CHAPTER 9: POLICIES, PROCEDURES AND CONTRACTS: COMMUNICATING

EXPECTATIONS TO TEACHERS, STUDENTS AND PARENTS

Chapter nine discusses the necessity and construction of legal contracts for use of technology in learning environments. Basically, this chapter goes through the realities that, when a school has technology available, it must have very specific guidelines for its use, definitions of proper and improper usage, consequences for improper use and definitions of reasonable expectations. These guidelines should be specific to everyone involved from the school district to administrators, teachers, students and parents. There was an example of an “Acceptable Use Policy” that was interesting to look through. It was interesting in how detailed the language is and has to be.

I have to admit, this was a difficult chapter for me to read, simply because when I start to read or listen to “legal-eze” my mind sort of clouds over and blanks. I don’t enjoy legal stuff; however, I know that in our litigious society, it is a necessary evil. I also know that by having very detailed contracts in place that explain expectations for use of technology by everyone involved, it definitely makes it easier to know what is acceptable and what is not, which in turn makes it much more easy to determine when punitive actions might be required. Having contracts in place makes things more fair for everyone and hopefully provides a more safe environment.