Students and educators in the classroom today have more access to technology than ever before. There are conflicting opinions about this being a positive or negative thing when it comes to the amount of technology that students and educators are working with in the classroom. Lots of programs that students have access to make teachers give important data about the student, for example, first and last name, school name, school log-in codes, etc. Teachers are also asked for information to help students gain access to these websites, like school emails, log-in codes, etc. It is important that we help students and educators understand their digital rights – which include privacy and data protection, safety and security, access and equity, and the freedom of expression. It is so important that students learn about digital citizenship in order to learn proper etiquette online.
How do we protect our students’ privacy and our educators’ privacy when they are using technology in the classroom? There are several reasons as to why we would need to protect privacy. First, according to Nottingham, Stockman, and Burke (2022), the collection of learner data through digital learning platforms exposes children to unethical data processing by third-party companies. These companies only want to use students’ data for commercial gain. Nottingham, Stockman, and Burke (2022) also point out that most schools have very little to no guidance at all on how to balance individual student privacy protection with the bigger duty of educating students. Districts require schools to use certain programs, such as MClass or PowerSchool, for progress monitoring, leaving students and parents without the option to opt out of usage. If educators cannot collect progress monitoring data on their students, then they have no basis of need for interventions or special needs services that would be determined by such data.
According to Thompson (2023), there are several steps that we educators can take to help protect not only our own privacy rights online, but our students’ privacy as well. Thompson suggests key steps to follow, such as developing a communication strategy, identifying the specific apps and websites being used by the district, and vet approved apps for data breaches and privacy laws. Taking these steps helps to ensure that personal information stays private and that all educators are on the same page as far as implementation is concerned. School districts and educators have to stand up for student rights to have privacy online.
References:
Nottingham E., Stockman C., Burke M. (2022). Education in a datafied world: Balancing children’s rights and school’s responsibilities in the age of Covid 19. Computer Law & Security Review, 45, 105664. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clsr.2022.105664
Thompson, R. (2023, March 15). 6 Steps to Protect Student Data Privacy. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/article/protecting-student-data-privacy/
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