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Dear
Student,
It is
important to your teachers, your parents and your school administrators
that you understand the many consequences of the new technology connections
that you wish to make using the information networks. It is important
that you understand that your use of this powerful educational tool is
a privilege. If you use it properly, it can provide you with countless
hours of educational exploration. You will lose this privilege if you
break any of the technology access rules. Some parts of the Internet contain
material that is not suited for students. The intent of the Amity Regional
School District is to use Internet and network connections only for purposes
consistent with our approved curriculum. Anyone who uses the network illegally
or improperly will lose his or her use privileges. The information networks
cannot be used for commercial or for-profit services. The rules defined
in this document describe the proper way to use this research tool. The
information networks are "public places." You must always remember that
you are sharing this space with many other users. Millions of individuals
may be interacting across the internet at the same time. Your actions
can be "seen" by others on the network. If you use a particular service
on the network, it is likely that someone knows the connections that you
are making, knows about the computer software that you are using and
knows what you looked at while you were in the system. These connections
are granted to you as part of the larger scope of the curriculum, and
therefore the Amity Regional School District has the right to monitor
what you do on the network. This is to ensure that the network continues
to function properly for all of its users.
Moral
and Ethical Issues
While
the Amity Regional School District wants you to use this valuable tool,
we do not condone the use of inappropriate information on the Internet.
We acknowledge that some materials exist that are inappropriate to the
instructional setting and we will do everything we reasonably can to prevent
them from being accessed. You must clearly understand that access to such
material in any form is strictly forbidden. The network is designed to
achieve and support instructional goals. You should avoid any information
that does not support classroom learning.
Virtual
Field Trips
The information
networks offer many opportunities for "virtual" field trips to distant
locations. The Amity Regional School District considers all connection
to remote locations as field trips. The rules that apply to student conduct
on field trips apply to these virtual electronic field trips as well.
It is important that you realize that you represent your school and the
school district when you use the information networks and be on your best
behavior. The District takes a very serious stand on issues related to
ethical and moral issues related to technology and telecommunications.
Two such serious issues are plagiarism and violation of copyright laws.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
is "taking ideas or writings from another person (regardless of source)
and offering them as your own." Credit should always be given to the person
who created the article or the idea. The student who leads readers to
believe that what they are reading is the student's original work when
it is not is guilty of plagiarism. This includes information gained off
the internet.
Copyright
According
to the Copyright Act of 1976, "Fair Use" means that you may freely use
any information that you legally find on the information networks as long
as you do so only for scholarly purposes, and cite it properly.
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