AUP OR RUP

Astrid Eliana Londono

VIDEO LINK:

◦ https://www.loom.com/share/d834a497f0d84f40a4d107f319c512f7
 Objectives
◦ Discuss important areas of the AUP/RUP and how it was influenced by current federal or state
laws and initiatives on technology policies.
◦ Provide tips and strategies to assist the staff in helping students understand the policy and how
it applies to them.
◦ Discuss common misconceptions teachers and students may have regarding the RUP/AUP and
how these misconceptions can unknowingly lead to negative consequences. Provide strategies
to avoid these situations.
◦ Describe how staff implementation of these policies and procedures across the school will help
create a shared vision for the school/district.
Providence School Department Acceptable Use Policy 

◦ Provide a background about the importance of technology for the educational community. 
◦ Guidelines and implementation strategies that the district will follow, starting with the superintendent. 
◦ The acceptable use of internet implementation suggests the appropriate use of language among stakeholders, keeping private
student information, and compliance with all federal acts and laws. 
◦ The unacceptable use of the internet suggests to all stakeholders do not engage in criminal acts, follow the appropriate
copyright laws, do not attempt to hardware or data, use the network for educational purposes, do not spread viruses, private
information, or harm someone using digital technology and do not engage in bullying, harassment or violence. 
◦ The AUP district outlines the compliance with Laws, confidentiality requirements where list the steps to follow when the user
is found to violate any of the prohibitions. 
◦ Finally, the AUP has a legal reference and a list of resolutions. 
 Some differences 
◦ The PPSD has all the laws describe in its policy. The district follows this list in order to understand its legal obligations
using technology, for example, CIPA (Children Information Protection Act), COPPA (Children's Online Privacy
Protection Act), Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
◦ PPSD lists regulations to the staff members, especially in social media and the use of the school email. 
◦ PPSD has a list of the procedures to follow when someone wants to unblock a site. Request to unblock sites if it is for
educational purposes or staff purposes relate to their job. Any unblocking request must be written and approved by the
district.  
◦ PPSD includes the Children Information Protection Act (CIPA) regulations. It "requires technology protection
measures that prohibit hacking, disclosure of personal information concerning children, and unlawful activities
involving children online" some are: do not access to pornography and harmful material for children.
◦ PPSD Provide the responsibilities of school staff while working with students and the appropriate use of the email.
 AUP/RUP
◦ Acceptable Use Policy (AUP) is a document used in schools to
protect students, teachers, and staff from dangerous situations
that can affront using the internet or any technological device
(Educationworld.com, 2009) The AUP follow six key elements specifying
unacceptable behavior and sanctions:
◦ According to Bosco (2013), AUP is different in some school
districts, and they call it RUP - Responsible use policy. ◦ a preamble,

“Some districts, such as the Portsmouth School Department, ◦ a definition section,

have altered the perspective on “acceptable” use policies by ◦ a policy statement,
framing them as “responsible” use policies. A “responsible use”
◦ an acceptable uses section,
approach is more than just a switch in terminology. It presents
the student use policy in the form of what students should do ◦ an unacceptable uses section, and
rather than what they should not do”. ◦ a violations/sanctions section.
This approach helps students to become responsible users of
digital media and technology.
◦The preamble explains why the policy is needed, its goals,
and the process of developing the policy.
◦The definition section defines critical words used in the
policy. 
The policy statement must tell what computer services are
covered by the AUP. 
◦The acceptable uses section defines appropriate student use
of the computer network. 
◦In the unacceptable uses section, give clear, specific
examples of what constitutes unacceptable student use.
◦The violations/sanctions section tells students how to
report violations of the policy or whom to question its
application. (Educationworld.com, 2009) 
 The AUPs are mandatory in all schools and are influence by the Federal Laws:
◦ FERPA is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records maintained by, or on
behalf of, educational agencies or institutions. 
◦ (CIPA) Children Information Protection Act: Requires that schools and libraries that receive specific
federal funds certify to the funding agency that they have an internet safety policy in place. This policy
requires blocking access to obscenity, child pornography, or, as to students, material harmful to
minors, as defined in CIPA. CIPA also requires technology protection measures that prohibit hacking,
disclosing personal information concerning children, and unlawful online activities. 
◦ COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act): A federal law imposes specific requirements
on websites or online services operators directed to children under 13 years of age.
◦ (NETP) National Education Technology Plan: Ensure equitable access to technology and
connectivity inside and outside school, regardless of students' backgrounds. "It focused on technology as
a tool to close equity gaps in our country by working to ensure all learners have access to high-quality
learning experiences, no matter where they live." U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.  
 Strategies for K 9- 12 classroom
◦ Include students and parents in the discussion of the policy.
◦ Create school Debates to discuss the sanctions and situations that can
harm student privacy.
◦ Promote in students the practice of responsible digital citizenship
inside and outside of the classroom.
◦ Implement strategies like THINK with students: "The THINK
Strategy is used by students working together in teams to solve
problems systematically. Students learn to analyze and identify a
problem, examine what's been done in the past, brainstorm new
solutions, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of new
solutions".
◦ JIGSAW activities with school staff and students.
◦ Create social projects with students, including topics related to the
policy.
 Misconceptions
◦ The district is responsible for my technology behavior: Yes, the individual must not follow the AUP
and be responsible for it. In addition, the individual is responsible for keeping private information
secure. 
◦ The student may face suspension: Yes, the individual may face disciplinary action according to the
policy sanctions. 
◦ Schools administrators and staff should follow the AUP: Yes, they may respect the AUP, use the
internet for educational purposes, appropriately use the school emails, technology devices, and social
media. 
◦ Strategies: 
-Promote discussions and conversations around AUP appropriate and inappropriate use. 
-Maintain safe and polite language when using a technology device. 
-Promote digital citizenship and responsible use of the internet. 
-Report any suspected act of vandalism. 
-Monitor student and staff use of the internet using programs like GoGuardian. 
 Benefits
◦ Create a safe environment.
◦ Promote respect for others' privacy.
◦ Protecting others' authorship.
◦ Access to a piece of appropriately educational
information.
◦ Avoid bullying, harassment, sext violence, and harmful
content.
◦ Monitor the use of technology, protecting all stakeholders.
◦ Avoid conflict between members of the educational
community.
 Resources
◦ Bosco J. (2013). Rethinking Acceptable Use Policies to Enable Digital Learning: A Guide for School Districts. Participatory
Learning Leadership & Policy. https://www.cosn.org/sites/default/files/pdf/Revised%20AUP%20March%202013_final.pdf
◦ Educationworld.com (2009) Getting Started on the Internet: Developing an Acceptable Use Policy (AUP).
https://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/curr093.shtml
◦ Lincoln Public Schools. (2010). Computer and Internet Acceptable Usage Policy https://
www.lincolnps.org/cms/lib/RI50000681/Centricity/Domain/45/AUP-Final-5-17-10.pdf
◦ Providence School Department. (2019). Internet Acceptable Use Policy. https://
www.providenceschools.org/cms/lib/RI01900003/Centricity/Domain/208/404_Internet_Acceptable_Use_Policy-final-appro
ved_10.9.2019.pdf

◦ Smith, F. (2015). 6 Ways the New National Education Technology Plan Could Help Close Achievement Gap. https://
edtechmagazine.com/k12/article/2015/12/6-ways-new-national-education-technology-plan-could-help-close-achievement-g
ap

◦ U.S. Department of Education. (2021). Office of Educational Technology.  https://tech.ed.gov/what-we-do/ 

◦ U.S. Department of Education. (2021). Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html