APST 4.5
Use ICT Safely, Responsibly and Ethically
INTRODUCTION
Graduate teachers must implement and facilitate the use of ICT strategies in safe, responsible and ethical ways (AISTL, 2010). This requires knowledge and understanding of relevant issues and risks posed through the use of ICT in the classroom. It is integral that teachers obtain this knowledge and demonstrate as such in classrooms as a way of modelling appropriate behaviour and use of ICT for students.
Graduate teachers must implement and facilitate the use of ICT strategies in safe, responsible and ethical ways (AISTL, 2010). This requires knowledge and understanding of relevant issues and risks posed through the use of ICT in the classroom. It is integral that teachers obtain this knowledge and demonstrate as such in classrooms as a way of modelling appropriate behaviour and use of ICT for students.
Responsibly
Using ICT safely and responsibly is a key part of a teacher’s duty of care (Education Victoria, 2023). This includes reinforcing behavioural and learning expectations during ICT-enhanced content delivery and activities, and take “reasonable steps” to ensure digital learning is conducted safely (Education Victoria, 2023). This means resources must be monitored to ensure their appropriateness and relevance for students. Further, the use of ICT must be paired with teacher instruction to ensure effective and engaging pedagogy. One way to achieve this is through the use of Insert Learning (right, The University of British Columbia, 2024). This program allows teachers to imbed content, questions and scaffolding within published websites and online materials.
Safely
This includes teaching students about how to navigate digital resources, such as websites, by asking questions about authorship, reliability, expertise and accessibility (Shin, 2015). Students need to be made aware of the dangers posed by digital resources, such as the spread of misinformation, compromising data and security. Thus, ICT resources that are pedagogically sound and promote critical thinking and analytical skills within students are important. One resource of relevance here is Interland, particularly the Reality River spectrum, which requires students to consider online safety.
Ethically
An ethical problem posed by ICT relates to the validity and reliability of assessments, as technological advancements such as artificial intelligence make it difficult to ensure fairness. The accessibility and increasing frequency of use of programs such as ChatGPT have changed the way assessments are conducted. Programs such as this make it easier for students to cheat on assessments and submit work that is only partly, or not at all, written by them (see an example to the right- this question was taken from the 2023 Politics & Law ATAR WACE examination). Through being aware of challenges such as this, teachers can construct assessments in ways where the true knowledge and skill of the student is tested. This may mean research assignments are validated by in class essays. In addition, teachers should consider the benefits that AI may have for students as a creative and brainstorming tool, thus reducing the cognitive load. Thus, it is imperative that learning incorporates both digital and human elements, allowing active, authentic and effective learning (Hoyssa et al, 2016).
CONCLUSION
Importantly, students not only have access to a range of digital technologies, they have the right to actively participate in such technologies safely (E-Safety Commissioner, 2024). This means that teachers must be prepared to correctly model safe behaviour and only introduce digital content and resources that have been reviewed in terms of quality and relevance, as shown above (Shin, 2015).
Importantly, students not only have access to a range of digital technologies, they have the right to actively participate in such technologies safely (E-Safety Commissioner, 2024). This means that teachers must be prepared to correctly model safe behaviour and only introduce digital content and resources that have been reviewed in terms of quality and relevance, as shown above (Shin, 2015).
REFERENCES
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2017). Australian professional standards for teachers. AITSL. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards
E-Safety Commisioner. eSafety–Using technology safely and responsibly. (2024). Training.esafety.gov.au. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://training.esafety.gov.au/professional-learning/lower-primary/using-technology-safely-and-responsibly/#/lessons/5M06VcutWvDytwD2ZyJIxqlLqhoqOMYn
Insert Learning | Scarfe Digital Sandbox. (n.d.). Scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca/insert-learning/
Shin, S.-K. (2015). TEACHING CRITICAL, ETHICAL AND SAFE USE OF ICT IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION. https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/ee43e491-af57-41b1-a087-4516386afdc5/content
Victorian Government. (2020). Cybersafety and Responsible Use of Digital Technologies. Www2.Education.vic.gov.au. https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/cybersafety/policy
Höyssä, M., Aalto, H.-K., Kurki, S., Minkkinen, M., Siivonen, K., Söderlund, S., Tapio, P., Wilenius, M., & Arvonen, A. (2015). https://www.utupub.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/147463/eBook_6-2016.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y#page=15
Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2017). Australian professional standards for teachers. AITSL. https://www.aitsl.edu.au/standards
E-Safety Commisioner. eSafety–Using technology safely and responsibly. (2024). Training.esafety.gov.au. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://training.esafety.gov.au/professional-learning/lower-primary/using-technology-safely-and-responsibly/#/lessons/5M06VcutWvDytwD2ZyJIxqlLqhoqOMYn
Insert Learning | Scarfe Digital Sandbox. (n.d.). Scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca. Retrieved March 18, 2024, from https://scarfedigitalsandbox.teach.educ.ubc.ca/insert-learning/
Shin, S.-K. (2015). TEACHING CRITICAL, ETHICAL AND SAFE USE OF ICT IN PRE-SERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION. https://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/ee43e491-af57-41b1-a087-4516386afdc5/content
Victorian Government. (2020). Cybersafety and Responsible Use of Digital Technologies. Www2.Education.vic.gov.au. https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/cybersafety/policy
Höyssä, M., Aalto, H.-K., Kurki, S., Minkkinen, M., Siivonen, K., Söderlund, S., Tapio, P., Wilenius, M., & Arvonen, A. (2015). https://www.utupub.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/147463/eBook_6-2016.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y#page=15