Reflection

So I like that they showed how to check the approved apps through commonsense.  I love that you could see why it was good and why it wasn't.  I love to see a list of our approved apps.  And I like that it basically says, when in doubt, ASK IT!

I learned that it is important to check district approved websites and to make sure I understand the privacy acts as well as how to determine if an app is safe. Learning the different definitions for safety, security and restrictions was interesting as well. I especially liked how districts, teachers and parents have an online resource to check if an app is safe.

The best part of the training was learning about the other privacy acts. PTAC was a great resource to download and refer to, as well as, the website to check the ratings of the apps. I found myself looking at several apps that I currently use.  Learning about the different definitions of privacy and the levels of safety, security and restrictions was also helpful. I plan to use these resources as we move forward in our future online/virtual trainings.

I learned about more of the different polices that I have once heard of but knew very little about. This also opened my eyes up to more o how important it is to make sure you take very route in making sure the students are safe. 

What I learned from this is how to check if an app is safe for students to use by looking them up on the Common Sense Platform. This training reaffirmed that I protect my students by using apps approved by my district. 

I leaned that the apps that you are using in class and at home have ratings and can be looked up using common sense and that specific features can be disabled to ensure better safety of students information. 

I entered the course thinking of student privacy as other students being able to see and comment on their work, which as a private person myself, that would be priority for me.  I realized quickly that this is about keeping students safe online from third parties.  

The information it gives on how to keep students safe gave me a mental checklist to look out for when I find and app I want to use and a chain of command in which to ask questions to.  I now understand how to look for safeguards such as protection against unauthorized users to be able to access personal information. This was something that I may not have thought about before.

I got more details on data-mining/data usage...what could be a FERPA violation for me. I love the Common Sense site that will allow me to read privacy/safety reviews of various apps. I was happy to learn that Remind, which I us, is considered ok to "use responsibly."

I learned that it is best to choose District Approved apps and websites. It is always best to check out rating of apps before letting students use them. It is also best for me to check out the sight prior to allowing the kids to use it. I have to be mindful of keeping the kids information private, to not allow marketing to reach out to the kids, to monitor chatting between the kids.

I learned about COPPA. I also learned how to vet apps for student privacy. I never thought about the TOS verbage, I always assumed that if it was for educational purposes, it was safe. I should have known better.

I already knew that students should not share personally identifying information (PII) online. I also knew that it was a FERPA violation for students to see each other's grades. I did not realise that a students' address was on the list of allowable information that could be shared.