Taming the seemingly wild, wild west of educational technology - matters of privacy and accessibility in education.

Technology is evolving at a rapid pace, Statistia.com (Ceci, 2024) reports over 25 thousand apps released for Android just in September of 2024 alone. This is true in the educational sector as well where digital tools are becoming integral to learning and teaching. According to Business of Apps educational apps are the second largest sector of downloaded apps, with over 350,000 being available on the Google Play and Apple App Store (Wylie, 2024). With an influx of new apps and websites designed to enhance students' digital skills and support those with learning challenges, it raises a critical question: how do we ensure the safety and privacy of our students in this digital age?

In the USA, there exist acts that aim to regulate the privacy and protection of students: COPPA, CIPA, and FERPA. These acts regulate how online vendors collect personal information (COPPA), regulate access to harmful online access (CIPA) and regulate students' educational records (FERPA). While these are crucial steps, a pressing concern emerges—how can teachers be sure that they are ensuring that they have taken sufficient precautions? The wealth of options available to educators can often lead to confusion and uncertainty when selecting platforms for students. With so much information available and a lack of known resources for teachers we often skim over privacy policies. maybe even assuming that someone else is double checking. However, Bogardus Cortez, M. (2016, October 24) in her article 4 tips to help schools with privacy and security, suggests there are valuable resources such as the Common Sense Privacy Program evaluations and the Student Privacy Pledge that can assist teachers in evaluating the privacy policies of apps and platforms. Despite these resources, the reality for teachers is often a hectic schedule. It becomes imperative for schools to develop robust policies and systems that support teachers in vigilantly monitoring the technology used in classrooms.

Last year, I attended a talk on student online safety at my school and was astonished by the potential risks lurking within popular platforms. Features like Snapchat's ghost trail and Discord's ability for students to interact beyond the confines of educational spaces underscore the need for heightened awareness and scrutiny. While these are not educational platforms, students do interact with these and it highlights the need to also make students aware of privacy issues and dangers online. Only just recently I was looking into an AI image platform and noticed that students could sign in with Discord. I wondered how the privacy policies of these two overlapped. If we as teachers are unaware or unsure of these policies how can we support students in knowing? How can educators integrate these lessons of privacy and safety into their teaching? These questions highlight the urgency for a structured approach to digital literacy within the educational framework.

In light of these challenges, the concept of Educational Technology coaches may play a support role. These professionals can bridge the gap between IT support for technical aspects of privacy and teachers designing lessons tailored to digital skill-building and learning support. The integration of technology not only aids a greater range of students but also underscores the importance of ensuring student safety in digital environments.

In conclusion, as the landscape of educational technology continues to expand, the safety and privacy of students must remain at the forefront. By leveraging available resources, instituting robust policies, and integrating digital literacy education, educators can navigate the complexities of the digital world while fostering a safe and enriching learning experience for all students.

References:

1. Ceci, L (1, Oct 2024). Number of monthly Google Play app releases worldwide 2019-2024, Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/1020956/android-app-releases-worldwide/

2. Wylie, L. (30, Sept 2024) Education App Revenue and Usage Statistics (2024). Business of Apps. https://www.businessofapps.com/data/education-app-market/

3. Federal Trade Commission. (1998). Children's online privacy protection rule (COPPA). FTC.gov.

4. Federal Communications Commission. (2011). Children's internet protection act (CIPA). FCC.gov.

5. U.S. Department of Education. (1974). Family educational rights and privacy act (FERPA). www2.ed.gov.

6. Bogardus Cortez, M. (2016, October 24). 4 tips to help schools with privacy and security. EdTech Focus on K-12.

7. Common Sense Media. (n.d.). Privacy program. Commonsense.org.

8. Cambridge Public schools. Balancing classroom innovation and student privacy.(2014). https://cdnsm5-ss5.sharpschool.com/UserFiles/Servers/Server_3042785/File/departments/icts/student_privacy_2014.pdf