1. Topic: Cyberethics

2. Theme and Argument:

A. The argument or thesis: My thesis would be “The institution of a cyberethic curriculum in secondary schools is necessary due to the integration of technology in the classroom”. My argument is that with the implementation of technology in the classroom it is necessary to provide students with the information and skills required to make informed choices in regards to ethics on the internet. Ethics on the internet include: cyberbullying, piracy, plagiarism, copyright infringement, and privacy. Students need to understand the gravity of cyberethics to become responsible citizens.

B. The background: I chose this as my inquiry as we began our discussions in DLG3. I began to realize I really felt passionate about the topic. Do students know what they are doing is wrong? Can some behavior be explained by psychology? How can we curb the inappropriate behaviour and create a student who is a good global citizen both in and out of the school setting? If teachers do not begin to implement some form of cyberethics into the classroom, who will teach them the do’s and don’ts of cyberspace? Some background info I have found:

• studies indicating that illegal internet activity is done mostly by young teenagers
• other studies polled students and they believe stealing from the internet is not wrong
• the idea of abstract reasoning – develops anytime between 11-adult (Piaget)
• implementation needs to happen now – needs to be personal
• other reasons for this behaviour – the invisibility, anonymity, and (assumed) privacy the internet provides – they have the freedom to pretend
• examples  – the current rape in Pitt Meadows where it was posted on the internet

3. Primary and Secondary sources for insight into the topic:

A. Issues to be addressed:

• What exactly is cyberethics?
• What is the basis for piracy, cyberbullying, plagiarism, copyright infringement, and privacy violations on the internet in regards to students?
• Why is a curriculum on cyberethics necessary?
• How do we go about implementing one

B. Literature to be consulted:

Baum, J. (2005). Cyber ethics: The New Frontier. TechTrends: Linking Research & Practice to     Improve Learning, Nov/Dec, Vol. 49 Issue 6, 54-78. Retrieved from      http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=10&sid=eb51a4f6-1e6d-48fa-93d3-       683884580cda%40sessionmgr14&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ap   h&AN=19808765

Bell, M.A. (2002). Kids Can Care About Cyber ethics! In P. Barker & S. Rebelsky (Eds.),            Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and      Telecommunications 2002 (pp. 127-132). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from     http://www.editlib.org/p/9877.

Mahfood, S., Asuto, A., Olliges, R., & Suites, B. (2005). Cyberethics: Social Ethics Teaching in   Educational Technology Programs. Communication Research Trends. Volume 24 No. 4- 43. Retrieved from http://cscc.scu.edu/trends/v24/v24_4.pdf

McQuade, S. C. (2007). We Must Educate Young People About Cybercrime Before They Start   College. Chronicle of Higher Education, 1/5/2007, Vol. 53 Issue 18, pB29-B31,  Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=10&sid=08f781c4-        b9ab-4a01-97a8          90110063e597%40sessionmgr13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=rc   h&AN=23647700

Prakken Publications. (2009). National Cyber ethics, Cybersafety, Cybersecurity Baseline Study.             Education Digest, Vol. 74 Issue 7, 35-44. Retrieved from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=10&sid=f7c4770f-e20f-44e5-     baa0%20e4485e8251c8%40sessionmgr12&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3     d#db=rch&AN=37332832

Shariff, S. (2005). Cyber-dilemmas in the new millennium: School obligations to provide student  safety in a virtual school environment Journal of Education. Retrieved from  www.redorbit.com

Snyder, M. (2005). Pirates of the Classroom. Instructor Vol. 114 Issue 6, 18-19. Retrieved from             http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=10&sid=a8e6fca4-2ed9-4b2a-82b3-     bade289f4810%40sessionmgr12&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5   h&AN=16263514

Whittier, D. (2006). Cyber ethics in the Googling Age. Journal of Education,  Vol. 187 Issue 2,    1-86. Retrieved from    http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=10&sid=7bf05124-11eb-4bcf-9e9d-     d3c17bf1db1f%40sessionmgr13&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h &AN=24737122.

4. Provisional conclusions drawn from the argument & issues or data

• The need for a school implemented program on cyberethics is critical for our students to be well rounded citizens.
• Our job is to prepare students for the real world, technology plays a role in this, and thus, any issues that comes with this should be addressed early
• Prevent future cyber issues of plagiarism, cyberbullying, copyright infringement, privacy violations
• Make it real, make it personal is one method to help students understand why the above mentioned issues are unacceptable
• Students need guidance – they don’t know how to navigate properly in this new cyber world – they don’t know how to look for “good material”

5. Structure/sections of the paper

Intro

–          Thesis etc.

1^st topic  – What is Cyberethics?

–          My definition of cyberethics – what is cyberethics? In the context of plagiarism, cyberbullying, copyright infringement, privacy violations

–          Webster’s dictionary definition

–          Turnitin.com’s additions to the definition

2^nd topic –Reasons why students violate these ethics

–          Reason’s for student population to engage in plagiarism, cyberbullying, copyright infringement, privacy violations

–          Invisibility, anonymity, assumed privacy, freedom to pretend

–          Research on student motivations for cheating, copyright infringement etc

–          Piaget’s Formal Operational stage (abstract thinking)

3^rd topic – Why it’s necessary

–          Building awareness

–          Become well rounded global citizens

–          Help prevent future ethical violations

–          protect students in the future

–          change the way we look at cyberculture

4^th topic – Implementation Strategy

–          more research

–          administration and district help (policy adaptations etc)

–          teaching cyberethics can be in any class

–          use the internet to teach it

–          make it personal – no anonymity – empathy

–          use resources created from other districts