de securitate et moribus

Mark Zuckerberg may think that privacy is no longer a social norm, and you may agree or disagree with him. But as teachers, the safety and personal security of the young adults and children in our classroom comes first. Even if in the future there were a radical shift in privacy norms, we have a duty to protect our students and, perhaps more importantly, teach them how to protect themselves when using the internet.

When it comes to safety rules and guidelines the more explicit the better. Don't be vague. Take time to discuss specific scenarios and practices with your students. When you say "be safe" students may have their own concept of what is safe practice that differs with what you and the school community believe is safe internet behavior. Be crystal clear.

I also think we should be clear about other practices becoming of responsible internet denizens. Perhaps it's quaint, but we as teachers may be in a position to help establish manners and etiquette in the digital age. Behind the anonymity that the internet provides, many creators of web content fail to employ social graces that create civil and meaningful discussion. This is no way a prejudice against the young. This is merely my own observation of and frustration with typical internet discourse. I think we have the right and the responsibility to insist on consistently respectful web communication. Or am I just old fashioned and overreacting?

Here are some guidelines I would insist on for my class. I look forward to reading the rules my fellow teachers have devised.

Personal Safety
#1- Students will keep personal information out of blog posts. This includes:
~ surname
~ phone number
~ home address
~ school name and address
~ the names of other local areas (e.g. don't use a blog post to plan a meeting at a library or coffee shop)
~ city
~ any other information that could help someone locate or contact you in person.
#2- Do not share digital personal information such as
~ usernames
~ passwords
~ links to other blogs or social networking sites that share any of your personal information.
#3- Students will report any comments posted by unknown parties that are disrespectful, suspicious or make you feel uncomfortable. When in doubt, tell your teacher or parents.
Computer Safety
#4- Students will not download or install any software without permission.
#5 -Students will not click on any ads.
Academic Honesty
#6- Students will not share their password and username with anyone except their teacher or parents.
#7- Students will not log on using the account of another student.
Respect and Courtesy
#8- Think of the class blog as a digital extension of the classroom. Do not post any links that are irrelevant to the task at hand. This includes any material inappropriate for school.
#9- Using the class blog, treat your teacher and fellow students in the same respectful manner you treat them in the physical classroom.
~ No name calling or put-downs.
~ No offensive language.
~ No comments that are prejudiced against people of different backgrounds (ethnicity, country of origin, race, religion, language, gender, sexual orientation).
~ Respect everyone's views; don't use any hurtful language even if you disagree.
~ All criticism should be constructive.

#10- Because this is a classroom project (and your teacher isn't always up to date on current lingo), minimize your use of internet abbreviations so that everyone can understand, and we continue to practice "school language" conventions.

~Please discuss these rules with your teacher if you have any questions.
~Anyone who fails to follows these rules will not be allowed to participate in our blog project.
~ All students and parents will read these rules before signing the permission slip below. All students will hand in the signed permission slip before taking part in the blog project.