Part of your work over the past week has been to find user agreements and policies and AUPs etc.

Here is one example from a school in Califormia of a Student Technology Use Agreement

What is your opinion about this? Is there anything not applicable to us here in Bangladesh? Anything else you would add? Take away? 

Sometimes it feels as though we jump from one topic to another in ITGS. However I wish to remind you that we are always trying to integrate the THREE strands as found in the syllabus. These are:

1. Social and ethical issues
2. IT systems
3. Areas of impact

Take for example our recent work on Policies and standards. I asked you to look at wireless connectivity. This is how WiFi fits into the three strands:

1. Issues: Policies and standards, authenticity, privacy, reliability, people and machines (some questions to ask: how do we ensure a reliable system and what rules/guidelines need to be put into place to ensure the appropriate use of the technology and to protect the privacy of people and networks).
2. Systems: How does WiFi work? What are the different protocols, how do they differe from each other. Who is using which one? What is ISD using? Why?
3. Impact: Which areas are being affected by the introduction of wifi? Education (mobile computing), Health (?), Politics and Government (in terms of control, policies and rollout), Business and Employment (?)

Then a good idea is to find relevant and recent news articles to do with the topic in order to bring the three strands together.

For example:

• The Ten Most Connected Cities in the World Explore this and look at developments internationally with WiFi rollout. Why are cities choosing to go WiFi? Look at the cost, the penetration, the speed and the plans in progress.
• WiFi Worry Health issues are highlighted here. Connections are also made with education and child development.
  
• WiFI Spots Might be Security Trouble addresses the question of security and WiFi networking

Therefore it is important to remember that we do not study anything in ITGS in isolation. You must always be reaching out, using your enquiring mind and looking at the THREE strands as above.

I spent time and energy last week compiling resources to do with online safety and cyberbullying. I suggest you browse through these, especially if you are looking for information for your portfolio essay.

• Online safety resource
• Cyberbullying presentation

for some strange reason every time i try to make a comment to the community blog it says that your comment could not be posted. I don't know why this is happening. i tried logging out and logging in again but made no difference. perhaps something is wrong with Elgg itself

Following on from the recent discussion we had about the use of mobile phones at school I wish to draw your attention to this article in todays news, 'Italian schools hang up on mobiles'.

I would like YOUR opinions and comments about this situation in Italy based on what the article is telling us. Try to use some of the skills you have from your TOK classes and analysis the logic, the ethics and look at it from the viewpoint of each stakeholder.

I look forward to your comments!