Course includes links to privacy policies for technology tools.

Review These Explanations

A privacy policies is a statement or legal document that details what type of information is monitored, collected, and/or distributed. Learners should be provided access to information about the degree to which their information (identities, submissions, logons) is being monitored, collected, and/or distributed either by the LMS or through the registration process for an external tool (i.e., online workbook, or blog application).

Learners entrust the university with their personal information and expect that information to be protected. Web based applications and other technology tools may be collecting data in the background, and learners need to be advised and know that their data is safeguarded.

Transparency is one of the top rights related to learner privacy policies (Strauss, 2014), and learners should have direct, simply access to any policies related to technology tools used in their courses.

Privacy policies can be obtained from campus administrative offices, and links to these policies should be checked on a regular basis to be sure that they are still valid.

References:

Strauss, V. (2014, March 6) Why a ‘Student Privacy Bill of Rights’ is desperately needed. Accessed 2/1/2017 at https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2014/03/06/why-a-student-privacy-bill-of-rights-is-desperately-needed/

Refresh Your Course with These Ideas

General Suggestions

• Check with your campus LMS administrator for privacy policies. Explore the current privacy policy for Blackboard Learn.
• Include a section in the Course Information Documents that includes links to the privacy policies for all technology used in the course, including the LMS.
• Post links to privacy policies in the activity or assignment instructions that require learners access a specific technology.
• Check with IT or Academic Technology campus partners to see if they have a page listing all technology privacy policies, which you can link directly to from your course. Ask them to include links to technologies that you are using in your course as well.

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