Tips on using web-based tools (Web 2.0) for academic work
Note: To see how these tips can be applied in teaching, review the Case Studies.
-
Help students keep their private information private. (less...)
- Do not share students’ legally-protected information.
- Encourage students never to use their Duke NetID (as an ID or Username) for non-Duke systems.
- Check the privacy policies of sites you ask students to use.
- Do not store grades in non-Duke systems.
At Duke, students can choose not to have their "directory information" – which includes their real name, email address and photo – shared publicly. If students have privacy flags set in ACES, their directory information must not be disclosed outside the classroom by the instructor. Even without these flags, the policy supported by the Duke Registrar's Office is that this type of directory information should not be shared publicly except by the student. To avoid disclosure of directory information, urge students not to use their Duke email or their real name when using a non-Duke site for class work. Instead, ask students to create an alias account, and share their alias name with you so that their work can be correctly attributed for class assessment and evaluation purposes.
Check the policy of websites and web tools regarding sharing account information or content for marketing or other purposes, or for making content searchable from outside the site (e.g., via major search engines like Google). Be aware that privacy policies of sites can change at any time, and review this information frequently.
Do not store student grades in non-Duke systems, or store/display grades in a way that other individuals can see them. Student grades are information protected by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (referred to as FERPA - http://registrar.duke.edu/registrar/studentpages/student/ferpa.html) and must be kept private from those not authorized to view them. Storing student grades in systems not controlled by Duke is a security risk which is not necessary. Duke’s Blackboard system is one option for securely sharing student grades with individual students.
If you have an assignment where it is valuable for students to work in spaces where individuals outside the course can see the work (e.g., a publicly available blog), explain the rationale for the assignment. You may want to ask students to sign a release to participate and give them an option to not participate if they do not wish to make their material public or stored on a server outside of Duke.
-
Make sure that “free” software is really free. (less...)
- Determine whether user data is collected in return for free use of a website or software.
- Tell students in advance if assignments will require them to pay any costs associated with using a website.
Examine the user requirements at the site carefully before using it. Many free software programs collect information about user behavior. This may or may not be problem, but you should read carefully the privacy policy of a website before assigning its use. (See tip #1 above.) Some sites allow a limited amount of use for free but begin charging for higher usage levels. For example, sites that allow individuals to upload and share digital images may charge a fee once users exceed a space limit. Tell your students at the start of the class about costs you expect them to pay. Be aware that costs could change at any time.
-
Help students protect their intellectual property. (less...)
- Have students keep local copies/backups of their work.
- Avoid sites that make claims of ownership for materials uploaded to their site.
Student work is considered their intellectual property by Duke. Avoid sites which claim ownership or control of materials posted. Consider what will happen to student work after class is over, and decide whether you need to download or save a copy of the work as a record of class activities. (Check whether this is possible with the site first.) Put information in your syllabus about what the official record of the class activity would be in case the non-Duke service is no longer available, and encourage students to keep a copy of their own materials at the end of the course. If the tool you are assigning students to use makes ownership claims, or if you have a requirement for students to share work under a Creative Commons license, put that information in the syllabus, have a release form signed by the student and offer alternative course activities for students that do not wish to waive ownership rights to their work.
-
Encourage students to respect copyright laws and abide by academic integrity standards. (less...)
- Educate your students about copyright law and fair use of materials created by others.
- Help students understand when they need to seek permissions for reuse of materials.
The increased availability of digital materials and easy-to-use editing tools offer creative opportunities for assignments involving mash-ups, mixes and reuse of those materials. At the same time, tools for editing and sharing creative works can make it harder to ensure that use of others’ materials is done in a way that is legal and ethical. Duke's Scholarly Communications Officer can assist with questions concerning user agreements at the sites as well as copyright and fair use of materials created by others.
-
Prepare students for the kinds of information they may see or experiences they may have in using new types of software tools. (less...)
- Be aware that individuals may find some materials at some sites offensive.
- Consider whether there are ways to control access while still meeting educational goals.
Open and collaborative websites offer opportunities to communicate with a wide variety of individuals and to experience things not readily available in the immediate environment. At the same time, these sites may expose students to advertisements or other materials which might offend them. When working in virtual worlds such as Second Life, students may experience rude, lewd or offensive behavior by other participants in those spaces. Debates which take place in public blogs can become heated. You can plan to use tools not supported by ads, if possible, or use "closed" or controlled areas in applications such as Second Life to mitigate these possibilities. You may want to offer alternative ways to complete course activities for students who are uncomfortable with the activities of others within these new kinds of tools.
-
Make sure you are using the best tool for the job. (less...)
- Leverage the growing base of Duke-supported tools.
- Complement this base with effective use of non-Duke tools with help from CIT and local IT support staff.
Duke is continually offering new tools for the user community, including some which offer the same features as external Web 2.0 tools. CIT consultants can assist you in determining if a Duke-supported tool could offer the same functionality with greater security and fewer risks. For example, DukeWiki or the Blackboard Blog tool may meet your needs if you do not need non-Duke individuals participating in an activity. Consider whether some hybrid of Duke-supported and external tools would work. For example, you may want to share some course information in a public website, but handle student communication and grading information in Blackboard or a password-protected website.
Web 2.0 tools are evolving rapidly. Be prepared for changes in the tool you are using. Software systems may be down for maintenance or system problems, or have feature changes at any time, not following the standard semester-based upgrade schedule which Duke system administrators try to follow. Be aware of the data retention, back-up and failure plans of the site, to the extent that you can, or have back-up copies of data or alternative ways to complete assignments in case the tool you planned to use is not available for some reason.
