Daily Education and Technology News for Schools 02/21/2012
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Prepared Statement for the Dec. 14 Congressional Privacy Caucus | Common Sense Media
While SOPA was going on, many of us missed that COPPA is under review. Here is an overview of the congressional testimony given on December 14, 2011 to the Congressional Privacy Caucus. One of the biggest issues is that privacy should be "opt-in" not "opt out." This means companies would be required to express consent before they collect information and to get consent from parents for younger kids. Of course, this is a great idea, just know that nothing on the Internet is free and it could mean that less is free if this goes through. Kids come first, but if the rest of us opt in- many free sites may just go away. Anyone willing to pay for Facebook?
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The Complete Educator’s Guide to Using Google Reader | The Edublogger
A handy and very current guide to using Google reader. This is more current than some of the RSS for educators, etc. guides, especially since Google reader has changed. Written by my friend, Sue Waters.
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WTO | intellectual property (TRIPS) - what are intellectual property rights?
Schools often don't discuss the intellectual property rights of their students. This is the World Trade Organization's page about intellectual property rights. Most schools and colleges claim IPR over their student's work, which I think is a shame. Educate students to find out and ask.
"Intellectual property rights are the rights given to persons over the creations of their minds. They usually give the creator an exclusive right over the use of his/her creation for a certain period of time." -
Jean Lave, Etienne Wenger and communities of practice
Excellent overview of the term community of practice. The origin of the term and the use of it in education is important as many of us are working through the social aspects of learning. I have seen that when established community habits and expectations occur, that learning is facilitated and the group as a whole becomes more engaged and focused. I'm citing this research in my new book about collaborative writing from Eye on education.
