Running head: SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AND LEGAL ISSUES REFLECTION

Social, Ethical, and Legal Issues Reflection

Jeni Tetamore
OTL504 Social, Ethical, and Legal Issues in 21st Century Learning
Colorado State University Global Campus
Brenda Bagwell, PhD
July 23, 2016

Running head: SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AND LEGAL ISSUES REFLECTION

Social, Ethical, and Legal Issues Reflection

I spent a great deal of time studying Jefferson County, Colorados Technology Plan as it
was updated for the 2013 through 2015 school years. What I found most fascinating was listed
under the heading The Technology Plan Purpose on page 4 where it stated, The single most
important factor determining the success of technology in the classroom is a teacher who is able
to effectively use technology in instruction (Jeffco Public Schools). This statement concerns me,
as it implies that technology is not prioritized towards student use, which actually fits with what
seems to be the norm within schools. As Babette Moeller and Tim Reitz state in their
independent study of schools, "Sixty percent of teachers reported that they use technology in the
classroom, but just 26 percent of students indicated they are encouraged to use technology
themselves" (2011, p. 12). This seems to me antithetical to the purpose of technology if we want
our students best prepared for the challenges they will address as adults in the world and the
workforce.
Which brings me to my second concern when students do have access to technology,
the devices are so over-filtered, beyond the requirements set forth by CIPA and upheld by the
Supreme Court, students are not able to access the fullness of the Internet and the educational
possibilities therein. This causes two problems in my mind, the first is that it creates a system
where disadvantaged students, those who do not have technology at home, only have access to
filtered content. This would create a caste system of the haves and have-nots, those who
have unfiltered access at home, and those who do not and must rely strictly on the filtered access
they may have at school or the public library.
The second issue is that this removes any opportunity to teach students to become
conscientious consumers of technology in a safe and controlled environment. As Kristen Bach

Running head: SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AND LEGAL ISSUES REFLECTION

explains, "Filtering beyond CIPAs requirements results in missed opportunities to prepare

students to be responsible users, consumers, and producers of online content and resources"
(2015, p. 62). In my mind, this is an equal problem of not having the technology in the students
hands, given that once they have it, we dont allow them to use it to its fullest capability or teach
them how to use it properly.
These standards and norms are in direct contrast to what the ISTE standards - standards
which the Jefferson County Technology Plan claims to aspire - demand. Admittedly, there are
standards for both teachers and students put forth by the ISTE, but the Technology Plan did not
directly address standards put forth for students. These standards include:

Creativity and innovation

Communication and collaboration
Research and information fluency
Critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making,
Digital citizenship
Technology operations and concepts (2007)

However, if only an average 26% of students are using technology, and that technology is
habitually firewalled against beneficial, educational information, then I believe it would be near
impossible for Jefferson County students to truly be striving to meet ISTE goals.
One advantage that we have in Jefferson County is that discretion is left to the schools as
to how to unblock sites. There is not a requirement as stated anywhere in their policies that a
blocked site must go before the district or school board before it is unblocked, hence it is up to
each school administration to address these needs as what best suits their schools. As such, some
schools are stricter than others. I am currently partnering with Jefferson County Open School and
their policy is that any advisor may unblock a site if it does not conflict with CIPA requirements.
I believe this is an advantage to students. While it would certainly be nice to not have to
go through the process of unblocking at all, it is definitely easier than other possibilities. As my

Running head: SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AND LEGAL ISSUES REFLECTION

expertise lies in English and Marketing, it is vital that students have clear access to competing
theories, controversial information, business sites, and more.
And this does not absolve me, or my future students, of responsibility. JCOS is founded
upon mutual trust and the respecting of unseen boundaries. In order to keep my students safe, I
must set the standard and demonstrate to them how to surf efficiently, safely, providing them
with tools on how to protect themselves while online, and how to protect their content (copyright
and fair use, citations and referencing). This might include using my at-a-glance resources,
setting up blog usernames in class to ensure they do not include personal information, and
closely monitoring our chatrooms, group emails, and blogs for such things as flaming,
cyberbullying, and sexting.
I am not a teacher yet. I do not have my school. Yet. But the foundations are being laid to
create a community of learners who are ready and able to take charge of their futures, who desire
to possess the responsibility and the freedom to move forward into this adventure we call
adulthood. It will not be without trials and tribulations, but nothing worth having ever is.

Running head: SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AND LEGAL ISSUES REFLECTION

References
Bach, K.R. (2015). Filtering beyond CIPA: Consequences of and alternatives to
overfiltering in schools. Knowledge Quest, 44(1), 60-66
International Society for Technology in Education. (2007). National educational
technology standards for students. Washington, DC: Author.
Jeffco Public Schools. (2013). Jefferson county public schools 2013-2015 technology plan.
Moeller, B., & Reitez, T. (2011). Integrating technology with student-centered learning. Nellie
Mae Education Foundation.