Ethical Dilemma - Privacy
Teachers and schools need to adhere to the privacy act. Dalziel refers in her book to how schools can react responsible regarding matters of privacy. She refers to appropriate storage of information and who has access to it. Through social media there is now a wider platform where personal information can be shared.
"Social media can provide a window into a school/centre so that ideas and information can be shared and exchanged all the time."
As a teacher, it is important to be ethical about sharing this information and ensure that students know what and how to share personal information. In my own practice, I ensure that when I post online or children post on class blogs, information is only a first name and no other personal information is shared.
This links with ensuring that children are responsible digital citizens and engaging children with cyber-safety and implementing internet safety agreements goes further to ensuring that schools 'protect the confidentiality of information about learners' as stated by the Education Council's code of ethics.
This links with ensuring that children are responsible digital citizens and engaging children with cyber-safety and implementing internet safety agreements goes further to ensuring that schools 'protect the confidentiality of information about learners' as stated by the Education Council's code of ethics.
Potential Issues
The code of ethics also refers that teachers not only have a commitment to learners but they also have a commitment to parents. Teachers need to work in partnership with the parent community ensuring that their privacy is respected. As the use of social media is increasing in schools, not all parents may wish to be their child to be involved in social media. Currently my class have been making videos to share learning and upload it onto the blog so it could be shared with each other and their parents. The most efficient way was to do this was via YouTube. One child commented that he wasn't allowed to be on YouTube. Once I knew this, I had to act on it even though internet-use agreements had been signed given permission.
Resolution
The first item I have been reflecting on is: the wording of my schools agreements. With ever-changing technology is the wording sufficient for the purpose class teachers are using social media? It is not practical to update agreements for every new development. However what I can do is when using a new tool, consult the children and their parents for feedback. This reflection has also led to the need to visit this policy myself and evaluate it against my classroom practice to ensure I act ethically according to it and the parent community.
Regarding the video there are several options:
- I can ensure the video privacy settings are strict so only parents with the link can view it.
- The child in question will not be involved in any video work in future and find an alternative method for their learning. This is difficult to manage in a class and is not fair on the child as he may feel that he is treated differently.
- I can incorporate the use of avatars and puppet pals into video activities so students are no longer in videos just voices. This would respect the privacy of the students according to the parent's wishes.
- One thing I cannot do is ignore this child's comment and publish it regardless. This links back to the code of ethics about how teachers have a moral obligation to ensuring that children are shown how to act responsibly by teaching and modelling positive actions.
This issue has highlighted how important it is to respect children's privacy and parent wishes and I will be revisiting policies and ensuring I am more transparent with the class and parent community about the use of social media.
Regarding the video there are several options:
- I can ensure the video privacy settings are strict so only parents with the link can view it.
- The child in question will not be involved in any video work in future and find an alternative method for their learning. This is difficult to manage in a class and is not fair on the child as he may feel that he is treated differently.
- I can incorporate the use of avatars and puppet pals into video activities so students are no longer in videos just voices. This would respect the privacy of the students according to the parent's wishes.
- One thing I cannot do is ignore this child's comment and publish it regardless. This links back to the code of ethics about how teachers have a moral obligation to ensuring that children are shown how to act responsibly by teaching and modelling positive actions.
This issue has highlighted how important it is to respect children's privacy and parent wishes and I will be revisiting policies and ensuring I am more transparent with the class and parent community about the use of social media.
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