Cyberethics for Educators

Frederick S. Lane

Great Prairie Area Education Association

Des Moines, IA5 April 2016

Ethics & Cyberethics• Ethics – About 2,500 years• The study and discussion about

the choice between “virtuous” and “vicious” behavior.

• Cyberethics – About 40 years• “The field of applied ethics that

examines moral, legal, and social issues in the development and use of cybertechnology.”

Common Cyberethical Issues

• Downloading “free” music or movies

• Using a neighbor’s open WiFi connection

• Uploading a photo or tagging someone without permission

• Posting snarky messages when someone leaves their social media unlocked

Elements of Ethics• Empathy• Family/Comm. Values• Personal Moral Code• Code of Educator Ethics• Codes of Conduct

Threats to Ethical Conduct

• Lack of Empathy• Stress / Substance Abuse• Infatuation / Obsession• Group or Mob Behavior• Rapidly Shifting Cultural

Mores• Low Barrier to Misbehavior

Why Ethics Training Is Needed

• Profound Responsibility• Role Model in the Classroom

and in the Community• Staggering Number of

Decisions Each Day• Unbelievably Rapid Tech

Change• Shifting Cultural Mores

Consequences for Misconduct

• Reputational Damage• School / District Discipline• Licensure Action• Civil Liability• Criminal Prosecution• Jail / Sex Offender

Registration

The Costs of Litigation• Claims May Be Based on State or Federal Law

(or Both)• Typical Targets of Litigation:

• School District/School• District/Building Administrators• Colleagues of Perpetrator• Perpetrator

• Costs Include:• Lost Time• Possible Legal Fees• Increased Insurance Costs• Possible Adverse Judgment• Reputational Damage

Start Teaching Ethics Early

• Reduction / Limit on Screen Time• Outreach to Parents• K-12 Digital Citizenship

Curricula (w/ Ethics)• Clear and Thorough

AUPs

Enhancing Educator Ethics• Mandatory Course on Ethics

(especially Cyberethics)• Element or Theme of Every

Course• Ethics Exam for Certification• Professional Development• Re-Certification on Ethics

Every 3 Years

National Ethics Initiative• NASDTEC – Model Code of

Ethics for Educators (June 2015)

• Five Principles:• Responsibility to the Profession• Responsibility for Professional Competence• Responsibility to Students• Responsibility to the School Community• Responsible and Ethical Use of Technology

Risks for Administrators• Good Intentions, Bad Outcome• “Sherlock Holmes” Syndrome• Forwarding Content for Advice

• The Cover-Up Is Always Worse• Trying to Protect Colleagues and

Friends• Desire to Protect District by Handling

In-House• “Delete” Is a Myth

Pre-Incident Preparation• Policies and Procedures• District Decisions re Access, Services, Storage• AUPs for Staff and Students• Data Handling and Response Protocols

• Professional Development for Teachers and Staff• Typically First Responders• Potential Legal Risks• Technology Is Continually Changing

• Student Education• Critical Component of K-12 Curricula

Social Media & Hiring• Can You Review a Candidate’s Social

Media Profile(s)?• Yes, But …• Must Be Consistent• Implies Awareness of Protected

Characteristics• Save Screen Shots of Relevant Info• Best Practice: Don’t Ask for

Passwords• Limit Review to Job-Related Criteria

Preventative Measures• Plan Ahead• Good Policies and Clear

Procedures• Ongoing Education of Entire

Community About Cybertraps• Cultivate a Culture of Safety• Promote Digital Citizenship• Rinse and Repeat

A Few Cyberaphorisms• “All of Social Media’s a Stage”• “Click in Haste; Repent at

Leisure”• “You Are What You Post”• “Life Is Short and Social Media

Is Forever”• “Post Unto Others as You Would

Have Them Post Unot You”

Contact Information• FSLane3@gmail.com• 802-318-4604• www.FrederickLane.com• Bit.ly/CybertrapsBlog• Twitter: @FSL3 or @Cybertraps

• LinkedIn: fredericklane• Slideshare & Instagram: FSL3

Cyberethics for Educators

Frederick S. Lane

Great Prairie Area Education Association

Des Moines, IA5 April 2016