Journal # 6

"The Threat of Security" by LeAnne K. Robinson,Abbie Brown, and Tim Green
September/October 2007 in Learning & Leading with Technology

This article makes the point that security measures for computer use for educational purposes may be going too far. It seems that all around the nation, administrators and the software programs they buy for computer use are having a negative impact on the teachers. Many teachers are afraid to use the computers in their classroom for fear some kind of administrative reprimand. Many of these teachers are afraid for a good reason. This kind of administrative reprimand for inappropriate use of technology in the classroom has already happened to them or their colleagues. In many cases, the use violations were innocuous, and more than likely part of research for a lesson plan. The authors quote Monica, a special ed assistant, "We had a big district meeting and it was made clear that under no circumstances should we use our email for personal purposes, not even to make plans for the weekend with people we work with." It would be fine to use the class phone to communicate for this purpose, but on a class computer it is considered "innappropriate use." Teachers and students alike are being asked to sign "Acceptable Use Policies (AUPS)" which hold people accountable for every action they make using a computer. What if they teacher researches something for biology and an inappropriate site comes up? Well, likely now, the teacher will not be able to go there because of the filters and blocks that school administrators are paying to have installed on school computers, networks or servers. The ways in which school administrators are acting as Computer Big Brothers is increasing. Teachers are monitored for email use. Websites are being monitored, and filters are installed to ensure security. Or is it appropriate use of computers? Teachers' computers are being altered to account for logoff scripts which protect students who forget to logoff. However if the setup is interfering with classroom instruction, it may not be altered in face of security concerns. Teachers are losing the tech war to security threats. In turn, teachers have shied away from using computers in order to keep infractions from going into their permanent record. The authors state that integrating technology in the classroom is crucial to keep our students engaged as learners, but school administrators have actually in effect discouraged this integration by their own policing of teachers.

How can schools make integrating technology safe and appropriate without discouraging the use of computers for teachers?

I think that schools should have clear policies as to what's appropriate and what's not. Many do; however, I think that administrators have sent the message of distrust to their teachers. "We don't trust you, so we will monitor you." School administrators should do their own research and create lesson plans for teachers! Then, they will see what happens when you try to find a project for health class, or on a controversial book like Toni Morrison's Beloved. Administrators should pre-research lesson plans, buy them, and give them to teachers if they don't trust their own teachers to do what's expected of them - create new and fun lesson plans, day after day. Also, teachers should have training on the tech equipment, so they don't have figure out everything by themselves using trial and error which could lead to innappriate use of technology.

What is another way that teachers could get technology projects completed, other than doing it on their own laptops?
If schools are so concerned with inappropriate use of technlogy, then they could have "accountability partners" like they had when I was a bank teller. In the case of Tom, a high school science teacher mentioned by the authors, he could have walked his PowerPoint presentation to the library or "resource center," have the librarian view it for content purposes, and then the librarian could burn a copy of the presentation then and there for the teacher. Use the librarians as content monitors if need be. They already monitor a teacher's reserve list, a student's checkout list, and other administrative or assistance use at the library anyway. Why not this?