technology innovations constantly at hand, adaptations and often an updated policy are warranted. What are some important things to consider when updating your Acceptable Use Policy for Technology? There are many. New Technologies, AUP Implementation Strategies and New Resources to Support your AUP are some important ones to take a close look at.
Map out your future - but do it in pencil - Bon Jovi
- Distribute copies of AUP to all students. Clearly illustrate certain points via lessons and discussion
- Post the AUP on homepage of school computers and school website site to emphasize importance.
- Deliver Internet Safety/Digital Citizenship lessons to students on a regular basis. Emphasizing safety and responsibility with technology daily is the ideal.
- Equip students with tools and skills for properly citing materials used in their work, thereby reducing plagiarism and giving students the tools and skills for respect intellectual property of others.
- Deliver lessons that encourage the creation of original student work as opposed to copied work
- Encourage and model responsible use of technology through projects and websites which allow students the opportunity to employ and practice responsible use of digital content.
- Have students create videos or posters which highlight important pointers from the AUP
- Discuss during school assemblies
- Distribute and discuss at Faculty Meetings
- Encourage Clear Modeling by faculty of Appropriate Use. Celebrate and share examples of good modeling.
- Distribute relevant articles and websites at intervals throughout the school year
- Encourage teachers to become knowledgeable about educating students about safe and responsible
- Have teachers generate talking points that all can use to emphasize daily responsible use of technology
- Use every opportunity to educate parents about internet safety and digital citizenship.
- Make it a priority topic in regular communications you send. Highlight relevant issues in school communications throughout. Choose a topic per month to focus on.
- Discuss at Home and School Meetings. Invite a speaker to discuss the issues to frame positive steps that parents can take.
- Encourage parents to sign up for resources that will educate them on the topic of technology, internet safety and digital citizenship such as Netsmartz Parent Page
