Acceptable Use Policy for Technology (AUP)
Computer Resources/Responsible Internet Use Regulations.
When students log on to the virtual classroom they are only allowed to type their first name and first initial of their last name to log on for privacy protection purposes. They may not use their full name when logging on to Blackboard Collaborate for their Innovations in Online Education course session.
The link to the virtual classroom is only authorized for use during the assigned class times officially scheduled by IOE. These online courses have been requested by the school district. Upon termination of instruction as determined by the school district this link to the virtual classroom is no longer authorized for further use by the student. The student may not share this link to the virtual classroom with any unauthorized user.
Access to our online classroom is provided to IOE students who accept the requirements of behaving in ethical, respectful, and responsible ways. Proper behavior, following IOE’s teacher’s established rules, is expected. In logging on to the virtual classroom students are agreeing to engage in appropriate communication with the IOE teacher and peers and demonstrate only respectful behavior. All classroom behavior is monitored regularly by Innovations in Online Education’s Administrators through review of a recorded archive of the live session. Internet access is regulated to the IOE moderator/teacher only so that access of Internet sites is monitored and controlled by the teacher. If students are given moderator privileges for presentation purposes they will be required to submit website addresses of sites used in their presentation to the IOE teacher prior to presentation for approval. Only appropriate educational sites will be authorized by the IOE teacher as per the Children’s Internet Protection Act.
IOE establishes the following rules for the online education program and may create additional rules as necessary:
- Students may not use passwords of or share passwords with others for assigned asynchronous sites
- Students may not log on to virtual classroom using their full name
- Students may not access/display/view/share offensive, inappropriate material (images, text. messages, videos, documents), including pornographic, obscene, discriminatory, profane, lewd, inflammatory, threatening, disrespectful, or sexually suggestive language or images, or images of exposed private body parts, or material advocating illegal acts or violence, including hate literature.
- Students may not share personal information including full name, phone number, address or photos
- Student may not use discriminatory language or in any way insult or harass others
- Students may not violate copyright laws
- Students may not use their time on the Internet during online course sessions toward financial gain or fraud or for commercial purposes
*Procedures if Student Violates Internet Safety Policies
The IOE teacher will immediately remove the following privileges from the student based on inappropriate participation and disrespectful behavior to the teacher and/or to fellow students in the virtual classroom: microphone privilege, chat privilege, whiteboard privilege. The IOE teacher will issue a report to the Innovations in Online Education Administrator during or immediately after the online session.
If a student is in violation of the Internet safety policies of Innovations in Online Education, as documented by report of the IOE teacher and review by Innovations in Online Education Administrator of the recorded archive, the student’s district guidance counselor will be immediately notified via email. If cyber bullying is taking place in the virtual environment, the district guidance counselor and parent of the student will be immediately notified via email and recorded archive documenting the inappropriate behavior will be embedded in the email for their review. Please see Discipline Procedure section for additional information.
Incurring a major disciplinary violation may result in immediate removal (suspension) from Innovations in Online Education’s program and a report tobe issued to the student’s home district. Suspensions from the online class because of unacceptable, unsafe, disruptive behavior will count against the student’s attendance.
Major disciplinary violations that may result in expulsion from Innovations in Online Education’s program of study include, but are not limited to: pattern of insubordination, verbal threats, cyber-bullying, and bomb threats. If the behavior is of a criminal nature it will be reported to the local police and the student will be immediately expelled from Innovations in Online Education’s program
A “no-refund” policy applies if a student is expelled from the course.
Illegal activities are any violations of federal, state, or local laws and include, but are not limited to, copyright infringement and/or illegal file sharing; committing fraud; threatening another person; or intentionally engaging in communications for the purpose of abusing, annoying, threatening, terrifying, harassing, or embarrassing another person.
*Innovations in Online Education’s Discipline Policy is not subject to appeals.
Responsible-Use Internet Policy Outside of the Virtual Classroom
Innovations in Online Education cannot monitor outside use and outside communication among students. Cyber-bullying in the virtual classroom or on asynchronous sites utilized by Innovations in Online Education teachers will not be tolerated and is cause for immediate expulsion from the course. No refunds will be issued if a student is expelled due to breaking with this policy. As we cannot filter content on your home computers/laptops/mobile devices as specified in the Children’s Internet Protection Act, it is incumbent upon parents and guardians to monitor their children’s use of the Internet. Parents and guardians of minors are expected to establish and discuss and enforce standards that their children should follow in using the Internet – ultimately parents and guardians are accountable for acceptable Internet use.
Social Networking and Online Communications, including email.
Freedom of speech and access to information are highly valued, particularly in an educational environment. Innovations in Online Education seeks to use the Internet for academic goals, but acknowledge that students may intentionally or inadvertently access inappropriate materials through use of the Internet. Innovations in Online Education believes that responsible use of e-resources are essential for 21st century learners moving toward digital literary and citizenship and that the rewards outweigh the potential disadvantages. As we cannot filter content on your home computers/laptops/mobile devices (refer to the Children’s Internet Protection Act) it is incumbent on parents and guardians to monitor their children’s use of the Internet. Parents and guardians of minors are responsible for establishing and discussing and enforcing the standards their children should follow in using the Internet.
PUBLISHING on the Internet
Students are encouraged to share their original work within the password-protected environment of the virtual classroom. In addition, they will also be asked to use asynchronous elements like wiki, discussion boards, blogs for publication of their original work. The rewards of this include sharing their writing with a global audience, receiving feedback from peers and experts, and collaborating in a global environment. For their protection, students are required to keep all personal information private and are not allowed to share any identifying information including full name, address, phone number, age. They may not publish work that has been plagiarized from other sources and they may not embed copyrighted materials without proper permission and/or citation when necessary.
Violations will result in disciplinary action that may include expulsion from the course as well as other disciplinary or legal action as warranted.
*AUP for all users
IOE’s online platform is to be used for IOE instruction-related purposes only. Acceptable uses of the platform is restricted to responsible and legal activities for educational purposes. The IOE platform may not be used for commerce or profit or political agenda.
Users of IOE platform and other e-resources used by IOE for educational purposes must respect the privacy of others. When students log on to the IOE platform they are only allowed to type their first name and first initial of their last name to log on for privacy protection purposes. They may not use their full name when logging on to Blackboard Collaborate for their Innovations in Online Education course session. When using email, social media sites or other e-communication sources, IOE students and teachers are not allowed to reveal personally identifiable, private or confidential information, including the home address, telephone number, credit or checking account information or social security number of themselves or other users of the IOE platform. IOE teachers and administrators will follow the guidelines of the (FERPA) Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Users also may not forward or post personal communications without prior consent of the author of the communication. In addition, views may be expressed as representing the view of the IOE program only with prior approval by the IOE Administrator.
Users of the IOE platform or other e-resources used by IOE for educational purposes such as email may not engage in creating, sharing,
intentionally accessing, or transmitting images, graphics (including still or moving pictures), sound or text files, documents, messages
or any material that is obscene, defamatory, profane, pornographic, harassing, abusive or that is harmful to minors.
Users of IOE platform and other tech resources used by IOE for educational purposes may not send electronic communications, including but not limited to email or via social media sites, fraudulently. Users of the IOE platform or of other tech resources used by IOE for educational purposes may not misrepresent their identity.
All IOE policies as presented in the IOE handbook must be adhered to. All applicable laws, including those relating to copyrights and trademarks, confidential information, and public records, apply. Any use of the IOE platform or any tech resources used for the IOE program that violates state or federal law is strictly prohibited. All rules of the Acceptable Use Policy apply to students’ and teacher’s use of the IOE platform, the Internet and other tech resources utilized by IOE for educational purposes.
IOE technological resources may not be used to distribute advertising, distribute personal or private information about the user or other people in the IOE program, propagate computer viruses, arrange or agree to meet with someone the user has met in the IOE program other than official IOE business that must first be requested as an email document to be approved or denied by IOE Administrator; posting information that could be disruptive, cause damage, or endanger IOE students or teachers and accessing chat-rooms or instant messaging software, unless for a valid educational purpose or official IOE business.
*IOE Administrators may review files, monitor all communication, and intercept e-mail messages to ensure adherence to IOE policy and applicable laws and regulations. IOE will take appropriate disciplinary action in response to a user’s inappropriate or illegal use or use that violates the IOE AUP. Illegal activities will be reported to the appropriate authorities (federal, state, local).
Innovations in Online Education, Inc.
Technology Acceptable Use Policy
STUDENT
I understand and will abide by the Innovations in Online Education Technology Acceptable Use Policy.
Student Name (please print): ______________________________________
Student E-Signature: _______________________________ Date: ________