The days of all student data being in a folder, locked in a vault are way behind us. With all the tech tools, apps, and other platforms for education, it is more important now than ever to protect student information. Nearly every app used in any setting includes terms and conditions, which include information on how personal information is collected and used. Teachers should be very careful when selecting which of these apps they will be using with their students. Gallagher et al. (2015) explains that FERPA protects any and all of the student information that educational institutions maintain. “Teachers should be aware of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and applicable state laws, along with their district or school policies regarding the use of educational products and services from ed tech vendors” (Gallagher et al., 2015, para. 5). The problem is that so many educators are not taking this in consideration before implementing new tools and apps in their classrooms. According to the U.S. department of education, “hundreds of educational data breaches happen every year [and these] disclosures can expose students to a host of negative consequences such as identity theft, fraud, and extortion” (Data Security, 2020, para. 1). In addition, these negative consequences for students can also have negative consequences on teachers and, potentially, their careers. I encourage all teachers to be very intentional when selecting which tools to use with their students. If they have not been approved by their school system, it is a good idea to follow the proper procedures for having them vetted before implementing.
References
Data Security: K-12 and Higher Education. (2020). Retrieved December 13, 2020, from https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/security
Gallagher, K., Pruitt, K., & Magid, L. (2020, August 26). The educator's guide to student data. privacy. Retrieved December 13, 2020, from https://www.connectsafely.org/eduprivacy/