Week 28 Mindlab (activity 4) - Influence of Law & Ethics in Practice

Activity 4: Legal and ethical contexts in my digital practice

My ethnic dilemma and referring to Rolfe et al (2001), framework on reflective practice

WHAT?  This year I became more familiar with using seesaw app. I designed tasks and activities and that enable my students to be actively engaged in their learning. This year my goal was to get more parent/family involvement and feedback. For this to happen, I emailed parents giving the access to their child’s digital learning journal. Parents were very excited, impressed and proud of their child's work and learning. I was able to share with my students whose parents were leaving comments on their child’s work. Students were so happy and proud to see their parents see their work. I was able to speak with parents and they loved receiving notifications of when their child uploaded work. Parents were coming to see me to be added to the seesaw family to access their child's digital learning journal. This became very popular with families that they wanted to share their child's journal with ALL family members. Some parents came to see me to request me to add their grandparents and other family members to have access to their child's digital learning journal.

SO WHAT?  I found that the dilemma is the potential for outside members having access to student work and information. I believe this would lead to a Violation of privacy and confidentiality and misuse of student data/information. I know I have good relationships with my parents and they always feel comfortable to talk and express their concerns with me. I know that with seesaw app, I have full control and I control what approved in my students digital journal and my parents access and comments. My thoughts on this matter, is that I do not want to share access to outside family members. I wish to keep access strictly to family members for the welfare and privacy of my students.

NOW WHAT?  So, the request of outside family members wishing permission to access seesaw and the potential of violation of privacy and student information, I can clearly say, ‘No’. I do not wish any information and violation of my students to be shared. In relation to our code our standard in the code of professional responsibility, commitment to families and whanau ‘I will respect the vital role my learners’ families and whānau play in supporting their children’s learning by:

1. engaging in relationships with families and whānau that are professional and respectful

2. engaging families and whānau in their children’s learning

(Education Council, (2017).p.12)

References:

Education Council. (2017). Our Code Our Standards. Retrieved from: https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf

Rolfe, G., Freshwater, D., Jasper, M. (2001) Critical reflection in nursing and the helping professions: a user’s guide. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.