Responsible & EthicalUse of Technology

Oak Valley Middle School2011-2012

Adapted from: Johnson, D. (1999). Teaching Students Right from Wrong in the Digital Age. Retrieved from: http://www.janinelim.com/bc/4thur/ethics.pdf

Objective

We are exploring new ways to allow Oak Valley students to use technology in responsible ways. Over the course of this year, we want our students:

To know how to use technology responsibly and ethically.

To know how to keep personal information confidential.

To be sensible about how we present ourselves, our families, and our school.

To be intelligent consumers of information.

Getting Ready…

In our last Monday Lesson, we discussed: “Appropriate Use of Technology.”

On a sheet of paper, describe in your own words what it means to use Technology Appropriately at Oak Valley. (Hint: Think Common Expectations)

Put a box around the key words in your description.

In small groups, identify the key words. What patterns does your group see? What key words or ideas repeat? (You will have 3 to 5 min)

Starter

Today, we will look at more cases where students will need to make responsible choices.

We will continue our discussion using the 3 Ps of Responsible Use (Johnson, 1999):

1. Privacy2. Property3. Appropriate Use

Today, we are going to focus on the issue of Property.

Cases for Discussion: Property

Read quietly, as your teacher reads aloud. On your paper, be prepared to make a decision about Cindy’s choices. Support your decision with two to three sentences explaining your thinking. Your teacher may have you share your reasoning. (5 to 10 min)

Cindy finds some good information about plant growth nutrients for her science fair project on a CD-ROM reference title. She uses the copy function of the computer to take an entire paragraph from the CD-ROM article and paste it directly into her report. She also forgets to write down the title of the article and the CD-ROM from which it was taken. When she writes her report, she does not cite the source in her bibliography. Is what Cindy did:

a) Right b) Wrong c) Sometimes right and sometimes wrong depending on the

situation d) I don't know

3 Ps of Responsible Use (Johnson, 1999): Privacy, Property, Appropriate Use

Cases for Discussion: Property

3 Ps of Responsible Use (Johnson, 1999): Privacy, Property, Appropriate Use

Discussion Points When is it okay to use another person’s ideas,

words, and phrases? Discuss this in small groups and remember to use respectful listening (without interruptions) when listening to others thoughts and ideas.

Be prepared to share out. Plagiarism is easier than ever, thanks to

computer technology. We need to understand when and how to cite sources in both print and electronic formats. (5 to 10 min)

So, how does this relate to us now?

As we explore new ways to allow Oak Valley students to use technology in responsible ways, we want our students:

To know how to use technology responsibly and ethically.

To know how to keep personal information confidential.

To be sensible about how we present ourselves, our families, and our school.

To be intelligent consumers of information.

Your Responsibility

Make sure you understand how to respect other people’s property—including their ideas, words and phrases.

Take Care of your Hardware

Report Issues So We Can Address Them Quickly