User Rights/Responsibilities

Students need to understand the technology they are using belongs to the school. Too many times, I had discussions with students who had been issued a school laptop that it's the schools. It's no different than being issued a textbook. So anything you do on that school laptop is not private. I think there needs to somehow be more clearly defined or stated where the line is drawn in regards to private use. This undoubtedly is more difficult than one would imagine. I also think it's necessary to hold students (and adults) accountable for misuse. Similar to citizens having laws and consequences there should be expectations or digital rules and consequences for the digital citizen. I liked one post I read (I can't remember the name, Dan maybe?) who mentioned having a digital score similar to a credit score. With the score comes more digital benefits. Let's reward the responsible.

I agree with you in that students need to be made aware that whatever they do on a school's computer should be assumed public. Students need to know the difference of private and public before they are given a computer from school. It is our job as an educator to make sure that students understand this.

I agree with you too.  Even though the school has given you the computer/laptop for the school year it is not your property it is the property of the school and you still have to be responsible of where you use it, who uses it and the sites you visit.

The Chinese are doing this.  Digital Citizenship scores and if you don't 'pass' they can shut down your entire digital life, and even deny you public transportation.  Digital Citizenship scores are a police state more intrusive than George Orwell could have possible imagined.

I totally agree with you.  When a school gives students a computer for educational purposes, students and their guardians need to sign a "contract of understanding" on public and private uses of school computers.  This should be done before handing the student a computer.  If we don't, we could end up like China!