Project Proposal:
The objective of this project is to review and revise the International School of Beijing High School Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) document currently distributed to parents and students in the Parent & Student Handbook.

Background Information:
Why have an AUP?
Kinnaman, 1995 in his essay “Critiquing Acceptable Use Policies” provides a comprehensive list of why an AUP is necessary. His list states that an AUP is necessary:

• To educate parents about their children's use of the Internet
• To educate students about
  

o risks peculiar to computer communication
o rules for efficient, ethical, legal computer/network use
o safe and appropriate computer social behavior
o use of available and unavailable services

• To preserve digital materials created by students and teachers
• To protect vulnerable children from inappropriate approaches
• To discourage children from making inappropriate personal disclosures
• To encourage ethical behavior, and discourage criminal behavior
• To encourage accepted Netiquette from the very start
• To encourage polite and civil communication
• To encourage individual integrity and honesty
• To encourage respect for others and their private property
• To allow enforcement of necessary rules of behavior
• To encourage equal access to educational opportunities for all children
• To protect the school networking equipment and software from danger
• To help control costs by limiting storage space needs and other network costs
• To help improve network efficiency by influencing resource usage
• To share responsibility for the risks of using the Internet
• To reduce the risk of lawsuits against teachers, schools, and providers
• To simplify life for computer systems administrators
• To increase the power of various authorities
• To discourage copyright infringement, software piracy, and plagiarism
• To discourage slander, libel, defamation, and mendacity
• To discourage profanity, obscenity, pornography, and waste
• To discourage network game playing and/or anonymous messages
• To discourage use of computers and networks for profit or politics
• To assure Internet users that their online activities are monitored or
• To assure Internet users that their email privacy is (or is not) being respected

The question of having an “Acceptable Use Policy” in schools is not debatable. Any school with student access to the internet must have an AUP. As many schools are working with out of date, restrictive, overzealous AUP’s that “work against themselves” a better question would be “How good is your school’s current AUP?”


What are the requirements of an effective AUP?
One cannot begin a review or criticism unless one has an awareness of effective practices in a given area. Two excellent resources for those tasked with writing a school AUP are:

• Critiquing Acceptable Use Policies, Kinnaman, 1995
• Acceptable Use Policies for Internet Use, Media Awareness Network, 2009

My first in-depth exposure to AUP's has been the awareness gained during the completion of this course and this current assignment. I find it interesting that although the fundamental basics of an AUP, as outlined in Kinnamen’s essay, were written in 1995, the basic principles of writing a sound AUP have not changed but the use of networks and the internet has. As an educator who has worked in four different schools in the last 15 years, it has only been very recently that I have been exposed to an AUP. Effective AUP's are much more relevant today than they were nearly 15 years ago. This is due to a number of reasons including the explosive growth of social networking applications, the changing focus of the internet as a learning network, the transition to the web being the dominant medium for information exchange, and greater access to technology in schools.

As technology integrates with classroom practices and laptops become the pencil and paper of today's student, it is especially important that AUP's do not hinder the potential for learning. Over zealous AUP's and security protocols are necessary for some because there is a climate of fear that exists primarily because there has been little emphasis on embedding principles of appropriate use in students from day one of their exposure to computers. An AUP is as much about education of users as it is about acceptable use. A soundly written AUP (accompanied by supporting documents and training) is the basic requirement for schools whereby teachers can teach students consistently the etiquette, manners, and respectful practices that go along with being wired in to the rest of the world. In my day, children were taught appropriate manners. This is no different.

We in international schools are at a disadvantage in some respects when it comes to developing policy because we exist as a separate entity. We do not fall under State, Provincial or District education authorities and as such we do not often have the resources in terms of dedicated staff, release time, training programs etc. These larger education authorities have the responsibility of producing, distributing and reviewing this type of document. However, we (International Schools) do have the advantage of flexibility, we can personalize our documentation to match our school missions and philosophies but the fundamental principles of an AUP should be the same. For that reason, it makes sense to start with the presumably well funded specialists who have the time and resources to do this properly and borrow (respecting copyright of course) the best from many sources. For example:

The US Department of Education states that an AUP should include: A description of the instructional philosophies, strategies and goals to be supported by Internet access in schools An explanation of the availability of computer networks to students and staff members in your school or district A statement about the educational uses and advantages of the Internet An explanation of the responsibilities of educators and parents for students' use of the Internet A code of conduct governing behavior on the Internet An outline of the consequences of violating the AUP A description of what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable use of the Internet A description of the rights of individuals using the networks in your school/district (such as the right to free speech, right to privacy, and so on) A disclaimer absolving the school district from responsibility, under certain circumstances An acknowledgement that the AUP complies with provincial and national telecommunication rules and regulations A form for teachers, parents and students to sign, indicating that they agree to abide by the AUP In addition, an AUP should: Serve as a legal document. Theschool board's legal counsel should approve the AUP before it is distributed. Be complete. AnAUP should include not just rules of behavior, but also a statement about the school's position on Internet use. Be adaptable. Since the Internet is constantly evolving,an AUP cannot anticipate every possible situation. It should address this fact, and be capable of modifications to cover circumstances not outlined. You may need to update the AUP as new issues arise. Be unique to your school. Every school or district is different- both in terms of the technology available, and in terms of who has access to the network; who maintains the network; and who teaches school personnel and/or students how to use the network. Protectstudents. Ifstudents follow the AUP's rules, their exposure to questionable material should be minimized. The AUP can also protect them from dangerous online behavior, such as giving out their names and addresses to strangers. Inform parents. An AUP outlines to parents how their children will learn on the Internet, and how they will be supervised while on it. Reference: Acceptable Use Policies for Internet Use, Media Awareness Network, 2009

Evaluation:

Does the current International School of Beijing High School AUP meet these criteria?
The short answer is yes, but the existing document could be much improved specifically in terms of focus and language.

Principle Criticisms

• The current document as it appears in the Parent & Student Handbook, is really two documents : a set of “Responsible Use Procedures” and an “Acceptable Use Policy”
• The “Responsible Use Procedures” are definitely procedural. They use corporate language much of which is inappropriate for student consumption. The “Acceptable Use Policy” is essentially a summarized version of the “Responsible Use Procedures”. There is redundancy here.
  
• The biggest issue with the current document is an over emphasis on the protection of:

1. network and computer systems
2. the school reputation

Issues of internet safety, protecting kids from each other and online predators are not the emphasis of the current document.

• The current AUP does not link to disciplinary policy, specifically the Student Code of Honor
  
• The current AUP lacks supporting documents (whether they exist or not) for the purpose of further information or understanding. such as copyright issues,

Considerations and suggestions for revision:

• The AUP is published in the Parent & Student Handbook, this represents the target audience and thus should be written with that in mind (choice of language level and writing style).
• Stakeholders should have a say. Students should be part of the revision process. This is not unfortunately the case with this proposal but should be if an actual revision process is initiated.
• A proposed code of conduct that addresses appropriate network work and internet use should focus on 4 principle areas:

1. Personal Safety and Privacy
2. Inappropriate Language or Material
3. Plagiarism and Copyright
4. System Resources, Security, and Illegal Activities

• references should be made within the AUP to other supporting documents (identify the requirement to create those supporting documents should they not exist)
• the HS AUP would be a narrower part of a broader document that would include age appropriate codes of conduct for different divisions and adult users (teachers, parents).
• The Student Code of Honor should be strongly associated with – tie into student honor code, each case treated individually etc
• Copyright document requirement here. Other supporting guidance documents (inet safety for parents, email and other online etiquette, virus protection)

Proposals for Revised AUP:
Note: This proposal should not be viewed as a complete document. While I can make make attempts to revise the structure and content of the current AUP, I have no authority to rewrite school policy that governs many aspects of an AUP document including, but not limited to : overarching philosophy, consequences etc. These next sections are best viewed as exemplars that collectively provide a number of possible starting places for discussion. I have added notes for clarification where appropriate.

Scope:
The International School of Beijing (ISB) Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) applies to any user of ISB ICT systems including but not limited to: all computers, networks, wireless devices, telephones, fax machines, cameras, audio and video equipment, and internet. (taken from current version of The International School of Beijing, Information and Communications Technology Systems, Responsible Use Procedures)

Philosophy:
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an essential literacy encompassing the study and purposeful application of skills, knowledge and digital resources to facilitate and enhance teaching and learning. ICT is a fundamental companion in developing the abilities students need to succeed as learners and citizens in a rapidly changing world.

ICT provides instructional tools and strategies to leverage evolving technologies, in service of the ISB Mission to educate and inspire students to learn more effectively and to live productively in an increasingly digitized world. ICT also plays a supportive role at ISB by improving operational efficiency.

Curricular and operational goals drive the use of ICT within ISB. ICT is integrated into relevant and meaningful curricular contexts by well-trained and technically competent faculty and staff. This integration is informed by current research and evolving understandings of best practice in learning and teaching. ICT is applied in a responsive, developmentally appropriate, and varied fashion. ISB fosters a climate of innovation and creativity in which school goals are developed or enhanced by the opportunities offered by the rapidly changing field. Curriculum area and ICT faculty and staff actively collaborate to meet the needs of the ISB learning community. ISB provides clear expectations, professional support, and appropriate resources to advance these efforts. (current IS Beijing Information and Communications Technology Philosophy).


Note: I do not necessarily believe that including the above ICT Philosophy in the Parent & Student Handbook is the most effective way of communicating the purpose of the AUP. I would prefer to omit it from the contract given to students and instead emphasize the expectations listed below.

General Expectations:
The ISB Student Code of Honor encourages the development of honor and integrity in its students. Honorable and responsible citizenship means protecting the rights of other people as well as respecting the rights of property. ISB's guidelines on the acceptable use of ICT resources follow the expectations of the Student Code of Honor. The general expectations for students are:

Respect yourself - keep standards of decency, protect yourself
Respect others - their privacy, their work, their security and safety
Respect the network - treat all equipment and systems with care

(3 R's from current IS Bangkok AUP)

Network activity that is deemed unacceptable or harmful by school authorities need not originate on school premises to be subject to consequences with respect to the violations of the ICT Code of Conduct.

Responsibilities:
The student is responsible for:

1. Using network and internet in accordance to the ICT code of conduct.
2. Adhering to the "ISB Student Code of Honor", "ISB Guidelines on Copyright and Fair Use Practices", and Chinese Law.
3. Reporting immediately to a teacher or other authority any inappropriate content, message, or other activity that makes the student feel uncomfortable.

Note: Defined responsibilities in a full scale document would include other parties such as school management, administrators, teachers, parents, and any other users. Education becomes a part of these responsibilities, for example, teachers would be responsible for supervising, informing and alerting students in their development of acceptable use practices. Administrators and schools would be responsible for creating, enforcing and providing sufficient training and resources for teacher responsibilities. Parents should be given an active role and the knowledge to follow it through.

ICT Code of Conduct: (Note: written for target audience using age appropriate language)

Personal Safety and Privacy
As a student, I agree

• I will not give out any personal information online without my parents’ permission. This includes my name, my picture, my phone number, my email address or any other contact information.
• I will protect the privacy of my username and password and not share with others.
• I will respect the privacy of others.
  
• I will not respond to any message that makes me feel uncomfortable and I will report this or any other questionable content to an adult immediately.

Inappropriate language or material
As a student, I agree

• I will not post or send annoying, insulting or rude messages to anyone online.
• When online, I will follow accepted rules for behavior at school facilities, functions or activities. I will not use language or materials that are obscene, sexually explicit, slanderous, malicious or threatening.

Plagiarism and Copyright
As a student, I agree

• I will support and protect the intellectual rights of others.
• I will follow rules for copyright and obey fair use practices outlined by the "ISB Guidelines on Copyright and Fair Use Practices".

System Resources, Security, Illegal activities
As a student, I agree

• To use ISB information resources, services and network for educational purposes. I will respect the boundaries of personal use and will not use the school network for political lobbying, or commercial activities
• I will not compromise, degrade, harm or destroy any hardware, software or data. I will not attempt to test or defeat system operations or security. I will not make copies of, or modify files, data or passwords belonging to other users, or use their name and password.
• I will not participate in any actions, which may be considered inappropriate, illegal, fraudulent or dangerous that as possible consequences may bring disrepute or legal action to myself or the International School of Beijing.

Consequences of misuse:
Instances of misuse will be addressed on a case by case basis. Consequences for violations of this policy may result in the suspension or loss of access to school systems and technology and/or other disciplinary action.

Is this a contract that students need to sign? This is a question that probably has implications that I (not an administrator) are not aware of. I like the idea of a signed statement of agreement.

References:
ISB (Beijing) Parent Handbook pages 45-48
ISB (Bangkok) High School AUP
Critiquing Acceptable Use Polices, Dave Kinnamen

Other AUP documents reviewed for proposal
Toronto Catholic School Board Acceptable Use Policy and Surf Right Brochure (for Parents and Students)
Acceptable Use Policies for Internet Use, Media Awareness Network, 2009
Technology Acceptable Use Policy: Seven Oaks School Division
Student Acceptable Use Policy Trafalgar Castle School
Nova Scotia Education: Public School Network Access and Use Policy

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