Security Issues and Ethics In Education

Businesses, schools, and individuals rely on computers and networks to be safe, reliable and efficient. It is essential to take steps to protect the systems and information from known risks.  Employees, teachers, and students have an obligation to use computers responsibly and not abuse the power of a computer. Schools have the added responsibility and challenge of keeping their students protected against unethical practices and people.
 

DID YOU KNOW...

that an unprotected computer could be compromised by an intruder within 20 minutes?!?

 

As a teacher, I must be prepared to continuously update my educational technology knowlege and technology integration skills to offer future generations the best possible education.  
Following these safe computing tips will help minimize the risk of viruses. Two popular antivirus programs are Norton AntiVirus and McAfee AntiVirus. They can be set up to monitor for viruses, including scanning removal storage media and files downloaded from the Internet. It is important to set this program to update virus definitions automatically every week. Sometimes there are false warnings, known as virus hoaxes, that are spread over the Internet. A quick check of the Symantec Security Response Hoax Web page can verify the validity of any virus warnings.

People can use computers for both good and bad actions.  The standards that determine whether an action is good or bad are called ethics.  Computer ethics are the moral guidelines that govern the use of computers, networks, and information systems.

Five areas of computer ethics frequently discussed are

1. unauthorized use of computers
2. hardware, software, and information theft
3. information privacy
4. copyright
5. the existence of objectionable materials on the Internet

It is important to protect children from being exploited. One way the government has helped is by passing the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) in 2000. This act protects children from obscene, pornographic, and other information considered harmful to minors. Windows and Mac computers have parental controls available in their operating systems. Parents can use these tools to prevent their children from accessing inappropriate material on the Internet. They can also install special filtering software programs, like Net Nanny, for additional protection. Educators can protect students by implementing these controls and also following an accetable use policy, creating a resource page on their Web site for students to quickly access teacher-approved Web sites, and actively monitoring students as they access the Internet.

PLEASE NOTE: This post is made possible by information found in chapter eight of  Shelly, Gary, Glenda Gunter, and Randolph Gunter. Teachers discovering computers: Integrating technology in a connected world. Seventh Ed. Boston, MA: Course Technology, 2012. Print.

"Oh, the Places You'll Go!"

I was thrilled to discover this website. I am such a fan of Dr. Seuss.

Seussville
This website is the official home of Dr. Seuss. The website is made possible by Random House Children's Books and Dr. Seuss Enterprises, L.P. It is a place for children (and adults!) to learn and explore the world of Dr. Seuss. There are activities and games related to the Dr. Seuss books. The website also features a character guide that tells which book a character appears. The educators' section is filled with news about special events and celebrations, resources to share with students, and tips on incorporating Dr. Seuss books into the curriculum. The parents' section lists Dr. Seuss books by age, offers tips on reading with your kids, and also includes a link to sign up for a monthly newsletter. The monthly newsletter is delivered via e-mail and includes news about upcoming books, contests, games, activities, and more.

Wednesday Wisdom

I'm guessing that there are many teachers who would agree with this picture.

Friday Funny

Here's a sneak peak of summer! Hope you enjoy it!

How Does a Teacher Decide on Technology?

Teachers consider and use the information from many sources to evaluate the appropriateness of educational technologies.

Sources of Information:

• the Local School District
• State Department of Education
• Professional Educational Organizations
• Apps Reviews by other users
• Colleague Recommendations
• Conferences
• The Web

When teachers conduct an evaluation, they ask questions like:

1. Does this technology meet the needs of the curriculum?
2. Is the product or content developmentally and age appropriate for the classroom learning situation?
3. Is is valuable to me?
4. Is it worthwhile?
5. Does this technology enhance the teaching and learning process?
6. Is the technology appropriate? 

A rubric is a great tool to use for evaluation purposes. A rubric is a detailed scoring guide for assessment, based on stated criteria. For example, a teacher can use a software/app evaluation rubic to help assess the quality of software and apps.

To be considered appropriate, educational technology must:

• be suitable for the educational situation
• be motivational
• promote learning at the correct levels of student ability and academic achievement
• address curriculum standards and related learning objectives

Teachers should continue to evaluate the technology while it is being used, as well as after the instruction using the technology is compete.

 

 

 

Finding funds to support classroom technology integration is one of the more difficult aspects of implementing technology in schools. There are many school districts that don't have sufficient funds to incorporate technology at all levels. However, fund-raising drives, academic contests, and grants can often help a school obtain funding.

A World Without Wires

Technology has come a long way. Think about this: when was the last time you used a corded phone? Improvements in technology have given us wireless computers and mobile devices. The picture of the work or classroom environment has changed, too. People are no longer tied to a desk loaded with wired devices. Wireless technology makes it possible to work just about anywhere because of wireless internet connectivity.

It is important to note that wireless communications technology is not new. An Italian inventor, Guiglielmo Marconi, sent and received the first wireless teletype message using radio waves more than 100 years ago. It is thanks to his discoveries that allow us to enjoy the benefits of wireless technology.  In fact, we experience the benefits of wireless technology on a daily basis and take them for granted. For example, my family and I have a wireless home network. My desktop computer has a wireless network card which allows me to access the internet. My netbook also accesses the internet via a wireless connection. Incidentally, my netbook has a Bluetooth USB adapter so I can use my wireless mouse.

There are two items of wireless technology that I would like to have someday – a mobile hotspot device and a tablet. I read that some users are replacing their wired home network routers with a mobile hotspot device. The thing that I am most intrigued by is the idea of taking the device with you to use at a park, or while waiting for an appointment, or on vacation. I think this would be a great device for a teacher to use. She/he could take the kids on a field trip and still (provided there is cellular service) be able to conduct a lesson using technology. Lifehacker.com has a great article on how to choose the fastest, cheapest and most reliable mobile hotspot device. 

Tablets are being used at all levels of education. So, which one do I choose? This article compares specs and features on the Kindle Fire, the iPad 2, and the Nook Color. They are very comparable devices and ultimately, it depends on how I am going to use it.

I found three iPad apps that I think would be helpful to me as a teacher should I choose to go with an iPad.

Teacher's Assistant Pro is an iPad app that boasts it is perfect for busy teachers. The price is $12.99 – but there is a free trial version. It allows the teacher to enter achievement, behavior, or discipline information as it happens and immediately send the report via e-mail to the parents and administrators.

How Rocket Learned to Read teaches kids to read. It reads the story to the child. The child can read the story themselves and when they get to a word they don't know, they tap on that word to have the app pronounce it. There are two games included that help children work on letter skills and learning to spell sight words.

gFlashPro is a fully functional card editor that allows the user to create and edit their own set of flash cards. The app also keeps track of your score. This would be a very versatile app because it could be used for various subjects.