New technology “clouds” student data privacy

The issue of privacy has taken the education community by storm like no other since our organization, the Consortium for School Networking (CoSN), began serving school system technology leaders in 1992. Fueled by headlines about government security agencies reading emails and listening to phone calls of U.S. citizens, and by credit card data breaches at major retailers, student data privacy has become a priority for all stakeholders in the education community.

This could not have come at a more unfortunate time for educators and students who are finally beginning to realize the tremendous value of a wide range of new, exciting education technologies. For years, teachers and education technology leaders talked about the promise of technology, but there were always obstacles to realizing the potential. Whether it was the lack of understanding of good professional development practices, digital content, bandwidth, low-quality mobile devices, or other obstacles, the promise of technology to enable and inspire teachers and students was typically far beyond what practically could be achieved.

Today, however, the increased commitment to professional development, wireless and broadband access, digital content, and apps available for an array of high-quality, affordable mobile devices, the thirst for and use of technology for teaching and learning finally has gained significant momentum. School systems have invested considerable funding in technology tools and resources and in the human resources to integrate, operate, and maintain education technology. As a result, a new leadership role has emerged in school systems — that of the chief technology officer. These CTOs face a daunting challenge — along with those they serve — of pushing for the innovative use of technology by teachers and students while protecting student privacy and reassuring parents.