ICT and Social Media Expected Use

ICT and Social Media Expected Use Policy

• Introduction

Scoil Íde recognises that access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) gives our students enhanced opportunities to learn, engage, communicate and develop skills that will prepare them for many aspects of life.

To that end, we provide access to ICT for student use. We tweet at @ScoilIde and maintain www.scoilide.ie as our school website. Individual classes also tweet but used locked Twitter accounts. This Expected Use Policy outlines the guidelines and behaviours that our students are expected to follow when using school technologies for school activities of any nature.

1.1 Technologies covered

Scoil Íde may provide students with Internet access, desktop computers, digital imaging equipment, chromebooks, laptops or tablet devices, videoconferencing capabilities, virtual learning environments, online collaboration capabilities, online discussion forums, blogs and more. The policies outlined in this document are intended to cover all online technologies used in the school, not just those specifically mentioned.

1.2 Scoil Íde ICT network

 The Scoil Íde computer network is intended for educational purposes.

• All activity over the network may be monitored and retained
• Access to online content via the network is restricted in accordance with our policies and the Department of Education and Skills through its agency, the National Centre for Technology in Education.
• Students are expected to respect that the web filter is a safety precaution and should not try to circumvent it when browsing the Web. Teachers have full editorial rights over the school website, blog and twitter. Students will not have access to relevant passwords.
• Students are expected to follow the same rules for good behaviour and respectful conduct online as offline – these rules are found in the Scoil Íde Code of Behaviour.
• Misuse of school resources may result in disciplinary action.
• After using school laptops and/or chrome books students must ensure that they are returned to the laptop trolley and assigned their correct space in the trolley.
• We make a reasonable effort to ensure students’ safety and security online but will not be held accountable for any harm or damages that result from misuse of school technologies.
• When blogging, recording audio or sending any sort of online communication from a school device, students must not slander, defame or misrepresent the school or the views or activities of another individual.
• Teachers choose and modify all twitter followers/followees and all are for the intended educational purpose. Retweets are not necessarily the views of Scoil Íde but are discussed and distributed for educational and conversational purposes.
• There are no full name references to children on Twitter.
• The staff and teachers of Scoil Íde commit to not using the online platforms or school accounts for the expression of personal views.
• Students are expected to alert teachers immediately of any concerns for safety or security.

1.3 Photographs

Scoil Íde uses internet media to celebrate the success stories and great achievements of our students. We use photographs/video/other multimedia to complement text content.

We advise the following:

• Photographs of the children will only be displayed online through our various platforms unless parental permission has been declined.
• Children will not be named in full – first name will suffice. Should their full name be used at any stage, verbal permission will be sought by parents/guardians.
• No child shall be photographed and named under that photograph specifically if they are the only student photographed.

1.4 Scoil Íde online collaboration through internet platforms

Scoil Íde recognises that online collaboration is essential to education and may provide students with access to a variety of online tools that allow communication, sharing, and messaging among students. Students are expected to communicate with the same appropriate, safe, mindful and courteous conduct online as offline.

1.5  Mobile devices

Scoil Íde may provide students with mobile computers, digital recorders or other devices to promote learning both inside and outside of the school. Students should abide by the same expected use policies, when using school devices off the school network, as on the school network. Students are expected to treat these devices with respect. They should report any loss, damage, or malfunction to their teacher immediately. Use of school-issued mobile devices will be monitored.

1.6 Mobile devices in the possession of student

Students may not use personally-owned devices in school (e.g. laptops, tablets computers, digital-cameras, and smart-phones etc.) for educational purposes, unless explicitly stated in notes read and signed by parents/guardians and written by their classroom teacher. Appropriate online behaviour and adherence to the expected use policy should always be used.

1.7 Scoil Íde School Security

We ask that our students use common sense if they think a website does not look ‘right’. They must inform their teacher of any concerns. They must think twice before they click on anything they feel is not right. If they believe a computer or mobile device they are using might be infected with a virus, they must alert their teacher.

 1.8 Netiquette

Netiquette may be defined as appropriate social behaviour over computer networks and in particular in the online environment. To this end:

• Students should always use the Internet, network resources, and online sites in a courteous and respectful manner.
• Students should also recognise that among the valuable content online is unverified, incorrect, or inappropriate content.
• Students should not post anything online that they wouldn’t want parents, teachers, or future colleges or employers to see.

1.9  Personal Safety

If students see a message, comment, image, or anything else online that makes them concerned for their personal safety, they must bring it to the immediate attention of

• a teacher if they are at school.
• a parent / guardian if they are at home.
• Students should never share personal information about themselves or others, including phone numbers, addresses, PPS numbers and birth-dates over the Internet without adult permission.
• Students should never agree to meet someone they meet online in real life without parental permission.
• Students’ images will not be shared online without explicit expressed permission from their parents.
• Consequently, other students must not take, use or share images of or from other students in school on school online platforms.

 1.10 Cyber-bullying

 Cyber bullying in all its forms is unacceptable behaviour.

• Our students must not send messages or post comments or photos with the intent of scaring, hurting, or intimidating someone else. Engaging in any online activities intended to harm (physically or emotionally) another person, will result in severe disciplinary action and loss of privileges.
• In some cases, cyber-bullying is a crime.
• Remember that your activities are monitored and retained.
• The school will support students, teachers and parents in dealing with cyberbullying Scoil Íde is committed to the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (Circular 0065/2011) and will act as required by the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the Department of Justice and Equality and the Health Service Executive.

1.11 Violations of this Expected Use Policy

Violations of this policy in may have disciplinary repercussions, including:

• Suspension of computer privileges.
• Notification to parents in most cases.
• Detention.
• Suspension from school and/or school-related activities.
• Expulsion.

Appendix 1 Examples of Expected Use

I will:

• Use school equipment for school-related activities only
• Follow the same guidelines for respectful, responsible behaviour online that I am expected to follow offline.
• Treat school resources carefully, and alert teachers if there is any problem with their use
• Encourage positive, constructive discussion if allowed to represent the school online
• Alert a teacher if I see threatening/bullying, inappropriate, or harmful content (images, messages, postings) online.
• Use school technologies at appropriate times, in approved places, for learning reasons
• Recognise that use of school technologies is a privilege and treat it as such.
• Be cautious to protect the safety of myself and others.
• Help to protect the security of school resources. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Students should use their own good judgement when using school technologies.

Appendix 2 Examples of Unacceptable Use

I will not:

• Use school technologies in a way that could be personally or physically harmful to myself or others.
• Search inappropriate images or content.
• Engage in cyber-bullying, harassment, or disrespectful conduct toward others.
• Try to find ways to change the school’s safety measures and filtering tools.
• Use school technologies to send spam or chain mail.
• Plagiarise content (copy, use as their own, without citing the original creator) I find online.
• Post personally identifying information, about myself or others or agree to meet someone I meet online in real life.
• Use language online that would be unacceptable in the classroom.
• Use school technologies for illegal activities or to pursue information on such activities.
• Attempt to access sites, servers, accounts, or content that isn’t intended for my use. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Students should use their own good judgement when using school technologies. 

Expected Use Policy Agreement Form

(1st class students and up):

I have read and understood this Expected Use Policy and agree to abide by it:

__________________________________________ (Student Name)

__________________________________________ (Date)

(Junior and Senior Infant students: To be signed by parents on their behalf)

I have read and discussed this Expected Use Policy with my child:

______________________________________      (Parent/Guardian Printed Name)

 _____________________________________       (Parent/Guardian Signature)

______________________________________      (Date)

Scoil Íde Learning Devices Loan Information Sheet

Definition

Learning devices are tools that are to be used for achieving the goals of education such as laptops or iPads.

Who owns the digital device that you have loaned?

Scoil Íde owns the learning devices and will loan them out to students during Covid-19 school closure.

Who may use the school’s digital device?

The device is for personal use only, which means that they may only be used by the student(s) who has loaned it. The student may not let anyone else borrow such a device, nor may the digital device be rented out, sold, pawned or in any other way transferred to another person.

What may the digital device be used for?

The device is intended for use by the student for completing schoolwork at home during the Covid-19 school closure.

What things do I need to think about when storing and using the device?

Once the student takes possession of the learning device, he or she becomes responsible for it. Certain learning devices, such as digital devices, are theft-prone property. As such, they should never be brought out of the home. The student must treat the digital device with care, store it safely and use it in the way stipulated. Liquids should never be stored with the device or consumed when using the device (to avoid damaging it from a spill). If something happens – what are the consequences? At school, the same rules apply as in society. The digital device that you are using is only a loan and the device belongs to the school. If the digital device becomes damaged, gets destroyed, is lost or subject to more than the normal wear and tear, the school may demand reimbursement from you and/or your guardian. This applies to students who have been reckless in their use of the device. An assessment is made in each individual case. Students may not repair digital devices themselves.

How long may the digital device be used?

The digital device may be used up until the Summer holidays at which point it must be returned to the school at a time which will be organised. If the student does not return the digital device upon completion of his or her studies, the student and/or guardian may be liable to pay compensation. If the digital device is used in a way other than what is stipulated here, the school may demand that the student immediately returns it. Digital devices and use of networks and Internet Disseminating text, photos or audio that could be perceived as offensive may be a criminal offense. The student must use respectful language, show consideration for others and respect all copyrights. When using the network and Internet, the student must observe the following: The student is responsible for how his or her personal account is used.

Digital device usage

It is forbidden to install illegal or pirated material on the digital device. Neither may software that has been installed on the digital device by the School be copied or installed on another digital device (such as one at home) without the School’s permission.

It is also forbidden to:

• Intentionally spread virus files or sabotage software,
• send email or other messages to a very large number of recipients (spam),
• hack (gain unauthorized access) into computer systems (networks) or libraries, locally or internationally or sabotage someone else’s computer(s) or computer networks,
• copy or spread material that contains violence, terror, persecution of ethnic groups, racism, pornography, install software of anything else that can damage IT environments, nor software that requires a license unless the school has not informed that it exists.
• The student is responsible for making any backup copies and for storing digital content locally on the digital device. The school does not take any responsibility for content that is lost or destroyed in some way.
• The school is entitled to, without prior notice, check what has been stored or installed on the digital device that the student has loaned. If there is suspicion of crime, the police will be notified in accordance with prescribed procedures.

take any responsibility for content that is lost or destroyed in some way.

• The school is entitled to, without prior notice, check what has been stored or installed on the digital device that the student has loaned. If there is suspicion of crime, the police will be notified in accordance with prescribed procedures

By collecting the device from the school, you are agreeing to the terms outlined in this document.