20th January 2016
Ethical Issues
In the previous post I hadn't accessed my organisation's relevant policies, I have now. They are:
Work Health and Safety (WHS) Policy - sets out WHS requirements and Department's commitment to the health and safety of everyone it its workplaces (Work Health and Safety Policy p. 1)
Intellectual Property Policy - TAFE NSW - purpose is to manage, protect, share and commercialise Intellectual Property within TAFE NSW (Intellectual Property Policy p. 1)
Most relevant to this topic:
Online Communication Services - Acceptable Usage - TAFE NSW which "specifies the standards for the acceptable use of TAFE NSW internet services and collaboration and communication tools by TAFE NSW staff, learners and users who may be authorised from time to time to use these services" (Online Communication Services - Acceptable Usage Policy, p. 1)
This policy covers 5 areas::
1. Access and Security - e.g. password protection, internet usage, communication and collaboration should be related to learning and TAFE NSW business.
2. Privacy and Confidentiality - keeping email addresses and personal information confidential, not forwarding or publishing emails outside the organisation without permission
3. Intellectual Property and Copyright - users never plagiarising information, adhering to copyright of resources including books, graphics, ideas on TAFE NSW and other websites etc., not illegally copying software.
4. Ethical Behaviour - ensure no conflict between user's interest and what is in best interest of TAFE NSW, not attempt to gain unauthorised access to network, not use obscene, rude or threatening language in public or private messages or other online communication, not engage in personal or discriminatory attacks on other individuals, not access inappropriate sites such as gaming or gambling sites, or pornographic material, or material that promotes illegal acts or violence or discrimination.
5. Misuse and Breaches of Acceptable Usage - users are responsible for their actions while using the internet, collaboration and communication tools and other online services, misuse as outlined in the policy may result in disciplinary or legal action. (Online Communication Services Acceptable Usage Policy TAFE NSW pp 1 - 7).
All users must acknowledge that they understand this policy when they log into the network.
All of these issues are relevant to me in my role of head teacher and as a teacher in the classroom and employee of TAFE NSW. As I've discussed in earlier posts "Intellectual Property and Copyright" are the issues I mostly deal with in the classroom. Standards for this vary greatly across cultures so it is important to teach students what the Australian standards are early in their course. It's also important for teachers to understand copyright laws when reproducing material for use in the classroom.
References:
Intellectual Property Policy - TAFE NSW retrieved from NSW Department of Education Intranet
https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/policiesintra/category.do?level=TAFE
Online Communication Services - Acceptable Usage - TAFE NSW retrieved from NSW Department of Education Intranet
https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/policiesintra/category.do?level=TAFE
Work Health and Safety (WHS) Policy retrieved from NSW Department of Education Intranet
https://online.det.nsw.edu.au/policiesintra/category.do?level=TAFE
Hi Allison,
ReplyDeleteI work in a public primary school for the Department of Education. When we login to our school networks, and to our online portfolio we are reminded of these obligations and protocols. It is interesting to wonder who actually reads through them before clicking through. We work through a Code of Conduct - I am not sure if you work on the same document? http://www.teach.nsw.edu.au/documents/code_guide.pdf - the key point I noted 4.4. You must not use information and communication technologies, such as email, mobile phones, text or instant messaging and websites
to engage in behaviour that could reasonably be considered to have a negative impact on another person, cause them harm, or make them feel unsafe. This is the staff policy, we have an individual school policy as well. Though, it is not yet available on our website. Something we will need to rectify in the new year.
Hi Beth, yes we operate under the same policy as the schools for acceptable usage. I don't think anyone reads the obligations, or the code of conduct! However if someone is found to have breached it they don't have a leg to stand on, students have been disciplined and expelled, so have teachers, although it's rare I think.
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