Activity 5: Legal and ethical contexts in my digital practice

Legal and ethical contexts in my digital practice

Identifying an ethical dilemma

Ethical dilemma:  Collaborative work within the classroom environment, using apps as appropriate and sharing ideas etc to make up meme, videos, research, then appropriate display of the information collected.  I stumbled into this (this year will be more on the ball).

With in the school I have asked for more and more of our system to be unlocked an example is google+ communities - seen at school as social media had to show worth for class use.

- Research had students wanting to use online photos/pictures for their own destination display

- Video music - most wanted to use this instead of their own voices or available "free" again quite an issue

-use of their phones and devices during class and off task

-sending their information to a shared area - like google.doc  

School has a policy both internet and use of ipads/computers that should be taken home and read/signed http://cdn2.mmc.school.nz/2015-information-booklet.pdf

Making sure that the parents know that the students will be putting up their work and maybe their own images in promotion video and/or poster.  (As per required for evidence with our studies), making the students also aware that the work they are doing is going to be uploaded to a website and the privacy issues.

Copyright or illegal down loading or copying of data - basic regulations given out and explained.  Suggestion by me to all - make and use your own photos, recordings.  Then not breaking any copyright laws.

• When all done, if the student is way behind and can finish quickly by using downloaded information, do I let them
• If excellent piece of work, amazing covering all the criteria but some downloaded and permissions not sort do I down grade the mark
• Can they find a way to cover the use of other works by referencing it, within their presentations.

Addressing a potential ethical dilemma in practice

I did not think of a lot about the ethical dilemma of copyright to begin with and it wasn't until I had received some student work that I realised I had missed a very important step (must admit I thought the students would already know a lot of this).

To date no negative feedback from parents/whanau, we are trying to use social networking that offers a higher degree of privacy and control.  Students found creative ways of presenting data without using themselves if uncomfortable.

Students learn from teachers/parents/community when looking to make 'moral choices'.  We need to be comfortable within our own choices for the students to see this. Understand the ethical questions and act appropriately. Recognise and respond to illicit activity quickly and efficiently. Follow both rules of school as well as the Code Of Ethics for Certified Teachers (and will be replace by the new code by 1 July 2017)

Issues are safety of students work/images when uploaded to web.  Parents concern for this, and violation of copyright laws.

Ethics are learned behaviours shaped by a range of influences.  Levinas (1979) frame for ethical practice - all people depend on more than just themselves for life, sustenance, education and we are continuously in an ethical relationship with the 'other'.  Making sure information is shared with family/whanau will result in a more positive outcome and being proactive, giving explanations of where information is going to be uploaded.  Careful explanation to all students about use of others images - what is acceptable and what not.  We have a duty of care to our main stakeholders, that of our students first, family and school second.  Social networking has blurred the boundaries between professional/school and personal lives. (pg 2 Henderson).