K-12 School Computer Networking/Chapter 25/Designing a Distance Learning Seminar on Cyber-Ethics for Middle and K-12 Teachers and Administrators

INTRODUCTION

One feature of an effective school is the degree to which the faculty and staff are provided opportunities to learn and grow as professionals. Visionary administrators and school leaders take the time to thoughtfully deliberate and plan the professional development of their teachers. In recent years, the use of technology in the curriculum has emerged as one of the “hot” topics for in-service trainings, colloquiums, and workshops. For example, no issue is more current now (and more hotly debated) than that of the place that social networks like Facebook have in schools. Should teachers be permitted to “friend” students? Should schools take a hardline stance on what their students can do and say on a social network?

As a member of several independent school web listservs, I participate in robust discussions with colleagues around the globe regarding school policies and curriculum. The one theme that permeates most of my conversations is how middle and high schools can most effectively help students learn internet safety and cyber-ethics. Students in most K-12 environments are bombarded daily with ethical dilemmas, and teachers are essential role models, mentors, and voices in the learning process. To help students navigate through the depths of these murky waters, they must first educate themselves about the ethical use of technology.

In a previous age, prior to the 1980s digital revolution, teachers had an easier time making the case that they were the sole experts with knowledge to impart. This knowledge was transferred via an arguably more static curriculum and vis a vis simplistic, predictable tools such as the standard textbook and chalkboard. These easily manipulated non-tech tools gave educators a sense that they indeed were the gurus whose role was to move students along life’s highway toward predictable career destinations. In that era, most adults despite the maturity and age differential could at least feign being on the same “playing field” with kids; conversations about common values and ethics could happen without having to reference a technological tool. Whereas most teachers can still easily speak about ethics and “the right thing to do” they have a tougher time when the ethical lesson hinges upon a reference to a technological tool or system(e.g. Facebook, i-phone, etc.). To illustrate, consider the scenario in which a tech savvy child receives a lecture on the “evils” of texting by an adult that may not even know what texting is. The problem is inherently one of credibility.

The current generational digital divide makes things a bit more challenging. Many of today’s educators are playing “catch up” to learn about the devices and digital tools that most of their students already use on a daily basis. At the turn of the 21st century, Prensky (2001) introduced the concepts of digital native and digital immigrant. I cannot conceive of a more relevant paradigmatic lens through which to look at the curricular and technological tensions that persist in many schools. In K-12 environments where the chasm between Prensky’s native and immigrant populations is significantly cavernous, institutional policies and curriculum focusing on technology’s use can seem anti-tech and draconian. Technology and the ways children use it are often demonized and stigmatized as the “things” that are wrong with our culture. Conversely, many good schools have embraced technology and positive teacher aimed publications like Edutopia(published by The George Lucas Foundation), make the case that the natives and immigrants are embracing each other in myriad ways. In doing this, such trailblazing schools are moving steadily toward Prensky’s (2009) techno-nirvanic state of “digital wisdom.” It is this latter (more harmonious) model that interests me, for in it lies the promise of good schools becoming great learning centers; places where bridges are being built that can cross any digital divide that exists.

WHY A CYBER-ETHICS CURRICULUM?

Strom &Strom (2007) highlight the need for adults to be able to communicate more effectively and thoughtfully with kids by accentuating a call for more emphasis on cyber ethics in schools. They reflected on multiple ways in which recently developed technological tools and skills have created new ways in which cheating can occur. Cheating is at the core an ethical issue and not a technological issue, but technology has made it easier. To illustrate, they stated, “when students lack training regarding ethical practices for searching the Internet, they may suppose it is alright to present the words and views of another person as their own thinking.”

Bartlett (2009) described the world of essay mills about which many teachers only know very little. This, again, suggests a place where teachers and administrators must educate themselves if they are going to be able to help students gain a more ethical use of technology. Ackey (2008) argued that “not until November 1990 did schools’ curricula have any ethical or social applications with regard to the web.” He delineates the central ethical issues as: “privacy and confidentiality, hacking and spamming, property/copyright, netiquette, vandalism, access, and accuracy.” I know of few schools that fully address these issues on any kind of ongoing basis with students.

Kruger (2003) suggested several ways in which schools can start the cyber ethics conversation with students. Among them, he advocated, “work cyber ethics into assignments and discussions. Include terms such as copyright and intellectual property into vocabulary lists.” He added, “When students see you working at your computer, take a moment to show them your software license. Point out the copyright symbol and explain what it means.” Researchers like Rader (2002) also add to the voices that offer suggestions. Ashmore and Herman (2006) described the legal issues related to schools and cyber ethics. Again, this is an area in which teachers and students seem to be inadequately informed.

DISTANCE LEARNING: AN EFFECTIVE TRAINING AND DELIVERY METHOD FOR TEACHER IN-SERVICE

Regarding the aforementioned challenges facing our schools, distance learning holds great promise as a training tool for teachers. Merely talking about a cyber-ethics curriculum in abstract terms will not adequately address the issue. An effective teacher professional development in-service on cyber-ethics needs to be delivered utilizing distance learning modalities. To do the contrary seems illogical. To illustrate, how can one purport to teach educators about ways in which the internet makes cheating accessible without showing myriad examples of the websites that entice K-12 students to do so? Again, when many teachers were school-aged children, the concept of cyber-ethics did not even exist. The very nature of cheating on a school assignment has changed radically. For a digital immigrant, plagiarizing or copying the work of another was a basic act of looking on another’s paper or possibly copying passages from an encyclopedia. Conversely, for the digital native, the methods seem infinite. There exist a plethora of ways to cheat using technology and using the web.

In the fall of 2009, I had the honor of presenting an in-service on cyber-ethics and social networking to a group of K-9 teachers. I cited the landmark research by The Josephson Institute of Ethics. They conducted a qualitative study using surveys and self-reporting on the subject of cheating. Their population was a cross-section of students (N= 36,000). When asked if they had ever cheated, these teens opened up and their responses left most of the teachers in my workshop aghast. 60% said they had cheated on tests and assignments

95% said they were never caught and consider themselves to be morally responsible people

63% of parents said their child would not cheat under any circumstances

Interestingly, the researchers at The Josephson Institute of Ethics also tested a hypothesis that mostly underperforming kids choose to cheat. The researchers separated 3,000 kids from the aggregate. These students were all members of the Who’s Who List. Again, 80% indicated that they had cheated on teacher tests. The numbers alone are not the most revelatory feature of these findings, but rather the reasons students gave to explain their behavior. Among the top reasons they cited were that web sites make it easy and a lack of understanding about what cheating is. Our kids are speaking to us. Are we listening? In their clamorous voices, I hear a clear imperative for cyber-ethics in the curriculum.

DISTANCE LEARNING TOOLS FOR A TEACHER IN-SERVICE ON CYBER-ETHICS IN K-12 CURRICULUM

In this final section, I will illustrate some specific ways in which distance learning can be used to design a powerful professional development workshop for teachers. Of the dozens and dozens of staff professional development trainings that I have attended, none of utilized distance learning tools. Typically, they all follow the same structure: presentation of an issue or problem, lecture or presentation, break out group work, and a commitment to action goals for the school year. While this model can work, in my experience it often doesn’t. The missing piece to an effective training is to incorporate distance learning opportunities. There are several reasons for this: (1) distance learning allows for the conversation to continue long after the seminar ends. The use of discussion boards or a website would enhance the training and render it free of time and space constraints. (2) distance learning allows for knowledge and networks to build and burgeon over time. The use of a wiki on the topic of cyber-ethics in K-12 schools could be an extremely useful resource to teachers throughout a school year. I close now with several more specific ideas.

YOU TUBE

YouTube and Teacher Tube are great resources for delivering a distance learning experience for teachers. First, teachers can find video uploads from their colleagues around the country and world. Teacher Tube, especially, features educators providing instruction in all subject areas. Second, a teacher could learn a great deal from viewing sites like YouTube. For example, videos on “how to plagiarize” are rife on the internet, and give teachers insight and awareness as to what is available for free to their students. A good in-service would include these real examples of distance learning on the web. As an administrator I am alarmed by the numbers of teachers are not even aware of what one can find on sites like Teacher Tube and YouTube.

CHEAT WEBSITES

As a second dimension of a quality distance learning in-service, I would spend a few hours with teachers actually visiting any of the thousands of self-titled “cheat sites” that exist on the web. Again, most teachers and parents I have worked with seem shocked to learn about these “portals to plagiarism.” Distance learning provides a trainer with “real world” examples to share. In preparing for the inservice that I facilitated in the summer of 2009, I researched online cheat sites, and was shocked by the level of sophistication and unabashed pride the designers seemed to take in their controversial craft. Many of these essay mills actually come with toll free customer support and fully developed mission statements. As a facilitator, I would recommend giving teachers time (with guided questions and tasks) to visit any of the cheat sites listed below:

www.schoolsucks.com – this is a free warehouse for everything one would ever need. They boast having over 100,000 essays.

www.termpaper.com - On my last visit to this site, they had a fee of 20.00 to 35.00 per essay. One search of a common book read by middle schoolers across this country yielded about 20 pages of results.

www.cheater.com – This site includes a mission statement that almost makes them sound noble. It states,“Cheater.com is one of the largest FREE online research resources available to students today. We have content in over 100 different subjects from Art History to reports on the history of the Internet and new content is being added daily. While somewhat controversial, we believe the best way to learn is by example. With over 40,000 term papers online available for you to search through to gather information for your own reports or papers we have created a fantastic resource available to students around the world.”

DISCUSSION BOARDS, NINGS, AND WIKIS

A final distance learning component would be the establishment of a teacher, administrator, and parent network in the form of a NING, discussion board, or wiki. This would be the post-workshop feature that would allow ongoing collaboration by all constituents. I would strongly recommend that teachers post items, questions, additions throughout the school year so that these issues stay on the proverbial front burner. In addition, I can foresee this type of distance learning collaboration leading to real change in schools. There could be links to lesson plans on cyber-ethics, internet safety, etc.

REFERENCES

Akcay, B. (2008, October). The relationship between technology and ethics; from society to schools. Turkish Online Journal of Distance Education (TOJDE), 9(4), 120-127.

Ashmore, R., & Herman, B. (2006, May). Abuse in Cyberspace. School Administrator, 63(5), 31-36.

Bartlett, T. (2009, March 20). Cheating Goes Global as Essay Mills Multiply. (cover story). Chronicle of Higher Education, 55(28), A1-A25. Retrieved from Professional Development Collection database.

Kruger, R. (2003, July). Discussing Cyber Ethics with Students Is Critical. Social Studies, 94(4), 188-189.

Prensky, M. (2009). H. sapiens digital: From digital immigrants and digital natives to digital wisdom. Innovate: Journal of Online Education, 5(3). Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database.

Rader, M. (2002) Strategies for teaching internet ethics, The Delta Pi Epsilon Journal. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier Database.

Strom, P., & Strom, R. (2007, Winter). Cheating in Middle School and High School. Educational Forum, 71(2), 104-116.