Introduction
Overview
Narratives
Exhibits Summary

Strand Six:  Social, Ethical, Legal,
and Human Issues
Carrie Ann Engel
Teachers understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply those principles in practice.
Teachers:
A.  Model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.
B.  Apply technology resources to enable and empower learners with diverse backgrounds, characteristics, and abilities.
C.  Identify and use technology resources that affirm diversity.
D.  Promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.
E.  Facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.
     
As I have produced this portfolio, I have made every effort to be responsible about citing references.  The children in my student teaching placement sign an agreement to use technology appropriately and responsibly.  Parents are also asked if their children's pictures can be used in local publications or work for the class.  I  wanted parents' informed consent to use work samples or pictures from their children in my portfolio so I asked that each family return a legal release.  Work samples and pictures from children who did not sign this release were not used in my electronic portfolio.
        I considered computer assess when I decided what technology to integrate into my unit.  I knew that there was specific lab time set aside each week as well as assess to computers in our classroom so I knew we would be able to do our technology related work at school.  I had to scaffold technology lessons for children with less experience with computers at home and sometimes I had to adjust my expectations or objectives for certain lessons.  In the classroom, we also made sure that the computers were on a rotation so all students had assess to them at least once a week during center time.   Even for those children who do not have home computers,  Chelsea School District makes sure all children have some assess to computers early in their education.  This allowed me to start activities with children who generally had at least a basic understanding of computers.
       I did not allow my first graders to search on the Internet because many of the sites are intended for people who can read and in general, much of the content of the Internet is not appropriate for young children.  When I guest teach with older children who are allowed to use the Internet, I adhere to the policies of the school where I am working.  I also monitor the children while they are working on the computers, give them hot lists or bookmarks of the sites they are allowed to view, and tell them that computers and the Internet are to be used for educational purposes at school.  I use technology to enhance activities only if the technology advances my educational goals for the children.  Therefore, I review any web sites or software and throughly evaluate whether they are of educational value before I allow them to be viewed.
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