Social Media Guidelines for Educators

Frederick S. Lane

AETN – ArkansasIDEASConway, AR8 July 2014

Lecture Overview

• Introduction• Teaching and Technology•Cybertraps for Educators• Social Media Guidelines for Educators

Background and Expertise

• Attorney and Author of 7 Books• Focus on the Impact of Technology on

Law, Society & Privacy• Numerous Lectures to School

Districts, Administrators, Teachers, PTOs & PTAs, and Students

• 10 yrs on Burlington VT School Board• Computer Forensics Expert and

Consultant

A Communication Revolution

Dramatically Shifting Boundaries

• Nearly All High School Students Now Have a Personal Phone Number•… As Do Half of Middle School Students and a Third of Elementary Age Children• Communication Is No Longer Limited to Face-to-Face and Telephone Calls• Almost Infinite Number of Communication Apps

The Facebook Generation

• “The Facebook” Launched in 2004 – When Today’s Young Teachers Were About 10• 73% of People on Internet Use Social Media• But 90% of People Aged 18-29• Young Adults Also Access Social Media on Mobile at Much Higher Rates

Not Just Teachers

Modern Teaching Challenges

•Murkier or Non-Existent Boundaries•Glorification of Youth Culture• Sexualization of Students• Shifting or Unformed Social Norms• The Pace of Online Activity Overwhelms Decision Making

Cybertraps for Educators

• The End of Educator Privacy?•Workplace Cybertraps•Cyber Assaults on Teachers•Cyber Assaults on Students

Too Much Information?

Cybertraps for Educators

• Are Teachers Even Entitled to a Private Life?• The Freedom of Speech Paradox• The Fishing Charter Dilemma• The Playboy Postulate• The Doxy Proposition

Workplace Social Media Cybertraps

• Productivity / Cyberloafing• Inappropriate or Hostile Communications• FERPA / Student Privacy Violations• Inappropriate or Illegal Online Activity

A Cautionary Tale• “After today, I’m thinking the beach

sounds like a wonderful idea for my 5th graders. I HATE THEIR GUTS! They are all the devils spawn!” – Christine Rubino, Facebook, 6/23/2010• Friend comment: “oh you would let little Kwame

float away!”• Rubino reply: “Yes, I wld not throw a life jacket in

for a million!!”

Social Media Assaults on Educators

•Online Allegations of Bad Behavior•Cyberbullying, Cyberharrassment, and Cyberstalking•Cyberbaiting and “YouTubing”• Impersonation and Identity Theft

Social Media Assaults on Students

• Cyberbullying, Cyberharrassment, and Cyberstalking• Impersonation and Identity Theft• Inappropriate Texts and Posts• Voyeurism and Invasion of Privacy• Solicitation, Sexting, Sexual Assault, and Sextortion

Social Media Guidelines for Educators

•Guiding Principles• Practical Personal Tips•District-Wide Prevention•District Policies and Procedures• Advocacy and Networking•Cyberethics for Educators

Guiding Principles• I’m a Teacher, Not a “Friend”• Transparency Is My Friend• There Is Such a Thing as Too Much Information• Post Unto Others As You Would Have Them Post Unto You• Promotion of Digital Citizenship

Practical Personal Tips• THINK!• Understand and Implement Best Privacy Practices• Understand That’s Not Enough• If It’s Digital, It’s Been Copied• Digitize Deliberately• Delete Is a Myth

District-Wide Prevention• Planning Ahead Is Crucial•Well-Drafted Policies and Clear Procedures• Education of the Entire Community• Networking with Unions, Law Enforcement, and Legislatures• Rinse and Repeat

District Policies and Procedures

•Does Your District Have an AUP?•Do You Know What’s In It?• Embrace the Spirit, Not Just the Letter• Incorporate the AUP into Curricula and Lesson Plans

Advocacy and Networking

• The Career You Save May Be Your Own• The Politics of Policy-Making• Understanding Begins with U• Conforming Policies and Procedures to District Goals• Great Educational Opportunity for Students

Cyberethics for Educators• Pre- and Post-Certification Training in

Technology and Cybertraps• Establish Personal Framework for

Cyberethical Behavior• Sound Decision-Making Online and Off• Modeling Cyberethical Behavior for

Students• Educating Cyber Citizens for 21st Century

Contact Information• E-Mail:• FSLane3@gmail.com

• Telephone:• 802-318-4604

• Twitter• @Cybertraps, @FSL3

• LinkedIn:• www.linkedin.com/in/fredericklane/

• SlideShare.net• www.slideshare.net/FSL3

Social Media Guidelines for Educators

Frederick S. Lane

AETN – ArkansasIDEASConway, AR8 July 2014