As long as we keep students protected when it comes to security and privacy, students will be less vulnerable to embarrassment and dangerous situation. Technology in schools is often decided upon the function of the technology and the budget within the technology department (Avila, 2017). Some parents would like to refuse the use of technology in the classroom for their child, but with all the students using technology that has become very hard to do since, the parent who would like to refuse the technology doesn’t want to be seen as the bad parent or the outlier of all the other parents (Avila, 2017).
Parents should find out how schools deal with security as it related to technology in order for them to get a better picture of how things work and are implemented in the organization. By listening to the ideas of the parents, IT professionals can possibly learn from the concerns of the parents to help manage the system better (if need be). Although it is good that students are using technology in the classroom, making sure it is safe and secure is more important than anything else. Some teachers use free software due to budget constraints, which can possibly lead to the student name, location and other information being accessed using a free application versus a paid version because of the way the information is stored and etc. Teachers who use these free-based applications should consider which application collect what information related to the student using the application (Avila, 2017). So, teachers can determine which application(s) is most effective and more secure for the child. Limiting the outsource of information can decrease a child’s risk from their information being stolen and identity theft from occurring.
Even after a child has graduated high school, graduates have to be aware of how they share their information. In order for students to apply for jobs and school they have to apply online using some type of online database that stores sensitive information such as names, addresses, social security numbers, tax documentation, bank account numbers for direct deposit and/or tuition purposes as well as other information (Avila, 2017). Making sure site have a secure lock on them and contain https in their site address is a couple of ways to make sure the site is secure. When a site is secure that way, the information gets encrypted and can no longer be seen until it reaches the point where it needs to be.
Overall, parents have a right to know how their child’s information is being stored and used within the education sector. Asking questions to get better answers related to student information can be vital for the student. Using free educational software can be risky, if the teacher does not know the type of information being collected in the process of the child using the application but having knowledge of the information being collected is important although some information is important not all information collected can be seen as important. Teachers may still want to use the application based on the importance of the information stored. Even as children grow up and graduate high school and go on to college and/or the workforce student have to be aware of the type of information being shared online.
Resource
Avila, K. (2017, August 22). Leading by Example: Security and Privacy in the Education Sector. Security Intelligence. Retrieved from https://securityintelligence.com/leading-by-example-security-and-privacy-in-the-education-sector/
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