[Yr7-10it] Privacy fears over student register

[Costello, Rob R]

Hi Roland 
 
in my previous role as cluster educator, there were mixed feelings from various quarters about passing on accurate records along with students, across the primary / secondary school transition  
 
ie some felt that more accurate and detailed tracking would assist tailoring curriculum approaches and thus student learning - no need to lose all of the rich profile that primary schools have built up on students 
 
... some others, including a couple of people in prin / asst prin levels, felt that it was not a bad thing that the students get a relatively blank slate again [even though we had the typical attempts at transition projects, passing on of teacher judgments on some progression pts, transition testing etc] 
 
re the ultranet as a whole, does anyone know anything? 
 
agree that the system seems well instructed on the need to use it - without knowing much about what "it" is 
 
i've posted a few general reflections here 
http://thinkingcurriculum.decenturl.com/extranet
 
the school i allude to there is Glen Waverley SC
 
regards 
 
rob 
 
 
 
 
 

________________________________

From: yr7-10it-bounces at edulists.com.au on behalf of Roland Gesthuizen
Sent: Sun 5/11/2008 2:09 AM
To: eLearning mailing list; Year 7 - 10 IT Mailing List; Year 12 IT Applications Teachers' Mailing List
Subject: [Yr7-10it] Privacy fears over student register


As you know, I am an passionate advocate for schools to make good use of learning technologies in the classroom and ICT to assist the school administration. 

Last week, I briefly discussed with a departmental Ultranet representative, some of my concerns about the privacy issues regarding the construction of the student registry. Perhaps this was an unfair question but I was surprised that nobody had been briefed in detail about this. On previous occasions, I have tried to raise this with the AEU but the emails seem to have spiraled off and into the ether. Perhaps the mandated  requirement that all state school leaders adopt Ultranet as a performance goal, it's deep embedding into our schools and bundling with several different initiatives has confused things.

I harbor some genuine fears that this student registry could put students' privacy at risk. 

You can read the full Herald Sun newspaper story about the pending legislation or the attached printable version: 
    http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23661243-2862,00.html

Despite the wishes of former governments, the Australia card was rejected on very much the same issues and more recently an updated Medicare card. 
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_Card

Now is a good time to explore this whole new area and give consideration to the implications of what is being planned or the legislation that is before the Victorian parliament.

Now is a good time to ask questions.

Regards Roland

-- 
Roland Gesthuizen - ICT Coordinator - Westall Secondary College
http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au <http://www.westallsc.vic.edu.au/> 

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead _______________________________________________ 
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