Adventures in EdTech

With how quickly the connection between technology and education…and everyday life, really…is building and evolving, one question that parents and schools have to tackle is how to keep children safe online. As most are aware, the limit to the things one can access online very well may not exist. There is great power in this fact, but also great reason for pause, because of what it means for children. As parents and teachers, I think it is vital to understand the laws that are in place, what they cover, and perhaps more importantly, what they do not. Image Source CIPA The Children’s Internet Protection Act, or CIPA, is a 2000 law that was updated in 2010, and its focus is on requiring schools to protect and educate children on how to use technology safely. Makes sense-especially with how many schools have transitioned into a 1-1 model where students are given a device as an integral part of their daily educational experience, it stands to reason that schools should be educating students...

A major question that schools are faced with, as the trend of tech integration into the classroom continues, is how to keep students and staff responsible and safe in their use of technology. Many teachers (myself included) would obviously love to see fewer moments of games or YouTube being accessed during work time, as the potential for off-task behaviors is something that we will constantly grapple with whenever we incorporate tech-driven learning. But, this is just one of the (smaller, relatively) concerns faced as tech’s role in schools grows. Especially as schools transition to a 1-1 setup, where they are now providing each student with a device that can potentially access every recess of the internet, communicating the expectations for how those devices can/should be used is paramount. Many schools have done this by drafting acceptable use policies, or AUPs, which are shared with teachers, students, and parents. For reference, here is my own district’s policy on use for computers...