Heading off issues before they arise
October 28, 2008
Part of the rationale for the project is developing guidelines and processes for the application of some of these Web 2.0 tools in a school setting, and simply trying how they can and will work in an appropriate way. Many of my colleagues, I know, are hesitant about using the technology for a start, and that is before they are sometimes aware of the potential issues with being truly immediate and online with your students. Here are some areas that were considered in advance:
Access
Managing passwords/access rights to the various Web 2.0 tools requires thought. Under the model for this project, each student needs ‘contributor’ rights to the blog so they can write posts directly, with me – the teacher – as ‘administrator’. This takes some setting up through edublogs, though the tutorial steps are adequate to get things rolling. The most difficult part of the process was getting each of the twenty-seven students an edublogs account that linked to their school webmail account, and then to have students log on and activate their account individually. Once that was done, each student had to be added to the BurgerLOG.
Access to the e-mail address behind the registrations, the Twitter, ustream and Google Analytics accounts are all kept and controlled centrally by me.
Moderation
Monitoring/moderating posts (outgoing posts and incoming comments) to the blog is one aspect, as is the intranet, portal-based discussion forum. I take on the role of approving blog comments before they are posted. The student discussion on the portal (initially relating to marketing ideas and forming ‘personality-based’ groups) did get a little out of hand. Students – having that ability to start new discussion threads, reply to posts and make announcements – did so! Off-topic posts and announcements were deleted and a ‘discussion’ (albeit one-way) held with the group to outline the purpose of, and processes for posting only relevant and task-oriented material to the forum. End of issue!
Privacy and anonymity
Conforming to safe practices regarding student images, names/identities and personal information is another consideration. For the sake of ease, images of student ‘at work’ will not include faces. Students will not be using their names on the blog, and in fact, are generally only identified by their group letter T, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. This is just one less thing to be worried about. Students are well aware that any private information will not be published.
Legalities
Avoiding direct identification of the source of the burger seemed a safe way to play things (no lawsuits, thanks!). Although this project is not about taking an anti-fast food, anti-corporate stand, some of the findings of the project may be incidentally ‘incriminating’.
A letter to parents of those involved outlining the activity and its safety considerations was contemplated, but in reality, to the extent things have gone thus far, this has not proved necessary. If, however, mobile blogging (via utterli) is to be used (utilising students’ own phones), a permission letter would be a must given there is a cost, if for not other reason.
