Acceptable Use Policies for Internet Use
What is an Acceptable Use Policy?
In
response to the growing use of the Internet in classrooms, many schools
have implemented Acceptable Use Policies (AUPs) to ensure that school
computers are being used in a safe, relevant and appropriate manner.
At
the school level, an AUP acts as a written contract between
administrators, teachers, parents and students. It outlines the terms
and conditions for Internet use by defining access privileges, rules of
online behaviour, and the consequences for violating those rules. The
AUP can also be a helpful tool for teachers, offering guidance on how
best to integrate the Internet into their classrooms.
The
focus of an AUP should be on the responsible use of computer networks.
Such networks include both the Internet (the World Wide Web, external
e-mail, and so on) and any Intranets (classroom networks, communications
between classes within a school or district, library catalogue and
database access, etc.). According to the US Department of Education's
online Alphabet Superhighway, AUPs should include:
- A description of the instructional philosophies, strategies and goals to be supported by Internet access in schools
- An explanation of the availability of computer networks to students and staff members in your school or district
- A statement about the educational uses and advantages of the Internet
- An explanation of the responsibilities of educators and parents for students' use of the Internet
- A code of conduct governing behaviour on the Internet
- An outline of the consequences of violating the AUP
- A description of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable use of the Internet
- A description of
the rights of individuals using the networks in your school/district
(such as the right to free speech, right to privacy, and so on)
- A disclaimer absolving the school district from responsibility, under certain circumstances
- An acknowledgement that the AUP complies with provincial and national telecommunication rules and regulations
- A form for teachers, parents and students to sign, indicating that they agree to abide by the AUP
In addition, an AUP should:
Media Awareness Network 2010