AUPs - Do they protect us?
An Internet Hotlist on AUPs - Are they enough to protect us?
created by J. Siminitus
ARAGON PTSA
Introduction
| Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs)
| Student Blogs - the Good, Bad, and Ugly
| Cyber Crime, Cyber Ethics, Cyber Safety
| California Curriculum Standards and Resources
| More
Introduction
Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) are signed by parents, students, and faculty each year. Without a signed AUP, students are unauthorized to use a school Internet computer. AUPs are often one page, with space for signatures. Essentially, it is a way to protect a school from harm and allow the school to take disciplinary action in the event of inappropriate use of the school's Internet access.
AUPs -- Do they Protect Us, Are Policies Enough? AUPs do not require any prerequisite reading, coursework, or tutorials on issues covered in the school district policy.
Aragon PTSA is addressing the topic of AUPs and cyber safety in light of a flurry of questions around one popular Internet application, student blogs (i.e., MySpace.com) Any tool can be used for good and for no-good. This hotlist provides PTSA members additional information on topics related to cyber crime, cyber ethics, copyright law, plagiarism, online hazards, and how to fight cyber crime.
The Internet Resources
Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs)
- AUP Lesson Plan - Adobe Web Tech Curriculum lesson plan: Almost every school or school district, whether it is K-12 or college level, has adopted a policy regarding use of the Internet on campus. These policies are generally called acceptable use policies (AUPs). This lesson briefly introduces you to the concept of AUPs and gives you a chance to get familiar with your own school's AUP.
- Aragon High School website - Aragon information, including a link to the Aragon PTSA. Specific reference to school or district policy on acceptable Internet use is included in the Aragon Student Handbook (Red Book), which is online. This hotlist on AUPs is also posted on the Aragon H.S. Library website. See also district website.
- CyberSmart Lesson Plan on AUPs - CyberSmart lesson plan: Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) contracts encourage responsible behavior by students and staff and give administrators enforceable rules for acceptable use of school computers. Students will interpret and make inferences about their school's AUP.
- Network Technology Planning Guide: Acceptable Use Policies - By its very nature, the free-flowing, uncensored exchange of communication that characterizes the Internet has forced the issue of how and by whom the network should be used. Realizing the potential for everything from criminal activities to unwholesome entertainment, many network administrators are wary of the negative power of the Internet in an educational environment. Consequently, a plethora of appropriate and acceptable-use policies have sprung up across the country in the last two years. Small rural schools (such as Woodland High School in California) as well as national organizations (such as the National Science Foundation) are addressing the issue by setting limits on the use of their networks., Depending upon its source, an acceptable-use policy may take the form of a loosely interpreted guideline or a stringent set of rules and regulations. Generally, acceptable use standards fall within the jurisdiction of a network's system administrator both in design and enforcement. Violators can expect termination of their accounts. The system administrator may be at the school, district, county office of education, or an Internet service provider, although usually the policy will be designed by the local school administration in charge of school or district networks.
- SMUHSD website - SMUHSD information, including District policies. No internet safety resources.
Student Blogs - the Good, Bad, and Ugly
- Feather in the Wind (cyber bullying) - Video clips and related activities on cyber bullying.
- Hey, Come to this Site Often? - BusinessWeek Online, June 13, 2005 'Thanks to its addictive appeal, MySpace has become one of the hottest properties on the Web. Only 20 months old, it already has 14 million unique visitors a month, according to market researcher comScore Media Metrix. That makes it far and away the most popular of what are known as social-networking Web sites. Friendster Inc., started three years ago and at one time the clear leader, has a mere 1 million unique monthly visitors. 'We're crushing it,' says MySpace Chief Executive Chris DeWolfe, 39.... The draw? It started with music.'
- Media Connection: Monitizing the Social Network - Michael Jones says: 'Online social networks are hot. Those who participate in them belong to two, three, four, maybe even more than 10 or 20 different ones. They enjoy their features, upload photos, request business contacts and talk with friends. For now, consumers get to do this for free. For now.' Top social networking sites: MySpace, Friendster, etc.
- MySpace blog - Site is often 'blocked' from corporate and school sites. Popular with young people, the blog makes it easy to add your photo, and lots more including: 'About me,' 'Who I'd like to meet,' pictures of friends (this could be a few or hundreds), 'Friends Comments,' 'Interests,' 'Details-profile,' 'Schools,' 'Companies.' You can add music, videoclips, add background colors and be as creative as you'd like! It can be for fun, but it can also be used inappropriately.
- Rupert Murdock Buys MySpace - BusinessWeek Online August 2005 story on acquisition of MySpace social networking site. 'There is no greater priority for the company today than to meaningfully and profitably expand its Internet presence and to properly position ourselves for the explosion in broadband usage that we're now starting to see,' Murdoch said. Now his empire is at a critical juncture. The world is changing and Murdoch is ready to change with it. The younger viewers at the core of the company's audience are drifting away from TV, spending more time online. They're using the Web to socialize and communicate, downloading songs, listening to Internet radio and podcasts, and playing online games. It won't be long before they turn to the Web for longer-form video and TV, thanks to the rise of broadband. About 35% of the U.S. population has broadband, which is getting faster and cheaper every year.
- The MySpace Generation - 12/12/05 issue of Business Week - The 12/12/05 issue of Business Week features a story on The MySpace Generation (p. 86+). Near the end of the article, there is an item on 'Think B4 U Click' Internet safety tips. See also www.businessweek.com or http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/05_50/B3963magazine.htm - The online article includes a podcast.
- Who's Reading MySpace? - Article written by a teen whose teacher read students' blogs one weekend and started a schoolwide discussion on Internet safety and much more. See http://layouth.com/4_37_01.htm
Cyber Crime, Cyber Ethics, Cyber Safety
- California School Library Association - flyers on School Library Legislation - See flyer on California School Library Content Standards proposed legislation (AB 2065 - Carol Liu.) Content standards would also include the teaching of information literacy, including Internet safety and ethics. Another bill (AB 2540 - Loni Hancock), the School Library Equitable Access to Digital Education Resources bill, allocates funds for subscriptions to a core collection of safe, high-quality online magazines and databases for all California students in public school libraries.
- Cyber Crimes of all Sorts - Where/How to Report - Cyber crime covers a wide range of nasty things including: Cyberporn; Intellectual property theft; Rogue Sites and Web Spoofs; Sensitive Database Theft (health records, grades, salary info); Bandwidth theft; Hacking, cracking, & online fraud; Drug and alcohol sales; Online gambling; Threats & hoaxes; Cyberbullying; Cyberstalking
- Cyber Ethics Websites - Link categories include Internet safety, security, and responsibility.
- Cyber Security Campaigns for Digital Schools -- CoSN - Security awareness is a year-round campaign, not just when you sign the School District Acceptable Use Policy for Internet access. Consider Cyber Awareness posters, video clips, articles, and workshops. Cyber Security Day (April & October)
- FBI Youth - This FBI website includes an Internet Safety link, but also includes FBI career-focused links.
- I Keep Safe - California - National PTA formally announced its membership in the Internet Keep Safe Coalition. The coalition is a broad partnership of governors and first spouses, law enforcement agencies, organizations, foundations, and corporate sponsors. Coalition members include the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the FBI Internet Crimes Taskforce, the American Medical Association Alliance, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Crime Prevention Council. The coalition uses Faux Paw the Techno Cat to teach children three simple rules for staying safe online: keep, don’t meet, tell. Visit to learn more about the campaign. Focus is elementary-middle school.
- Internet Safety by isafe.org - This site offers a mix of free and fee-based Internet safety instruction and tools. This site is Microsoft supported and includes several celebrity spokespersons.
- Online safety topics by takingitglobal.org - Graphically pleasing presentation of online safety topics. Available in multiple languages. Site is focused on youth around the world communicating on global issues. Funded by Microsoft US. See www.takingitglobal.org/themes/onlinesafety/
California Curriculum Standards and Resources
More
- AUPs- Do they Protect us? - Tiny URL link to this hotlist is http://tinyurl.com/dlhqd
- E-Literate? (video) - Most young people today do not remember a time when there wasn't a World Wide Web. As we step into the new century, rapidly changing technologies and growing diversity are dramatically reshaping how we live our lives. This is especially true in the classroom and library where technology has transformed the opportunities for learning. Yet a computer and Internet connection are not enough. The resulting explosion in new, often unfiltered information requires enhanced literacy skills. As educators transition from more traditional teaching methods to those that are inquiry based, students are required to self-direct their own learning, cooperate with classmates from diverse backgrounds, and think critically about the abundance of information that has been made available through technological developments. Librarians face the same challenges with patrons as the Internet and other electronic media become the prevalent methods by which information is accessed. Young people without the computer skills to access information and the critical thinking skills to evaluate it will surely be left behind. In 2001, the UCLA Initiative for 21st Century Literacies commissioned the production of E-Literate?, a 15 minute educational video to be used by teachers, librarians, community leaders and parents to introduce 21st century literacies to young people.
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Content by J. Siminitus, js8295@att.com
http://www.kn.att.com/wired/fil/pages/listaupsaj.html
Last revised Fri Aug 24 18:41:25 US/Pacific 2007
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