Online+Collaboration+Policy

=**Safety and Ethics** Assignment=

__Online Collaboration Policy__
Collaboration is to work together to achieve a shared goal, usually in an intellectual endeavor. Subsequently, online collaboration aims to reach those same goals but in an interactive digital environment, maximizing student learning and engagement. Because it is a digital environment certain safety and ethical policies must be put into place to ensure a quality online learning experience via the educational telecommunications network.
 * Description:**


 * What is the impact of this issue on K-12 schools, educators, and students?**

With proper policies in place, online collaboration will help encourage students to access, analyze and evaluate information, sources, and incorporate various types of communications skills. Students will learn the value of teamwork, delegation of work, and time management. Educators will be able to reach their students outside of the confines of the school walls, and the education process will be allowed to carry over into hours outside of the normal school day.


 * Integrating this topic into Daily Instruction:**

We feel that this topic should be integrated into daily discussion gradually. This gradual process will allow students an adequate amount of time to understand the responsibilities and time management that are required to fully optimize the online work environment. Educators will be there to help guide the children through the different phases and help facilitate any collaborative questions they might have early on the the process.

5-8
 * Start to teach students the importance of online collaboration by requiring assignments to be completed using Google Docs.
 * Educate children on copyright and plagiarism laws.
 * The teacher will be a critical partner in the experience as he/she facilitates and monitors student activity.
 * Create group projects that are done entirely during class time but involve work on separate computers.
 * Educator will delegate student responsibility for project.
 * The students must obtain permission from their parents to participate in online collaborative learning.

7-9
 * Create group projects that require some in school and some out of school work using Edmodo, Google Docs, Cover It Live and Diigo.
 * All online collaboration tools should be made private and only accessible by the teacher and students.
 * Reinforce copyright and plagiarism laws.
 * Have students delegate their own workloads.
 * Create strict timetables that the students must follow to complete their projects.
 * The teacher will partially monitor student activity.
 * The students must obtain permission from their parents to participate in online collaborative learning.

9-12
 * Group projects will now be done entirely online using safe online collaboration tools such as Edmodo, Google Docs, Wikispaces, Cover It Live, and Diigo.
 * All online collaboration tools should be made private and only accessible by the teachers and students.
 * Students will be responsible for full understanding and practice of copyright and plagiarism laws.
 * The students must obtain permission from their parents to participate in online collaborative learning.

Edmodo is a free, secure social network for teachers, students, and schools. It provides classrooms with a safe way to connect and collaborate by offering them a place to exchange ideas and share content. Cover It Live is a real-time, online primary text-based shared space for students and teachers to communicate and collaborate. Diigo is an online information management tool that allows students and teachers to collaborate through collecting and organizing anything and being able to easily share. Google Docs is an online tool that enables students to work collaboratively, through sharing and editing their work. Wikispaces is a collaborative tool that students and teachers can use to share text, images, videos, files, and more.
 * Additional Links:**
 * Edmodo**
 * Cover It Live- Back channel**
 * Diigo**
 * Google Docs**
 * Wikispaces**


 * References:**
 * CyberSmart-ISTE**