MARYLAND TEACHER
TECHNOLOGY STANDARD III:
LEGAL, SOCIAL, AND ETHICAL ISSUES
Hilary Leas
EDUC 318
Table of Contents
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MTTS III
Ethical Issues
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10
13
14
Digital Divide: Teacher Recommendations
Legal Use of Digital Media
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8
Digital Divide
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Ethical Issues: Teacher Recommendations
3
4
Legal Use: Teacher Recommendations
Conclusion
Resources
18
19
21
MTTS III: Legal, Social, Ethical Issues
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Indicators:
 Identify
ethical and legal issues using technology.
 Analyze issues related to the uses of technology in
educational settings.
 Establish policies and procedures that ensure
compliance with copyright law, Fair Use guidelines,
security, privacy, and students-online protection.
 Use classroom procedures to manage an equitable,
safe, and healthy environment for students.
Ethical Issues
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Ethics is the “study of mortality’s effect on conduct: the
study of moral standards and how they affect conduct”
The Internet is full of wide varieties of information
available for anyone. This is an “interactive” tool making
it difficult for teachers to regulate what students do and
access.
Technology has created wonderful educational tools but it
“also created risks and raised ethical issues for students of
all grades, as it has created many opportunities for
illegal, inappropriate and unsafe behavior among all
participants”
Ethical Issues Examples:
safety and security

Social Networking: examples of social networking
include Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and chat rooms
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These forms of network put children’s identity in jeopardy.
School system should limit the usage of the Internet
Computers in school are not for recreational use
Acceptable Use Policies: identifying the limits and
regulations on technology usage in the school
system

One challenge about the Internet is that it “allows any
uses, anywhere, to post information, including materials
that are inaccurate, misleading and inappropriate for
children.”
Ethical Issues Examples:
safety and security

Netiquette: “do’s and don'ts for online
communication”
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The Core Rules of Netiquette ~rules of how to properly
and effectively use online resources
Cyber Bullying: “is when one or more people
repeatedly harm, harass, intimidate or exclude another
person using technology.”
 When using social networking sites, children may attack
one another. These attacks lead to one’s self destruction
and effect their social lives.
 This is a look of the effect cyber bullying had on a
child. A True Story
Ethical Issues Examples:
safety and security
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Students Data: Examples of student data includes
contact information, medical information, grades,
and portfolios. All of these include personal data
about an individual that should not be displayed
publically unless given permission by a guardian.
Internet Privacy: The Internet “enables anyone to
collect personal information” about a child.
Ethical Issues: Teacher Recommendations
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Create lessons on “Internet safety and security” to teach the
students how to “behave ethically and responsibly online”
As a teacher, you may not be able to control what goes on
with internet usage at home but you can educate students
about the effects of cyber bullying while in the classroom.
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Lead a class discussion on cyber bullying using examples such as email, text
messages, social networking sites, and other technology tools. Allow the
students to understand “the depth and breadth of cyber bullying.”
Be sure to expose the positive side of the technology as well because these
tools are to be fun for the students to use.
Ethical Issues: Teacher Recommendations
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In the beginning of the year, or before conducting the
first lesson that integrates technology, create a contract
(if the school does not already have one) that explains
the rules, regulations, and responsibilities that come
with using the technology. Also, explain the
consequences that will be enforced if the rules are
disobeyed. The students and parents must sign this
contract.
When informing students about technology and all the
responsibilities that come along with it, it is important to
discuss with the students to “never give out personal
information” such as name, address, phone number,
age, or anything else. You must also explain why this is
important.
Digital Divide
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Digital Divide is “the difference in opportunities
available to people who have access to modern
information technology and those who do not.”
When integrating technology into the curriculum it takes time
for everyone to get comfortable with the tool. Just like when
learning how to read or algebra, all students learn at different
paces and you must meet their needs because they can do it!
What is digital divide?
Digital Divide: Examples
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Gender: Some believe that males are better users of
technology then females.
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Techbridge~ This webpage has resources and hands-on
activities to encourage girls to use technology
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Socio Economic: Social class also affects the digital
divide. Families with low incomes unfortunately may not
have the privilege to access technology.
Digital Divide: Examples
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Race: Research shows that minorities in the United States
either do not know how to use technology and/or do not have
access to it.
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Resource Equity: Technology is a costly thing so many may
not have the opportunity to abundant amounts of resources
that are available.
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Teacher Bias: This may be an unconscious act but teachers
may tend to favor or give more attention to one group of
students than another.
Digital Divide: Teacher Recommendations
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Technology is rapidly growing in our society so to keep the students
engaged in what is going on in the world, we must teach them how
to use technology and make it available to them.
Modify lessons and activities that use technology so that everyone
gets the most out of the lesson content.
Be aware of bias actions. It takes everyone time to get comfortable
with using technology. Use the students who are comfortable using
technology to assist those who are still adjusting.
Provide students with resources and guides for technology that they
can use inside and outside of the classroom.
 Introduce students to the free resources that are available.
Legal Use of Digital Media
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Legal Use of Digital Media includes following
Copyright laws, using and understanding Fair Use,
and Creative Commons
When using digital media in the classroom, whether
it be teacher or students use, there are a lot of
things that you have to be aware of to ensure
proper and appropriate use.
Legal Use of Digital Media
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Copyright: “is a legal device that provides the
creator of a work of art or literature, or a work
that conveys information or ideas, the right to
control how the work is used.”
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Any piece of work that is a tangible item such as a
webpage, video, or essay can be copyrighted.
There are “three fundamental requirements for
something to be copyrighted” : fixation, originality,
and minimal creativity.
The purpose of copyright is to protect the author.
There are four main rights to copyright and they are
“to make copies of the work,” “to sell or otherwise
distribute copies of the work,” “to prepare new
works based on the protected work,” and “to
perform the protected work in public.”
Legal Use of Digital Media
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Fair Use: “legally quoting somebody else’s copyrighted music,
pictures words without paying or asking permission”
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When using works of other people you must properly cite the material.
Also, use “limited portions of published materials.”
Things that should be avoided to ensure Fair Use do not “copy the same
works semester to semester” or “copy the same material for several
different courses at the same or different institutions.”
There are times where it is appropriate to request for permission to not
cross boundaries. Examples of this are when you “intend to use the
materials for commercial purpose,” “want to use the materials repeatedly,”
or “want to use a work in its entirety and it is longer than 2,500 words.”
Legal Use of Digital Media
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Creative Commons: “is a nonprofit organization that
increases sharing and improves collaboration.”
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CC provides individuals, companies, and institutions with “easy-touse legal tools” to “grant copyright permission to their creative
work.”
Using CC gives creators to opportunity to allow others to use their
ideas to build upon. The creator can have “all rights reserved” or
“some rights reserved.” It is up the creator to say what can and
cannot be done with their work.
Creative Commons is not an alternative option to Copyright. CC
works with copyright.
Cc~ Creative Commons website
Legal Use of Digital Media:
Teacher Recommendations
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Be aware of Copyright and Fair Use laws and regulations when using
worksheets, videos, and other material in instruction.
Keep in contact with your school/county’s Media Specialist on the newest
copyright issues and how to react to them. Use the Media Specialist as a
resource.
Explain to the students Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons and the
difference between the three.
Teach the students about plagiarism and how to give credit to sources when
using other peoples work in papers and projects.
Conclusion
Incorporating technology into the classroom environment is wonderful for the students who have the
opportunity to engage in using it. Using technology allows students to reach a discovery aspect of learning.
When students are able to explore the best learning can take place. However, when allowing students to use
technology it is hard to regulate and control what they do. For example, the Internet is full of information that
anyone can access at any given time. People can also post anything on the Internet for anyone to see. There
is a variety of content online that is inappropriate for students to be exposed to. Along with the privilege of
using technology come different aspects of risks and issues.
There are several legal and ethical issues when technology is provided. Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative
Commons are all ways for authors and creators to have rights to their work. Teachers and students need to
understand all of these and how to use content without breaking anything legally. A lot of responsibility
comes along with the privilege of using technology, such as the Internet. When in school, students need to
understand that the right is not to be abused and what can happen when students use the Internet for
recreational use. Creating a policy for students to agree to is a great way to help enforce these issues.
Unfortunately in the world, not everyone is good, therefore safety is an obligation when using Internet or
any form of technology in the curriculum. Students need to be aware that anyone can have access to anything
on the Internet and it is important to not expose personal information. Knowing all the information that is
displayed on the Internet for students safety is important for them to understand so they know how to
appropriately act when exposed to various forms of content, appropriate or not. Social networking is fun
and should be a positive thing, but be aware of what you post for the whole world to see. This is a risky
situation that can be avoided. Social networking is very popular and many students use it, recently the issue
of cyber bullying has revealed itself.
Conclusion
This is a health and safety issue for students that needs to be addressed. When students are emotionally
damaged, they become withdrawn socially and in some cases, cyber bullying leads to suicide. Discussing in
your class the issue of cyber bullying and the toll it can take on an individual is a great way to address the
issue. When students are aware of each others emotions and how to handle difficult situations , they are
emotionally healthy.
Unfortunately, not all students will have access to technology outside of school so it is important to use it
to its fullest potential. When teaching about technology and using it, not all students will understand and
grasp the concepts the first time. This does not differ from teaching any other subject. Modifying the lessons
and creating a support system will help all students no matter age, race, or gender to reach your
expectations. Put aside teacher biases and focus on the students and their needs; treat them all the same.
When using technology in the classroom, there are so many things to think about to ensure proper use on
content and that you are reaching your students need for learning. It is important to be aware of all the
issues to address to them head on to ensure the safety of your classroom. Once all of these issues are
conquered, then classroom environments are improved and future problems can be prevented.
Resources
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Butler, K. (2010, June). Cybersafety In the Classroom. Retrieved December
15,
20120, from District Administration:
http://www.districtadministration.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=2428
Copyright and Fair Use in the Classroom, on the Internet, and the World
Wide
Web. (2010). Retrieved December 15, 2010, from University fo Maryland
University College: http://www.umuc.edu/library/copy.shtml
Creative Commons. (n.d.). Retrieved December 16, 2010, from
http://creativecommons.org/about/what-is-cc
Fountas, A. (2010). Committee for Children. Retrieved December 15, 2010, from
Teaching Kids About Cyber Bullying:
http://www.cfchildren.org/programs/hot-topics/cyberbullying/stopbullying-from-being-a-click-away/
Maryland Teacher Technology Standards. (n.d.). Retrieved December 15, 2 010,
from MTTS Online:
http://www.mttsonline.org/standards/standard_III/
Ross, S. T. (2006). A Service of Albion. Retrieved December 15, 2010, from
Netiquette: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/