Acceptable Use Policies

Technology is a great asset to many educational environments.  Computers and other devices allow web access to an infinite number of resources.  Because of the access to such a vast array of resources, it is vital that institutions have comprehensive Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) in place applying to all users of the district’s network devices.  An Acceptable Use Policy is a document that outlines the rights and responsibilities of those who are accessing web-based materials through a district’s network.  

Acceptable Use Policies are a valuable document, not only in protecting a district, staff, students, and parents legally, but also in empowering students and encouraging the development of safe and responsible online behavior.  In their overview of AUPs, the Internet-safety organization i-SAFE (n.d.) states, “By teaching students responsible behavior, asking them to sign an agreement, and providing written descriptions of the consequences for wrongful action, students develop a sense of responsibility and ownership for their online experience.” (p. 1).  It is not realistic to believe that most students will only access the Internet in the school environment.  Because of this, it is important that students learn how to access web content safely and responsibly while under adult supervision in school, so that they develop good web-use habits that will carry over into Internet use outside of the school environment, where supervision may or may not be present.  

The Education World (n.d.) article, “Getting Started on the Internet:  Developing an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP)”, identifies six key elements outlined by the National Education Association that characterize an effective AUP.  These six elements:  a preamble, a definition section, a policy statement, an acceptable uses section, an unacceptable uses section, and a violations/sanctions section ensure that both the users and the district have a clear understanding of what the expectations of the user are, what is and isn’t permissible when accessing online content, and what the consequences will be if the AUP is violated.  As stated by the NEA, the preamble states the purpose, goals, and development process for the policy.  The definition section explains key words that are used throughout the document.  The policy statement explains the circumstances under which the AUP applies.  The acceptable and unacceptable uses sections outline what is and isn’t appropriate uses of technology.  Finally, the violations/sanctions section tells users how to report violations of the Acceptable Use Policy.  

One current issue I find interesting is the debate over inclusion of social media policies within AUPs.  In my school district, Facebook specifically is the “hot-button issue”.  I currently serve on our district’s technology committee.  At our first meeting of the year, concern was expressed by a school board member about the use of Facebook by staff and students for use in classes and by organizations affiliated with the school.  It was felt that a specific policy on Facebook-use needed to be developed, and a sub-committee was formed to draft the wording of the policy.  Personally, I felt conflicted about the decision at the time.  The basis of my concern wasn’t necessarily reflective of any specific knowledge I had, but more from my own philosophy of technology.  This week, having read multiple articles addressing the inclusion of social media in AUPs, my feelings about the policy development have not changed, but now I feel I can justify my opinion.  In his article, “Why You Don’t Need an Employee Social Media Policy”, Scott McLeod (2012) states, “...employee social media policies typically fail to make important distinctions between the behavior and the medium.” (p. 11).  In stating this, McLeod also makes the important point that many times the tool (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) is deemed to be the thing that students need to be protected from, when really they are only communication tools in the same way as a telephone or pencil and paper.  The real focus should be on the behavior of students and how they should behave when using social media tools.  I am interested to see how the Facebook policy is going to impact the current AUPs we have in place for staff and students in my school district.

The following links are examples of Acceptable Use Policies being used in various school districts*:

Thornhill Elementary School (Oakland, CA): http://www.thornhillschool.org/about-our-school/acceptable-use-policy/

Hutchens Elementary School (Mobile, AL): http://www.hutchenselementary.org/?PageName=bc&n=143574

Carroll School (Waltham/Lincoln, MA): http://www.carrollschool.org/our-community/parents-page/acceptable-use-computer-policy

Duchesne County School District (Duchesne, UT): http://dcsd.org/policies.cfm?subpage=1516933

*Unfortunately, I am unable to link to my school district's staff and student AUPs, as neither document is web-based at this time.

References:

Education World. (n.d.). Getting started on the internet: Developing an acceptable use policy (AUP). Retrieved from: http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml

i-SAFE. (n.d.). Acceptable use policies. Retrieved from: www.isafe.org/imgs/pdf/education/AUPs.pdf

McLeod, S. (2012). Why you don't need an employee social media policy. School Administrator, 69(11). Retrieved from: http://www.aasa.org/content.aspx?id=25944