As technology educators, what are we doing to teach young people to use technology ethically and responsibly? For all the good outcomes associated with social media and technology, there are some uses and outcomes that are so bad, even horrific, that we must take a minute to pause and think about the ethics and responsibility that go along with the unregulated use of technology. How do we educate our students on ethical and responsible use of technology? Let's begin by using some practical real world examples and experiences.
As technology educators, we would be remiss if we did not take the time to discuss with our students what constitutes "cyber bullying" and its effects. This list is longer than it should be but check out the stories of Ryan Patrick Halligan, Phoebe Prince and Megan Meier. All three of these children committed suicide. If your school district has a policy on bullying and cyber bullying, review it and make it a part of the lessons on a regular basis if you aren't doing so already.
There are entirely too many cases of "sexting" and using social media for displaying inappropriate sexual content or images. Think of Tiger Woods who was once a well respected golfer, husband and father. After sending hundreds of sexually explicit text messages to other women he was berated, chastised and publicly humiliated and finally, lost his family. Then there is former Congressman Anthony Weiner who sent nude pictures of himself over his Twitter account that were made public. This led to his resignation from Congress. These stories are a great way to discuss the effects of sexual impropriety using technology and what can happen if you do. Explain to your students that in many states these behaviors are being criminalized for the sender and the receiver.
Probably one of the most shocking cases of all is the the case of Dharun Ravi. He was technologically savvy and used his expertise and technology to demean and embarrass his college roommate without a second thought. The roommate, Tyler Clementi, ultimately killed himself by jumping from the George Washington Bridge. Ravi has been referred to as the "fruit of technology." Both young men were 18 years old at the time and both digital natives. Ravi was tried and convicted of a hate crime and is currently awaiting sentencing. He could spend up to 30 years in jail. Discuss tolerance, privacy rights and compassion with your students. This could easily have been a case of racial or gender discrimination rather than homophobia.
As shocking and horrific as these events are, they can all be teachable moments for us. Technology educators and parents must take the time to have their students reflect on the ethical and moral consequences of using technology. It is up to us to train our children to be responsible users of technology.
