My Guiding Principles and Standards for E-LearningUpdated Section: Privacy & Media Use

My Guiding Principles & Standards for E-Learning

1. Maintaining Personal-Professional Boundaries in Media Use In my professional practice in Canada, I set clear boundaries between personal and professional life online. I only use employer-approved platforms (like Google Workspace, Hapara, or Brightspace) to communicate with students and families. I have separate accounts for personal social media and avoid posting anything student-related on public platforms. I never store student information on personal devices and ensure that any use of media in the classroom has consent and is securely shared. For professional safety, I also avoid private messaging with students and always document digital interactions. These practices reflect the OCT’s Standards of Care, Trust, and Respect.

2. Privacy Considerations in Education Technology As outlined in "A Guide to Privacy in Ontario Schools," educators must protect student data by limiting personal identifiers, using secure networks, and understanding how tech companies use shared data. The guide recommends using secure cloud storage and reviewing app permissions regularly. In remote or E-Learning environments, I make sure students log into secure portals and teach them about privacy settings. We discuss digital footprints and the importance of password protection. Tools like TeachingPrivacy.org support these goals, with lessons on "You’re Leaving Footprints" and "Privacy Requires Work."

3. Reflection on TeachingPrivacy.org The Teaching Privacy website highlighted ten core principles that I now use to shape my digital instruction, such as "Sharing Releases Control" and "There’s No Anonymity." These serve as practical discussion starters with students and are helpful in planning safe, informed lessons about online behavior and consent. The site also provides lesson plans that could be integrated into media literacy modules. I now embed privacy education across subject areas to develop students' digital citizenship.

4. Survey of Canadians on Privacy (2018-2019) The survey found that Canadians, particularly youth, are increasingly concerned about how their data is used, especially on social media and mobile apps. Students want to understand how their data is stored, who can access it, and how they can control it. This reinforces the need for explicit classroom conversations around digital rights and how to advocate for themselves in online spaces. I bring this into the classroom by having students explore app permissions and terms of service together in guided activities.

5. Summary My guiding principles in E-Learning now include not only digital literacy and equity, but also a strong commitment to data privacy. I integrate(d) privacy instruction into regular lessons, model(led) ethical use of digital tools, and reflect(ed) regularly on how my own tech practices align with OCT standards and school board policies. I believe privacy and well-being are essential to a safe digital learning environment. As a professional, I am committed to continual improvement in how I manage student data and technology use. Students need clear guidance, modeling, and structured opportunities to understand their role in protecting privacy, both for themselves and others. By embedding these practices in everyday instruction, we prepare students to be responsible, confident digital citizens who understand how their actions and choices impact their digital presence.

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