X District Social Media Guidelines
The X School District understands the importance for teachers, students and parents to engage with, rather than ignore, the reality of collaborating, learning, and sharing in a digital environment. To this aim, X School District has developed the following guideline to provide directiion for instructional employees, students and the school district community when particpating in online social media activities. Whether or not an employee chooses to participate in a blog, wiki, online social network or any other form of online publishing or discussion it is his or her own decision. Free speech protects educators who want to participate in social media, but courts have ruled that schools can discipline teachers if their speech, including online postings, disrupts school operations. The FHSD social media guidelines encourage employees to participate in social computing and strive to create an atmosphere of trust and individual accountability.
Personal Responsibility
X School District employees are personally responsible for the content they publish online. Be mindful that what you publish will be public for a long time—protect your privacy.
Disclaimers
X Schoo District employees must include disclaimers within their blogs that views are their own and do not reflect on their employer. For example, "The postings on this site are my own and don't necessarily represent FHSD's positions, strategies, or opinions."
Copyright and Fair Use
Online Behavior
Your behavior in the electronic world should reflect the same standards of honesty, respect, and consideration that you use face-to-face.
Profiles and Identity
Beware of your association with FHSD in online social networks. If you identify yourself as an FHSD employee, ensure your profile and related content is consistent with how you wish to present yourself with colleagues, parents, and students.
BLOGS & WIKIS
- When posting to your blog be sure you say that the information is representative of your views and opinions and not necessarily the views and opinions of FHSD. FHSD recommends that you include the following standard disclaimer: "The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily represent Francis Howell School District or (School Name)'s positions, strategies or opinions." This standard disclaimer does not by itself exempt FHSD teachers from a special responsibility when blogging.
- Protect Identity - No last names, school names, addresses or phone numbers should appear on blogs or wikis. Pictures of students should not be used in student profiles but instead have some type of avatar or symbol that represents them.
- In the elementary school, comment moderation must be used to eliminate inappropriate comments/posts.
- Remeber that blogs are an extension of your classroom. What is inapporpriate in your classroom should be deemed inappropriate online.
- Hyperlinking to outside sources is recommended. Be sure not to plagerize and give credit where it is due. When hyperlinking be sure that the conetent is approriate.
Distirct recommended blogging sites - www.Blogger.com and Twitter.
District recommended wiki sites - www.pbwiki.com and www.wikispaces.com
SOCIAL BOOKMARKING
Delicious is one of a variety of social bookmarking tools primarily used to store your bookmarks online. It works like Internet Explorer “favorites” or “bookmarks” for Firefox which are saved locally on the computer hard drive. Delicious users have the ability to access the same bookmarks from any computer or Internet enabled mobile device and add bookmarks from anywhere, anytime an Internet connection is available. Be aware that others can view the sites that you bookmark.
District recommended social bookmarking site: www.delicious.com
Distirct recommended sites to post your podcasts - www.podomatic.com
Instant Messaging
X School District employees are required to get authorization to have instant messaging programs downloaded on their school computers. A written request must be submitted to the district Chief Information Officer for approval. When submitting a request to the CIO please include your name, building, grade level, and provide a statement explaining your instructional purposes for using the program. It would also be beneficial if you can tie your request to state curriculum standards or the student or teacher National Educational Technology Standards.
District recommended program: www.skype.com
Other District Approved Social Media Programs
- Nings
- Google Applications (google docs, google forms, etc.)
- Linked In
- Voicethreads
The X District understands that technology is constantly changing. If you would like to request that another online site be accessible to use for teaching and learning, please fill out the form and submit it to the district Educational Technology Specialist for review. Requests will be reviewed and the distirct social media guidelines will be updated periodically throught the school year.
Best Practices for Teachers Using Social Networks for Personal Use!
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