Digital Law

Are students using technology the way it was intended and are they infringing on the rights of others?

I would say it depends on the student and how they are educated about appropriate and inappropriate uses of technology. In my experience, many students will use technology the way it is intended while in class, if they are working on an assignment and being monitored in their use. If they are given free time, more freedom, or if they are on their own time, they tend to use the technology in other ways. For example, students on my campus are given laptops for use in class and home. The purpose of having the laptops is that they will be able to use them to do school assignments and homework and so that teachers can incorporate more technology into lessons. Although this is the purpose, many students spend a lot of time playing games instead of using these computers for work.

Should students using digital technologies be accountable for how they use digital technologies?

Absolutely! There are laws government technology and its use. Copyright laws protect intellectual property and should be obeyed. It is up to teachers to help students know what these laws are, but students are ultimately responsible. When it comes to other uses, such as software, music, downloading, file/photo sharing, there are also laws and students will be held responsible for their actions if they are caught doing something illegal. I really liked how the cheating and how to avoid it spelled out what is ok and what is not. I also liked that there were good examples of what to do and what not to do. The online b4ucopy quiz is also good for helping students see what is ok and what is not.

References:

B4ucopy quiz: http://wwwb4ucopy.org

Cheating and How to Avoid It: http://www.doug-johnson.com/storage/handouts/ethics.pdf