Comments on: Professor: Web 2.0 an awkward fit for the academic world http://johnthomson.org/blog/archives/292 Thoughts on the social impacts of information and communication technology policy. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:10:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Why privacy and copyright make small providers nervous at John Thomson: Thinking out loud http://johnthomson.org/blog/archives/292#comment-5112 Why privacy and copyright make small providers nervous at John Thomson: Thinking out loud Wed, 09 Jul 2008 16:02:01 +0000 http://johnthomson.org/blog/?p=292#comment-5112 [...] response to my assertion that FERPA has some scared tells me deserves a bit of [...] [...] response to my assertion that FERPA has some scared tells me deserves a bit of [...]

]]> By: One small step for man » Blog Archive » FERPA and Learning 2.0 http://johnthomson.org/blog/archives/292#comment-5107 One small step for man » Blog Archive » FERPA and Learning 2.0 Fri, 04 Jul 2008 05:10:17 +0000 http://johnthomson.org/blog/?p=292#comment-5107 [...] John Thomson, writing in response to Martin Weller’s ideas in SocialLearn finds Web 2.0 an awkward fit for higher education and gives among his reasons for why universities can’t/won’t change: “FERPA has everybody scared. The purpose of the law was to protect student’s personal and grade information from things like the grade list on the door and prying parents. Yet fear over having students work on external commercial systems, which are largely secure from hacking and violate privacy only on the aggregate level of data, causes hesitation from using Web 2.0 systems or attempting to form partnerships with their owners.” [...] [...] John Thomson, writing in response to Martin Weller’s ideas in SocialLearn finds Web 2.0 an awkward fit for higher education and gives among his reasons for why universities can’t/won’t change: “FERPA has everybody scared. The purpose of the law was to protect student’s personal and grade information from things like the grade list on the door and prying parents. Yet fear over having students work on external commercial systems, which are largely secure from hacking and violate privacy only on the aggregate level of data, causes hesitation from using Web 2.0 systems or attempting to form partnerships with their owners.” [...]

]]> By: john http://johnthomson.org/blog/archives/292#comment-5103 john Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:13:56 +0000 http://johnthomson.org/blog/?p=292#comment-5103 Bob, I have to say I completely agree. Unfortunately, fear on the behalf of students (over schoolwork that might someday be seen as embarrassing) and of the possibility of a lawsuit has some educational technologists thinking about the law before thinking of the learning possibilities. The same phenomenon is also happening in the copyright arena. And from some respects--who can blame them? Both are complicated laws. Directory vs educational information can sometimes be confusing and a fair use analysis gives no guarantees. To some degree, this may be an effect of a societal rules reaching into more aspects of daily life (or the system colonizing lifeworld, for any Habermas fans). Your site has some great, clear information on FERPA--if we all are going to have to understand these laws on some level, we'll need more work like yours. Bob, I have to say I completely agree. Unfortunately, fear on the behalf of students (over schoolwork that might someday be seen as embarrassing) and of the possibility of a lawsuit has some educational technologists thinking about the law before thinking of the learning possibilities. The same phenomenon is also happening in the copyright arena.

And from some respects–who can blame them? Both are complicated laws. Directory vs educational information can sometimes be confusing and a fair use analysis gives no guarantees.

To some degree, this may be an effect of a societal rules reaching into more aspects of daily life (or the system colonizing lifeworld, for any Habermas fans). Your site has some great, clear information on FERPA–if we all are going to have to understand these laws on some level, we’ll need more work like yours.

]]> By: Bob McCluskey http://johnthomson.org/blog/archives/292#comment-5102 Bob McCluskey Sat, 21 Jun 2008 12:11:18 +0000 http://johnthomson.org/blog/?p=292#comment-5102 When considering the complexities and potential pitfalls of FERPA it is easy to overlook the obvious: The student can provide his/her own education records to anyone, by any means, at any time. The student can also consent to the disclosure of his/her records by the school. When a student participates in web activities by his/her own volition, or provides consent for the school to include him/her in such activities, FERPA need not be feared! When considering the complexities and potential pitfalls of FERPA it is easy to overlook the obvious: The student can provide his/her own education records to anyone, by any means, at any time. The student can also consent to the disclosure of his/her records by the school. When a student participates in web activities by his/her own volition, or provides consent for the school to include him/her in such activities, FERPA need not be feared!

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