E-learning and E-Safety (safe-guarding)
I've been keeping half an eye on this topic for a while now. And it's getting to the point where I really cannot just keep ignoring it! Apparently most colleges are not sure how to handle the rise of web "learning/information platforms" such as Twitter, facebook and blogger! Do they ban them all, or work out a policy for acceptable use? It's a real mess out there I can assure you. And there's plenty of scaremongering going on. All this is resulting in drastic knee jerk reactions from schools, HE & FE to lock out the world of Web 2.0 until someone tells us all how to handle the torrent of Web 2.0 app's that staff & students want to use.
RSC UK are in the process of pulling together a set of resource/links/blogs, etc, that will be the definitive RSC viewpoint. In the meantime have a look at RSC Wales blog posts on the subject, whilst RSC SW have some useful links to recent presentations & webinars, and RSC East Mid's have an entire Moodle course they've loving crafted for your perusal.
As you may already be aware the government announced a 'Green Cross Code' for internet safety recently: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8398763.stm.
And it's also a good idea to keep tabs in JISC Legal as they are our definitive reference on all things legally e-learning. Their section on legal aspects of Web 2.0 covers some of this remit (blogs, wikis ,social networks, etc..).
Whilst at a conference last week there was plenty of discussion on how employers now routinely use facebook accounts to screen prospective graduate applications. So, just ensure you look at those privacy settings before you post an image of yourself dancing semi naked in the pub on Saturday night - just to impress you mates! It could cost you a job/contract?!?!?
In fact art /design graduates are now using social media like face book and blogs to build a professional profile of themselves and their work during their degree studies, to get a head start in the tough job market. It seems that the magic word "EMPLOYABILITY" is starting to become very important when applying to Uni' and studying these days?
In fact art /design graduates are now using social media like face book and blogs to build a professional profile of themselves and their work during their degree studies, to get a head start in the tough job market. It seems that the magic word "EMPLOYABILITY" is starting to become very important when applying to Uni' and studying these days?
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1 comments:
Hi, Kev,
On your last point, first, about prospective employers checking out Facebook etc - I had read somewhere that this was illegal.
However, to my main point, that of e-safety: mainstream schools in particular have a duty of care towards minors. To this end, advice, clear teaching and Acceptable Use Contracts are not always sufficient. In a previous life-form it was my responsibility to ensure an e-safe working environment which included all of the above. However, it was the threat of being found out, with hard-copy documentation, that really won through. This is now a feature of my e-Folio system that any suspect child or reported incident can easily be checked out. Again, regular alphabetic or random trawls can also ensure that reasonable behaviour is occuring.
I do not think that where an e-safe system with published rules and sanctions is in place there should be any problem. After all, the institution's system is there for work. Increasingly, students of any age can use their own systems for collaboration or investigation and can reserve any clandestine or questionable activities for systems external to the institution.
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