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Education leaders are re-examining acceptable use policies in light of the increasing use of highly mobile information technologies. While acceptable use policies were developed to manage and control behaviour, a digital citizenship policy takes a more comprehensive approach by recognizing the important role of education in preparing digital citizens. The  intent of this guide is not to ascribe policy, but rather to offer guidance to leaders as they strive to better meet student and organizational needs. The guide provides an overview of digital citizenship policies and practices. It draws from research and the practical experience of Alberta schools. 

The unprecedented uptake of mobile devices, in particular mobile phones, in both developed and developing countries opens up new possibilities for increasing education access, equity and quality. Mobile learning, a growing field of ICT in education, has the potential to significantly impact the delivery of education. However, an enabling policy environment is needed to fully realize this potential. UNESCO's research has revealed a dearth of policies related to mobile learning. To address this gap UNESCO, in broad consultation with relevant stakeholders, will develop a set of guidelines to help national government policy makers and educators create environments that enable the safe, affordable and sustainable use of mobile technologies for education.

"I've been seeing a lot of people on social media looking for a social media policy and / or an acceptable use policy. So I offered to help spearhead an initiative where some of our amazing readers could help craft these policies from scratch. It started out very basic but, 400 edits later, has materialized into a thoughtful and well-organized document that's a great template for any school."

this BYOD policy allows you to not only bring your portable device - tablet, phone, or laptop - to class, but to use it throughout. It trusts you to use it for the benefit of your education for the short time class meets each week. When using the device in class, just use your common sense, asking "would my professor approve of this use?" I don't mind the occasional text, but please do not let your device be a distraction. Here are some guidelines for in-class device use.

Over the coming weeks UNESCO, in partnership with Nokia, will launch its Working Paper Series on Mobile Learning with the release of a set of twelve papers reviewing mobile learning initiatives, implications for ICT in education policies and how mobile technologies support teacher development. The papers will be released according to regions of the world.

Learning objectives -How to overcome some of the barriers in enabling students to use mobile devices -How to encourage 'naughty learning' -How to create a mobile policy

"We live in a world of too much information and not enough knowledge. No one feels the strain of that digital-age truism more than journalists, who are asked to ferret out and process information with ever-increasing speed - and often at the expense of providing solid context for the news of the day. Journalist's Resource, a new online tool developed at Harvard's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy, aims to put that background knowledge at the fingertips of reporters, bloggers, or even concerned citizens by making the work of academics less opaque and easier to find. But the website, which curates scholarship on government, economics, society, and the environment, is more than just a reliable shortcut for deadline-driven journalists. "There is a real need for deepening journalism with verified, high-quality knowledge that informs the kind of serious journalism that makes our democracy work," said Alex S. Jones, director of the Shorenstein Center and a lecturer in public policy at HKS.   "It becomes very difficult for journalists, journalism professors, and students to go through and find the key items that would help them. We're trying to be a useful filter and curator."...."

Comprehensive and thought-provoking post from Simon Finch on ideal beahvior online -- including by teachers and parents.

"Produced in collaboration with Facebook. Social media is fast becoming as ubiquitous as the air we breathe. In recent months, many schools and districts around the country have taken steps to create social media policies and guidelines for their students and staff. In my work with several districts to draft these documents, I have seen many approaches that work well, and some that don't. That said, there is no silver bullet for administrators; every school, district, and state has a different set of circumstances. With that in mind, here are some steps that will help you determine the best approach for your own community."

The purpose of this webquest is to challenge you to develop a 3 year Policy and Vision Strategy for ICT Use in Teacher Professional Development in your country.

Bringing a cell phone to class usually starts a debate between teacher and student. Most teachers completely ban them. They are often regarded as distractions from learning. There are several issues concerning mobile learning like social media, Internet filtering, safety laws, teaching techniques, school policies, etc.

"Leadership is key to the use of innovative tools and the successful integration of digital aged literacy as mainstream in district K-12 education rather than just in isolated classrooms. Modeling use of Web 2.0 technologies and resolving policy issues hampering best practice use of digital media is a critical challenge for district level administrators. Transformative Leadership with Web 2.0 is an assessment tool for school leaders to help identify level of engagement in becoming a Transformative Leader with Web 2.0. "

Before choosing to restrict the use of social and mobile tools in schools, policymakers and education leaders have to consider the negative impact such restrictions will have on learning. That's the premise of a new policy report released jointly this week by more than a dozen prominent education associations and advocacy groups.

The decisions that schools make about ICT, including investment decisions, should be driven by their broader strategic goals and needs. Such decisions should also be consistent with the policies and advice of the school system or sector to which they belong.

Over the past several weeks UNESCO has been publishing individual titles in its Working Paper Series on Mobile Learning. Recently the Organization concluded the first phase of the Series by releasing two Global Themes papers.  These papers, unlike previous titles, are not region-specific.  Instead they synthesize information contained in the regional papers to identify salient trends that cut across geographic boundaries. One paper, Turning on Mobile Learning: Global Themes, highlights issues policy makers and other stakeholders should consider when infusing mobile learning into education systems.  The other paper, Mobile Learning for Teachers: Global Themes, examines characteristics shared by programmes that assist educators, either by aiding their work in schools or by helping them improve their own pedagogical and content knowledge.

2012 looks as if it might be the year that OER and open access reach the mainstream, globally and in South Africa. In the last few months in South Africa, the national department responsible for schools had announced the take-up of a major OER science and maths resource and the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has included in a new Green Paper a recommendation for the widespread use of open educational resources.