Introduction

Web publishing as well as using Internet for research and learning hold certain risks and raise issues with regard to the respect of copyright and the protection of personal information. The information presented here to help you address these issues in schools and classes does not constitute a legal notice and we do not claim that it is comprehensive. To pursue this subject further, we encourage you to share your comments or ask your questions on the forum put at your disposal here.

In a Nutshell

Web publishing: Publishing a class Web site or a student's personal page within the scope of a learning activity raises issues related to

• where the information will be published,
• for how long it will be accessible,
• what authorizations are required for publishing student work or that of other people.
• what information must be provided to parents and
• what consent must be obtained when personal information is disclosed.

The Web for research: Using Internet for learning purposes directly in class or as a research tool also requires that students be made aware of copyright issues (legal issue), as well as issues relating to providing personal information (legal and safety issue) and acceptable use of the media (moral and ethical issue). It also requires that information be provided to parents.

School boards are governed by laws and they must ensure that nominative information about their students is protected and that copyright is respected at all times. Teachers must therefore prepare their pedagogical approach, understand the impact of the tools they choose, provide parents with sufficient information concerning the learning events planned (including the advantages and the possible risks) and obtain the necessary authorizations, make students aware of potential risks and teach them how to be wise, responsible and safe users.