It is funny how you start thinking things and something about them magically appears!

I was discussing Portable Technology User Policies with Dr Peter Leesinsky, Principal of Korean International School yesterday. In a far ranging conversation we spoke about the need to have staff and students on the same page with regard to the use of technology in schools. A crucial part of this is what schools say to kids in their technology Acceptable Use Policy. I actually spent some time yesterday afternoon looking at some available online and revisting the one I put together for All Saints’ College in Perth to see what I would now change 8-10 years later.

Amazing to see that David Warlick just posted about his new wiki site, School AUP 2.0

 I think that this will be a welcome and much needed  resource for edcuators worldwide and I really encourage educators to share on it. Judging from a brief hunt among what I have seen our there so far, there are a lot of AUPs still written for a web 1.0 world where there is very little consideration of the use of the mobile device for web-browsing, email and the vast array of other things these phones can do.

It is amazing how many of the schools I go into where the stated policy is no phones to be used during school hours and I find all of the kids using them. If we are going to have these things, let’s make them effective!

Let me know about the AUP in your school.